I wrote an article a few days ago on "Four Teams that Will Make this Offseason Amazing". This is the antithesis of that article. I wanted to put the Dallas Cowboys on this list, but with how their season ended, I can't. Jerry Jones could be 400 million over the cap and will mortgage the future even more for some "America's team" mindset or something ridiculous nonsense like that.
This article also depends on what you define as "quiet". Do I think these teams will do nothing? No! No team in league history has ever made zero moves whatsoever. That, and maybe they have some wizards at GM and salary cap analysts that can do some restructuring magic, especially if the players are willing. I think this is the year that THESE teams need to take a break and breathe.
Denver Broncos
The lingering question on everyone's mind is...Russell Wilson. Russell has a dead cap hit of 85 million dollars. If Denver cuts Russell as a post-June 1st designation, it's 35 million. Either way, that is a tough pill to swallow, and they would have cap hits for years after for a player not on the roster. Denver is also 19 Million over the salary cap as of now. Sure, they have a candidate for restructuring or extension in Garett Bolles and an obvious-cut candidate in Tim Patrick, who will save just under 10 million. Still 19 MILLION!
The reason I think they are going to be quiet is that I don't think they are going to cut Russell Wilson. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO CUT RUSSELL WILSON THIS YEAR. He's definitely on thin ice, but he's the Broncos' best chance to have a successful 2024. Both Russell Wilson and Sean Payton are true professionals. They can get over the squabbles they had in 2023. I'm sure Sean saw the turnaround the Broncos had after the Broncos FINALLY beat the Chiefs for the first time right before the Royals won the World Series in 2015.
What other options does Sean Payton have? Maybe Kirk Cousins is available (I don't think he will be), but maybe. What if he's not? Ryan Tannehill? Jimmy G? Gardner Mindshew? They could trade up in the draft Drake Maye or hope J.J. McCarthy or Bo Nix is the answer because those guys will probably fall to them.
That and Russell are going to want to stay too. One reason will be for pride. Russell won't want to admit defeat. He's a fringe Hall of Famer. Two, would Russ want to start over again? Russell will turn 36 during the season and taking more hits than most quarterbacks that have played as long as he has. I think Russell and Sean figure out how to make the best of the worst situation, and the Broncos go 8-9 again, and it will be déjà vu all over again in 2025. More anti-climatic than quiet, but some difference.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers are eight million under the cap. The only clear-cut salary cap casualty they have is Allen Robinson. Cutting Robinson would save them 10 million for a player who wasn't productive for them at all. That's about as "no-brainer" as you can get. That decision will be an easy one. That's only 18 million in a season where a team like Washington will have 100 million to play with. Can the Steelers compete?
Pittsburgh has too high a draft pick to get a blue-chip QB. They pick 20th in the NFL draft. That's blue-chip quarterback purgatory. Rarely does one fall like Aaron Rodgers did, but it's possible.
Everyone wants them to move on from Kenny Pickett. I don't understand why. He will be a third-year quarterback who had some unfortunate injury issues. Kenny Pickett is 14-10 as a starter. Mason Rudolph is 8-4-1 as a starter. It's a legitimate quarterback controversy, but I think they should stick with Pickett. Pickett has a higher ceiling. Rudolph played well down the stretch, true, but I believe you should give a rookie quarterback the duration of his four-year contract. If he's been terrible, the first three years don't pick up his fifth-year option, but give him the four years. Peyton Manning was terrible in his first year. They're not all Patrick Mahomes.
A bummer for them is that they're in a similar predicament to the Broncos with a higher draft pick. Will Bo Nix and J.J. McCarthy fall to them? Probably...maybe? I wouldn't trade up to get either of them. Also, are they the answer either? What then? Ryan Tannehill? Jimmy G? Gardner Mindshew? WHOA, déjà vu!
This team depends solely on the health of T.J. Watt. T.J. Watt should be in the MVP discussion every year because no one defensive player in the league is as important as T.J. Watt is in the Steelers. Did anybody even give them a chance to beat the Bills when we found out Watt wasn't playing? That question is rhetorical because the answer is a deafening NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Buffalo Bills
Like the Broncos, they have a similar question with a different position. Trade wide receiver Stefon Diggs or not trade Stefon Diggs? I think they need to pull the trigger on this one and get something for him. The only reason not to make this trade is Gabe Davis is a free agent as well. They will struggle to have a competent WR room if they lose both. Hey, it worked for the Chiefs this season though. The Bills are 40 million over the cap. They mortgage the future on winning now and didn't get it done. Now, the "Bill" has come home to collect.
Brandon Beane has made quite a few questionable calls in recent years. Giving Von Miller 120 Million at 35 was one of them. I was shocked when that contract came through. None of the contracts on the Bills have been structured for an out at all. Tre'davious White's contract doesn't save them a lot of money if they cut him, and he's dealt with injuries the last few years. I'm not sure how the Bills will get under the cap, let alone sign anybody. They have tougher decisions than the Chargers and that's saying something.
"Wide Right" will haunt them again in 2024 because I believe the Bills will be the team that takes the biggest step back in 2024. Buckle your seat belts BillsMafia. It's going to get a little shaky. Unless Josh Allen has another "Superman" stretch as he did at the end of the 2023 season, the Bills are in danger of not making the playoffs.
Main Image via