Ranking the 10 Least Talented Rosters in the NFL

The NFL is a talent-driven league that requires execution from the top down for a franchise to find sustained success. A deep roster filled with quality playmakers and a limited number of weaknesses will have the opportunity to compete for the playoffs every year. But the other side of the coin exists as well, where the least talented rosters exist due to injuries or poor roster construction.

Last week we looked at the 10 most talented rosters in the NFL, and now it’s time to explore the 10 least talented rosters. The difference of being on this list and last week's isn't huge, which speaks to the parity across the league. It’s uncommon to find a talent-needy team in the thick of the playoff race come December and January, though.

By considering the number of impact starters and unreliable starters on each roster, we’ve ranked this list from No. 10 to the worst roster in the NFL. Depth and star power are factors, while rookies generally aren't because of the volatile nature of first-year play. Let’s jump in and see which teams are working with less than their peers and why they’ve earned their rank.

10. New York Giants

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Quarterback Eli Manning
• Wide receiver Odell Beckham
• Center Weston Richburg
• Defensive end Olivier Vernon
• Cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins

Unreliable starters

• Wide receiver Victor Cruz
• Offensive tackles Ereck Flowers and Marshall Newhouse
• Running back Rashad Jennings
• Linebackers Devon Kennard, Keenan Robinson and J.T. Thomas

After a massive offseason splurge to improve their playmaking throughout the roster, the New York Giants are in much better shape than they were at the end of 2015. It’s impossible to fill a dozen needs in one offseason, though, and it shows when looking at the depth chart. This is as top-heavy of a team as there is in the NFL.

The Giants' stars and elite players are as good as anyone, but their unreliable starters drag them down. Whether due to injury, talent or lack of a quality resume, there are fatal flaws on both sides of the ball. The lack of depth reflects the team's poor drafting and cap management in past years.

Considering the open nature of the NFC East, the Giants may be able to ride their stars to a playoff berth. But from top to bottom, this is the 10th-least talented roster in the NFL barring unexpected growth from several veterans. Even one injury along the offensive line or secondary could ruin New York's season.

The injury woes of wide receiver Victor Cruz, running back Rashad Jennings and linebacker Keenan Robinson make them wildcards for the team. Their recent history suggests that none will play in more than 13 games this season. Factor in the very inconsistent and completely unreliable play of tackles Ereck Flowers and Marshall Newhouse, it’s easy to be highly concerned with the weaknesses of this roster.

9. New Orleans Saints

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Quarterback Drew Brees
• Left tackle Terron Armstead
• Defensive end Cameron Jordan
• Cornerback Delvin Breaux
• Linebacker Stephone Anthony
• Center Max Unger

Unreliable starters

• Left guard Tim Lelito
• Defensive end Bobby Richardson
• Nose tackle John Jenkins
• Linebackers James Laurinaitis and Dannell Ellerbe

With a top-heavy roster in its truest sense, the New Orleans Saints have great and bad starters, with few individuals in between. They’ve made a concerted effort to find instant-impact rookies in the last two draft classes, and the strategy has worked based on early results. But this roster is still one of the least talented in the NFL.

Quarterback Drew Brees, left tackle Terron Armstead and defensive end Cameron Jordan are the building blocks with multiple years to fall back on as far as resume. The rest of the roster needs continued improvement from year to year. This especially applies to the trench and linebacker play for the Saints.

Even with all of the offensive firepower available in New Orleans, the Saints still finished 22nd in point differential with minus-4.9, per Sporting Charts. Their alarming lack of depth and average starters along the defensive line and linebacker corps is a direct reason why their porous defense gives up points and big plays every week. Brees and Co. will have another massive weight on their shoulders to help carry this defense.

Left guard Tim Lelito is in battle for the starting spot, but his 13 starts in 2015 were shaky. Defensive linemen John Jenkins and Bobby Richardson proved to be potential depth players last season but will again be asked to be full-time starters, which is simply asking too much of them. Finally, linebackers James Laurinaitis and Dannell Ellerbe have never proven to be more than bodies. Despite their gaudy tackle numbers, they provide very little impact on games as far as turnovers and negative plays.

8. San Diego Chargers

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Quarterback Philip Rivers
• Wide receiver Keenan Allen
• Wide receiver Travis Benjamin
• Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram
• Cornerback Jason Verrett

Unreliable starters

• Left guard Orlando Franklin
• Running back Melvin Gordon
• Inside linebacker Manti Te’o
• Safety Jahleel Addae

One of the more unfortunate teams in the NFL over the last two seasons with injury luck, the San Diego Chargers have worked to accelerate their playoff push through free agency while also finding affordable talent in the draft. According to Rich Hill of SB Nation, the Chargers had the 13th-oldest roster age after weighting snap counts. This may help explain why injuries ravaged their depth en route to a 4-12 finish in 2015.

Health is a skill, though, and it does not bode well for a roster relying on young starters throughout the defense and wide receivers with lengthy injury bills. One or two key injuries would significantly alter the performance of this team, and the 53-man roster doesn’t have the pipeline of talent to draw from when they do eventually strike. The only way the Chargers can overachieve is if their stars continue to take the next step to become borderline All-Pro players.

That is possible, specifically with quarterback Philip Rivers, cornerback Jason Verrett and edge-rusher Melvin Ingram. Those three are great players who play the most premium positions in football. But the lack of firm answers around them will likely lead to another bottom-10 finish in 2016.

The offensive line was atrocious again in 2015, with left guard Orlando Franklin underperforming the most after his massive free-agent contract led him to San Diego. 2015 first-round running back Melvin Gordon was bad, then had microfracture surgery on his knee, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Linebacker Manti Te’o and safety Jahleel Addae, both products of the 2013 offseason, each have struggled to establish themselves as viable long-term solutions as well.

7. Los Angeles Rams

Michael Thomas/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Running back Todd Gurley
• Defensive tackle Aaron Donald
• Defensive end Robert Quinn
• Cornerback Trumaine Johnson

Unreliable starters

• Wide receiver Kenny Britt
• Left tackle Greg Robinson
• Center Tim Barnes
• Right guard Jamon Brown
• Tight end Lance Kendricks
• Linebacker Alec Ogletree
• Safety Christian Bryant

The Los Angeles Rams finished with the youngest roster in the NFL last season after weighting the snaps played, according to Rich Hill of SB Nation. This would usually mean disaster struck for the Rams and they were among the worst teams in the league, but their 7-9 finish suggests otherwise. After a major trade up for quarterback Jared Goff, it’s clear the franchise is tired of mediocrity.

Whether the time is now depends on how the team's youth responds to playing time. The quickest path to improvement is by getting more live repetitions, but development is far from guaranteed. Goff and this offense have only one proven elite threat in running back Todd Gurley and a solid slot receiver and gadget player in Tavon Austin.

The Rams defense is closer to being a finished product than the offense, but there are fewer players with upside who could surprise us this year. It’s a solid unit that finished 13th in points allowed in 2015 with 20.6 per game. But it’s not enough to instill great confidence that this will be a markedly improved team, because rookies and second-year players are still inconsistent in nature.

6. Indianapolis Colts

Associated Press

Impact starters

• Quarterback Andrew Luck
• Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton
• Left guard Jack Mewhort
• Defensive end Henry Anderson
• Cornerback Vontae Davis

Unreliable starters

• Right tackle Denzelle Good
• Running back Frank Gore
• Outside linebacker Erik Walden
• Middle linebacker Nate Irving
• Safety Clayton Geathers

The Indianapolis Colts have missed the playoffs just three times since 1999, including in 2015. Quarterback Andrew Luck’s abdomen injury proved to be problematic and eventually forced him to miss the season after playing poorly at the early onset of the year. Even assuming he’s fully recovered and will bounce back to his 2014 form, the Colts don’t have an impressive roster.

They have a few stars, most notably wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and cornerback Vontae Davis. That’s not nearly enough, though. The best teams in the NFL have as many as 14 above-average and elite starters combined, while the Colts have a handful at best.

The major question marks throughout the roster still exist, even though the Colts seemed to have a strong draft haul. It happens after years of poor drafting and not proactively filling holes. The defense lacks impact players on every level, although second-year defensive end Henry Anderson will provide a boost when he returns from injury. Overall, it’s still a weak group of talent.

Right tackle Denzelle Good is completely unproven, and his seventh-round draft slot from the 2015 draft helps highlight how far he needs to progress to be viable. Linebackers Erik Walden and Nate Irving should be special team specialists but are likely to be handed major roles in this defense at critical positions. Finally, there’s aging running back Frank Gore, who looked out of gas throughout last season. It’s hard to count on players that have sorely stuck out as inconsistent performers.

5. Chicago Bears

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Impact starters

• Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery
• Right guard Kyle Long
• Quarterback Jay Cutler
• Nose tackle Eddie Goldman
• Outside linebacker Pernell McPhee
• Inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman

Unreliable starters

• Left tackle Charles Leno
• Center Hroniss Grasu
• Right tackle Bobby Massie
• Cornerback Tracy Porter
• Defensive end Will Sutton
• Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd

Since taking over prior to the 2015 season, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox have done an excellent job of overhauling this roster through the draft and free agency. They inherited a tough situation, as the roster needed talented young players but had to find a way to compete at the same time. Pace, his staff and the coaches have accomplished the former but haven’t yet seen the results quite yet.

The impact starters throughout the roster are mostly older players who were not developed internally. That’s a cause for concern since there’s uncertainty around the young secondary and offensive line. Who will become an impact starter from the 11 players who are on rookie contracts who haven’t already proved to be reliable players every week?

Barring a sudden jump from multiple players, the Bears will finish with another sub-.500 record, even if the overall talent has gotten better from two years ago. There just isn’t enough at the top of the roster to make up for the lack of average starters throughout the team. Another strong offseason will be necessary for the Bears to make a bigger jump in 2017.

4. Atlanta Falcons

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Wide receiver Julio Jones
• Left tackle Jake Matthews
• Running back Devonta Freeman
• Cornerback Desmond Trufant

Unreliable starters

• Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu
• Left guard Andy Levitre
• Right guard Chris Chester
• Right tackle Ryan Schraeder
• Tight end Jacob Tamme
• Safety Ricardo Allen

There was a smoke-and-mirrors start to the season for the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. Their 6-1 run was quickly ruined as the team realized its talent level and opposing teams took away Atlanta's biggest strengths. Outside of cornerstone pieces such as wide receiver Julio Jones, left tackle Jake Matthews and cornerback Desmond Trufant, the Falcons are mostly average to below average at this time.

Their free-agent acquisition of former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mohamed Sanu encapsulates how the franchise has built the team. Despite scoring only 11 touchdowns in four seasons, including none last year, Sanu received a five-year, $32.5 million contract. Yet Sanu is completely unreliable as a No. 2 receiver, since he was the fourth-leading target on the Bengals and wasn’t overly productive in his role.

The lack of defensive playmakers is most concerning. Defensive end Vic Beasley and Derrick Shelby are good, young players, but neither can be counted on for 12 or more sacks at this point. Trufant is fantastic, but no one else in the secondary scares quality quarterbacks. This looks like a team that will struggle to go .500 in 2016.

The offensive line played better in 2015 with their dedication to the running game, but the guard play was borderline atrocious for much of the year. Quarterback Matt Ryan needs elite playmakers to be effective, yet Sanu and tight end Jacob Tamme are far from locks to be anything more than average. Defenses will likely continue to key in on the run game and Jones, hoping to strangle the Falcons offense as they force feed lesser playmakers.

3. Tennessee Titans

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey
• Quarterback Marcus Mariota
• Tight end Delanie Walker
• Left tackle Taylor Lewan
• Outside linebacker Brian Orakpo

Unreliable starters

• Left guard Jeremiah Poutasi and Quinton Spain
• Right guard Chance Warmack
• Right tackle Jack Conklin
• Cornerback Brice McCain
• Safety Marqueston Huff

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the team that originally earned the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft still has one of the least talented rosters in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans have the third-worst roster on paper, with their 2015 first-round pick Marcus Mariota being the difference between this spot and the worst roster. At least he showed significant glimpses of future stardom before missing four games last year.

Mariota has some quality weapons around him. Tight end Delanie Walker is a star, and running back Derrick Henry has the potential to be one as well. Left tackle Taylor Lewan is a good starter who must continue to develop and fulfill his upside, but he’s still an asset.

Alas, the Titans are looking at a multiyear rebuild unless Mariota transforms into an elite quarterback. They’ve taken steps in the right direction to get back into the playoff mix, but having only five impact starters is a bad omen for this season. There’s at least that many unreliable and below-average starters who need improvement.

Part of the issue is how young the roster is. It’s normal for first- and second-year offensive linemen to struggle as their bodies continue to mature, which is why three of their linemen are on the unreliable list. Their defensive secondary is also a concern, considering how poorly cornerback Brice McCain played with the Miami Dolphins last year, and how little we’ve seen of safety Marqueston Huff.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Wide receiver Torrey Smith
• Left tackle Joe Staley
• Middle linebacker NaVorro Bowman
• Running back Carlos Hyde
• Defensive end Arik Armstead
• Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch

Unreliable starters

• Right guard Andrew Tiller
• Right tackle Trent Brown
• Quarterback Blaine Gabbert
• Wide receiver Quinton Patton
• Tight end Vance McDonald
• Outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks
• Middle linebacker Michael Wilhoite
• Safety Antoine Bethea

The San Francisco 49ers aren’t far removed from having one of the best rosters from top to bottom in the NFL. Unprecedented attrition over the last two years from the coaching staff to the players has left them with an odd mixture of talent, though. Their impact starters list has several players who would start for most across the league, but the lack of certainty elsewhere is glaring.

The building blocks for the 49ers are almost exclusively on the defensive line. That’s a good starting point, but the situation puts pressure on the coaching staff to squeeze production from limited players on offense and a young secondary. As seen in 2015, pulling that off won’t be easy or possibly even possible.

Maximizing the first- and second-year players and preparing them for long-term success must be the primary goal for 2016. Landing a franchise quarterback next year is key for the 49ers, but in the meantime, they’re going to struggle to compete. They have too many question marks throughout their starting lineup, and if injuries hit, this season won’t go fast enough.

Young players like right guard Andrew Tiller, right tackle Trent Brown, wide receiver Quinton Patton and tight end Vance McDonald are still at the stage where development is possible, but early returns weren’t promising. This is a better problem to have than the defense, who is relying on older, declining players like linebacker Ahmad Brooks and safety Antoine Bethea. It’s a strange mixture of talent that will be carrying this roster in 2016.

1. Cleveland Browns

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Impact starters

• Left tackle Joe Thomas
• Left guard Joel Bitonio
• Outside linebacker Paul Kruger
• Tight end Gary Barnidge

Unreliable starters

• Every wide receiver
• Center Cameron Erving
• Quarterback Robert Griffin III
• Nose tackle Danny Shelton
• Inside linebacker Christian Kirksey
• Strong safety Ibraheim Campbell

The Cleveland Browns have the worst roster in the NFL by our standards. Although the new regime added considerable depth via the 2016 NFL draft, there’s a lack of impact players whom the team can rely upon. This young roster will be dependent on journeymen and unproven young talent.

The uncertainty with this roster does have room for upside and improvement as the season goes along. With an abundance of draft picks to revamp the roster in the coming years, Cleveland can quickly ascend up this list. It will also help if head coach Hue Jackson and his staff can prove to be a long-term solution for the franchise.

But for now, the wide receiver room and two 2015 draft picks are major question marks. Center Cameron Erving and nose tackle Danny Shelton were among the worst rookie performers in the NFL last season. The Browns must squeeze production from those two and several of their rookie wide receivers to make this season more palatable.

This season will likely be rough for the Browns unless quarterback Robert Griffin III regains his 2012 form. There are positives such as having two first-round picks in 2017 and a plethora of players on rookie contracts who can be developed. While the Browns have this dubious title for now, there’s more reason for long-term optimism in their situation than some of their peers on this list.

All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

Follow @NFLFilmStudy