NFL Offseason: The Biggest Mistake Every Team Must Avoid
It is hard to believe that one decision could completely change the fate of an NFL franchise for the next 10-15 years. But it can.
Ask the Indianapolis Colts. If they had drafted Ryan Leaf over Peyton Manning, would they have a Super Bowl ring?
Ask the Miami Dolphins. If they had signed Drew Brees instead of Daunte Culpepper, where would they be now?
Ask the Minnesota Vikings if they would rather have their third-round draft pick or the four games Randy Moss contributed this season.
One decision, good or bad, changes everything.
Each NFL team will be faced with infinite decisions this offseason, some more important than others. Which mistakes must these NFL teams avoid for the future of their club?
We have the answers.
The Buffalo Bills Must Avoid...
1 of 32
... Giving up on Ryan Fitzpatrick
In 2010 Ryan Fitzpatrick led a bad Bills offense, and enjoyed success that few others could have under similar circumstances.
Starting 13 games he threw for 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns while racking up a quarterback rating of 81.8. Roughly 19% of Fitzpatrick's passes were dropped or hit at the line of scrimmage.
Stats do not tell the whole story, as they never can.
What Fitzpatrick lacks in arm strength and raw ability, he makes up for in moxie, leadership and intelligence.
Buffalo is rebuilding and they need a consistent, calm hand at the most important position on the field. Now is not the time to hand the team to a rookie with zero NFL experience. Now is the time to trust in who they have under center.
The Miami Dolphins Must Avoid...
2 of 32
... Giving up on Chad Henne
Chad Henne never had a chance.
Dolphins fans are still looking for the next Dan Marino. Just like there will never be another Michael Jordan, there will never be another Dan Marino.
Miami has a 25-year-old quarterback with a great arm, excellent mechanics and the talent to lead them to the playoffs. But they have never had the confidence to allow him to lead this team.
Let's look at this a different way. Would you rather have Chad Henne, who is on the brink of breaking out in the NFL, or an unproven Jake Locker/Ryan Mallett?
With the No. 15 pick that's who the Dolphins are looking at.
Choose Henne, Miami fans.
The New England Patriots Must Avoid...
3 of 32
...Ignoring the offensive skill positions, again
Danny Woodhead. BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Brandon Tate. Deion Branch. Julian Edelman. Wes Welker.
There are not a lot of household names playing running back and wide receiver in New England these days.
While big names are not needed to win, New England needs players at outside receiver and running back who can break open the game and dominate the defense.
Right now they do not have this.
With six selections in the first three rounds the Patriots can re-load a roster devoid of game-changing athletes at the skill positions on offense.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
The New York Jets Must Avoid...
4 of 32
... Failing to re-sign their own players
The Jets offseason figures to be full of trying to re-sign their own players once a new CBA is agreed on.
Four key starters (Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Antonio Cromartie and Shaun Ellis) are all free agents.
The Jets offseason, and 2011 season, will be dictated by their ability to re-sign Holmes, Edwards and Cromartie. Ellis and wide receiver Brad Smith would be welcome back in the clubhouse as well.
The Baltimore Ravens Must Avoid...
5 of 32
... Waiting to re-sign quarterback Joe Flacco to a new contract.
Quarterback Joe Flacco wants a contract extension. Give him one. Now.
Flacco has led the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his three NFL seasons. He is one of the elite young quarterbacks in the NFL. Flacco is a model citizen, a quality leader and a damn fine quarterback.
Why would the Ravens wait to sign him to an extension? What more does Flacco need to prove?
Keep the locker room happy. Improve morale during these tough times in the NFL. Oh, and keep your Super Bowl caliber quarterback on the roster.
The Cincinnati Bengals Must Avoid...
6 of 32
... Refusing trading Carson Palmer.
Starting quarterback Carson Palmer wants traded. Bengals owner Mike Brown refuses to do so.
Mike Brown is an idiot.
Palmer could be traded for at the minimum a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft, if not more.
Once this CBA mess is straightened out the Bengals need to call Minnesota, San Francisco, Arizona and Seattle and offer them Palmer for their 2012 3rd Round pick. Straight up. Done deal.
And you know why they should do it? Because Palmer is stubborn enough to pull a Jake Plummer and retire otherwise. And then you get no compensation.
The Cleveland Browns Must Avoid...
7 of 32
... Overlooking their need for a wide receiver in the first round.
The Browns have found their franchise quarterback in Colt McCoy. Now it is time to build a passing game around him.
The Browns have the offensive line to win. They have the power running back to win in the cold months of December and January. They do not have a wide receiver who can consistently get open and make plays for Colt McCoy.
A.J. Green or Julio Jones make sense in the first round of the NFL draft. Sidney Rice, a free agent from the Minnesota Vikings, would also be a great fit.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Must Avoid...
8 of 32
...Bypassing offensive tackles and cornerbacks in the NFL draft, again.
The Steelers made the 2011 Super Bowl despite having a rag-tag offensive line and a secondary lacing an elite cover man. Impressive.
To repeat as AFC champions the Steelers must get better at left tackle and cornerback. And they need to do it in a hurry.
The biggest mistake Pittsburgh could possibly make is relying for one more year on washed-up veterans at offensive tackle. Jon Scott and Flozell Adams should not be starting in the NFL, much less for a Super Bowl contender.
The Houston Texans Must Avoid...
9 of 32
... Reaching for an outside linebacker in Round One.
The Texans are moving to a 3-4 defense in 2011 under new coordinator Wade Phillips. The pressure is on to find edge rushers to fit the new scheme after playing in a 4-3 defense in the past.
DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing will lock down the inside, who will rush the passer though?
The Texans currently hold the No. 11 pick in the 1st Round, and they would love to see Robert Quinn of North Carolina sitting there. Unfortunately, he probably will not be.
Houston will be tempted to reach for Ryan Kerrigan (Purdue), but they should resist the urge at all costs.
The Texans have two options if Quinn is off the board; 1) trade back and draft Kerrigan or 2) draft a cornerback, namely Prince Amukamara of Nebraska.
The Indianapolis Colts Must Avoid...
10 of 32
... Passing on Roger Saffold v2.0 in the NFL draft.
You cannot interview Colts' general manager Bill Polian about the NFL draft without him mentioning the Colts mistake in passing on offensive tackle Rodger Saffold in the first-round of the 2010 draft. In 2011 Polian has a chance to correct his previous mistake.
With the 21st pick in the first round the Colts must look at all available offensive tackles and draft the highest rated tackle on their board. Period.
The Jacksonville Jaguars Must Avoid...
11 of 32
... Waiting to draft quarterback David Garrard's replacement.
It may not seem like it, but Jaguars quarterback David Garrard is 33 years old. He's also been beat up quite a bit in his career.
Now is the time to draft his eventual replacement.
The 2011 draft is loaded with second-tier quarterbacks whom the Jaguars could draft and sit for two to three seasons while Garrard finishes his career.
Learn from the mistakes of the Arizona Cardinals. Draft your next franchise quarterback while you still have the current one.
The Tennessee Titans Must Avoid...
12 of 32
... Drafting Vince Young, Jr.
The Titans need to find a new quarterback in the 2011 offseason, but they also need to evaluate the character and maturity of every passer they might consider drafting.
That means no Cam Newton, no Ryan Mallett and no Mitch Mustain (that one was just for fun).
Tennessee has the building blocks on the offensive line, at running back and enough quality defensive players to win in 2011-- but they need a consistent, high-quality quarterback to do so.
Maybe they can trade for Tim Tebow.
The Denver Broncos Must Avoid...
13 of 32
... Trusting the future of the franchise to Tim Tebow.
Would you like to know why the Broncos have worked out or visited with quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton?
It is because John Fox and John Elway do not trust Tim Tebow. And they shouldn't.
No player has ever entered the NFL with more of a cushion to perform below expectations than Tebow. The media's love affair with Tebow afforded him more time to acclimate to the NFL than previous rookie quarterbacks Vince Young, Brady Quinn and even Mark Sanchez.
How many articles did you read criticizing Tebow for not starting early in the season, or for playing poorly in the preseason? Now, how many did you see blasting Browns rookie quarterback Colt McCoy? Tebow was a first round pick, McCoy a third-rounder.
Tim Tebow was not, is not and will not be the future at quarterback for Denver. And the reason is that he is not a quality NFL quarterback.
This isn't to say Tebow could not help the Broncos. They do need a tight end.
The Kansas City Chiefs Must Avoid...
14 of 32
... Forgetting what they have in running back Jamaal Charles.
Chiefs head coach Todd Haley must have grown up as an Oklahoma Sooners fan.
We have no other excuse for his mind-blowing decision to sit Derrick Johnson during the 2009 season and to ignore his best player in running back Jamaal Charles during the '09 season and then again in the 2010 playoffs.
Charles is arguably one of the best running backs in the NFL, but he averages a meager 14 carries per game.
We can't figure it out, but Todd Haley needs to. For the Chiefs to win in 2011 and beyond they need to ride their hot hand in Charles.
The Oakland Raiders Must Avoid...
15 of 32
... Letting star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha sign anywhere other than Oakland.
This will be a pretty short explanation.
Nnamdi Asomugha is 29 years old. Nnamdi Asomugha is the best cornerback in the NFL.
The Oakland Raiders allowed a clause in his contract that lets him opt-out and enter free agency.
Oakland must find a way to convince Nnamdi to stay. This has to trump all other offseason needs for them.
The San Diego Chargers Must Avoid...
16 of 32
... Losing right tackle Jeromy Clary.
The Chargers 2010 season might not be the best proof of this, but they are close to competing for a Super Bowl win. Keeping the band together along the offensive line is a must for a chance at a title in 2011.
Clary is as solid as they come on the right side. He's rarely penalized, commits few mistakes and allows a limited number of sacks. He is also a top-tier run blocker.
Clary is a free agent, as are many of his Charger teammates. For general manager A.J. Smith no one should take priority over Clary.
The Dallas Cowboys Must Avoid...
17 of 32
... Trusting Dez Bryant.
If you have been asleep for the last week you may not have heard Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has been sued on three separate accusations of failure to pay on a contract.
We have seen this time and time again in the NFL. Where there is smoke, there is fire.
Bryant has been a problem since arriving in Dallas. For all his ability on the field his problems off of it are making him a liability.
The New York Giants Must Avoid...
18 of 32
... Re-signing Tiki Barber.
The Giants need a running back should Ahmad Bradshaw leave in free agency. Former Giant Tiki Barber is making a comeback attempt.
It seems like a match made in heaven. But it's not.
Barber is a prima donna. This comeback attempt it about one thing: attention.
Use a fourth-round pick on a back-up running back and call it a day, Giants fans.
The Philadelphia Eagles Must Avoid...
19 of 32
... Failing to trade quarterback Kevin Kolb.
If reports are true that the Philadelphia Eagles have received "at least" a first-round draft pick in offers for back up quarterback Kevin Kolb they should pull the trigger on the deal as soon as the NFL allows trades.
Furthermore, Kolb is a free agent after the 2011 season.
Philadelphia needs to move Kolb now, while they can still get fair-market value for him.
The Washington Redskins Must Avoid...
20 of 32
... Another season with Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth.
Haynesworth should be cut. McNabb should be traded. ASAFP.
Neither player will be a value to the Redskins in 2011, and head coach Mike Shanahan is not known for his patience with disgruntled players.
Our call: Ship 'em out to the highest bidder.
The Chicago Bears Must Avoid...
21 of 32
... Trusting Devin Hester to be their No. 1 receiver.
Devin Hester is an amazing return man, perhaps the best ever.
But he's not a No. 1 wide receiver. Neither are Johnny Knox or Earl Bennett.
Chicago needs to upgrade at wide receiver this offseason, possibly in Round 1 of the NFL draft.
The Detroit Lions Must Avoid...
22 of 32
... Passing on a top left tackle early in the draft.
Matthew Stafford has the talent to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL—if he can stay healthy.
Stafford's two seasons in the NFL have ended in injury. Who's to blame?
We say the offensive line.
Stafford cannot stay healthy if he is sacked five to six times per game like he was in 2009 and 2010.
Without Stafford the Lions cannot win. With him the playoffs are in sight.
The Green Bay Packers Must Avoid...
23 of 32
... Celebrating their Super Bowl win too long.
We saw the New Orleains Saints spend last summer celebrating their Super Bowl win at every opportunity. That hangover carried over in to the season. The Packers do not want this to happen.
Green Bay's roster is loaded with young talent, so much so that they will be an early favorite to win the 2012 Super Bowl. To do so, they must attack the season with the same vigor they showed in their playoff run of 2011.
The Minnesota Vikings Must Avoid...
24 of 32
... Giving Joe Webb the starting quarterback job.
It would be easy to hand the starting quarterback job to Joe Webb. He started in relief of Brett Favre in 2010, has some athleticism and is an exciting player.
But he's not a starting NFL quarterback. At least not yet.
The Vikings are close to competing for a Super Bowl. This is a team that needs a veteran presence under center, not a gun-slinging second-year pro.
The Atlanta Falcons Must Avoid...
25 of 32
... Passing on a defensive end in Round 1 of the NFL draft.
John Abraham has enjoyed much success in Atlanta but his run of dominance at right defensive end is short-lived.
Abraham has a few good years left in the tank but Atlanta still needs to add a quality defensive end opposite him.
Players like Justin Houston or Ryan Kerrigan would be a perfect fit for the pass-rush needy Falcons.
The Carolina Panthers Must Avoid...
26 of 32
... Drafting Cam Newton No. 1 overall.
Conventional wisdom and common sense say the Panthers will draft Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first overall in the 2011 NFL draft.
We could not disagree with this choice more.
Newton dominated for one season at Auburn using his arm and legs, a combination that he will not be able to use as easily in the NFL. Newton's footwork will have to be completely re-worked at the NFL level, as will his short-range passing mechanics.
Forget the character concerns or claims of immaturity. This is a football decision, and Cam Newton is not the best football player in this draft.
The New Orleans Saints Must Avoid...
27 of 32
... Failing to get better in the front seven on defense.
The Saints signed defensive tackle Shaun Rogers before the NFL lockout began, but this is a Band-Aid fix where surgery is needed.
Sedrick Ellis is worth building around at defensive tackle. The Saints need to add a pass rushing defensive end next to him and a mammoth nose tackle to absorb double teams in the middle of the line.
Using their first-round pick, the Saints can safely draft the best available defensive lineman.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Must Avoid...
28 of 32
... Trusting cornerback Aqib Talib.
In March 2011, police in Garland, Texas issued a felony warrant for Talib for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after accusing him of firing a gun at his sister's boyfriend.
The good news is that Talib claims it was his mother who fired the shots.
No matter who fired the gun, Talib has been surrounded by drama and legal problems since his days at Kansas.
It's time to cut their ties with Talib.
The Arizona Cardinals Must Avoid...
29 of 32
... Passing on a quarterback in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Max Hall and John Skelton seem like great guys, just not great NFL quarterbacks.
The Cardinals have all the pieces to win the NFC West, except for a consistent quarterback. Give them Kevin Kolb or Carson Palmer and they win or seriously contend for the NFC West crown for the next five years.
With the fifth pick in the first round Arizona has to draft Blaine Gabbert if he is available.
The San Francisco 49ers Must Avoid...
30 of 32
... Giving quarterback Alex Smith another second-chance.
It's hard to stomach for 49er fans, but Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers could be your starting quarterback right now instead of Alex Smith.
Thank you, Terry Donahue.
The 49ers will likely consider drafting a quarterback in the second round, where they hope to find Christian Ponder (FSU), Andy Dalton (TCU) or Colin Kaepernick (Nevada) on the board.
The Seattle Seahawks Must Avoid...
31 of 32
... Letting their momentum die.
The Seahawks shocked the world by finishing 7-9, winning the NFC West and then beating the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints to open the playoffs.
Expectation will be high in Seattle this fall, and head coach Pete Carroll knows his team must continue to build on the momentum gained in 2010.
The St. Louis Rams Must Avoid...
32 of 32
.. Failing to find a No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Sam Bradford.
The Rams have a true franchise quarterback in Rookie of the Year winner Sam Bradford. Now they must build their offense around him.
Bradford has a solid offensive line, a damn good running back and quality slot receivers in Danny Amendola and Donnie Avery. What's missing is a true No. 1 wide receiver.
The Rams would bull-rush the stage during the NFL draft if Julio Jones (Alabama) or A.J. Green (Georgia) are available. Unfortunately at pick No. 14 that may be unlikely.
Look for St. Louis to aggressively pursue any and all options at receiver once free agency opens if they cannot land a go-to receiver in the early rounds of the draft.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")