Fixing the 5 Worst NFL Offenses Ahead of 2026 Training Camp

NFL teams have made significant roster changes with free-agent and draft acquisitions, but there's more work to do ahead of training camp.

In an offense-driven league, bottom-tier scoring teams need to continuously add talent and reinvent or evolve schemes to keep pace.

Weeks away from padded practices that will determine roster spots, we've fixed the five worst offenses across the league.

We selected these teams based on a combination of scoring from the previous season and talent lost in free agency, cuts and trades this offseason.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/David Dermer

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders

• Start QB Shedeur Sanders

According to The Athletic's Zac Jackson, the Cleveland Browns quarterback competition remains unsettled with Sanders and Deshaun Watson in contention for the lead role. If the battle is even through the preseason, the Browns should start Sanders. 

Watson has started in 19 games across three seasons with the Browns, throwing for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 61.2 percent completion rate. Owner Jimmy Haslam already said the team "took a big swing and miss" on the trade for Watson. Cleveland needs to see what Sanders can do in a full season as the starter before the 2027 draft.

• Feature WR Jerry Jeudy primarily in the slot

As a collegian at Alabama, Jeudy lined up mostly in the slot and racked up over 1,100 receiving yards in back-to-back terms. The Browns should feature him in the same way this year.

In six campaigns as a pro, Jeudy has split time between the inside and outside receiver positions. Though aside from his 2024 Pro Bowl season, he's been mediocre at best with his receiving numbers yo-yoing from year to year. Perhaps a dedicated role out of the slot is best for his production.

• Utilize WR KC Concepcion like Zay Flowers in new system

Former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator and new Browns head coach Todd Monken helped turn Zay Flowers into a 1,000-plus-yard, two-time Pro Bowl receiver. Despite his 5'9", 183-pound frame, he lined up primarily on the outside in Monken's scheme. 

Monken's play designs for Flowers could be similar to his plans for Concepcion, getting the ball to the speedy receiver in space, allowing him to rack up yards after the catch. At 6'0", 190 pounds, Concepcion can carve out a perimeter role in Monken's passing offense.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer

• Feature TEs Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer as primary targets

The Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver group isn't going to keep defensive coordinators up at night with game-planning. Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech all have a lot to prove as lead receivers. 

Head coach Klint Kubiak can make it difficult to defend his aerial attack with Bowers, who's an All-Pro, and Mayer on the field together. The latter has missed 13 career games because of injuries and a personal matter, but he could break out this year. In 2025, Kubiak's Seattle Seahawks offense featured multiple tight ends at the seventh-highest rate (42.7 percent of plays), per Sharp Football Stats.

• Start Jackson Powers-Johnson at left guard

In three seasons, Powers-Johnson has played center, left guard and right guard. Under former general manager Tom Telesco, the Raiders drafted him to play his natural position at center, but that's no longer a possibility with three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum on the roster.

Given that Spencer Burford has more experience at right guard than at left guard and rookie Trey Zuhn III is transitioning from left tackle to guard, Powers-Johnson seems like the best option at left guard. Yet the 2024 second-rounder has taken reps at right guard (h/t The Athletic's Sam Warren), where he played last season.

• Start Caleb Rogers at right guard

As a rookie last season, Rogers put together solid outings at right guard in a small sample size. During the spring, he filled in for Powers-Johnson at that position, according to Warren. 

If Kubiak isn't beholden to starting a familiar face in Burford, who played under him in San Francisco, the Raiders could get Powers-Johnson and Rogers on the field simultaneously. The former fared well at left guard in his rookie year, and the latter has intriguing upside at the same position on the opposite side.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis

• Sign WR Deebo Samuel

The Miami Dolphins have arguably the league's worst wide receiver group. The Miami Herald's Omar Kelly believes Jalen Tolbert separated himself from his peers. Still, the fifth-year pro caught 49 passes for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in his best season with the Dallas Cowboys.

The Dolphins should sign Deebo Samuel, who's familiar with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik from their time in San Francisco. In an All-Pro campaign, Samuel caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns while Slowik was the 49ers' passing game specialist.

• Mix in run-pass option plays with designed QB runs

As the Packers defensive coordinator, new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley saw how Green Bay used run-pass option plays and designed runs to unlock Malik Willis' skill set. 

Cheesehead TV's Gil Martin wrote about how Packers head coach Matt LaFleur tailored the offense to Willis' strengths. 

"The Packers ran an option-based offense with a lot more runs than passes," Martin wrote. "It worked well and set up Willis to be effective when he did throw the football." 

Willis' dynamic playmaking ability can supplement the ground attack and compensate for a below-average receiver corps. 

• Carve out a prominent role for TE Greg Dulcich

According to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques, Dulcich emerged as "one of the primary targets" in the Dolphins' aerial attack during the spring. With the current cast of pass-catchers, he's a breakout candidate.

In the second half of the previous campaign with the Dolphins, Dulcich caught 26 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown. The coaching staff should look to feature him while he's healthy. The four-year pro hasn't played more than 10 games in a single season.

New York Jets

AP Photo/Heather Khalifa

New York Jets first round draft pick Kenyon Sadiq

• Diversify WR Omar Cooper Jr.'s route distribution

At Indiana, Cooper showed that he can be a big-play receiver on the perimeter and a high-volume pass-catcher out of the slot. In 2024, he averaged 21.2 yards per reception as a perimeter threat. Last year, the versatile wideout operated mostly out of the slot, hauling in 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.

According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Cooper stood out as the Jets' "most impressive rookie in the spring" and solidified his spot in three-receiver sets. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich should design routes that allow the rookie first-rounder to attack all three levels of the field.

• Feature Mason Taylor and Kenyon Sadiq in two-tight-end sets

The Jets selected Sadiq with their second of three first-round picks. He missed organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp because of hernia surgery, which will make it difficult for him to contribute right away.

However, once Sadiq gets up to speed on the pro level, the Jets should find ways to get him on the field, though not at Taylor's expense. The two tight ends can occupy the field together along with Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell or Cooper in 12 personnel. Geno Smith can attack the middle of the field with two big-bodied targets, both 240-plus pounds and 6'3" or taller.

• Start Dylan Parham at right guard

Last season, Joe Tippmann transitioned from center to right guard. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed six sacks while on the field for 639 pass-blocking snaps. Guard Dylan Parham had his best season with the Las Vegas Raiders at right guard in 2024.

The Jets should experiment with Tippmann at left guard if they want to keep Josh Myers at center. Tippmann is most experienced at the pivot, so he's already out of his natural position. It's understandable that Gang Green may not want to reshuffle four guys who didn't miss a game last season, but the offensive line could perform at an optimal level with Parham on the right side.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker

• Sign LT Taylor Decker

If the Tennessee Titans are serious about quarterback Cam Ward's pass protection, they must upgrade at left tackle. Dan Moore Jr. has struggled in pass-blocking sets for most of his career. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed eight sacks while on the field for 621 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.

Although it would be bold to bench a player with a $19.5 million base salary, the front office appears to have overpaid for Moore. The new coaching staff has to right that wrong to keep Ward upright in the pocket.

• Start Andre James at center

Tennessee signed center Austin Schlottmann, who played under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll over the last two seasons. While familiarity with the system can work out in his favor, he's only started in four games in that time span.

Recently, the Titans signed Andre James, who is far more experienced with 61 career starts. Though he can be pushed off his spot by bigger interior defenders, the seven-year pro is a solid pass protector who started in four consecutive terms with the Las Vegas Raiders.

• Carve out a role for rookie RB Nicholas Singleton

Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are the "bell cows" of the team. He also noted that Singleton is a "big back, fast," but that's a generic description of the rookie fifth-rounder.

Over the last two years, Spears has missed time because of injuries and averaged fewer than four yards per carry. At 6'0", 219 pounds, Singleton could bring something different to the Titans' ground attack with his physical run style that allows him to rack up yards after contact. He could be a productive short-yardage ball-carrier who eventually earns 10-12 touches per game.

College statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.