The start of the 2024 NFL regular season is just a week away, and coaches and front-office executives are putting the final touches on their rosters. The endless debates and conversations regarding which players deserve roster spots prompted me to spend a few days in the film room evaluating the standard bearers at every position.
With the All-22 coaches' tape utilized as the primary evaluation tool to determine which players stand out, I am releasing my preseason All-Pro team based on track record and 2024 projections. While some notable names did not make the cut, it is important to pick the team based on recent performance and production instead of handing out spots due to lifetime achievements.
Without further ado, here is my preseason All-22 squad for 2024:
Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs quarterback is the ultimate QB1 based on his ability to put up numbers and chalk up wins with or without a star-studded supporting cast. Mahomes has won back-to-back Super Bowl titles since losing an All-Pro receiver and shows no signs of relinquishing his crown as the NFL's premier signal-caller. As a magician under center with the capacity to work on or off script, the two-time MVP has Kansas City eying a third straight championship.
Running back: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
The multi-faceted playmaker continues to dazzle as a RB1/WR2 in Kyle Shanahan's offense. McCaffrey is nearly impossible to contain as a runner-receiver out of the backfield with big play potential as a runner between the tackles or as a pass catcher in space. Considering the veteran has posted over 3,200 scrimmage yards and 31 total touchdowns in 27 games with the 49ers, the league has not figured out how to slow down the one-of-a-kind threat.
Wide receiver: Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
The most dangerous playmaker in the game tops the list of hideouts after back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons with 20 touchdowns since joining the Dolphins in 2022. As a world-class speedster with exceptional start-stop quickness and burst, Hill is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. With Mike McDaniel drawing up creative motions and route concepts designed to get the ball to his top playmaker on the move, the football world should expect to see Hill continue to post ridiculous numbers as the Dolphins' WR1.
Wide receiver: CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
The All-Pro pass catcher landed a blockbuster deal after posting ridiculous numbers as the Cowboys' No.1 option. Lamb topped the 1,700-yard mark in 2023, exhibiting the route-running skills and playmaking traits that made it a no-brainer for owner Jerry Jones to break the bank to keep the receiver in the fold for the next five years. With Lamb entrenched as WR1 for the foreseeable future, fantasy geeks and Cowboys fans alike should salivate over No. 88's potential as a prolific point scorer on the perimeter.
Wide receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
The feisty pass catcher is a WR1 who excels in working between the hashes or outside the numbers. As a polished route-runner with outstanding "RAC" (run after catch) ability, St. Brown is an unstoppable chain mover on the perimeter. While others might display flashier games, the Lions' WR1 is a dominant player with blue-chip talent and a blue-collar mentality.
Tight end: George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
The aspiring wrestler is quite the hybrid as half-receiver and half-tackle positioned as a "Y" tight end. Kittle dominates defenders as a blocker while also displaying exceptional playmaking ability as a pass catcher. As a mismatch creator, blocker, and receiver, the two-time All-Pro is a rare find as a dynamic player who upgrades the running and passing games with his presence.
Left tackle: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
It is rare for a 36-year-old to continue to set the gold standard for play at his position, but Williams is a unicorn in the NFL world. The three-time All-Pro obliterates defenders at the line of scrimmage, displaying a remarkable combination of strength, power and explosiveness in the trenches. Williams' mobility and athleticism enable him to move around the perimeter, delivering haymakers like a heavyweight champ. Given Williams' rare skills as a freak athlete, the veteran is one of the most valuable players in the entire NFL.
Left guard: Joe Thuney, Kansas City Chiefs
The two-time All-Pro is a textbook blocker at the point of attack. Thuney's technique, toughness, and tenacity spark the Chiefs' frontline while also enabling Andy Reid to utilize creative schemes to tease and torment opponents for 60 minutes. The veteran's ability to win his one-on-one battles against elite interior defenders has helped the Chiefs chalk up a pair of Super Bowl wins since his arrival in 2021.
Center: Frank Ragnow, Detroit Lions
The three-time Pro Bowler controls the point of attack, utilizing a mix of force and finesse to get it done. Ragnow's grittiness, toughness, and athleticism set the tone for the Lions' offense while also enabling Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson to diversify their approach in key moments. For a team built on effort and toughness, Ragnow's game perfectly matches the Lions' scheme and culture.
Right guard: Tyler Smith, Dallas Cowboys
The All-Pro guard is an athletic freak with exceptional balance and body control. Smith shadowboxes like a heavyweight champ, delivering punishing body blows that stop defenders in their tracks. As a natural tackle playing inside, Smith's athleticism, balance, and agility make him a nightmare to deal with in the trenches.
Right tackle: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
The 6-foot-5, 335-pounder is the new prototype at the position. Sewell's size, strength, athleticism, and technique enable him to bully foes at the point of attack. The Lions' star edge blocker is a monster in the trenches, exhibiting dominant traits every offensive coach covets in a premier blocker.
DEFENSE
EDGE: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
The freakishly athletic pass rusher was unleashed in Jim Schwartz's scheme. Garrett was free to rush from various positions, utilizing a series of basketball-like maneuvers to terrorize opponents within the pocket. The eighth-year pro finished with 14 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Moreover, he dominated games from start to finish as the "Boogeyman" every opponent fears at the line of scrimmage.
EDGE: TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
The former Defensive Player of the Year is an unstoppable force off the edge. He is a crafty playmaker with an expansive toolbox that overwhelms opponents. Watt's energy, effort, and competitive stamina enable him to produce splash plays utilizing various tactics to win at the line. With 96.5 career sacks, including 19.0 in 2023, the eighth-year pro is a premier player with the potential to tilt the field with his talents.
Defensive tackle: Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
The All-Pro defensive tackle continues to shine as the featured playmaker in Steve Spagnuolo's defense. Jones overwhelms opponents with his size and strength but displays enough athleticism and wiggle to win with force or finesse at the point of attack. With Spagnuolo willing to utilize various blitzes to create favorable one-on-one chances for the ninth-year pro, the football world will continue to see Jones ring up impressive numbers as a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage.
Defensive tackle: Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
The ginormous interior defender is more than a run stuffer at the point of attack. Lawrence is a rare find as a 340-pounder with heavy hands, nimble feet, and a nasty disposition. The fifth-year pro routinely fought through double teams to tally 53 total stops, seven tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks while registering 21 quarterback hits. Though the league is built around the passing game, Lawrence's impact production as a run-stopper-pass rusher makes him an essential piece of a championship-caliber defensive puzzle.
Linebacker: Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
The seventh-year pro has emerged as the new prototype at the position following a spectacular season where he amassed 132 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and four interceptions in 2023. The exceptional production reflects Warner's dominance as the centerpiece of the 49ers' defense. Measuring 6-foot-3, 236 pounds with exceptional length and safety-like range, Warner is a disruptive presence against the run and pass as a sideline-to-sideline defender. Given his ability to control the game as a menacing presence between the numbers, the 49ers' defensive leader is the playmaker coordinators covet in the middle.
Linebacker: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
The two-time All-Pro defender is revolutionizing the game as a hybrid pass rusher with a unique ability to rush from anywhere on the frontline or second level. Parson has tallied 40.5 sacks, 51 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles in 50 career starts, displaying an explosive combination of speed, power, and pop rushing from a three-point stance or standup position off the edge. With the third-year pro also excelling at whipping interior blockers on A-gap blitzes, the Cowboys' designated defensive playmaker is a rare find as a traditional inside linebacker with elite pass-rushing skills.
Cornerback: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
The ultra-aggressive cover corner suffocates pass catchers with his superior size and length on the island. Gardner challenges at the line of scrimmage with his tenacious approach, utilizing various techniques to disrupt the timing and rhythm of the passing game. As the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder eliminates free releases and layups with his relentless bump-and-run skills, opposing quarterbacks are opting to avoid throwing in his direction on "gotta have it" downs late in games.
Cornerback: Derek Stingley, Houston Texans
Despite snagging five interceptions in 11 games, Stingley has flown under the radar as a leading contender for the NFL's CB1 title after blanketing receivers on the perimeter. Per PFF, the third-year pro forced an incompletion on 20.4% of his targets while showcasing his talents as a natural cover corner. Given a chance to refine his skills with daily battles against Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell, the No.3 overall pick from the 2022 draft should inch closer towards to No.1 spot by season's end.
Nickel back: Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs
The evolution of the passing game makes it imperative to have a high-end slot defender to field an elite defense. McDuffie is the best in the business in the slot, exhibiting rare speed, quickness, and polish, covering shifty playmakers between the numbers. Although the All-Pro is expected to replace L'Jarius Sneed as the Chiefs' CB1 on the perimeter, McDuffie's experience and expertise playing in the slot could set him apart from others vying for the No.1 spot on the cover cornerback charts.
Safety: Antoine Winfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The playmaking veteran deserves a spot on the team after becoming the first player in NFL history to record 100 tackles, three sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in a season. Winfield dominated opponents with 122 stops, six sacks, six forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and 12 passes defensed as the Buccaneers' designated playmaker within Todd Bowles' hyper-aggressive scheme. From sitting on the hashes as a split-field safety to coming off the edges on a slot defender pressure to tracking down runners as a sideline-to-sideline pursuer, the fifth-year pro is the Swiss Army knife defensive coordinator covet in the back end.
Safety: Jessie Bates, Atlanta Falcons
The seventh-year pro proved his worth as a big-money addition with 132 tackles and six interceptions in his debut season with the Falcons after inking a four-year, $62 million deal as a marquee free agent. Bates sparked the unit with his spectacular playmaking skills from the deep middle. With the veteran flashing exceptional instincts, awareness and anticipation as a "see ball, get ball" defender, the Falcons' defensive resurgence has been aided by the addition of a talented playmaker with an extraordinary football IQ.
