Essendon are "well-placed" to potentially add to their list again in the off-season following a busy 2023 player movement period that has set them up for a finals tilt this year, with the Victorian powerhouse looking for "constant improvement".
The Bombers were the most active side in last year's trade and free agency window, signing Ben McKay, Todd Goldstein and Jade Gresham before trading for wingman Xavier Duursma.
The quartet of inclusions have each played a role in having the Bombers sit in the top four midway through Round 17, with the Bombers in line to return to the top eight and potentially end their winless finals streak.
Keeping an eye on the future as well as their 2024 prospects, Essendon president David Barham has declared the club will be looking at how they can strengthen their list going forward.
Speaking to 3AW, the Dons boss said his club is "well-placed" to be active again this off-season as the club enters a new period of list management led by talent boss Matt Rosa.
"We're looking for improvement, constant improvement across every area of the club," Barham said.
"We had enough money last year to go get four good players at the end of the year.
"I think we're well-placed (in 2024). What we're doing at the moment is a lot of work going into list strategy, management and structure and (pinpointing) what we need.
"Last year, I thought, was very instructional in what we're trying to do here. We brought in four people who slotted straight into the team, we didn't go and recruit people who would give us another of what we've already got.
"Brad (Scott) has shown already that he's very smart, knows what it takes and knows how to direct us in the right direction."
Essendon's reported pursuit of Geelong free agent Tyson Stengle fell short as the premiership Cats forward inked a new five-year deal at Kardinia Park last week.
The Bombers remain in the market for small forwards, having been tied to Gold Coast's Ben Ainsworth and Collingwood's Joe Richards, who are both unsigned beyond this year.
Ainsworth is one of four restricted free agents yet to commit beyond 2024, with the Bombers potentially able to secure the Suns gun without handing over any draft capital.
A matched offer by Gold Coast would force any keen rival suitor into a trade for Ainsworth's services.
Essendon have a number of internal contract decisions still needing to be made this year though, with Jye Caldwell, Nik Cox, Dyson Heppell, Nick Hind, Harrison Jones, Jake Kelly, Jake Stringer, Jye Menzie and Sam Weideman, among others, still unsigned beyond this year.
Caldwell is expected to re-sign at Tullamarine and would join Sam Durham (2028), Kyle Langford (2027), Andrew McGrath (2030), Jordan Ridley (2029) and Elijah Tsatas (2026) in recommitting to the club in 2024.