2012 NFL Draft: Washington Redskins and Teams Bound for Quick Turnarounds

Picking in the top 10 of the NFL draft isn't exactly a good predictor of immediate success. Your team pretty much has to stink in the first place to end up with such an early spot, and teams that stink tend to be fraught with rot that goes right to the core.

Really, none of that should come as any shock. What's interesting about this year's draft, though, is how quickly some of the worst squads could turn things around and compete for the playoffs.

Like these three, whose fans have reason to believe in a successful 2012, assuming some front office folks use their selections wisely.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins weren't the second-worst team in football last year, but they found their way into the No. 2 spot by shipping a heap of draft picks to the St. Louis Rams. As a result, they'll have the opportunity to add the franchise-caliber quarterback that they've long sought, be he Robert Griffin III (as everyone assumes) or Andrew Luck (if Robert Irsay, the Mad Tweeter, pulls a fast one at the top).

Either one would be a vast upgrade over the cabal at quarterback that the Shanaclan employed last season, though whoever winds up in Washington will need another target to throw to and a bit better protection up front.

But the defense is solid, with a powerful line and Brian Orakpo providing support in the pass rush when he's not busy getting cavemen jobs on the cheer squad. The 'Skins lost a number of close games and beat the Super Bowl champion New York Giants twice, so there's reason to believe that, with some improvement under center, they could be back in the playoff race this fall. 

Miami Dolphins

If not for an 0-7 start, one filled with agonizingly narrow defeats and the futility of Chad Henne, the Dolphins may well have been a playoff team last season. Miami won six of its last nine games once Matt Moore got comfortable in Henne's spot and Reggie Bush found the "on" switch for his NFL career, and five of its 10 losses were decided by three points or fewer.

So while free agents may seem averse to playing for the 'Fins, they may well be in position to snag a Wild Card spot in the AFC so long as GM Jeff Ireland doesn't screw up the draft. In the short-term, Miami needs some hefty upgrades at wide receiver—especially after sending Brandon Marshall to Chicago—and could use another helping hand (or two) in the pass rush.

In the long run, though, the biggest concern is at quarterback. As solid as Moore was last season, he can hardly be considered a long-term solution. Ryan Tannehill would be an excellent fit at No. 8, though he wouldn't be of much help in 2012.

In any case, if Joe Philbin's staff can pick up where Tony Sparano's left off, the Dolphins could be a dark horse to finish second in the AFC East behind the New England Patriots. 

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers jumped from two wins in 2010 to six in 2011, an improvement that can be attributed almost entirely to one man: Cam Newton.

The former Heisman Trophy winner and Offensive Rookie of the Year single-handedly sparked a football renaissance in Charlotte, despite the fact that he had but one reliable receiver (Steve Smith), a so-so running game and played opposite one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Even a marginal improvement of the defense and the pass-catching corps could put Ron Rivera's squad in position to win the NFC South. That may sound ludicrous at first, but with the New Orleans Saints in turmoil, the Atlanta Falcons anything but overwhelming and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting over (again), the division could be there for the Panthers' taking.

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