Every NFL team's most improved player in 2024

Starting 11 games in 2024, Williams began to justify the Cardinals' third-round investment. After a rookie season in which he missed the Cardinals' first six games, the Syracuse product opened his second season as a starter. Continuing to see talented corners (Patrick Peterson and Byron Murphy among them) exit, the Cards saw Williams post nine passes defensed and intercept two more. Pro Football Focus graded Williams as the NFL's third-best corner this season, and while that total came on 514 snaps, it is not like a middling Cardinals team presented a tremendous competition for most improved player. 

Bijan Robinson rising from good to great may be the standard pick here, but it is important to remember where Mooney was during the Bears' Luke Getsy seasons. After his 1,000-yard breakout in 2021, Mooney did not take off and languished on the following two Bears squads. Mooney finished his first Falcons season with 992 receiving yards; he did not combine for that many between the 2022 and '23 campaigns. The deep threat surged back onto the radar with Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. targeting him, after a connection with Justin Fields never fully materialized. It looks like teams knew Mooney had more in the tank when a $13 million-per-year marked formed.

The Ravens had formed a trend of signing edge rushers late in the summer, doing so despite having chosen Oweh in the 2021 first round. Justin Houston, Jadeveon Clowney, Jason Pierre-Paul and Kyle Van Noy committed to Baltimore well after the market opened. Van Noy has proven a revelation, becoming the team's top sacker. But Oweh finally made progress in this area in 2024. The Ravens picked up Oweh's fifth-year option last May but did so after he failed to eclipse five sacks in a season. He notched 10 in his fourth year, and his 23 QB hits were nearly double his previous best. A well-timed breakout, as a contract year arrives.

One of this space's previous offerings focused on injuries that denied teams legitimate championship opportunities . Benford's is headed there, as the Bills lost their No. 1 cornerback early in another narrow defeat against the Chiefs. Former first-rounder Kaiir Elam's struggles showed the find the Bills obtained in the sixth round of that 2022 draft. Benford improved across the board in coverage, allowing 5.4 yards per target and dropping his completion percentage as the closest defender by nearly six points (to 63.8). The Bills, who previously faced the Chiefs without then-No. 1 corner Tre'Davious White in 2021, saw Benford's value firsthand in these playoffs.

The 2025 running back free agent class pales in comparison to what 2024's brought. Extensions handed out have drained the pool, as the running back reawakening meant nice deals for some second-tier players. Hubbard joined Rhamondre Stevenson, James Conner and former Pro Bowler Alvin Kamara in signing new deals last year. The Panthers did well to extend Hubbard, as second-round rookie Jonathon Brooks suffered a second ACL tear. This came near the end of a strong Hubbard season, which included 1,195 rushing yards and 11 total TDs. Next Gen Stats placed Hubbard's 282 rush yards over expected behind only Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. 

The Bears quietly crept to 13th in scoring defense last season, doing so even as they fired their defensive play-caller -- Matt Eberflus -- on Black Friday. Dexter played a key part in Chicago's defensive climb, ranking in the top 40 leaguewide in pressures (23) and registering five sacks from his defensive tackle spot. Dexter's four tackles for loss were four more than he had as a rookie, and the former second-round pick looks like a keeper for new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

A frustrating Bengals season included an MVP-caliber Joe Burrow showing, while Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson earned first-team All-Pro accolades. Chase perhaps rising from an A-level receiver to a player now rivaling Justin Jefferson as the game's best may warrant consideration here, but Brown went from backup to difference-maker in 2024. Used behind Joe Mixon as a rookie, the 2023 fifth-round pick established himself as Cincinnati's clear-cut starter. As Zack Moss went down, Brown racked up 1,350 scrimmage yards (after amassing 335 as a rookie) and 11 TDs. The Bengals may lose Tee Higgins, but they have Brown as an emerging standout signed through 2026.

The Broncos observed flashes from the savvy route runner but never saw him put it together over an extended period during his four-year Denver stay. While the Browns cratered in 2024, they witnessed enough from Jeudy to make their offseason extension (three years, $52.5 million) look team-friendly. On his way to a career-high 1,229 yards and his first Pro Bowl, Jeudy blazed by the Broncos' Patrick Surtain sidekicks in a historic revenge game (235 yards). Considering the Broncos' lack of weaponry around Courtland Sutton, it is worth questioning why they gave up on Jeudy for fifth- and sixth-round picks.

Perhaps Brian Schottenheimer's coaching interviews should be the pick here, as he channeled JaMarcus Russell's famed pro day and Frank Ricard's debate win over James Carville as he made a successful case to replace Mike McCarthy. Instead, we will pick a running back that began the season behind a shopworn Ezekiel Elliott. A five-year Cowboy, Dowdle toiled behind Elliott and Tony Pollard for three seasons. After totaling just even carries from 2020-22, Dowdle broke through for a 1,000-yard season in 2024. The elusive back snared the Dallas RB1 job early and never looked back, raising his stock ahead of free agency.

The Broncos extended the older of their two outside linebacker starters, Jonathon Cooper, around midseason. This cast some doubt about Bonitto's Denver future, but the former second-rounder's second half may have been too good to deem him a one-contract player. Bonitto registered 13.5 sacks -- only Von Miller has totaled more among Broncos in a season over the past 15 years -- and made two game-changing plays to find the end zone. After a pick-six against the Browns, Bonitto pulled off an odd-looking fumble-six on a Colts flea-flicker to key a comeback win. Few players upped their stock more than Bonitto in 2024. 

Williams has run into significant off-field trouble, being suspended under the gambling and substance-abuse policies while also being arrested in October. The gun charge was eventually dropped. The 2022 first-round pick also missed most of his rookie season due to an ACL tear sustained in the national championship game. The Lions have stood by him, and 2024 made it worthwhile. The speed threat rounded out a lethal Detroit offense, producing 1,001 receiving yards and totaling eight touchdowns -- before adding a ninth on a reverse in the Lions' divisional-round loss. Williams showed he can be an ideal complementary piece alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown.

As Matt LaFleur frustrated fantasy GMs with his egalitarian receiver setup, Tucker Kraft rewarded the ones who showed enough late-round faith. Usurping Luke Musgrave as Green Bay's top tight end (before the latter's season-ending injury), the 2023 third-round pick became another Jordan Love weapon defenses needed to contain. Kraft's 707-yard, seven-touchdown season added to an array of Packers rookie-contract producers. It will be interesting to see who the team chooses to pay when those pacts expire, but given teams' struggles to find pass-catching tight ends, Kraft may be the safest bet among the Packers' young cadre. 

Jimmie Ward's first NFL team (the 49ers) kept shifting him between safety and slot cornerback. As Ward has continued to play both positions in Houston, Pitre has followed him in toggling. The Texans slid Pitre from safety to the slot in 2024, and they saw solid results. Pitre became a plus coverage player inside, complementing the blossoming Derek Stingley Jr.-Kamari Lassiter duo. Pitre knocked away eight passes, matching a career-high, despite missing the Texans' final five games. The former second-round pick also matched a career-best mark in TFLs (six) during the truncated slate.

The Colts traded a future third-round pick to move up for Cross in the 2022 third round, but they did not see the investment prove worthwhile until season three. Cross could not win a Colts starting job until this season, but the slow burn eventually was worth it. Bigger-picture issues plagued the Colts in 2024, as Cross shined by leading all DBs with 146 tackles while adding three interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack. Cross, whose rookie contract runs through the 2025 season, has gone from a player the Colts had deemed unplayable to a potential extension candidate. 

The bane of Travis Etienne fantasy GMs' fall existences, Bigsby forced a timeshare with the established starter in 2024. Bigsby was one of the few Jaguar veterans to take steps forward during a dreadful finale for the Doug Pederson-Trent Baalke duo. Stashed clearly behind Etienne in 2023, Bigsby went from 132 rookie-year rushing yards to 766. Bigsby's efficiency also spiked in 2024, via 4.6-yard average (after a paltry 2.6 number on 50 totes as a rookie). Bigsby finished in the top 10 in Next Gen Stats' rush yards over expected per carry, offering promise as Etienne heads into his fifth-year option season.

Similar cast members guided the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl. Beyond the Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce-Chris Jones Hall of Fame-bound troika, Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey and Trent McDuffie are linchpins. As far as emerging contributors go, Wharton qualifies. Starting three career games entering 2024, the 2020 undrafted free agent -- out of academically geared Division II program Missouri S&T -- smashed career-highs in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (11) while playing alongside Jones at D-tackle. Wharton has built on that in the playoffs, contributing two more sacks for a sound Steve Spagnuolo-coordinated unit.

Although Jakobi Meyers posted his first 1,000-yard season, the ex-Patriot -- and de facto Raiders WR1 post-Davante Adams -- had three straight 800-plus-yard showings leading up to it. Butler matched his 2023 sack and TFL totals (five, eight) but operated with greater effectiveness on a play-to-play basis. Butler graded as a top-20 D-tackle in pass rush win rate and a top-10 performer against the run. Only Bills starter Ed Oliver and All-Pros Jeffery Simmons and DeForest Buckner matched that. This season furthered a resurgence for Butler, who had spent the 2022 season out of football after the Dolphins discarded him.

The Chargers led the NFL in scoring defense. After Jim Harbaugh's team ditched 2023 linebacker regulars Kenneth Murray and Eric Kendricks, Henley was among those who stepped forward. Henley's 147 tackles were 50-plus more than the next-closest Charger, and he became a pillar after logging all of 53 snaps as a rookie in 2023. The seven TFLs Henley produced were the first seven of his career, and he added a sack and an interception. Under contract for two more seasons, the former third-round pick looks like a regular starter for Jesse Minter's defense.

Their Bobby Wagner accord notwithstanding, the Rams have not been big on paying linebackers as of late. They let Cory Littleton walk, cut Wagner after one season and, in 2024, traded top tackler Ernest Jones before Week 1. This increased Rozeboom's responsibilities, and he raised his profile. A former UDFA out of Division I-FCS South Dakota State, Rozeboom moved his career-high tackle number to a Rams-leading 135. Rozeboom's three pass deflections ranked third-most among LBs during the season's second half, as he helped the Rams go from 1-4 to the divisional round. 

A Dolphins season largely sunk by Tua Tagovailoa's injuries featured statistical nosedives from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. A scheme that had no use for Mike Gesicki, however, managed to unleash Smith. After resurfacing as a relevant weapon in Atlanta, Smith built on that by smashing career-highs with 88 receptions, 884 yards and eight TDs. Smith was a more reliable weapon than Hill or Waddle during the games without Tagovailoa, and he helped the recently extended southpaw when the Dolphins had their preferred personnel available. The ex-Titans prospect likely has another good contract coming either this year or next.

Although few sports matters are as backward as the NFL's wall-to-wall Pro Bowl announcement bonanza compared to a mere press release denoting All-Pros, Darnold making an original-ballot Pro Bowl is significant. The former No. 3 overall pick had shown nothing close to his 2024 form in six previous seasons, and he powered the Vikings to a 14-3 season. Darnold threw 35 TD passes (a career-high by 16) and reached 4,319 yards -- nearly 1,500 past his previous best. Yes, Darnold lost value during two woeful big-stage showings to close Minnesota's season, but he will enter free agency as the clear QB prize. That is a seismic leap from where he was as a UFA in 2023 and '24.

After the Commanders passed on Gonzalez for college INT machine Emmanuel Forbes in 2023, the Patriots pounced. Washington has already cut Forbes, while New England's defense now centers around Gonzalez. The Oregon product missed most of his rookie season but showed flashes early. He built on that in 2024, earning second-team All-Pro acclaim. Gonzalez improved significantly in terms of completion percentage (55.7) and passer rating allowed (71.7) as the closest defender, already becoming one of the NFL's best cornerbacks. The Pats need plenty of roster help, but they have a secondary anchor in-house.

A rotational player as a rookie, Bresee took on a bigger role in 2024. The former No. 1 overall recruit out of high school started 11 games for the Saints and led the team in sacks. The Clemson-produced D-tackle tallied 7.5 sacks to go with a career-best 14 tackles for loss. Bresee combined to sack the two Super Bowl LIX QBs -- Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts -- three times and added three pass batdowns. It was a difficult year to find Saints positives, as injuries piled up during another lost season, but Bresee was certainly one of them.

The HBO-chronicled trade for Brian Burns confirmed the Giants' long-term plans at outside linebacker, as Kayvon Thibodeaux can be kept on a rookie deal through 2026 via the fifth-year option. This left Ojulari auditioning for his next team in 2024; what turned out to be an abbreviated reel featured highlights. Three years after his eight-sack rookie season, Ojuarli totaled six despite missing six games. Ojulari replaced an injured Thibodeaux in New York's lineup for five games; he totaled five sacks in that span, including two drops of Joe Burrow. After the Giants did not trade him at the deadline, Ojulari will have a nice free agent market.

It was not all bad for the Jets, though most of 2024 highlighted the organization's shortcomings. Thought to be the Jets' second choice (behind tackle Broderick Jones) in the 2023 first round, McDonald impressed in Year 2. After the Jets let Bryce Huff walk and saw replacement Haason Reddick hold out, McDonald thrived. The Iowa State product posted 10.5 sacks and 24 QB hits after barely playing as a rookie. Undersized, McDonald still started 15 games opposite Jermaine Johnson and forced two fumbles. As the Jets retool around Aaron Glenn, they found a keeper during a rough season.

The Eagles did not do much to deviate from their low-cost 2023 plan at linebacker. They continued to show trust in Nakobe Dean and took fliers on Baun and Devin White. While the former top-five pick busted early, Baun delivered perhaps this year's defining breakout. A rotational edge rusher in New Orleans, Baun was researching special teams contracts ahead of free agency. Given a one-year, $3.5M deal, Baun submitted an astonishing first-team All-Pro effort. After 14 starts in four Saints seasons, Baun started 16 games and made 151 tackles and added three sacks. For those hoping the Eagles can derail a Chiefs threepeat, Baun will be an important piece ahead of a big 2025 raise.

Entering 2023, the Steelers had not drafted a first-round tackle since 1996 (Jamain Stephens). They have now drafted two in the past two years. The additions of Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu put Moore on notice. Moore competitions to keep his job unfolded, but the former fourth-round pick held off his challengers and has positioned himself for a nice free agency payday. Pass block win rate placed Moore 11th this season, and Pro Football Focus -- long Moore skeptics -- assessed him as performing better in his contract year. With the Steelers committed to Jones and Fautanu, Moore will be eyeing a well-paid relocation soon.

After the 49ers may have seen Dre Greenlaw's historically ill-timed Achilles tear deny them a championship , their follow-up brought a severe hangover. Christian McCaffrey missed most of the season, and Brandon Aiyuk struggled before an ACL tear. Deebo Samuel: also not himself. As George Kittle attempted to keep Kyle Shanahan's offense on track, he received help from a role player. Jennings emerged as key Brock Purdy target, quietly finishing with 975 yards and six TDs. Lauded for his blocking earlier in his career, the 49ers' WR3 erupted for a 173/3 game against the Rams. Extended in 2024, Jennings may prove a valuable asset if/when the 49ers move on from Samuel.

As the Seahawks' Geno Smith experiment continues to generate solid but unspectacular outings, the late breakout received an on-schedule emergence from a first-round pick. After working as a clear WR3 behind D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett in 2023, Smith-Njigba seized command of Seattle's receiver hierarchy this season. The Ohio State cog, who missed most of his final Buckeyes season due to an oft-questioned hamstring injury, finally built on his 2021 college showcase season by snaring 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six scores. Smith's eventual successor, whenever he arrives, will likely spend plenty of time targeting Smith-Njigba as his first read. 

Out of sorts up front (beyond Tristan Wirfs) since their Super Bowl LV line began to splinter in 2022, the Buccaneers began to put the pieces back together this past season. Recent draftees Mauch and Luke Goedeke impressed. Pro Football Focus graded Mauch as a top-10 pass blocker among guards, this coming after PFF slotted the 2023 second-round pick as a bottom-10 player at the position as a rookie. Tampa Bay's right guard helped fourth-round pick Bucky Irving to a flashy rookie season, and the Bucs will look to him to keep up that pace during the final two years of his rookie contract.

This might be the toughest place to find surefire improvement, as the Titans' descent continued with a 3-14 season. Tennessee did, however, present a rare combination of boasting the No. 30-ranked scoring defense and second-best yardage unit. As the Titans barely saw their starting cornerbacks play, their D-line showed extended flashes. Beyond anchor Jeffery Simmons, Joseph-Day teamed with rookie nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat to play effectively. PFF ranked Joseph-Day, whom the Chargers cut late in 2023, as a top-10 run defender among interior D-linemen. The ex-Rams Super Bowl starter's six TFLs: six more than he compiled in all of 2023.

Fowler is a bit old to be on this list, having completed an age-30 season. But the Commanders signed the former Dan Quinn Falcons and Cowboys edge piece as an auxiliary pass rusher; they received a bigger-than-expected contribution. Fowler zoomed to 10.5 sacks, doing so despite starting only seven games. This led a Commanders team resetting at defensive end after trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young at the 2023 deadline. This was only Fowler's second double-digit sack season. While he could be a candidate to be overpaid, based on past letdowns, Washington needed every bit of the former top-three draftee's production to drag an undermanned defense to the NFC championship game.