5 NFL Teams That Can't Afford to Miss Playoffs Again Next Season

A crystal ball isn't necessary to understand certain situation are coming to a head for specific NFL teams.

Success isn't just a product of good synergy throughout an organization; it's a necessity. There's a reason why the cliche "not for long" exists when referencing America's professional football league.

Stability is only afforded to a select few who earn it over time. Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, Pete Carroll and Mike Tomlin are exceptions to the rule. Elsewhere, a handful teams replace their general managers, head coaches, quarterbacks or all of the above each offseason.

The players understand the expectations and feel the pressure. They know what's being said. New Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill even addressed it on Twitter after spending four successful seasons with Kansas City Chiefs.

"If y'all can't tell I'm tired of the negativity and I've only been here for 3 weeks," Thornhill tweeted. "We will win this year.

"And I don't care about what happened any year before I got here! New era!"

Clearly, thoughts of winning are present at all times, because football is a results-oriented business model. Potential breaking points are forthcoming for five specific teams if they don't find a way to make the postseason this year after failing to do so last season. Another stumble along the way could have significant repercussions.

Cleveland Browns

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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski speaks with the media during an NFL football news conference at the team's practice facility in Berea, Ohio, Tuesday, April 18, 2023. (AP Photo/David Richard)

The Cleveland Browns are entering the fourth year of Kevin Stefanski's tenure as head coach. The upcoming season could easily be described as a make-or-break campaign for the 2020 NFL Coach of the Year.

From a personnel standpoint, the Browns disrupted the game's business side by handing Deshaun Watson the highest guaranteed contract ever. Watson will now be with the team for a full offseason cycle and a complete season. Quarterback is no longer a question mark in the organization's eyes.

Furthermore, general manager Andrew Berry reevaluated his approach to roster-building and made upgrades with defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, edge-defender Za'Darius Smith, safety Juan Thornhill and wide receiver Elijah Moore.

As part of Stefanski's staff, he already replaced his previous defensive and special teams coordinators and inserted two proven coaches in Jim Schwartz and Bubba Ventrone, respectively.

Owner Jimmy Haslam isn't afraid to speak his mind and make a move, either.

"I don't want to say that [it's the playoffs or else], but I think that we have expectations to go to the playoffs," Haslam said, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot. "But I'm not going to say if we don't make the playoffs, X, Y, Z happens because that'll be the headline tomorrow. Listen, the AFC is tough. You've all been around. Our division is tough."

He added, "You all know how hard it is to win in the NFL. We certainly do. So I think everybody has a sense of urgency that we need to play well this year."

Denver Broncos

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DENVER, CO - JANUARY 8: Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks downfield in the fourth quarter during a game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on January 8, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When the Denver Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, the move received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Then, the regular season occurred and what looked like a boon quickly morphed into a boondoggle.

After one season, the high-profile trade appears lopsided in the Seahawks' favor. Knowing that something drastic needed to change in order to actually benefit from Wilson's presence, the organization hired/traded for head coach Sean Payton.

"There's probably a little bit of dirt on a lot of people's hands," Payton told reporters when asked about last season's performance. "When you win five games, it is what it is. I don't think I need to elaborate anymore. It wasn't good. Wasn't good on offense, that's for sure. It was hard film to watch."

From this point forward, the primary goal of the Broncos organization is to maximize Wilson's skill set.

"He's super competitive," Payton said. "He's won at a high level. He's someone that I think moves well. He's someone that I think works extremely hard. It's hard to find guys with all those traits."

Second-round wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. joins an already talented bunch of targets, and Mike McGlinchey signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal to solidify the right side of the offensive line.

If further disappointment occurs, Denver's future will be determined by the dollars and cents. The Broncos could theoretically move on from Wilson's contract after this season if they either release or trade him post-June 1.

New Orleans Saints

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 11: Quarterback Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints speaks to members of the media after signing a four-year contract with the Saints at New Orleans Saints Indoor Practice Facility on March 11, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

In two seasons without Drew Brees, the New Orleans Saints are mediocre team with a 16-18 record.

As per usual, the organization needed to manage its way out of a deep salary-cap hole before making the subsequent moves to remain competitive. New Orleans did so and signed quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year, $150 million deal. Amazingly, the franchise is currently ninth with $14.3 million in available salary-cap space, per Spotrac.

Clearly, the Saints didn't even consider rebuilding. Carr is a nine-year veteran, with previous playing experience for head coach Dennis Allen.

"I don't think it's just a veteran quarterback. I think it's the veteran quarterback we wanted," Allen said, per ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "I don't know that there was this thing, well, we got to go out and find any veteran quarterback. We wanted to find the quarterback that we wanted. Like I said before, we clearly identified that Derek was our No. 1 target. And we [went] out and got him."

Allen's words could eventually be used against the coach. Carr was their guy. He signed with the team prior to the start of the new league year. The NFC South is also a down division, with no clear top quarterback after Tom Brady's retirement.

Failure to make a run to the postseason and possibly even capture a division title with the likes of Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis and Tyrann Mathieu on the roster should be considered unacceptable.

New York Jets

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New York Jets' quarterback Aaron Rodgers poses for a picture after a news conference at the Jets' training facility in Florham Park, N.J., Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Months of waiting finally culminated with the New York Jets securing the services of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers.

With the supposed final piece of the puzzle in place and the Jets' willingness to cater to Rodgers' preferences, New York will be expected to challenge the Buffalo Bills for AFC East supremacy.

"We've got our quarterback," general manager Joe Douglas said after reaching a deal with the Packers, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky and Rich Cimini.

Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters, "I'm glad it's over. Now we can move on."

Rodgers can be a difference-maker. Though the path toward contender status won't be easy.

Last season, the Jets already featured a playoff-caliber defense. However, the offense struggled, with a combination of Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco and Mike White behind center. New York's O ranked among the league's bottom eight.

Three issues could lessen the Rodgers' effectiveness.

First, the quarterback turns 40 later this year. Some sort of decline should be expected.

Second, the offensive line remains in flux. Both tackle sports remain unsettled. Duane Brown turns 38 in August. Mekhi Becton hasn't taken a meaningful snap since Week 1 of the 2021 campaign. The team recently signed veteran swing tackle Billy Turner in an attempt to fortify the position.

Finally, the Bills and Miami Dolphins are already playoff-caliber teams and Bill Belichick will always have the New England Patriots ready. The Jets aren't guaranteed anything, even with Rodgers leading the way.

Washington Commanders

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LANDOVER, MD - JANUARY 01: Washington Commanders Head Coach Ron Rivera looks on from the sidelines during the Cleveland Browns game versus the Washington Commanders on January 01, 2023, at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera is betting a lot on second-year quarterback Sam Howell.

"Towards the end of the season last season we started seeing some real positive signs that really showed he is very confident and comfortable," Rivera said, per ESPN's John Keim. "A couple of times some things happened in practice and you would see him fix it himself. That was always something that you look for. He was doing things like that probably mid to end of the season so we felt really comfortable about it."

Howell started one game as a rookie in a Week 18 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. During that contest, he threw for 169 yards and a score. The quarterback ran for a second touchdown.

While Howell showed some progress in the throwaway contest, Washington's season came to an end a week earlier when its head coach didn't even realize his squad could be eliminated.

Rivera, meanwhile, is entering his fourth season at the franchise's helm. During that span, Washington posted a combined record of 22-27-1 and one playoff appearance—which occurred during his first year with the team.

Progress is necessary. The next step is making the playoffs after all three of the Commanders' division rivals did so last season. New ownership is now looming with Joshua Harris' agreement to buy the franchise from Daniel Snyder. Another mediocre campaign could very well force an entirely new direction for the franchise.