With teams more willing to roll the dice in free agency and with more trades than ever before, veteran player movement has become prolific in recent years. But that doesn't mean every familiar face in a new place is going to enjoy success.
With training camps in full swing across America, here are 10 very familiar names who are going to be worth tracking throughout the 2024 season. While I expect many of them to have great success, the law of averages suggests that some will not pan out and succeed.
In no particular order, let's have a look at some of the league's biggest stars currently preparing for the new season with new teams.
Odell Beckham Jr. | Wide Receiver | Miami Dolphins
Now aged 31 and on his fifth NFL team, OBJ is content with being a role player, a good teammate and a mentor for the Miami Dolphins. Odell returned from a year-long hiatus in 2023 and enjoyed some positive moments for the Baltimore Ravens before fading down the stretch. He has been slow out of the gates in Miami, opening camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list. But when Beckham gets on the field and if he can stay healthy, I think he can feast with the Dolphins. There will be so much attention paid to 1,000-yard receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle that Odell should make a serious contribution underneath and in the middle of the field. This is a story for another day, but if Odell is sidelined; keep an eye on rookie Malik Washington – he popped on the morning I visited Miami's camp.
Derrick Henry | Running Back | Baltimore Ravens
It's fun to be a contrarian every now and then and it would be fun to disagree with the entire NFL world when it comes to Derrick Henry's new relationship with the Baltimore Ravens. There is a case to be made because King Henry is 30 and we know that the tread on the tyres starts to get a little thin for running backs in that age category. But Baltimore's coaches have been raving about Henry's work ethic during training camp and who are we kidding? This could be a brilliant move for player and team. First, he is the epitome of the perfect Raven – physical and willing to mix it up all season long. Second, how do you defend this running game now? If defenders load up to stop Henry, Lamar Jackson is pulling the ball and heading downfield. And if a defender hesitates for a split-second to guard against Lamar, he's going to get a whole load of Henry up under his face mask. Scary!
Kirk Cousins | Quarterback | Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta's new quarterback Kirk Cousins has been at the centre of the NFL news cycle for much of the offseason. He signed a four-year deal worth $180 million and was instantly hailed as the missing piece of the playoff puzzle for the Falcons. And then his team promptly drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, creating a storm that will need to be weathered for the foreseeable future. Cousins took the diplomatic approach when I met him in training camp last week, saying he has learned not to feel entitled to anything in the NFL. But he can surely feel aggrieved? If his Achilles holds up – and all the signs are looking good – I think Kirk has enough talent and enough around him to hold off the challenge from Penix… at least for this season.
Tyron Smith | Offensive Tackle | New York Jets
There is no point having a Hall of Fame quarterback – particularly one who is 40 years old and coming off a serious injury – if you cannot protect him properly. That was the offseason belief of the New York Jets as they added muscle in front of Aaron Rodgers in the form of eight-time Pro Bowler and 2010s All-Decade Team tackle Tyron Smith, who previously starred for the Dallas Cowboys. Smith is a beastly and impressive physical specimen when you see him on the practice field and he has been wowing Jets' teammates who have wondered "how can a 320-pound man have an eight pack!" But Smith comes with age and injury concerns of his own. In his last four seasons in Dallas, the giant left tackle started just 30 of a possible 67 games. The rewards could be high, but they could also not stand the test of time with a lineman who last started an entire campaign in 2015. That's one reason the Jets chose Olu Fashanu in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Russell Wilson | Quarterback | Pittsburgh Steelers
After a disastrous spell in Denver, Russell Wilson will be keen to show he has gas left in his tank at the age of 35. But it has been a stuttering start with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion. Due to a calf injury, Wilson has lost significant snaps to former Chicago Bears first-rounder Justin Fields, who could be a more dynamic and suitable fit for Arthur Smith's attack. I've never been convinced that Wilson was the answer to Pittsburgh's quarterback woes and I felt he faced quite the task to win over the Steelers' locker room. Every big play that Fields makes during camp heaps just a little more pressure on Wilson. The veteran may still be the leader in the starting quarterback race, but we have definitely entered 'watch this space' territory in Pennsylvania.
Danielle Hunter | Edge Rusher | Houston Texans
It has been an offseason of excitement in Houston. How big a leap can quarterback C.J. Stroud take in year two? Will Joe Mixon be a dominant force at running back? Can Stefon Diggs get back on track as a newly-arrived wide receiver? But don't forget Danielle Hunter on the defensive side of the ball. The four-time Pro Bowler recorded 87 ½ sacks in eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, including 27 over the past two seasons. Motivated by a fresh start, I would expect Hunter to be one of Houston's brightest stars in 2024.
Saquon Barkley | Running Back | Philadelphia Eagles
If the Eagles can spice up an offense that was predictable and stale in 2023, Saquon Barkley's addition could be another stroke of genius from general manager Howie Roseman. Barkley only enjoyed 1,000-yard seasons in three of his six years with the New York Giants. But it should be noted that he was running behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. The two-time Pro Bowler has promised that he will show his "true potential" now he is operating behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines. I tend to agree with him and many more share that same opinion. Saquon is about to go off!
Keenan Allen | Wide Receiver | Chicago Bears
It sounds disrespectful to call Keenan Allen slow, so let's just say he has never set stopwatches blazing during his 11 seasons in the NFL. But few get open as consistently and as easily as the six-time Pro Bowler who has joined the Chicago Bears from the Los Angeles Chargers. There are plenty of weapons for Caleb Williams in Chicago – D.J. Moore, Allen and Rome Odunze at receiver, Cole Kmet at tight end and Khalil Herbert and D'Andre Swift in the backfield. Allen won't need to lead from the front. But he can if called to do so, as evidenced by his 2023 stat line of 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jim Harbaugh | Head Coach | Los Angeles Chargers
The man who allowed Keenan Allen – and fellow wide receiver Mike Williams – to leave Los Angeles was Jim Harbaugh, who is back in the NFL after a decade in the college ranks at Michigan. The 60-year-old can be scratchy, quirky and unpredictable. But we know what he produces in the NFL – tough, hard-nosed football teams who know how to win. I spoke to Chargers All-Pro safety Derwin James earlier this summer and he said of Harbaugh: "He is very unique – there is nobody like Coach Harbaugh, for sure. And he doesn't care, man. He doesn't care what other people think – your opinion doesn't matter to him, it doesn't." Harbaugh is looking to put a more grounded and physical team on the field this season. My only concern is how does that affect the outstanding Justin Herbert at quarterback? The Chargers under Harbaugh will be one of the NFL's most fascinating watches in 2024.
Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown | Wide Receiver | Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are rolling the dice to find another skill-position option for Patrick Mahomes because their offense got stuck in second gear far too often in 2023, even though the year ended with another Super Bowl crown. 'Hollywood' certainly flashed as a smooth, playmaking deep threat on the day I visited Chiefs' camp in Missouri. But fireworks are not guaranteed with Brown. In his first five seasons in the league, he has topped 1,000 receiving yards just once – with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. Seeing Brown build a summertime rapport with Mahomes is exciting, but the jury is still out on whether this move will pan out.
