The 2020 NFL Draft could be crucial for regimes trying to get a fresh start and those on their last legs. Here are five teams that have the most at stake.
The NFL Draft is the pinnacle of offseason entertainment for us football fans. While this free agency period was certainly wild, nothing beats the three-day extravaganza where some NFL teams will add cornerstones to their franchise, while others fail miserably and get berated for months. However, while we sit back on our couches and watch it all unfold, NFL general managers will work hard to maintain their job security for another year.
This past year, we saw two general managers get relieved of their duties due to their failures over the past several drafts. Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey was terminated from his position, as his big-name acquisitions of Baker Mayfield, Jarvis Landry, and Odell Beckham weren’t enough to get the Browns over 0.500. His cavalier attitude towards acquiring game-changing talent put a ticking clock on his tenure; as the Browns fell from the heights of their preseason laurels, so did Dorsey.
Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen was also let go, as years of ineptitude regarding the quarterback situation and offensive line did the regime in. After franchise tagging Kirk Cousins twice, only to let him go in free agency, Allen tried to make up for his mistakes by signing Alex Smith to a huge extension and drafting Dwayne Haskins a year later. After another season in the NFC East’s basement, Allen was unceremoniously relieved of his duties.
Even though Dorsey and Allen made some solid moves as general managers, all that matters at the end of the day is acquiring enough to help the team win. Neither front office was able to cobble together a playoff-worthy roster, so they hit the chopping block.
As we enter the 2020 season, there are several front offices and teams that have a lot riding on this year’s draft. Whether they are new regimes trying to capitalize on their surplus of picks or front offices entering a must-win season, their choices in this year’s draft will ultimately define their tenure going forward.
Let’s look at five teams that have the most at stake in the 2020 NFL Draft.