2024 NFL Schedule Release This Week!

The 2024 NFL schedule release is finally here this week. It will take place Wednesday night. By the way, it was supposed to be released last week but the league still doesn't know who is broadcasting the two WEDNESDAY Christmas Day games. Those rights are still under negotiations, presumably with NETFLIX to the tune of 50-100 million dollars per game!

Event though we know the opponents for our favorite teams, nothing is official until we put a date and broadcast time on the schedule weeks 1-18. There are a few things we already know. First, the Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, will kick off week one on Thursday night by hosting the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of the AFC Championship game from last season. The following night, it's a rare Friday Night Lights game in Brazil when the Eagles host the Packers.

Regarding the 2024 NFL Schedule release, we also know that the Jaguars, Bears, and Vikings will host international games in London and the Panthers will host a game in Germany. Plus, the Lions and Cowboys will host games on Thanksgiving Day as they do every year. Don't forget there is the "Black Friday" game to be scheduled on the day after Thanksgiving now.

Typically, early this week, we may get schedule leaks from various local media outlets which cover their hometown teams. Sometimes we can piecemeal these leaks and get a decent picture of the NFL schedule before Wednesday's official release. Other things we look for are primetime schedules like Thursday night, Sunday night and Monday night football.

Now that the draft is behind us, the 2024 NFL schedule release is one of the most exciting weeks of the year because it makes the 2024 season tangible and something we can directly focus on during Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Soutwest Florida.

Who are the 5 best pass catching trios in the NFL? The answer to that question is nuanced. How can you judge a receiver corps with Bryce Young throwing the ball versus one with Patrick Mahomes pulling the strings of the offense? The short of it is - you don’t have to. That’s why we’ve created this list of the 5 best pass catching trios in the NFL.

A handful of teams have gotten better with their pass catchers this offseason. I’m talking about the Tennessee Titans and their additions of Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to compliment DeAndre Hopkins. Houston might not have added as many pieces as their division rivals. But do not sleep on Stefon Diggs going to Houston and what that could do for CJ Stroud and the Texans offense. And the Miami Dolphins come to mind after signing Odell Beckham Jr. to put on the field with Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill in obvious passing downs. All of those teams are in the conversation for the 5 best pass catching trios in the NFL.

Then there are your trios that have been together for a couple of seasons now. I’m talking about Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Rashaad Bateman with the Baltimore Ravens. And don’t forget about the San Francisco 49ers. This would not be a discussion if you include either Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle to the duo of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. For this ranking we are not looking at the quarterbacks in the offense and I am also excluding rookies from this list. I think Rome Odunze with the Bears completes a really nice trio with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen whom they acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason. The fact is there are going to be rookies that went in the first round that don’t produce in season one. Look at the first receiver off the board last year; Quentin Johnston. He only brought in 38 receptions for 431 yards and 2 touchdowns last year. Rookies are just too inconsistent to put on a list of this importance. Here are the 5 best pass catching trios in the NFL.

The trio of DK Mefcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is one of the best pass catching trios in the NFL. DK and Smith-Njigba have all of the physical tools to be a clear cut #1 option in the NFL. Unfortunately DK Metcalf has not been consistent enough to be a true #1 in the league, and Smith-Njigba is only entering the 2nd season of his young career. Tyler Lockett is still a more than viable deep treat option in the NFL. Geno Smith might not be the long term answer in Seattle, but he's got all the weapons to prove himself and return to his 2022 form.

The duo of AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith is on the short list of best wide receiver duos in the NFL. Finding a #3 pass catching option is where the Eagles take a slight step down. Dallas Goedert is a very good tight end, but probably not on the level as some of the other #3 options on this list. And to be honest, I had the most difficult time placing the Eagles. They could have fallen anywhere from 2-4 on this list.

The Houston Texans have a phenomenal pass catching trio after the addition of Stefon Diggs this offseason. Nico Collins and Tank Dell were dominating the league last season before an ankle injury ended Tank Dell's rookie season early. With a healthy trio of COllins, Diggs, and Dell, CJ Stroud will have plenty of premier pass catching weapons at his disposal this season.

By far the fastest wide receiver corps in the NFL resides in South Florida. The Miami Dolphins can bludgeon opponents with raw speed. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle might be the best duo in the league, but there is little doubt that they are the fastest duo. Add Odell Beckham Jr. to the mix, and the Fins have a bigger body receiver who can make contested catches. If Odell returns to his form pre-ACL injury, then the Dolphins go to #1 on this list by the end of the season.

For the San Francisco 49ers I chose Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle as the trio. If you want to swap out Kittle for Christian McCaffrey, I won't argue with you. This trio, or quadruplet if you want to include CMC, is the most complete trio in the league. Aiyuk is on the verge of stardom, Deebo is a Swiss army knife that can line up anywhere on the field, and George Kittle is the guy who makes the contested catches and the safety blanket for Brock Purdy. I don't think there is much argument here; the San Francisco 49ers have the best pass catching trio in the NFL, and I don't think it's all that close.