Ranking the Iciest Player-Team Relationships in the NFL

Look at a team's relationship with its coaches and owners and a lot can be said about why a particular organization has so much success, or lack thereof.

The Oakland Raiders are one prime example of an icy player-team relationship as they've had so many different head coaches since the 1990s. It's hard to build a team when a new philosophy and system is brought in virtually every season.

By that token, let's see the rest of pro football's iciest relationships heading into the 2012 season.

5. Dallas Cowboys

We can rant and rave all day about the level of individual talent on the Dallas Cowboys, but until they get the job done in the postseason there is no proof of a strong bond here. Jerry Jones wants to control everything and Big D won't see long, consistent success unless he holds off.

Head coach Jason Garrett froze his own kicker last season, so that basically sums up the Cowboys from 1997-2011 in a nutshell. With just one playoff win since the 1996 season, Garrett is on thin ice himself and another flop like what happened against Arizona and the players' belief will immediately diminish.

4. New Orleans Saints

Add everything that's unfolded this offseason and it's been rather hectic in the Big Easy. The bounty scandal could reasonably have every one suspicious of another and the whole trust factor is shattered in New Orleans.

Now include Drew Brees holding out. If that situation sees no progress, the Saints will be lucky to win six games. Yes, winning Super Bowl XLIV was impressive but Carl Nicks, Tracy Porter and Robert Meachem are all gone.

If anything, the Saints' will get worse before they get better, especially if Brees isn't there to lead.

3. Cleveland Browns

Only once have the Cleveland Browns made the playoffs since returning to the league in 1999. Also, the Brownies have managed just two winning seasons and have 10 losing seasons with 10-plus losses.

This lack of production is impressively consistent, but we also have to remember that Cleveland does reside in arguably the NFL's most difficult division. Now, Cleveland has made improvements with guys like Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden but head coach Pat Shurmur has a lot of proving to do.

After the offense averaged just 13.6 points per game in 2011 (ranked No. 30), it's going to be difficult for the players to buy into his system if 2012 lacks improvement.

2. Oakland Raiders

Since Jon Gruden was let go after the 2001 season, the Oakland Raiders have hired seven different coaches. Dennis Allen is a defensive-minded coach, so it'll be interesting if he can win the Raiders' locker room as Oakland's defense ranked No. 29 overall last season.

It's difficult to build a relationship with one coach let alone a new one every year or so. Then include the Raiders trading away draft picks, as well as entering 2012 without contributors like Michael Bush and Stanford Routt and it's shaping up to be a long season.

Plus, Oakland hasn't gone better than 8-8 since 2002 and appears to be headed for another rebuilding session. With the rest of the AFC West making significant improvements, the Raiders are currently lagging behind.

1. Washington Redskins

Notorious for vehemently overpaying washed-up free agents, anyone associated with the Washington Redskins can be displeased with the ownership of Dan Snyder. Not to mention, but the man did sue some of his own fans a few years ago.

If you're a player that has to be disheartening, because the fans are one of the reasons why you play the game. And in a similar situation to Oakland, the Redskins have seen numerous head coaches over the past decade.

Washington's best record the past four years was 8-8 in 2008 and the team hasn't made it past the NFC Divisional Round since 1991.

Lacking much success under Snyder and each head coach, the tension from the players will only increase if the fans remain disgruntled. In short, there's a lot riding on the Redskins' immediate future (namely Robert Griffin III).

John Rozum on Twitter.