NFL Teams Headed in the Wrong Direction in 2019

The offseason is often a joyous time for fans and franchises as the optimism builds with every transaction. Free agency allows the opportunity to swap out underperforming or overpaid players for shiny, new names and expectations. Sometimes the hype was justified.

Other times, more talent is lost than acquired. This can be a good thing for rebuilding teams that need to clean their cap sheet and pick up compensatory selections, but replacing impactful talent is difficult. It's important to strike the right balance between developing from within and acquiring the final pieces needed in free agency.

Five NFL teams had a difficult time executing their offseason plan. These franchises each had different priorities but are heading into the wrong direction because of their personnel decisions.

We'll break down exactly what went wrong for these teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Key additions: CB Steven Nelson, LB Devin Bush, LB Mark Barron

Key losses: WR Antonio Brown, RB Le'Veon Bell

It's never a good idea to lose the best playmaker at a position, especially when the return is cents on the dollar. Though Antonio Brown's behavior was troublesome to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the locker room issues were clear, the best organizations do whatever it takes to mend fences and extend their window to win.

Instead of offering Brown more guaranteed money to compete with the newest deals, they wanted to slash his pay, and the receiver ended up in Oakland.

As good as JuJu Smith-Schuster is, the Steelers won't be able to replace the future Hall of Famer. There's now immense pressure on 2018 second-round pick James Washington, journeyman Donte Moncrief and 2019 third-round pick Diontae Johnson.

Le'Veon Bell's loss was predictable considering the running back sat out 2018, but the Steelers again undervalued what an elite playmaker can do. Their ability to overwhelm teams with their offensive star power would've continued into 2019 had they been more cooperative with Bell and Brown.

Their defensive acquisitions will at least give them more versatility. Linebackers Devin Bush and Mark Barron bring range and a dynamic feel to the unit after the 2017 loss of Ryan Shazier went unaddressed last offseason. This unit desperately needs one or both to become a playmaker.

Cornerback Steven Nelson has the physical tools to be a solid starter as well. He's struggled with penalties and blown coverages, though, which is likely why the Chiefs allowed him to walk in favor of the more consistent Bashaud Breeland.

Overall, the Steelers may again be the second-best team in the AFC North or even worse. Ben Roethlisberger's age (37) and inconsistent play will be even more noticeable without Brown tracking his passes.

New York Giants

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

Key additions: WR Golden Tate, S Jabrill Peppers, G Kevin Zeitler, CB Deandre Baker, DT Dexter Lawrence

Key losses: WR Odell Beckham Jr., Edge Olivier Vernon, S Landon Collins

The New York Giants' offseason was filled with moves that could be justified on their own. But if one looks at the transactions as a whole, they blew an opportunity to be major winners.

They downgraded from receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to Golden Tate when they didn't need to; the two playmakers could've coexisted had the Giants been patient. Instead they moved Beckham in part for a box safety in Jabrill Peppers to replace the one who departed (Landon Collins) and a non-pass-rushing defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence.

At least the acquisitions of guard Kevin Zeitler and cornerback Deandre Baker made perfect sense. The team was overpaying Olivier Vernon and desperately needed to bolster the offensive line. Zeitler was the best guard on the market, so they made the swap with the Browns. They saved money while upgrading a major need.

Baker should help right away, too. But the logical move after losing Vernon wasn't to reach for quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall; it was to take advantage of the top-heavy edge-rusher class. Jones doesn't help this roster win now, which is contrary to most of the team's offseason moves.

The Giants could've kept Beckham and only missed out on Dexter Lawrence without the first-round pick coming back. Ndamukong Suh is still available in free agency if the Giants viewed the position as that much of a need. Instead, the offense still lacks depth at receiver, right tackle and needs a star edge-rusher.

Houston Texans

Dave Einsel/Associated Press

Key additions: CB Bradley Roby, OT Tytus Howard, S Tashaun Gipson, CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.

Key losses: S Tyrann Mathieu, CB Kareem Jackson

Despite entering the offseason with the fifth-most cap space at $74 million, the Houston Texans refused to be aggressive with bringing in premier talent. General manager Brian Gaine didn't add a single proven starter to an offense that needed blocking help and healthy receivers.

Instead, he resorted to the draft for offensive linemen Tytus Howard and Max Scharping, who both need significant development before they can be ready to protect quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Their conservative nature continued on defense. While cornerback Bradley Roby is an upgrade in terms of athletic upside over Kareem Jackson, swapping out safety Tyrann Mathieu for Tashaun Gipson lowers the unit's ceiling. Mathieu was more versatile and capable of creating impact plays as a blitzer and coverage option.

Letting Kareem Jackson walk while there was significant money still available was also avoidable. The corner had a terrific season in 2018, but instead Houston opted to save money by sticking with an unknown in Aaron Colvin.

A divisional winner shouldn't make these moves. While the Indianapolis Colts added veterans in free agency and playable rookies in the draft, the Texans will trot out nearly the same starting lineup. That's not good enough after Indy outclassed Houston in the playoffs.

The Texans are in danger of falling back to mediocrity despite their surprising 2018 run. The Colts are clearly a better team within the AFC South, and the Titans added significant offensive talent. Bill O'Brien and his staff will be on the hot seat if the team doesn't make the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Key additions: OT Jonah Williams

Key losses: None

The difference between what the Cincinnati Bengals did this offseason and what they could've done, assuming they're trying to remain competitive, is sizable. The team made zero key free-agent additions once again despite having enough money to do so. The Bengals also played it safe in the draft, which was a bigger issue.

Selecting offensive lineman Jonah Williams was wise for a team that needed more offensive line help. He'll pay immediate dividends. The concern is the Bengals passed on quarterback Dwayne Haskins to take Williams at No. 11 and then settled on a low-upside backup in Ryan Finley in the fourth round.

If Haskins ends up being an above-average starter or better, new Bengals head coach Zac Taylor may not recover from the decision to stick with Andy Dalton in 2018 over a young franchise quarterback who would've fit well into a Rams-like offense. As good of a prospect as Williams is, the position simply lacks the impact that quarterback has.

The issue continued beyond the first round. Second-round tight end Drew Sample was a significant reach, judging by the analytics. He's an older tight end (23) with limited collegiate production and an average athletic profile. None of that points toward a Day 2 investment.

The lack of playmaking and athleticism added in this class can haunt this franchise even if it found quality depth after its first two picks. The Bengals' margin for error is tiny because of their insistence on not paying for free agents and how well the rest of the division acquires talent.

They may end up being one of the worst teams in 2018.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

Key additions: QB Nick Foles, Edge Josh Allen, OT Jawaan Taylor

Key losses: DT Malik Jackson, S Tashaun Gipson

The Jacksonville Jaguars crashed and burned with Blake Bortles back at the helm in 2018—to the surprise of only their own front office. The defense cratered from its elite 2017 level, and their 5-11 finish revealed major foundational roster flaws. Even after upgrading with quarterback Nick Foles, edge-rusher Josh Allen and offensive lineman Jawaan Taylor, the Jaguars look to be in for another difficult season.

There must be a breakout playmaker somewhere on this offense. While Foles is clearly better than Bortles and is capable of ripping off a quality run, his own inconsistencies and reliance on a perfect surrounding situation made the Jaguars' four-year, $88 million investment shocking. The offensive line has to improve and two receivers need to blossom for Foles to succeed.

There's talent within the receiving corps, but injuries have stagnated the group. Second-year speedster DJ Chark Jr. is a potential game-changer, but there's significant pressure on him to earn playing time over Dede Westbrook, Marqise Lee and free-agent signee Chris Conley. The unit is missing a clear hierarchy.

They didn't properly address the running game, either. The team continues to stand behind Leonard Fournette even though his best work has come with a fullback on the field and Foles is primarily a shotgun quarterback—making the two an awkward fit.

At least the talent needed for a great defense is there. The loss of Tashaun Gipson shouldn't be major, and it's fair to expect No. 29 pick Taven Bryan to help replace defensive tackle Malik Jackson this season. But they'll have to be in the top 10 to give their offense the chance to win every week.