What NFL's Most Disappointing Teams Must Accomplish in 2023 to Provide Hope for 2024
Four weeks into the 2023 NFL season, and there are several teams that are 1-3 despite expecting to be a lot better at this stage.
In most cases, that record at this stage is the start of a death knell for season aspirations.
While it's still possible for any of these teams to bounce back and make a postseason or Super Bowl run, let's look at what each can accomplish outside of that in order to give fans hope for 2024 and beyond.
New England Patriots: Move on from Bill Belichick and Mac Jones
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Time's up. Bill Belichick might be the most accomplished coach in NFL history, but he is nearly a quarter-century into his tenure with the New England Patriots, and everything about this organization has become stale.
The Patriots desperately need a new face of the franchise, and it makes sense to tie that in with a fresh start at the game's most crucial position as well. Because let's face it, Mac Jones isn't getting the job done at all.
The 2021 first-round pick has seen most of his rate-based statistics drop for the second year in a row after a half-decent rookie campaign in which he may have benefited from the element of surprise.
That's gone now, and the Pats are on track to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years.
They'll likely wait out the season on a Belichick move, but they should give 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe some looks under center while at least considering a midseason coaching move and a full-on tank for the 2024 offseason.
New York Jets: Gain Clarity on Zach Wilson's Future, Aaron Rodgers' Status
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The New York Jets are deeply invested in Aaron Rodgers, and there seems little chance 2021 No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson has a real future with the team (or even in this league).
All the Jets can do now is treat games like live rehearsals for 2024 (especially on defense, where nobody of Rodgers' significance is missing) while closely monitoring both quarterbacks.
Wilson did at least show signs of progress with a strong performance in the close loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend, but he remains the NFL's third-lowest-rated passer and there's a good chance that was an aberration when you consider how poor he was in the first three weeks.
At the very least, the Jets can spend time watching Wilson sink or swim while Rodgers works his way back from a torn Achilles tendon. That's his stated goal for the 2023 season, and any action he might be able to get this year could be telling for the Jets to determine how to approach the upcoming offseason.
Cincinnati Bengals: Win Games and Don't Let This Be Lost Season
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There's almost no way the Cincinnati Bengals can silver-line a dreadful 2023 season.
This is a team that entered the year with great Super Bowl odds following back-to-back runs to the AFC Championship Game under rising star quarterback Joe Burrow, and a sudden five- or six-win campaign would be crippling.
In other words, a lot more of this could cause the front office to wonder if a major shakeup is needed so that the team doesn't continue to waste the LSU product's prime beyond what many hoped would be their year.
And then there are the understandable concerns about Burrow himself. Following a lost preseason as a result of a calf injury, the 26-year-old has been the league's lowest-rated qualified passer so far this season.
The only way these Bengals can possibly give fans hope for 2024? Salvage 2023. Nobody realistically expects a Vince Lombardi Trophy at this point, but what they do from here in 2023 will indicate just how mentally strong, resilient and outright talented this squad is.
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Broncos: Fix Defense and Reality Check on What Wilson Is and Isn't
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The Denver Broncos arguably saved their season with a comeback victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 4, but they're still 1-3 and it shouldn't have taken that much to beat a winless squad.
Realistically, the Broncos are in a tremendous hole in the tough AFC West, with two of their next four games coming against the Kansas City Chiefs. Therefore, the goal now should be to right the defensive ship after surrendering 150 points in four games to kick off the year.
Sure, Russell Wilson hasn't been quite right and head coach Sean Payton may need time with his new roster, so gauging the progress they make is also critical.
However, the quarterback's rate-based numbers are up for now and the Broncos are financially married to him for some time.
The key here is to ensure Wilson isn't completely toast and unworthy of continuing to invest in and to make sure he's receiving better support from a defense that had some nice moments with Patrick Surtain II, Alex Singleton and Justin Simmons leading the way in 2022.
Las Vegas Raiders: Make Long-Term Calls on Garoppolo and Jacobs
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The Las Vegas Raiders have lost three straight outings to fall to 1-3, primarily because they've yet to score more than 18 points in a game this season. That's a tremendous indictment on their quarterback-running back duo of Jimmy Garoppolo and Josh Jacobs.
Garoppolo was the NFC's highest-rated passer last year, while Jacobs was the NFL's leading rusher. And yet, the signal-caller is now tied for the league lead with six interceptions despite missing a game, while Jacobs' 2.7 yards-per-attempt average ranks dead last among backs with more than 60 carries thus far.
Even if the Raiders don't redeem themselves in the standings, recoveries from either or both players would be huge. But clarity is key, because they can pull the trigger on Garoppolo one year into his tenure with the team and save some cash, and they have the option to cut Jacobs loose after a walk year in 2023.
The idea is to avoid the status quo if there's any murkiness remaining.
Giants: Give Daniel Jones a Chance or Risk Never Knowing What He Can Do
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The New York Giants invested significantly in quarterback Daniel Jones this past offseason, to such an extent that they probably have to give him at least two full seasons to prove he can be the guy.
Thus far in 2023, there's little indication that he can be. With two touchdown passes to six interceptions, he is the NFC's lowest-rated passer for a team that is averaging a league-low 11.5 points per game.
However, even if this season is a lost cause for the 1-3 Giants in the tough NFC East, it's important that they find a way to let Jones work in 2023.
Right now, he's on track to take more sacks in a single season than any quarterback in NFL history. Between that, highly questionable play-calling and an inability to consistently scheme to open up receivers for him, it's hard to get a proper read on whatever progress the 26-year-old is making.
Jones has looked horrendous regardless of support, though. But the last thing the Giants want is to enter the 2024 offseason with no more clarity on him and his future than they do right now. That will leave them in a blind position when it comes to making moves for the purposes of either support or insurance at the all-important quarterback position.
Minnesota Vikings: Get Maximum Return for Kirk Cousins
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The Minnesota Vikings were a mirage with a 13-4 record despite a negative scoring margin thanks mainly to an 11-0 record in one-score games in 2022. But now we're seeing a correction as they start 1-3 with three one-score losses out of the gate.
With the Chiefs up next, Minnesota is likely done for 2023.
With that in mind, it's time for the team to turn to the Oct. 31 trade deadline in order to max out what they can get for walk-year quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The 35-year-old isn't necessarily the problem in Minnesota—he's off to a decent start with 11 touchdowns and a triple-digit passer rating—but he's proved time and again he can't get the team over the top.
Cousins has likely peaked, and the Vikings would be smart to turn the page this offseason in order to avoid becoming stagnant for a solid portion of Justin Jefferson's prime.
Sure, a midseason trade will likely hurt the team in the short term, but the capital they get back should help them reload quickly for the sake of Jefferson and the rest of the current core.
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