Predicting Every NFL Team's Potential Scapegoat for 2015

Everybody loves a good scapegoat, especially in the NFL. 

We must recognize that there is a little irony here, of course, as football is one of the most team-oriented sports in existence. However, much of the sport is driven by the superstars we love to prop up when their team finds success. 

The other side of the coin is that we often look for someone to blame rather than believe that our favorite team actually failed. Just ask Brandon Bostick, who botched an onside kick that could have sealed an NFC Championship Game victory for the Green Bay Packers last season.

It just seems easier to cast a few proverbial stones at an individual, keep embracing the team as a whole and try to remain positive about the future.

With this idea in mind, let's take a look at one potential scapegoat for each NFL team, should it fail to succeed in 2015. To be clear, this isn't a list of the individuals who actually deserve blame but of those whom fans are most likely to crucify at the end of a disappointing season. 

Teams are listed in alphabetical order. 

Arizona Cardinals: Carson Palmer

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer entered the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft. Back then, he was the golden boy—the former USC superstar and Heisman Trophy winner who was expected to take the Cincinnati Bengals to the promised land.

After eight years in Cincinnati, the Bengals traded him to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for first- and second-round draft picks. Oakland dealt him to Arizona two years later, and he received a new three-year, $49.5 million deal from the Cardinals last season.

Clearly, Palmer has been viewed as a valuable commodity throughout his NFL career. The thing is, we're talking about a quarterback who has never managed to win a playoff game.

The Cardinals went 11-5 last season, despite having Palmer for only six of those games. His 2014 season ended with a torn ACL, the second of his career. The team eventually stumbled down the stretch, losing five of its final seven games (including playoffs).

Arizona is primed to make a significant run this season if Palmer can remain healthy. If he suffers another major injury this season or fails to regain his pre-injury form (passer rating of 95.6 last season), then the Cardinals are likely to stumble again.

Fair or not, fans are likely to blame Palmer for any struggles that arise this season.

Atlanta Falcons: Dan Quinn

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The Atlanta Falcons stumbled to a losing record for the second year in a row last season, which led to the firing of head coach Mike Smith.

Dan Quinn replaced Smith this offseason; Quinn was the mastermind behind the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl defense in 2013 and 2014. This should give some indication of where the Falcons want to improve.

As bad as the 6-10 Falcons were last year, the passing offense was still eighth-best in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. In theory, a better defense and an improved running game should help Atlanta return to its playoff form of 2012.

Since Quinn comes from Seattle, where everything was predicated on defense and the running game, fans (and likely to some extent, the Falcons organization) are going to expect the same philosophy in Atlanta. Since he was the defensive coordinator for Seattle's Super bowl teams, it's only natural for his Falcons defense to have a significant and dramatic turnaround, right?

Well, Quinn and defensive coordinator Richard Smith have some work to do there. Atlanta was 32nd in overall defense (398.2 yards allowed per game) last season. The running game, which added rookie Tevin Coleman in the draft, was 24th (93.6 yards per game).

Still, Quinn can expect to hear some criticism if the Falcons defense doesn't make a quick turnaround and another losing season ensues. 

Baltimore Ravens: Marc Trestman

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New Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman became a major scapegoat in Chicago as the Bears struggled to a 13-19 record during his tenure as head coach. 

In Baltimore, where he will replace Gary Kubiak, Trestman will only be tasked with overseeing the offense. However, the offense in Chicago wasn't exactly perfect last year.

In fact, it was rated just 18th overall by Pro Football Focus for the season. Kubiak's offense in Baltimore was rated fourth overall in 2014.

The Ravens, for the record, ranked sixth in scoring defense last season, allowing just 18.9 points per game. That side of the football should again be playoff-ready.

After re-signing running back Justin Forsett and adding wide receiver Breshad Perriman and tight end Maxx Williams in the draft, the Baltimore offense has few excuses for not being one of the best in the AFC next season. If the unit isn't as good as or better than last year's unit, folks are likely to point toward Trestman as the reason.

Buffalo Bills: LeSean McCoy

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The combination of new head coach Rex Ryan and an uncertain quarterback situation should make it fairly obvious that the Buffalo Bills are going to rely on defense and the running game for success in 2015.

The Buffalo defense was ranked eighth overall by Pro Football Focus last season. 

This season, the ground attack will be led by LeSean McCoy, whom the team acquired over the offseason. 

C.J. Spiller is now with the New Orleans Saints, and fan favorite Fred Jackson is likely to play backup to McCoy. If the trade to acquire McCoy didn't suggest he will be the starter, his new five-year, $40 million contract should. $26.5 million of that deal is guaranteed.

Unfortunately, there is no telling how McCoy will perform in his new home. He had a respectable 1,319-yard season in 2014, but Pro Football Focus ranked him just 55th overall among running backs.

If McCoy doesn't prove to be the type of game-breaker that the quarterback-challenged Bills need in order to make a playoff run, then the running back is going to face some heat. 

Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton won his first playoff game this past season and was rewarded with a  new five-year, $103.8 million contract in the offseason.

Now is the time for Newton to step up and deliver more than a subpar season and a single postseason victory.

He has never quite found a way to replicate his rookie season (4,051 yards passing, 706 yards rushing and 35 total touchdowns). He is just 31-33 as a starter and produced career lows in yards passing (3,127), passing touchdowns (18), yards rushing (539) and passer rating (82.1) this past season.

If Newton cannot deliver a winning season and a little postseason success this year, then he and his fat new contract can rightfully expect some criticism. 

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler

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Former head coach Marc Trestman took a lot of criticism for the Chicago Bears' struggles last season. However, it's worth noting that quarterback Jay Cutler didn't make things easy on the team.

Cutler passed for 3,812 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes. He also committed 24 turnovers, often at the most inopportune times. Trestman eventually benched him in favor of backup Jimmy Clausen.

John Fox is the third head coach to deal with Cutler in Chicago, and if things don't go well, he may be the last. Cutler has a career win-loss record of 62-59 and is just 10-16 over the past two years. He has brought Chicago exactly one playoff win.

Cutler is also in the middle of a seven-year, $126.7 million deal that has $54 million guaranteed.

If Chicago struggles once again in 2015, who better to take the blame than the always-aloof smokin' quarterback?

Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton

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Quarterback Andy Dalton has taken the Cincinnati Bengals to the playoffs in all four of his pro seasons.

However, the Bengals lost in the opening round every time, and Dalton has performed poorly in each game. In his four playoff games, the former TCU star has thrown just one touchdown while committing eight turnovers.

Dalton has also had a number of poor prime-time outings, like last year's Thursday night game against the Cleveland Browns in which his quarterback rating was 2.0.

He has put up impressive numbers overall in his career (14,758 yards and 99 touchdowns in four seasons). He just hasn't shown much improvement and seems to shrivel under the spotlight. 

"I don't think I did a good enough job of getting him to where I think he needs to be," offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said in February, per ESPN.com's Coley Harvey. "That's one of my biggest responsibilities in my mind this upcoming year."

Jackson and the Bengals can keep making up excuses all they want. If Dalton doesn't improve and the Bengals don't finally earn a playoff win, the quarterback, and not the coordinator, will deserve the blame.

Cleveland Browns: Ray Farmer

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Thanks to the ongoing inability of the team to find a quarterback, it often feels like the Cleveland Browns have a built-in scapegoat for every season.

If you've talked to any Browns fan since 1999, you've probably heard the following: "Yeah, but if we just had a quarterback..."

This year, the scapegoat is general manager Ray Farmer, who has assembled the quarterback room of Johnny Manziel, Josh McCown, Connor Shaw and Thad Lewis.

If one from the group arises and plays at a Pro Bowl level this season, the entire league will be surprised.

Farmer has also ignored the receiver position over the past two years. He has spent only a fourth-round pick on the position between the past two drafts and has turned to aging veterans like Dwayne Bowe and Brian Hartline to lead the receiving corps this season.

If the passing game falters and the team cannot improve on last year's 7-9 record, fans can blame Farmer for largely ignoring two of the most important areas of his team. 

Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones

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Last season, the Dallas Cowboys rode star running back DeMarco Murray (1,845 yards rushing, 416 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns) to within a few plays of the NFC title game.

However, owner/team president Jerry Jones decided not to bring Murray back this offseason, allowing the running back to ink a five-year, $40 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Clearly, Jones did not want to overvalue Murray, which makes some sense. Giving him a hefty payday might have forced the team to make other financial sacrifices and would have made it nearly impossible to grant a long-term deal to receiver Dez Bryant (which still hasn't been done).

However, the Cowboys failed to draft a replacement for Murray, and Oakland Raiders castoff Darren McFadden isn't the answer. 

If the running game struggles in 2015 and the Cowboys miss the playoffs, fans are going to point to the absence of Murray as a primary cause. While it might not be fair, Jones is going to bear the brunt of the ensuing criticism. 

Denver Broncos: John Elway

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Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning often takes criticism when his team flounders in the postseason (he has been one-and-done a record nine times in his playoff career), as was the case last year. 

However, Broncos executive vice president/general manager John Elway is responsible for assembling this team and for parting ways with the previous coaching staff following the latest playoff disappointment.

Elway has since brought in Gary Kubiak as head coach. He will presumably run a more ball control-oriented offense with a bigger emphasis on the run.

Kubiak also happened to be Elway's offensive coordinator with the Broncos from 1995 to 1998.

Familiarity aside, bringing in Kubiak does make sense, as his offense should put far less pressure on Manning to do everything himself.

If a more balanced formula doesn't work, though, Elway will likely take some criticism for moving on from a coach (John Fox) who led the Broncos to the postseason each of the past four years—even the one with Tim Tebow at quarterback. 

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford

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The Detroit Lions made quarterback Matthew Stafford the No. 1 overall selection in the 2009 draft, and while the former Georgia star has shown some flashes of talent (and some gaudy passing numbers), he hasn't emerged as an elite signal-caller. 

Yes, Stafford has amassed 21,714 yards and 131 touchdowns in six seasons. He has also committed 99 turnovers in that span while benefiting from the presence of Calvin Johnson, one of the most dominant receivers in the game.

He also has yet to deliver a postseason victory.

Last season the Lions added Golden Tate (1,331 yards receiving) to the mix, yet the team still ranked just 15th overall in passing, according to Pro Football Focus.

If Stafford again fails to deliver a postseason victory this year, fans may have to wonder if he really is the guy to take the team to the promised land, or if he is actually part of the problem. 

Green Bay Packers: Dom Capers

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We mentioned in the opening of this article how tight end Brandon Bostick and the Green Bay Packers special teams unit took a ton of criticism last season for botching an onside attempt in the NFC Championship Game.

However, it was the Packers pass defense that really faltered in the fourth quarter and in overtime and allowed the Seattle Seahawks to punch a ticket to Super Bowl XLIX.

If only Aaron Rodgers could have provided some insurance for the other two units on his team.

The Packers defense lost cornerbacks Davon House and Tramon Williams in the offseason. The run defense was already bad (ranked 31st overall by Pro Football Focus in 2014), and now the pass defense is likely to face some challenges.

It will be up to defensive coordinator Dom Capers to pull the pieces together and make the defense a playoff-caliber unit in 2015. There should be no questions, after all, about Rodgers and the offense in Green Bay.

Green Bay Faces a tough strength of schedule in 2015 (.529). If Capers and his defense cannot hold up their end of the bargain and the Packers struggle, he is going to have to answer for it. 

Houston Texans: Ryan Mallett or Brian Hoyer

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This offseason's quarterback competition for the Houston Texans comes down to two former New England Patriots backups, Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett.

Both quarterbacks started games in 2014 (Hoyer for the Browns), but neither was particularly effective. Pro Football Focus rated Mallett 56th overall and Hoyer 70th among all quarterbacks last season.

Despite having a shaky quarterback situation in 2014, the Texans still managed to produce a 9-7 record. If the team can get even average quarterback play in 2015, the playoffs should be a real possibility.

If the quarterback who wins the starting job (yes, it could also be Tom Savage) fails to deliver on the field, expect him to be the scapegoat. 

Perhaps J.J. Watt can learn another new position. 

Indianapolis Colts: Ryan Grigson

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The Indianapolis Colts made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game last season before surrendering 45 points and losing to the New England Patriots.

While the offense managed only seven points in the title game, the unit (ranked third overall, averaging 406.6 yards per game) was generally good enough to beat any team on any given Sunday.

Instead of focusing on bringing the defense up to speed, however, general manager Ryan Grigson spent the offseason adding more toys for quarterback Andrew Luck to play with. 

Indy signed receiver Andre Johnson and running back Frank Gore as free agents and brought former CFL standout Duron Carter aboard. Grigson also spent the Colts' first-round draft pick on receiver Phillip Dorsett. 

Yes, the GM brought in a few defensive players like free-agent linebacker Trent Cole and second-round cornerback D'Joun Smith, but it seems clear that his plan is to make the offense unstoppable.

If Grigson's plan backfires and the Colts take a step back, expect Grigson to bear the blame in Indianapolis. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles

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The Jacksonville Jaguars made Blake Bortles the first quarterback taken in last year's draft.

The team handed the 6'5", 232-pound then-rookie the starting job less than three full games into the 2014 season.

Unfortunately, Bortles' transition into the pro game was a rocky one. He passed for 2,908 yards in 13 starts but completed less than 60 percent of his passes and tossed 17 interceptions to just 11 touchdowns. He was 3-10 as a starter.

The Jaguars offense came in dead-last overall over at Pro Football Focus.

This offseason, the Jaguars brought in free-agent tight end Julius Thomas and drafted running back T.J. Yeldon to help make life easier for the second-year quarterback.

If Bortles fails to show improvements and Jacksonville again struggles, then expect the young passer to take the blame—even if the real criticism should go to the front office that drafted him third overall. 

Kansas City Chiefs: The Wide Receiver Corps

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You most likely are already aware of this, but no Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver caught a touchdown pass in 2014.

The Chiefs still managed a 9-7 record, and quarterback Alex Smith still posted a passer rating of 93.4. Yet the Chiefs averaged just 198.9 passing yards per game (29th in the NFL), and a struggling receiver corps was a big reason why.

This offseason, the team parted ways with longtime veteran Dwayne Bowe and replaced him with free agent Jeremy Maclin. The team also drafted receivers Chris Conley and Da'Ron Brown in this year's draft.

Common sense would suggest that an improved receiver corps will help the Chiefs be just a little bit better in 2015. A bit better should mean a playoff spot at year's end.

However, if Maclin and Co. perform like last year's unit, then the group is likely to hear about its inability to raise the bar in the passing game. 

Miami Dolphins: Bill Lazor

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The Miami Dolphins were rated just 24th in overall offense by Pro Football Focus, even though the team averaged 24.2 points per game (11th in the NFL).

The Dolphins obviously didn't feel any lack of efficiency was the fault of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. This offseason, he (23-25 as a starter) received a new four-year, $77 million extension.

In addition to Tannehill, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor will get to work with returning stars like Jarvis Landry and Lamar Miller, as well as new faces like Greg Jennings, Kenny Stills and first-round receiver DeVante Parker.

On paper, the Miami offense should be better than it was a season ago. If it isn't, expect Lazor to take criticism for being no more effective than his predecessor Mike Sherman, who was fired in 2013. 

Minnesota Vikings: Norv Turner

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater gained a lot of praise for having a promising (85.2 passer rating, completed 64.4 percent of his passes), if unspectacular, rookie season.

However, the Vikings defense was probably even more responsible for producing a 7-9 record than Bridgewater was. Pro Football Focus ranked Minnesota ninth overall defensively.

The defense should again be a strength in 2015. With star running back Adrian Peterson now back in the fold, the pressure is going to be on offensive coordinator Norv Turner to get his unit to perform at an equally high level.

The Vikings offense ranked just 27th (315.5 yards per game) last season. If it cannot take a significant step forward with Peterson back on the field, then Turner is going to face criticism for falling short.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

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Quarterback Tom Brady has brought the New England Patriots four Super Bowls during his NFL career, with the most recent coming at the tail end of last season.

He now faces a four-game suspension for his alleged role in the Patriots' deflated-football scandal.

Investigator Ted Wells' report found that head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots were not responsible for the alleged plan to use illegally deflated footballs for competitive advantage. Yet, the league still saw fit to dock the team a first-round draft pick in 2016 and a fourth-rounder in 2017.

If Brady does not successfully appeal his suspension, the star quarterback will be absent for the first month of the 2015 season.

Brady has been made the scapegoat for the deflated-football scandal and will ultimately become the scapegoat if New England struggles on the field because of it. 

New Orleans Saints: Mickey Loomis

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New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis restructured his team as much as any other executive in the league this season.

Gone is tight end Jimmy Graham. Guard Ben Grubbs and receiver Kenny Stills are also out. In are guys like center Max Unger, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, running back C.J. Spiller and first-round tackle Andrus Peat.

It would appear that Loomis' plan is to make the Saints more of a balanced overall team. A stronger running game and a better defense should take some of the pressure off quarterback Drew Brees, who was rated second overall among quarterbacks last season by Pro Football Focus.

Giving up talented pass-catchers is a gamble, but the formula of running hard and playing defense seems to have become the blueprint for success in the NFC as of late.

If Loomis' plan works, then great. If it doesn't, then expect many fans to blame him for another disappointing season.

New York Giants: Tom Coughlin

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Finding a potential scapegoat for the New York Giants is relatively easy. This is because after every disappointing season, fans and media members alike question the future of head coach Tom Coughlin.

Last season, however, Giants owner John Mara actually considered making the move to change the coaching staff. 

“When I’m sitting on the bus after the Jacksonville game, I wanted to fire everyone,” Mara said after the season, per Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News. "Obviously, I am very disappointed about this past season."

Coughlin has been the head coach in New York for 11 years, which is a long time in today's NFL. He has brought the franchise two Super Bowl victories, but the Giants have gone just 22-26 since the last one.

At some point, being a Super Bowl winner isn't enough to keep a head coaching job. If the Giants have another losing season, expect Coughlin to take the blame and quite possibly lose his job in the process. 

New York Jets: Todd Bowles and Chan Gailey

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The New York Jets have done a fantastic job this offseason of setting new head coach Todd Bowles up for success.

The team brought back star cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie to spearhead the defense and added receiver Brandon Marshall and rookie wideout Devin Smith to help the offense. 

The big question mark in New York revolves around the quarterback position.

Bowles and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey have yet to pick a starter from the group of Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and rookie Bryce Petty—well, sort of.

“Right now, Geno’s the starter,” Gailey said earlier this offseason, per Seth Walder of the New York Daily News. “That’s the way we expect it to be.”

It makes little sense to name Smith (career passer rating of 71.5) the starter without at least some sort of competition, and Bowles hinted that Smith's job is not guaranteed. 

“Geno is the first-team quarterback. It’s Ryan’s job to take it. It’s Geno’s job to lose," he said recently, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.

The bottom line is that Bowles and Gailey are going to have to pick a quarterback at some point. If that quarterback doesn't play well, the men who selected him are going to have to come up with some answers. 

Oakland Raiders: Reggie McKenzie

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To be quite fair, Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie has done a good job of building a team that can succeed down the road.

Last year he drafted two core pieces in quarterback Derek Carr and linebacker Khalil Mack. This year he added rookie receiver Amari Cooper and young free agents like Dan Williams and Rodney Hudson.

The problem is that it may still take another couple of years for this team to come together and really compete in the AFC West. It ranked 31st in offense (15.8 points per game) last season and 32nd in defense (28.2 points per game allowed).

Planning for the long haul is great, and if the Raiders find and sustain success in 2016 or 2017, then McKenzie is going to deserve much of the credit.

However, Oakland still has more than $21 million in cap space and didn't add any game-changing free agents to the roster. McKenzie is going to take criticism if the Raiders struggle again in 2015, even if his long-term vision makes the criticism unfair. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Chip Kelly

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From his fast-paced, off-the-brakes offense to his unique sense of roster management, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has made it clear that he is going to put his own stamp on his team.

He has made a concerted effort to rid the Eagles of players who were brought in before him and those he doesn't believe fit his system—regardless of individual talent.

Since arriving in Philadelphia, Kelly has released receiver DeSean Jackson, traded running back LeSean McCoy, released cornerback Cary Williams, allowed receiver Jeremy Maclin to leave in free agency and dealt away quarterback Nick Foles.

The trade of Foles to acquire Sam Bradford from the St. Louis Rams is probably the riskiest move, as Bradford has suffered two torn ACLs and appeared in only seven games over the past two years. The trade also cost the Eagle fourth- and second-round draft picks.

Yes, Kelly did add star running back DeMarco Murray this offseason (at the cost of $40 million), but if his gambles backfire, he is going to be subjected to a ton of criticism at the end of the year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Keith Butler

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After two stints with the team and 13 years as its defensive coordinator, veteran coach Dick LeBeau is no longer a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His replacement, former linebackers coach Keith Butler, has some might big shoes to fill. Anyone replacing LeBeau in Pittsburgh obviously would.

This is why Butler is almost certain to take the blame if the Steelers defense doesn't perform at a high level in 2015. The criticism won't be entirely fair, of course. The Pittsburgh defense (ranked 18th, allowing 23.0 points per game) wasn't exactly great last year and lost cornerback Ike Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu to retirement this offseason.

Still, expect the new guy in charge to take the blame if Pittsburgh's defense takes another step back.

San Diego Chargers: John Pagano

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The San Diego Chargers had a 9-7 record last season, but defense was a major issue, and the team failed to make the postseason.

Though the Chargers defense was ranked a respectable 14th in scoring defense (21.8 points per game allowed), it came in just 25th overall at Pro Football Focus for the 2014 season. Having the 26th-ranked run defense (124.1 yards per game allowed) might have had something to do with the rating.

If the Chargers defense does not show improvement in 2015, Pagano may face the prospect of losing his job. He was originally hired when Norv Turner was still in charge but was retained when Mike McCoy took the head coaching job in 2013.

It wouldn't exactly be fair, but if the Chargers defense fails to make improvements in 2015, McCoy might decide it is finally time to bring in his own guy to run the defense. 

San Francisco 49ers: Jim Tomsula

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We still don't know for sure what contributed to the rift that developed between the San Francisco 49ers and former head coach Jim Harbaugh. What we know for sure is that Harbaugh is now the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines and former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula has taken his place.

In many ways, this has created an unfair situation for Tomsula. 

He has to deal with the mass exodus of talent that occurred this offseason. Running back Frank Gore, cornerback Perrish Cox and cornerback Chris Culliver all left via free agency. Defensive end Justin Smith, linebacker Patrick Willis, offensive lineman Anthony Davis and linebacker Chris Borland all entered retirement.

Tomsula also has to contend with the kind of expectations that Harbaugh created in San Francisco. In his four years as head coach, Harbaugh took his team to three NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl. 

If San Francisco struggles at all in 2015, you can bet a lot of people are going to point to Harbaugh and suggest that the team would be a lot better off with him at the helm. As a result, Tomsula is likely to take the blame for not meeting expectations, even if many contributing factors are completely outside of his control. 

Seattle Seahawks: John Schneider

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Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider did some smart things this offseason (like making Marshawn Lynch happy with a new contract), but he also took some sizable risks. 

Trading to acquire tight end Jimmy Graham from the New Orleans Saints helps the passing game. However, Schneider gave up Pro Bowl center Max Unger and a first-round draft pick to do so. He also allowed starting guard James Carpenter and starting cornerback Byron Maxwell to leave in free agency.

Perhaps most importantly, Schneider has yet to lock up quarterback Russell Wilson with a new deal. Wilson will go into the final year of his rookie deal making just $1.54 million despite appearing in two straight Super Bowls.

Wilson's situation shouldn't hurt the team long-term, of course, and Schneider did bring in cornerbacks Cary Williams and Will Blackmon to help replace Maxwell. However, Seattle will still have to deal with having a corner and two-fifths of the starting line gone.

In addition, the Seahawks didn't get a chance to add a first-round talent this year.

Schneider helped assemble these Super Bowl teams, so he will naturally have a little leeway here. However, if his risks don't pay off, he will also deserve the repercussions. 

St. Louis Rams: Nick Foles

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The St. Louis Rams only had the services of quarterback Sam Bradford for seven games over the past two seasons. They still managed to win 13 games over that span.

This offseason, the team sent the oft-injured Bradford to the Eagles in exchange for quarterback Nick Foles. The former Eagles quarterback has a career 15-10 record as a starter and can hopefully provide the type of steady presence under center that the Rams have lacked in recent years.

In fact, the Rams have already begun long-term negotiations with Foles, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.

Uneven quarterback play has prevented an otherwise talented St. Louis team from competing in the NFC West the past couple of seasons. The Rams offense was ranked just 27th overall by Pro Football Focus last year.

If the Rams don't improve dramatically on offense with Foles under center, the playoffs are going to remain a long shot. As a result, Foles is going to take a lot of the blame. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jason Licht

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In every practical sense, Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht had to go into the offseason knowing his team was going to select a quarterback.

The Buccaneers owned the No. 1 overall selection and had their choice between Florida State's Jameis Winston and Oregon's Marcus Mariota (they selected Winston).

Why, then, did Licht not do more in free agency to set up his new quarterback for success?

The Buccaneers ranked dead-last in pass-blocking in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus, 24th in rushing yards (85.9 per game) and 30th in total yardage (292.0 per game). They also exited free agency with more than $20 million in cap space.

Yet, Licht didn't go after a back to improve the running game, a pass-catching tight end to complement Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson or a top-tier offensive lineman. As it stands, two rookies (center Ali Marpet and left tackle Donovan Smith) may be starting in front of Winston.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Winston will win the starting job. If he does and struggles, though, Licht will largely be at fault. 

Tennessee Titans: Ken Whisenhunt

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Ken Whisenhunt failed to deliver an improved season in his first year as head coach of the Tennessee Titans. While it can take some time for a new head coach to implement his schemes, personnel and ideas, if Whisenhunt fails to bring improvement in 2015, he will be to blame.

General manager Ruston Webster has done a fine job this offseason of bringing in pieces for Whisenhunt to utilize. New veterans include linebacker Brian Orakpo, safety Da'Norris Searcy and receiver Harry Douglas. 

The Titans grabbed their quarterback of the future when they drafted Marcus Mariota second overall in this year's draft. They also gave him a weapon in rookie wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham.

Guys like Mariota and Green-Beckham may take some time to adjust to the pro game (and Mariota still has to beat out quarterback Zach Mettenberger), but it isn't as if the offense can get much worse. Tennessee was rated just 28th overall offensively by Pro Football Focus in 2014.

Add in the fact that the Titans now have an accomplished football mind in Dick LeBeau overseeing the defense, and the Titans have few excuses for not improving in 2015.

If Whisenhunt cannot lead his team to a much better season than last year's 2-14 debacle, then fans will wonder if hiring him was a mistake. 

Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III

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Back in the 2012 draft, the Washington Redskins traded away three first-round picks in order to move up and select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Washington initially looked smart for its decision, as Griffin produced 4,015 combined passing and rushing yards, 27 total touchdowns, just five interceptions and a passer rating of 102.4 as a rookie.

Unfortunately, he has not sustained that high level of play and has put himself and his team at risk with his reckless style of running with the football. 

"Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III remains at risk after resisting advice from new coach Jay Gruden on running and sliding. The third-year passer hits the deck worse than Charlie Brown," Rick Snider of the Washington Post wrote last offseason.

Gruden is the second head coach to try his hand at molding Griffin into a more careful, pro-style quarterback. He has had little success and eventually benched Griffin in favor of Colt McCoy last season.

Washington has gone just 17-31 since drafting Griffin and spent two years without a first-round draft pick over that time. If Griffin and the team do not dramatically improve this season, fans are going to have to accept that he just isn't the savior many expected him to be on draft day.