2023-24 NFL (End of Regular Season)

The also-rans, trying to get a sense of which teams will be better or worse next year.

AFC

Bengals -- They started slow then right as it looked like they might get something going, QB Joe Burrow got hurt and though the backup wasn't bad, it killed whatever shot at the post-season they had this year. Burrow is still great but never looked sharp, I expect that offense will be good again next season. The D, though, was mediocre at best and I suspect that's mostly what they'll be looking for in the draft. Still in on this squad, Burrow is still a baller, they'll be back. (BETTER)

Jaguars -- Started off strong, dominated their London portion of the schedule, but faltered badly down the stretch. LB Josh Allen will go under the radar in DPOY votes but that's too bad because he is a monster! QB Trevor Lawrence was up and down, still a middling talent, could be great next year but it isn't a certainty. That division is still winnable, I expect the Jags to be in the mix, but they need to fatten up their roster as best they can. (I'd say BETTER)

Colts -- Could've been in the playoffs with a final game W that they just couldn't lock down. Started with a rookie QB Richardson, who was promising but unorthodox (his whole career looks like he'll always be two seconds away from a big play or a devastating injury), not clear how they go forward with him. Had pretty good success with backup QB Minshew, he'll be in demand if the Colts let him go. Weird year: they weren't good or bad, I thought they'd be awful but they weren't, but every time they looked like they might get going, they'd stumble. They overachieved and yet disappointed simultaneously. Not sure where this team goes next year but they're actually already better than I thought they would be. (Honestly NO IDEA, perhaps the widest floor to ceiling in the AFC)

Raiders -- Man, they hated their coach! They struggled most of the season, then completely mutinied on the coach and played much better once he was gone. I dunno, man, I have no idea if they're good or not. No telling what they'll be next year. It wasn't clear to me what happened to QB Garropolo, seems like he won't be back next year. No idea what this team is or where they go. (WORSE, they could be a lot better just by finding a consistent Coach-QB combo but I think there are more rising teams in the AFC than the Raiders can keep up with)

Broncos -- Started horribly, had a surprisingly nice stretch in the middle of the schedule, came back to earth and finished with manufactured controversy designed to purge QB Russell Wilson. I expect the Broncos to be more consistent next year. Whether that is consistently good or consistently bad could go either way. Feels like they've got a weird off-season coming. (BETTER, simply by removing the Russell Wilson controversy potential)

Jets -- I thought the Jets would suck even with QB Aaron Rodgers and when he got hurt on the first play of the year, well, on the one hand it felt like a total Jets move, on the other hand I wasn't expecting much anyway. The defense really is good, if they can get one more spicy Rodgers season to go with the okay running game, maybe the Jets could be good. Getting a better draft position is probably the best move for them overall anyway. (BETTER, a full season of a for-real QB with that defense and that running game almost has to be better)

Titans -- Feels like the Titans will be in major flux this off-season. They never got going on either side, even though rookie QB Will Levis was already much better than I thought he could be. I don't think they get better next year, could be moving on from Coach Vrabel and RB Derrick Henry (who may well be the big prize of the off-season for somebody), the Titans are probably moving in the wrong direction. (WORSE, hit with the rookie QB but seem to back-sliding everywhere else)

Chargers -- Another team that benefitted mightily from ditching their awful coach, too late to make a difference this season but next year this offense might be what it's supposed to be. Well....until you realize how far over the cap the Chargers were with this roster that never went anywhere, so they may be in for major changes on both sides of the ball. The time spent indulging their brutal coach may set this team back for years to come. Do they trade QB Justin Herbert and start over? Or do they swing for the fences and take a run at Derrick Henry? I dunno, those are both probably bad ideas. (WORSE....I don't see this situation being better next year, yipes!)

Pats -- The talk is that Coach Belichick is moving on but I don't buy it. The defense was still pretty good but brutal QB play for the last few years has doomed this team. Belichick is not a tank commander, but it seems pretty clear they didn't do much to field a proper offense, so I don't think they're as bad as they looked this season. They've got the #3 pick, which will undoubtedly be used on a QB, we'll see if that makes the difference. (Hot take: QB Mac Jones will be Josh Allen's backup in Buffalo next year, bet on it) (BETTER, this team isn't this bad, not to say they're a lock for the playoffs or anything, but they'll definitely be better next year)

NFC

Seahawks -- I dunno, I was never in on this team and yet they hung around and had moments and it feels like just a few changes might make this team really good again. On the other hand, the Niners are stacked right now and the Rams opossum-ed their way into the playoffs and as bad as the Cards looked all season, they still beat the Seahawks, so maybe the ship has sailed on the Pete Carroll Seahawks. They're currently right in the middle of the pack, which is kinda the worst place to be in sports. Are they just a few moves away or is total teardown time? (WORSE, just not in a position to get better unless they make major changes and I doubt they will (or that that would work anyway))

Saints -- I never liked the look of this team all year long and yet, like the Seahawks, they hung around and had their chances. I suspect QB Derek Carr will not be back, not sure if QB Jameis Winston will be back either, so are they trading up in the draft or taking a run at a mid-tier QB for next year? The defense was okay, as was the special teams but there was not much magic on the offensive side, don't see how that improves next year. (WORSE, as annoying as their QB play was this year, I doubt it gets better next year)

Vikings -- Lost QB Kirk Cousins, I guess he'll be ready for next season, had some ups and downs and they still have Justin Jefferson (IMHO, the finest WR in the biz right now) and an okay defense. If they can sprinkle in some depth, keep Jefferson healthy and get Cousins back, the Vikings can be pretty good again right away. Disappointing season but not devastating. (BETTER, they just need to get back to normal, which is already better)

Bears -- Awful awful awful early on, then turned a corner and showed some real spice on the offensive side. Okay, all year long I've been saying they should trade QB Justin Fields and prepare their #1 pick for USC's Caleb Williams....but....I've flip-flopped! I was never out on Fields--I was out on the Bears!--but I like what they did on D this year, Fields matured nicely, now I think they should trade the #1 pick for as many picks as they can get, build around Fields and take a run at the best pass catchers the free agent market has to offer. The Bears weren't great this year but they showed enough life that it makes me think Fields can be really good and the defense can improve, too. If they trade Fields and blow it up, they'll be starting over from scratch but the last 6 weeks or so of the season was something to build on rather than discard. Curious to see what they do, they are in the driver's seat on draft night. (Flip a coin; I think keeping Fields will make them better next year but overhauling will not make them better next year)

Falcons -- Man, if they just had a QB this would've been a pretty good team! I wondered why they didn't trade for Justin Fields in July (or August or September or October or November--by December it was too late!), and I'm still convinced that if they had, they would've won their division and wouldn't have fired their coach (yeah, he's already gone). The offense has weapons but no one to pull the trigger, this was the problem all year and it still will be until they get a QB (or until the roster just naturally falls apart). The Falcons in a way are the most disappointing team because they really only have one clear problem--and they knew from day one! (BETTER, whatever they come up with at QB, it'll be better than this year)

Giants -- Overachieved last year, underachieved this year, seems about par for an NYC squad, no? The right QB could really make a difference here and still not sure if Daniel Jones is that guy. Is there any chance the Giants make a splash on draft night? (BETTER simply by being more consistent)

Commanders -- For a while now the Commanders have been the kind of team that starts balling out once it becomes clear they have no shot of winning. I don't know how that changes. They have the #2 pick in the draft, so they're guaranteed to have a shiny new QB next season, will it be the right one? (Magic 8 ball says: Outlook not good) (WORSE, because there's no reason to think a rookie QB will make a difference right away)

Cards -- Didn't really try to be good this year, QB Kyler Murray missed the first 10 games, they gave away the QB (Dobbs) they had, and yet still seemed kinda dangerous at times and ended up with the #4 pick (a WR I imagine), so they put forth zero effort and got rewarded. I have no idea if this team is ready for next year but they'll have a raft of good draft picks to add to the roster, so don't be shocked if they're awesome next season (especially if the Seahawks flail, the Niners get injured and the Rams just rest on their laurels). (BETTER, weirdly it feels like everything is lining up for them, I could see the Cards really good next year outta nowhere)

Panthers -- Disaster from beginning to end. And they don't even have their #1 pick to show for it. (You realize that the #1 pick in the NFL draft is probably the most precious commodity in all of sports and the Panthers just gave it away for some magic beans!). And their #1 pick from last year, QB Bryce Young, is not the guy they need or want (I didn't even like him at Alabama! You think he's gonna be good on the worst NFL team in the league?), so they are already in line for next year's #1 pick. Total disaster, no upside to this season, worst season possible, worst season in many years by any team (thank god no one gives a shit about Charlotte or they would've made for a late more talk show fodder). (Oh my god, I can't believe I'm saying this but....WORSE, this team has nothing right now and another bad draft is awaiting? .....Oh, man, this team may well have had the worst year ever but it can still get worse)