These eight clubs are hoping to turn things around in a big way this upcoming season. Which of the eight NFL basement dwellers has excelled this offseason?
When it comes to the current state of the National Football League, it’s safe to say that just about anything can happen. In 2022, the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers repeated as division champions from the previous season.
However, there is the other side of the coin. There were also four clubs that finished in last place in 2021 that rebounded to reach the postseason, a few of these teams making the playoffs for the first time in at least five years.
The Baltimore Ravens bounced back from an 8-9 campaign to go 10-7 and claim a wild card berth. In the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars won their last five games to finish 9-8 and win the division for the first time since 2017. This after residing in the AFC South basement for the previous four seasons.
The New York Giants, 4-13 in 2021, reached the playoffs for the first time with a 9-7-1 mark. Finally, the Seattle Seahawks were also playoff-bound with a 9-8 record, this after finishing 7-10 and being the only team in the NFC West not to make the playoffs in 2021.
So, what is in the store for the eight teams that finished in their divisional basements this past season? Some of these clubs finished 2022 with long losing streaks. However, most have been very busy this offseason. After taking a look at last season’s eight division champions, here’s how this past season’s last-place teams have fared over the last few months.
Ranking the 2023 offseasons for last place NFL teams
8. Arizona Cardinals (NFC West)
In 2021, the Cardinals won their first seven games and hung on to reach the playoffs. This past season, Arizona dropped its final seven games, finished 4-13, and gave up the second-most points in the league.
The new head coach is Jonathan Gannon, the former defensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles. He and the team will be waiting on quarterback Kyler Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in December and is currently on the mend. Veteran Colt McCoy holds down the fort for now.
There weren’t a lot of big names added via free agency. The team’s biggest offseason move was moving down in the first round in the draft, selecting tackle Paris Johnson (a personal choice of Murray), and securing some additional picks for 2024.
7. Washington Commanders (NFC East)
It has been a somewhat quiet offseason for this franchise that finished dead last in the NFC East but avoided a losing season. The Commanders finished 8-8-1 and along the way knocked off the playoff-bound Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys and handed the eventual conference champion Philadelphia Eagles their first loss of 2022.
Ron Rivera’s club gave up the third-fewest total yards per game in the league in 2022. The bigger question mark surrounds the offense. Will quarterback Sam Howell be up to the task? The team signed veteran Jacoby Brissett as an insurance policy. Washington has a solid wide receiving corps in Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson.
6. Denver Broncos (AFC West)
It seems as if expectations have been high for the Denver Broncos in recent years. That was certainly the case in 2022 as the team had a new head coach in Nathaniel Hackett and dealt for nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson. The former didn’t make it through the season and the team finished below .500 for the sixth consecutive year.
Enter head coach Sean Payton, who took a year off in 2022 after leading the Saints for 16 seasons. He will try to help Wilson rebound from a forgettable season. The offensive line should be better with the additions of guard Ben Powers (Ravens) and tackle Mike McGlinchey (49ers). The defensive line got a boost with the signings of Frank Clark (Chiefs) and Zach Allen (Cardinals).
5. Chicago Bears (NFC North)
The club enters 2023 riding a 10-game losing streak and comes off a year in which the Bears won only three games, their fewest victories since a 3-13 showing in 2016.
The team was somewhat busy again in free agency but the big news was the fact that they dealt the number-one overall pick in April’s draft to the Carolina Panthers. General manager Ryan Poles got plenty in return, including future picks in 2024. They also received talented wide receiver D.J. Moore in the deal and he should help promising Justin Fields (who ran for the second-most yards in a season by an NFL quarterback in 2022) when it comes to throwing the football.
First-round pick Darnell Armstrong (Tennessee) should aid a team that allowed 58 sacks this past season.
4. Cleveland Browns (AFC North)
Very quietly, the Browns added some much-needed help and talent on the defensive side of the ball. Cleveland hired Jim Schwartz as their new coordinator. Meanwhile, the club added a pair of former Minnesota Vikings. They signed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson and dealt for pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith. The latter should prove to be quite the complement to standout sack artist Myles Garrett.
Of course, having quarterback Deshaun Watson around for the entire offseason is a major plus. He started the final six games after returning from an 11-game suspension. Will he regain his Pro Bowl form? The Browns acquired wideout Elijah Moore via trade with the Jets.
3. New York Jets (AFC East)
Be it be a trade or free agency, the Jets added a number of former Green Bay Packers in quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, versatile offensive lineman Billy Turner and most recently, safety Adrian Amos.
The franchise is hoping to end the NFL’s longest current playoff drought. Ironically enough, the Jets last made the playoffs in 2010, which also happens to be the year that Rodgers made his lone Super Bowl appearance.
Head coach Robert Saleh had the Jets’ defense playing at a high level this past season. The club closed the season with six straight losses and didn’t score a touchdown in its final three games. Rodgers and a new-look offense (under Nathaniel Hackett) should solve a lot of those issues.
2. Atlanta Falcons (NFC South)
The Falcons have not been to the playoffs since 2017 and have posted five consecutive losing campaigns after reaching the postseason in back-to-back years prior to that. The team earned a lot of credibility during free agency with some outstanding veteran additions, namely defensive lineman Calais Campbell, safety Jesse Bates III, and unsung pass-rusher Kaden Elliss.
Offensively, head coach Arthur Smith will go with second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder. A solid offensive front will be blocking for rookie running back Bijan Robinson. Jonnu Smith comes over from the Pats via trade and he and Kyle Pitts make for a potent two tight end combo. Wide receiver Drake London comes off a solid debut campaign.
1. Houston Texans (AFC South)
There’s an air of real optimism for a team that has really hit the skids as of late. From 2011-19, the Texans reached the Playoff six times and each time as AFC South champions. Since 2020, Houston has had a problem winning, combining for an 11-38-1 record.
The new head coach is former Texans’ Pro Bowl linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who comes over from San Francisco. The new veteran additions include wide receivers Robert Woods and Noah Brown, tight end Dalton Schultz, linebackers Cory Littleton and Denzel Perryman, and safety Jimmie Ward, to name just a few.
The team would wind up with both the second and third overall picks in April’s draft and added quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Willie Anderson Jr.