• Bryce Young could be the guy: After an awful rookie season and an early benching in 2024, Bryce Young was excellent down the stretch.
• The Green Bay Packers‘ next great tackle: Zach Tom took a major step forward for the Packers in 2024.
• It’s Sam Darnold’s year: No one improved more than the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback, who earned an 82.7 grade and helped lead the team to a 14-3 record.
Estimated reading time: 22 minutes
Progression isn’t linear; sometimes, it comes from the most unlikely sources. Other times, we’re able to watch an NFL player organically grow and turn into the player we anticipated overnight. No matter the circumstances, all 32 teams had at least one player who rapidly improved in 2024, someone who either gave down-and-out franchises a reason for hope or a player who helped take a successful franchise to another level. Let’s have a look at each team’s most improved player in 2024.
Arizona Cardinals: TE Trey McBride
McBride continued his ascendancy in his third NFL season with career-highs across the board. The former second-round pick was the fulcrum of the Cardinals’ passing game in 2024, growing his connection with Kyler Murray and catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns. McBride’s 86.8 grade was second among all tight ends in the NFL, trailing only George Kittle.
Even with the Cardinals spending a first-round pick on Marvin Harrison Jr., McBride provided the most insurance as a receiver. His 139 targets were the ninth-most in the NFL, and the second-most among tight ends, and McBride stepped up for the Cardinals when the passing game wasn’t always at its best. When they needed a first down or a big play, McBride was often the go-to guy.
Atlanta Falcons: RB Bijan Robinson
The Falcons offense cratered with Kirk Cousins before bringing in Michael Penix Jr. to start the last three games of the season. Even when the offense was struggling, Bijan Robinson remained a constant source of excitement, as the former No. 8 overall pick firmly broke out in his second NFL season. Robinson carried the ball 304 times for 1,456 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per attempt and earning a 92.8 grade, the second-highest among running backs.
Robinson’s 1,456 rushing yards were third at the position, and he added 61 catches for 431 yards and a touchdown in the air, proving that the proclamations were true: he can do it all. He was one of just three running backs to finish in the top five in yards after contact, missed tackles forced, and runs of 10 yards or more, and Robinson will only be 23 years old by the time the 2025 season rolls around. He’s going to carry this Falcons offense on his back for years to come.
Baltimore Ravens: RB Justice Hill
The Ravens rushing game is dominated by Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson‘s gravitational pull. The two have combined for 2,836 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns to put together arguably the best rushing season for a quarterback and running back duo in NFL history. However, the work done by Justice Hill in the backfield has been incredibly underrated in 2024. Hill’s rushing production from 2023 to 2024 essentially halved, but he was just as efficient, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 4.19 yards after contact, the most among all running backs with at least 45 carries.
Hill really shined in the passing game though, historically where Henry has struggled, catching a career-high 42 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns, and his 77.8 grade was also a career-high. He also showed the ability to pass protect when asked to pick up blitzes despite his size. He’s proven to be a valuable asset for the Ravens.
Buffalo Bills: T Spencer Brown
Spencer Brown has evolved into one of the better tackles in the NFL over the last two seasons, and Brown’s evolution in 2024 has coincided with the Bills finally fixing, and leaning into, a potent rushing game. The Bills’ 92.7 team rushing grade was third in the regular season, and though a lot of that can be credited to Josh Allen and James Cook, they needed the offensive line to improve, and Brown highlighted that improvement with a career-high 78.5 grade, 14th among tackles.
Brown’s pass-blocking improved as a whole, too. In 2023, he allowed 42 pressures and five sacks, but in 2024, those numbers dropped to just 17 pressures and a single sack, earning Brown a 76.2 pass-blocking grade. The only thing holding Brown back was the 16 penalties he was called for, aside from that, he’s one of the best in the NFL now.
Carolina Panthers: QB Bryce Young
Bryce Young’s NFL career with the Carolina Panthers seemed dead and buried midway through the 2024 season. Young was benched three weeks into the 2024 season and the road back looked irreparable until Andy Dalton was injured and ruled out for Week 8. From then on, Bryce Young’s play flipped. He looked more composed and calm in the pocket, took fewer hits and showed off his arm talent more often. Young was everything the Panthers were promised in the second half of the season.
From Week 8 until the end of the season, Young completed 61.8% of his passes for 2,108 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning an 83.7 passing grade, seventh-highest among quarterbacks. Most impressively, Young led all quarterbacks with 26 big-time throws after recording just one in the first seven weeks of the season. Overall, Young finished with the seventh-most big-time throws. It looks like the Panthers finally have their guy.
Chicago Bears: CB Kyler Gordon
The Bears season started strong and finished with an almighty whimper, losing 10 of their last 11 games. However, the defense always remained competitive for the most part. The secondary had a coverage grade of 74.4, the 11th-best in the NFL, and Kyler Gordon’s improvements in the slot were a big part of that.
Gordon earned a career-high 76.0 grade in 2024, tied for the 11th-highest among cornerbacks, and he carved out his position as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, in part thanks to his tough defense against the run. Gordon earned a 76.5 grade against the run, and also allowed just 41 receptions in coverage in 2024, showing a big improvement in both departments.
Cincinnati Bengals: HB Chase Brown
Longtime Bengals running back Joe Mixon joined the Texans in the offseason, which left a big hole to fill at the position. The team signed Zack Moss to share the touches with Chase Brown, who they drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but Brown really broke out once Moss ended up on IR. Brown carried the 229 times for 990 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games, earning a 75.7 grade.
Brown excelled at catching passes out of the backfield, too, and had the fifth-most receptions and third-most receiving touchdowns among all running backs in 2024. His shiftiness and ability to make defenders miss was a big part of his game too, as Brown had five games with at least five missed tackles forced, and his 23 runs of 10 yards or more were 19th at the position. A big breakout season for Brown, who will look to go from strength to strength in the Bengals offense.
Cleveland Browns: EDGE Isaiah McGuire
Isaiah McGuire appeared in just four games as a rookie in 2023, causing little fanfare with two sacks and eight pressures, earning a 46.9 grade. However, he became a feature of the Browns' defense in 2024, especially once Za’Darius Smith was traded to the Lions. McGuire played in 16 games, starting in three, and earned an 83.3 grade, the 11th highest among edge rushers. In those 16 games, McGuire racked up 29 pressures and three sacks and registered three games with a grade of at least 90.0.
Where McGuire really showed promise was as a run defender. The 2023 fourth-round pick forced two fumbles against the run, and his 86.1 run defense grade was the third-highest among all edge rushers. He rarely missed tackles, showed he could make splash plays, and was an excellent complement to Myles Garrett in Year 2.
Dallas Cowboys: G Brock Hoffman
There wasn’t a lot to shout about for the Cowboys in 2024. Their regular season started poorly and got worse when Dak Prescott went down injured for the rest of the season, but Mike McCarthy’s men still played hard. The Cowboys lost Zack Martin to injury midway through the season, and Brock Hoffman stepped in at right guard to deputize and performed well. Hoffman scarcely played in his rookie season in 2023 but allowed just six total pressures in 286 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.
Despite spending most of his time at guard, Hoffman started two games at center for the Cowboys in 2024 and earned an 81.7 grade for his efforts. The Cowboys may feel better about their guard spots now, even with Zack Martin’s future up in the air. They can thank Hoffman for that.
Denver Broncos: EDGE Nik Bonitto
The Broncos defied the odds to finish with a 10-7 record and make the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl-winning season in 2015. While rookie quarterback Bo Nix‘s performance and one of the best offensive lines in the league was paramount to their success, the defense led the way. And on that defense, Nik Bonitto was one of the true breakout stars of the 2024 season.
Bonitto finished the season with the 18th most pressures (57) and second-most sacks (15) in the NFL in addition to being a driving force for a defense that led the league with a 40.7% pressure rate. His biggest quality was turning those pressures into sacks, and Bonitto could be on the verge of a big payday because of it.
Detroit Lions: S Kerby Joseph
Whoever leads the NFL in interceptions will always get appropriate airtime, and this year, the honor went to Lion’s safety Kerby Joseph, who led the league with nine interceptions. But even aside from the interceptions, Joseph was an excellent asset on one of the best defenses in the NFL.
Joseph’s 91.0 grade led all safeties, and his 91.9 coverage grade is the highest for a safety since Eddie Jackson in 2018. On top of his excellent coverage abilities, Joseph has been one of the soundest tacklers at the position all season, missing just 5.6% of his tackles in 2024. Having such a reliable defender who can do it all on the backend makes life much easier for defensive coordinators.
Green Bay Packers: T Zach Tom
The Packers have hit on yet another offensive lineman. Zach Tom was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and became a regular starter in 2023. Since then, Tom has become one of the most assured tackles in the NFL and took his biggest leap forward in 2024, earning an 87.6 grade. Tom’s 4.5% pressure rate was the 19th lowest among tackles in the NFL and dropped from 5.3% in 2023, and he allowed just three sacks in 562 pass-blocking snaps.
Tom saw a substantial increase in his run-blocking grade too. In 2023, Tom earned a 75.8 run-blocking grade, but in 2024, buoyed by a stronger running game, he earned a 90.0 grade, the third-highest grade in the NFL. His improvement saw him selected to PFF’s 2024 All-Pro team.
Houston Texans: S Jalen Pitre
Jalen Pitre’s third season in the NFL ended on a bum note, as the talented defensive back ended up on IR. However, Pitre moved to the slot for a large chunk of the season and became a real player for a strong Texans defense. His 73.9 grade was a career-high and 19th among all safeties. Pitre’s run defense really took a step forward, as his grade improved from 62.4 in 2023 to 79.5 in 2024.
The Texans allowed him to rush the quarterback more often as a blitzer, and Pitre had seven pressures and two quarterback hits on 49 pass-rushing stats before ending his season early. His presence in coverage, especially more from the slot in 2024, has always been evident, but Pitre rebounded from a down year in 2023 to surge forward in 2024.
Indianapolis Colts: WR Alec Pierce
Alec Pierce’s role in the Colts offense is clearly defined. They want him to win downfield with his speed and 6-foot-3 frame. That hadn’t always been a surefire thing in his first two seasons in the NFL, but Pierce took a real step forward in 2024 and asserted himself as a reliable deep threat for Anthony Richardson and Joe Flacco. Pierce caught 37 passes for a career-high 824 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024, and he earned a career-high 74.3 grade in the process.
The effort to get Pierce the ball downfield more was clear too, as his average depth of target increased to 22.8 yards, and he earned the second-most targets of 20 yards or more in the NFL in 2024 (30). Pierce caught 12 of those targets for 517 yards, the most yards earned on deep passes in the NFL. He broke out as a real deep threat, and his talents are clearly catered to Richardson's stengths.
Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Travon Walker
Travon Walker’s trajectory as a former No.1 overall pick hasn’t always been pointed directly upward. He was seen as a defensive project with raw talent coming out of Georgia, but Walker was slow to adjust to life in the NFL compared to his peers, namely Aidan Hutchinson. However, Walker has quietly ascended in his third season in the NFL. He registered comparable pass-rushing numbers to a year ago, 56 pressures and 10 sacks, but his run defense really improved.
And that’s where the Jaguars really anticipated his improvement. He was drafted into the NFL with the idea that he could already be a force against the run thanks to his physical tools and discipline, but after two years of sub-60.0 run-defense grades, Walker registered a 69.2 grade in 2024, the highest of his career. If his improvement across the board continues, Walker could be one of the best every-down edge defenders in the league.
Kansas City Chiefs: TE Noah Gray
Noah Gray has comfortably taken up the position as the Chiefs’ second tight end behind Travis Kelce for the past four years, but he became a much more stable figure of the Chiefs passing attack in 2024, setting the table for a career year. Gray caught 40 of 49 targets for 437 yards and five touchdowns this season, setting career highs across the board and earning a 74.2 grade, the eighth-highest among tight ends and also a higher grade than his superstar teammate, Kelce.
The fourth-year tight end caught the majority of his passes in the short and intermediate areas of the field and between the numbers, fitting into how the Chiefs offense has been dissecting opponents in their 15-2 season, even when they haven’t been at their best. And with Kelce aging, there’s scope to believe that Gray could take on an even bigger role down the line in a potential Kelce-less offense.
Las Vegas Raiders: WR Jakobi Meyers
The Raiders traded away their star receiver, Davante Adams, to the Jets in the middle of the season, setting the table for Meyers to have an even bigger role in the offense moving forward. The former Patriots’ receiver responded by having a strong year. Meyers caught 87 passes for 1,027 yards and four touchdowns, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career.
Meyers was effective across the board, proving to be a safe pair of hands in 2024, as he finished the season without a single drop on 126 targets. After spending the majority of his career with the Patriots in the slot, Meyers has shown that he can win effectively outside too. He caught 66.7% of his contested catches this season. With the Raiders more than likely set to get a new quarterback in the offseason, they’ll feel safe in the knowledge that whoever steps under center will have a reliable weapon in Meyers.
Los Angeles Chargers: S Elijah Molden
Elijah Molden’s season ended prematurely with a broken fibula, but the former Titans’ defensive back was excellent for the Chargers in 15 games and 12 starts this season, helping Jim Harbaugh’s defense to become one of the best units in the NFL in just one season. Molden’s 75.6 grade was a clear career-high, and the former third-round pick was as dependable as they come in the secondary.
Spending the majority of his time at safety, Molden allowed just 173 yards in coverage while picking off a career-high three passes and not allowing a single touchdown on 18 of 27 catches. He allowed just a 44.8 passer rating as well, the second-lowest in the NFL. A big step forward for Molden, and he could be a likely contributor for them once again in 2025.
Los Angeles Rams: T Alaric Jackson
After a minimal role in his first two seasons in the NFL, Alaric Jackson has been the Rams’ starting left tackle, protecting Matthew Stafford’s blindside for the last two seasons. His first season as the starter posed challenges, as Jackson allowed 41 pressures with a 7.7% allowed pressure rate, the 14th-highest among all tackles in the NFL.
The 2024 season was a marked improvement for the 6-foot-7 undrafted free agent. Jackson’s grade improved from 66.6 to 78.3, and he allowed 21 pressures and three sacks on 502 pass-blocking snaps. His pressure rate dropped to just 4.4% too, while his79.5 pass-blocking grade was in the top 25 of tackles. A big improvement for an important component of the Rams offense.
Miami Dolphins: TE Jonnu Smith
After a disappointing two years in New England and a brief dalliance with the Falcons in 2023, Jonnu Smith finally found his calling with the Dolphins offense in 2024. Smith caught a career-high 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns with the Dolphins, earning a career-high 84.0 receiving grade, the fifth-highest among tight ends.
Smith was mainly used as an underneath weapon in the offense, his average depth of target was just 5.0 yards, the fifth-lowest among all tight ends, but he was able to flash his athleticism and speed with the ball in his hands, as he averaged 5.9 yards after the catch. The former third-round pick led the Dolphins offense in receiving touchdowns and passes, becoming a feature of a struggling offense that needed some juice.
Minnesota Vikings: QB Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold is going to give the Vikings’ front office headaches heading into the offseason. The former third-overall was meant to be a placeholder for the Vikings' 2024 first-round pick, J.J. McCarthy, but instead, Darnold has had the best season of his career and is on pace to be the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year after spending last season on the bench for the 49ers.
Darnold completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns while registering the third-most big-time throws in the NFL and earning a career-high 82.7 grade. The Vikings' offense was buoyed by Darnold’s ability to stand in the pocket and let throws rip to his talented receivers, and Darnold was aided by one of the best play-callers in the business. The totality of it all is Darnold has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2024, leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record, and he’s going to get paid in the offseason.
New England Patriots: WR Kayshon Boutte
Kayshon Boutte’s grades in 2024 don’t scream star receiver, as his 62.5 receiving grade is just 93rd out of 132 receivers, but he carved out a role for himself in a Patriots offense that needed something, anything, in the receiving room. Boutte caught just two passes in five games in 2023, but in 2024, he saw his role increase dramatically, catching 43 of 67 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns.
The undrafted free agent started 13 games for the Patriots and caught the fourth-most passes on the team and was tied for the most touchdown receptions. Boutte especially shone downfield, as all three of his touchdown catches came on throws of 20 yards or more, and he was able to make plays for an offense that just couldn’t do all of that much.
New Orleans Saints: C Erik McCoy
The Saints started the 2024 season hot before dramatically cratering for the majority of the season. Ultimately, there wasn’t much to wax lyrical about, but Erik McCoy‘s play at center was one of the rare bright spots. McCoy played in just seven games in 2024 but led all centers with a 94.2 grade, the highest grade for a center since Jason Kelce earned a 94.4 grade in 2017.
McCoy played just 293 snaps in 2024, but his 1.9% pressure rate allowed was the fourth-lowest among centers, and he allowed zero sacks in 154 pass-blocking snaps. On top of that, McCoy really excelled as a run-blocker, earning a 94.5 run-blocking grade, leading the position.
New York Giants: EGDE Brian Burns
The Giants traded a second-round pick for Brian Burns, hoping that he could inject some life into a pass-rush that was lacking juice. Burns hadn’t turned into the elite pass-rusher that the Panthers were hoping for, but he took considerable steps forward from his final season in Carolina. His sack totals remained the same, but Burns’ overall effectiveness improved. He had 61 pressures in his first season with the Giants, the second-highest total of his career, and the 13th-most in the NFL.
Burns thrived in creating negative plays for opposing offenses in general. His 42 stops in 2024 were a career-high and the second-most in the NFL, behind Jonathon Cooper, and 30 of those defensive stops came against the run, an area where Burns has particularly struggled in his career. Stark improvement for an edge rusher who has the potential to be one of the best in the NFL.
New York Jets: G John Simpson
The Jets offensive line had one of the lowest pressure rates in the NFL in 2024, even if it did allow the 14th-most sacks in the NFL. However, John Simpson was a big reason the pressure rate was so low. Simpson was impressive in his first season with the Jets after spending one year with the Ravens, as he allowed just 20 pressures on 682 pass-blocking snaps, a 3.4% pressure rate.
Simpson had career-high grades across the board, earning a 77.3 overall grade, the 13th highest among guards, and a 79.2 run blocking grade, which also ranked top 10 at the position. He was able to be a sturdy contributor on the interior of the offensive line, along with Alijah Vera-Tucker.
Philadelphia Eagles: LB Zack Baun
A change in scenery, and a change in position, has turned Zack Baun into one of the best players at his position. Baun spent his final year with the Saints on the defensive line in a bit part role, but the Eagles utilized him as a weak-side linebacker in his first season in Philadelphia and reaped the benefits. Baun’s 90.1 grade was a career-high and led all linebackers, and his 69 stops led the league comfortably.
Baun proved that he could do everything at the second level for the Eagles and was instrumental in the defense finding its groove and becoming one of the premier units in the NFL after their bye week. Baun also had a career-high 16 pressures, showing that he still had some of that pass-rushing ability that the Saints saw, except he now utilized it as a blitzer, earning a likely All-Pro nod in his first season with the Eagles.
Pittsburgh Steelers: TE Darnell Washington
The Steelers drafted Darnell Washington in 2023 as a project tight end who could contribute as a blocker from Day 1 and with designs that he could factor into the passing game thanks to his athleticism and freakish size. Year one was quiet for Washington, he caught just seven passes for 61 yards, but he was used as an inline blocker and showed potential.
Washington featured more frequently in the passing game in 2024, catching 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. He still has a way to go before he’s the finished product, but Washington improved his grade from 49.8 in 2023 to 73.4 in 2024 and still showed his value as one of the best blocking tight ends in the game.
San Francisco 49ers: WR Jauan Jennings
The 49ers’ 2024 season was a disaster. They finished 6-11, missed the playoffs and suffered a wealth of injuries, but their struggles necessitated and accommodated the breakout of fourth-year receiver Jauan Jennings. The former seventh-round pick had a career year in the wake of injuries to Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey, catching 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns, setting career highs across the board.
Jennings was known more for his blocking abilities up until this season, but he was Brock Purdy’s most favorable target, earning 113 targets in 15 games, while his 83.1 grade was 13th among all receivers in the NFL. He also became one of the best receivers at winning contested catches, as only Terry McLaurin and Drake London had more contested catches than Jennings 20 in the regular season.
Seattle Seahawks: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Seahawks drafted Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th overall pick in 2023, with the hopes that he could be the next star receiver in Seattle. His rookie season gave us glimpses of what could be in store but was mostly underwhelming. But Smith-Njigba fully arrived in 2024, catching 100 of 137 targets for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns, leading the team in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
From Week 8-onwards, he earned the third-highest grade among receivers (90.1), catching 63 passes for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Smith-Njigba’s role in the offense expanded to him doing everything in the slot, and he caught eight passes of 20 yards or more from Week 8-onwards, the second-most in the NFL. The former Buckeye is making a name for himself as one of the next star slot receivers in the NFL.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: G Cody Mauch
Cody Mauch struggled in his first season in the NFL, he was inserted into the Buccaneers' lineup as their starting right guard from Day 1 and looked off the pace for large stretches of the season. He allowed 48 pressures and seven sacks, earning a 44.7 grade in 1,102 offensive snaps. Improvement was needed across the board, and Mauch delivered in 2024.
The former No. 49 overall pick was excellent in his second season, allowing a 2.7% pressure rate, the sixth-lowest among all guards, and his total pressures allowed dropped to just 18, which was 30 fewer than just a year ago. Mauch’s overall grade improved to 75.4, the 15th-highest among guards in 2024. The improvement after just one year has been remarkable.
Tennessee Titans: DI Sebastian Joseph-Day
Sebastian Joseph-Day has bounced around a few teams in the last couple of seasons, and there was hope that he could be a major player on the defensive line for the Titans, who needed some stability after two losing seasons. The Titans had a disastrous season, finishing with the worst record in the NFL at 3-14, but Joseph-Day was at least a positive contributor and improved his stock from a year ago.
His 70.3 grade was his best since 2020, and Joseph-Day had a career-high 77.9 run-defense grade, which was eighth among all interior defenders in the NFL. That’s where his bread has always been buttered, and Joseph-Day had 26 stops and a 10.4% stop rate against the run, both top-10 marks in the league. A big improvement from his last few seasons.
Washington Commanders: WR Olamide Zaccheaus
Olamide Zaccheaus was a key component of one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2024. The Commanders shocked everyone to finish 12-5, their best record since 1991, and make the playoffs with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center. Zaccheaus caught a career-high 45 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns, earning a 72.0 grade, the highest of his career.
Zaccheaus made a habit of working in the short areas of the field for the Commanders, and his average depth of target of 6.6 yards was the lowest of his career, and the first time in his career that it saw below nine yards. The work he did after the catch was impressive too, and Zaccheaus’s 6.4 yards after the catch per reception was top-20 among receivers.
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