1 Thing Every NFL Team Outside Playoff Picture Must Accomplish This Season
Every NFL team enters the offseason with the same goal atop their to-do list: win the Super Bowl.
Some do so with straighter faces than others.
That isn't the only goal teams have, of course, and those goals differ from team to team. Some seek to repeat as division champions. Or make the postseason as a wild card. To add punch to the offense or stiffen the defense.
Of course, the farther down the NFL's pecking order you get, the more modest goals become. For the NFL's also-rans, it can be developing a young quarterback, addressing a weakness that derailed the season before or just being more competitive.
It's those lower-end teams we're going to look at here.
Most of these teams were cellar-dwellers in 2022. All have significant flaws. But even then, this is admittedly something of a subjective exercise. The New Orleans Saints had the same record as the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers last year. But the Saints answered their biggest offseason question with the addition of Derek Carr, and they may well be the favorites in a bad NFC South. The Falcons and Panthers are, um, not.
Fans of the 11 franchises listed here will likely disagree about their favorite franchise's outlook this year, but when the 2023 playoffs begin, they will probably be watching them on TV, just like us. However, that doesn't mean there aren't things they should accomplish this season.
In fact, there's one thing they must accomplish or else the 2023 season won't be any less disappointing than 2022 was.
Arizona Cardinals: Build Defensive Identity
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This isn't exactly breaking news, but it's fixing to be a long season for the Arizona Cardinals. The Redbirds just suffered through a four-win disaster of a season that got Kliff Kingsbury fired, and there's no telling when injured quarterback Kyler Murray will be able to return to action.
That's not Arizona's only problem. The Cardinals were 21st in total defense last year, and in 2023, Nick Rallis will become the latest in a revolving door of defensive coordinators over the past decade.
Rallis is just 29 and a first-time coordinator, but new Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon expressed confidence in his ability to get the job done while talking to reporters.
"I'm really not worried about their age," Gannon added. "I'm worried about if they can serve the players and get the job done."
Even when the Cardinals have had some success in recent years defensively, the team has lacked an identity on that side of the ball. The scheme has changed multiple times. Players like Isaiah Simmons have seen their role change and change and then change again.
This season will be about building toward the future in the desert. One of those building blocks needs to be identity and continuity on defense and giving the players a framework that they can improve in as opposed to continually changing how the defense is organized.
Atlanta Falcons: See What They Have in Desmond Ridder
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Fans of the Atlanta Falcons may bristle a bit at inclusion here. After a wildly aggressive offseason, there's some confidence that Atlanta can compete in a flawed NFC South in 2023.
But the Falcons have flaws of their own and won just seven games in 2022. A one-and-done playoff trip shouldn't be the team's biggest priority.
Figuring out whether Desmond Ridder is a long-term answer at quarterback is.
Ridder made just four starts as a rookie, completing 63.5 percent of his passes and throwing two touchdown passes, but via Michael Rothstein of ESPN, Ridder said he has an idea of how he can improve on those performances.
"I would just say settling down. Just being comfortable with where you're at," Ridder said. "Not getting too antsy, just being able to go in and, and make plays and not have to make too many plays, you know, by yourself. There's 10 other guys out there that are gonna help you."
Adding running back Bijan Robinson in the first round of the 2023 draft was great for the team. The defensive improvements the team made in the offseason were sorely needed.
But for better or worse, the Falcons will go as far this year as Ridder takes them.
Carolina Panthers: Be Real About Bryce Young
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The Carolina Panthers made a franchise-altering move in 2023, mortgaging the franchise's future to obtain the No. 1 overall pick and acquire Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
Per Joe Person of The Athletic, Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen is already impressed with what he has seen from Young.
"You see all the highlight plays, and you hear about how smart he is and his processing ability," he said. "But when you meet him as a person, you understand how mature he is for his age and how respectful he is and his knowledge of the game. It really impresses you. And now getting to know him a little bit through the process and his top-30 visit, just really excited now to get on the field with him."
Young's talent is undeniable. And it's understandable that the Panthers are excited about the potential end of their long search for a franchise quarterback. But Carolina was 29th in the league last year in total offense and possesses one of the league's weaker wideout corps. The Panthers have a middle-of-the-pack offensive line according to Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network.
It's not unreasonable to expect the Panthers to be better in 2023. But this is a franchise that still has a ways to go, and head coach Frank Reich needs to be realistic about the team's expectations for their new quarterback.
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Chicago Bears: Develop Justin Fields
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The Chicago Bears had the worst record in the NFL last year, but the team wasn't short on excitement thanks to the scrambling ability of quarterback Justin Fields.
This year, the Bears doubled down on Fields. Rather than consider one of the top rookie signal-callers in the class, Chicago traded the No. 1 pick to Carolina in a package that included a new No. 1 receiver for Fields in D.J. Moore.
Albert Breer of the MMQB explained why Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy thinks his QB is "light-years ahead" relative to last season.
"... I went looking for a little context on where Fields has taken those big steps," Breer said. "Tangibly, it should show up with the mental work he's done to improve his command at the line of scrimmage—in changing protections and making adjustments within the offense. He's made the comment to the coaches over the last couple of weeks that he could never have had the conversations with them last year that he's having now, which is a great sign for where they are collectively."
Coaxing that improvement from Fields in 2023 isn't just the biggest thing that matters for the Bears.
It's the only thing that matters.
Cleveland Browns: Get Off This List
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Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is aware that there is significant pressure on the Cleveland Browns to go from pretenders to contenders in 2023.
"There's pressure every year," said Haslam. "You all know how hard it is to win in the NFL. We certainly do. ... I think everybody has a sense of urgency that we need to play well this year."
That's one whopper of an understatement.
It's not just a matter of the Browns shaking off the stink of two-plus decades of failure since the team returned to the NFL in 1999. This is the team that mortgaged its future and handed a $230 million fully guaranteed contract to quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was accused of sexual misconduct and assault by two dozen women.
Watson struggled in 2022, but given that he didn't play at all in 2021 and opened last season serving an 11-game suspension, that's not especially surprising. Haslam expects that to change this year.
"We have high expectations of Deshaun," Haslam said. "Deshaun has high expectations of himself."
But if Watson comes out and plays poorly again in 2023, the trade that brought him to Cleveland could go down as the single biggest boondoggle in the history of the NFL.
And Cleveland's reputation as an NFL laughingstock will be more locked in than ever.
Denver Broncos: Make the Playoffs
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It goes without saying (or should) that every team in this article wants to make the playoffs, even if their odds aren't great.
But the Denver Broncos are in a different boat. The Broncos need to make the playoffs. Now. This year.
When the Broncos made the blockbuster trade to acquire Russell Wilson last year, it wasn't just with making the postseason in mind. That was supposed to be the final piece in a Super Bowl puzzle.
Instead, Wilson had arguably the worst season of his NFL career. The Broncos offense imploded, scoring fewer points per game than any team in the league. And a Denver team some saw as a Super Bowl contender finished last in the AFC West.
The Broncos followed that disastrous big move with another blockbuster, dealing a first-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for head coach Sean Payton. At his introductory press conference, Payton said one of his top priorities is getting Wilson on track.
"Obviously, it wasn't the type of season he had wanted to have," he said of Wilson. "I do feel like the last couple weeks, we saw a little bit more of maybe what we were expecting or accustomed to—and I say we, you all—when you signed him. I think the number one job for us as coaches is in evaluating our players, what are the things that they do really well and then let's try to put them in those positions."
Payton is certainly an upgrade over Nathaniel Hackett. And Wilson has a long history of success in the NFL. But the Broncos are in a division with two playoff teams and the reigning Super Bowl champs.
Getting to the playoffs won't be easy. Frankly, it isn't likely. But another bad season in the Mile High City is not going to go over well.
Houston Texans: Put up a Fight Every Week
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Frankly, there was a time not that long ago when the best thing the Houston Texans probably could have done was lose as many games as possible in 2023. With their franchise quarterback of the future in the fold and next year's draft believed a strong one under center, a high pick in 2024 could have been immensely valuable.
But thanks to the trade that netted the Texans Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., Houston's first-rounder now belongs to the Arizona Cardinals.
That changes the primary goal to something a bit more modest. Something that has been sorely lacking in Houston in recent years—respectability.
When he was introduced as head coach, DeMeco Ryans said he was eager to show what this young team can do.
"I can't wait to get started with you guys. I'm fired up. This is a young team. We're on the cusp. We got to add some pieces to what we're doing here, but I'm so excited to get started and get to work with the young guys and get to work building a winning program with the Texans. ... That's what we want to bring to Houston."
Excitement aside, even with C.J. Stroud and Anderson in town, the Texans are not a good team. They may well be the most talent-deficient team in the NFL. Last year, Houston fielded the league's second-worst offense and third-worst defense. There isn't a position group on the roster that doesn't need work. Over the last three years, the Texans have been an abysmal 11-38-1.
This is going to be a process. And the first step is at least giving opponents a run for their money.
Indianapolis Colts: Unleash Anthony Richardson
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For much of the predraft process, the narrative surrounding Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson was that he was a "project." With a lack of starting experience, it could be a while before the youngster was ready to take the reins of an NFL offense.
But while appearing on SportsCenter, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said that many teams don't share that assessment, and the Colts may be one of them.
"I'm told Indy has gotten to work with Anthony Richardson in a hurry, trying to get that install going because the pleasantries are over," Fowler said. "They've done their homework. Now they want to get him ready to play because a lot of teams I've talked to believe that he'll be possibly the Week 1 starter."
Good.
This isn't to say that the Colts should start Richardson in Week 1 just to do it. But if Richardson is indeed more pro-ready than many first believed, then new head coach Shane Steichen should absolutely roll him out there.
For starters, Richardson has a physical profile and skill set that very few NFL quarterbacks can match. There aren't many players who are 6'4" and 240 pounds with 4.4-second speed who can throw a football 60 yards on a rope. With Richardson out there, Steichen's offense has many more looks and options available.
Also, while fans love Gardner Minshew and his mustache, he is what he is: a career backup with eight wins in 24 starts who had a QBR under 40 in 2022 with the Eagles.
There will be bumps in the road, to be sure. Richardson's first NFL season will likely be an uneven one.
But sometimes, the best way to learn is by doing.
Las Vegas Raiders: Seal the Deal
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Last year, the Raiders were the absolute masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Las Vegas blew a 20-point lead. Two 17-point leads. A 13-point lead. All that choking tied an NFL record. So did the Raiders blowing four leads of at least seven points in the second half.
All that futility led to some big changes in the offseason. especially at quarterback. Derek Carr was sent packing, with Jimmy Garoppolo brought in to replace him. While speaking to reporters, Garoppolo said his time with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels in New England should only help his acclimation to his new team.
"For me, it starts with he's very smart. He's very smart," Garoppolo said. "Taught me the game of football basically in the NFL. But he cares, too, about the game. He cares about winning. You can really tell, just talking to him, that winning is very important. I wouldn't say that's true about everybody in the NFL. When you do get an opportunity like that, it's hard to pass up."
Is Garoppolo a better quarterback than Carr? Maybe—although the former's injury history is a legitimate concern. But a slight upgrade (or downgrade) under center isn't going to drastically change the Raiders' fortunes.
If Vegas is going to have any kind of chance in a tough AFC West, then when they manage to get a lead, they have to figure out a way to hang on to it.
Los Angeles Rams: Lose
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This seems like an odd suggestion for a team that won a Super Bowl two years ago. But most Super Bowl champions don't face-plant the way the Los Angeles Rams did in 2022. The Rams freely admitted they went all-in on winning that Super Bowl. And it worked. But the bill came due for that short-term focus, and now it's rebuilding time.
Of course, the Rams don't want to call it that, with general manager Les Snead instead using the word "remodel" while speaking to reporters.
"We would almost have to tear it down for it to be a rebuild," Snead said, "because we do have a lot of really good players in their prime on this roster. So a lot of times it's tough to say rebuilding with that type of roster, so you'd have to go through some type of tear down to truly rebuild, so that's why I use the word remodel."
But the Rams already traded one of those cornerstone players in Jalen Ramsey. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is 35 and coming off a serious neck injury. Aaron Donald is nearing the end of the line. And this team, as constructed, is maybe third-best in the NFC West.
Unless Snead trades the pick, the Rams will have something in 2024 they haven't possessed since taking Jared Goff first overall in 2016: a first-round pick.
In 2023, that pick would have been sixth overall. Frankly, the team could use an even higher one to draft Stafford successor.
This isn't to say the Rams should tank—only that a 3-14 season helps them a lot more than a 7-10 campaign.
Washington Commanders: Start Sam Howell—For Better or Worse
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In terms of 2022 record, the Washington Commanders are the best team on this list. But despite a .500 record last year, the cold hard truth is that in an NFC East where three teams made the postseason last year, Washington ain't making a playoff run in 2023.
And a big reason for that is the Commanders have the worst quarterback situation in the division.
As things stand, second-year pro Sam Howell is penciled in as the team's starter under center. But while the Commanders may have confidence in the youngster, on a recent radio appearance, ESPN's Matt Miller said he just doesn't see it.
"I do not see him as a playoff-caliber quarterback, I'm sorry," Miller told 106.7 The Fan's Lynnell Willingham. "I know people wanna believe. I just don't. ... I'm rooting for Sam Howell to prove me wrong. I thought he was better than a fifth-round pick, but I saw him topping out as a really good backup or someone who would be a short-term starter in the NFL, as opposed to a fifth-round steal who is gonna turn a franchise around."
The thing is, whether Howell is great or gruesome, the Commanders need to give him a prolonged audition. Jacoby Brissett is a capable backup, but with him at quarterback, the Commanders are a seven or eight-win also-ran. Neither terrific of terrible. Mediocre.
Either Howell is that fifth-round bargain, or he ain't. And if it's the latter (which is more likely), a three- or four-win season does the Commanders more good in the long term.
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