4 teams that can win Super Bowl 59 in 2024 NFL free agency

The NFL offseason is nearly as much fun as the games that are played in the fall. From the coaching carousel that immediately follows the season, to free agency, the draft, and the schedule release, it's never a boring time to be a football fan.

Free agency is about to get under way, and for teams with cap space (or creative general managers), there's no better time to add proven talent to your roster. With a record spike in the salary cap and dozens of talented players unsigned, this free agent period is sure to be a wild one, but which teams have a real chance to position themselves for a Super Bowl run?

Today we're looking at four teams that could be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy next February if they play their cards right in the next couple of weeks. Three of these should be no surprise, as they've either won, played in, or been a game away from the Super Bowl in the past two seasons. The other is more of a long shot, but as we've seen many times in the NFL, the fortunes of an entire franchise can change quickly. Let's dive in!

The Detroit Lions are here to stay, and they have the cap space to get even better

After decades of ineptitude, the Lions pushed their way into the NFL's elite last season, and that was only the beginning. Dan Campbell's squad is young, talented and explosive, and after just falling short in the NFC Championship, the Lions will be even hungrier to take the next step.

Dismiss the Lions as a one-year wonder at your own peril. The offense was one of the best in the league, and Detroit returns every major piece next year. Jared Goff has transformed his career after leaving Hollywood for the Motor City, and in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and David Montgomery, he's surrounded by playmakers. Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow may be the two best linemen at their positions in the league, and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is coming back after not taking a head coaching job.

The Lions are in a great spot, because they are elite on one side of the ball, and they have clear positions of need on defense. That means they can target specific free agents that will fill those needs, and know that if they get those decisions right, they'll be even better next year.

So what does Detroit need? Safety would be a good place to start, where the team cut Tracy Walker and is likely to lose CJ Gardner-Johnson in free agency. The market is saturated with quality safeties, whether the Lions want to target a proven veteran like Justin Simmons, Jordan Poyer, or Tashaun Gibson, or if they want to take a big swing at a young talent like Kamren Curl or Xavier McKinney.

The Lions could also use one more edge defender to complement rising star Aidan Hutchinson, and though the pass rush market isn't quite as robust as it is at safety, there are still plenty of choices for Lions GM Brad Holmes. Danielle Hunter, Chase Young, AJ Epenesa, Leonard Williams, and Jadeveon Clowney are high-end options that Holmes could pursue with Detroit's $47 million in cap space.

The Lions offense guarantees that they will enter 2024 as one of the favorites in the NFC. Improving at safety and defensive end could put them on the fast track to a Super Bowl title.