Three NFL Quarterbacks In Make-or-Break Years - 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook

July 26, 2024

Andrew Ball analyzes three NFL quarterbacks who are entering make-or-break seasons in 2024 and looks at which will succeed or fail in the upcoming season.

Let's start this article off with a little cliche: Quarterback is the most important position across all sports.

That's not blowing the minds of any readers and it's something that general managers across the NFL are constantly thinking about (outside of the Kansas City Chiefs, I think they're set). There won't be any hoisting of Lombardi Trophies without a quarterback in the upper echelon.

That pushes teams to move on from young quarterbacks who aren't showing enough potential to win at the highest level. Below are three quarterbacks who enter make-or-break seasons in 2024.

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Young quarterbacks typically get a few seasons to establish themselves in the professional ranks. Bryce Young has only played one year so far, but it was a disaster for the 2023 first overall selection. Young won't necessarily be moved to the bench if he endures another poor season, but the optimism of him being a franchise signal-caller will be evaporated.

First-year Panthers head coach Dave Canales previously revived the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in his last two stops. Both quarterbacks were lifted by a strong receiving corps (DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for Smith, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin for Mayfield). Young won't be gifted that level of wide receiver talent, but it will be much better than last season.

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Diontae Johnson and first-round pick Xavier Legette replace Adam Thielen and Jonathan Mingo (although both remain on the roster). That should help Young post more than one 300-yard passing game. Reports out of offseason camps say Young looks more comfortable in Year 2.

Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

Like Young, the Titans equipped their second-year quarterback with talent at the skill positions. Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd join DeAndre Hopkins in the wide receiver room. They added former Dallas running back Tony Pollard and key offensive line pieces. The team also hired an offensive-minded head coach, Brian Callahan.

Will Will Levis toss for four touchdowns in games more often, as he did in his professional debut? Doubtful. But his decision-making should improve, and hopefully, he'll learn to handle the pass rush better. He's an elite athlete with a proclivity to chuck it deep. The next step is winning in the short area and taking full command of an offense.

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Unlike Young and the third quarterback in this article, Levis was not a first-round pick. Early second-round pick, yes, but not the giant investment that other teams made to find their franchise signal-caller. The Titans can move on next offseason if Levis doesn't improve the finer points of his game.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

The Giants mistook Daniel Jones' 3,205-yard, 15-touchdown season as a franchise quarterback. The team seems to regret signing him to a four-year, $160M contract. As seen on "Hard Knocks," they were close to trading up in the draft to select a quarterback.

Inside GM Joe Schoen's office hours before the 2024 NFL Draft

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— New York Giants (@Giants) July 23, 2024

The team did Jones some favors in the offseason, adding two starters to the offensive line (Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor) and drafting Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft. Essentially, the Giants are viewing it as the final straw. If Jones can win with this offense, he may hold onto his job into 2025. If not, the Giants will move to reset the clock and select a new franchise quarterback next April.

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