There are many simple and advanced metrics to determine how good a team is, but today we're looking at the other end of the spectrum. We all know who the best teams are in the NFL, but it's a little harder to truly judge the dark teams, the corrupt teams, the teams that are winless at the moment and have no hope for the future.
It takes a special level of complete incompetence at the organizational level to get stuck in the doldrums of general mediocrity, and that requires assessing just how bad the worst teams are in several key areas. We need a rating scale for this.
- Future as a Quarterback (0-15): Higher numbers indicate an organization with a solid plan at quarterback, or a player who has a future leading the team in 2024 and beyond.
- Roster quality (0-25): How many star players or prospects does the team have at positions other than QB?
- Coach quality (0-15): Qualities that a team's head coach shapes into future members.
- Front Office Competencies (0-20): Does the team have a solid front office in place that they can trust to make changes and clean up the roster?
- Ownership (0-15): Has ownership been established to make sound decisions?
- Future assets (0-10): Does the team have future draft picks or cap space to help build the roster?
Naturally, the higher the score, the better. The closer the rating is to 100, the more promising and less bleak the organization is. To be clear, this is evaluated against the loser's peer group, not the NFL as a whole. For example, scoring 10+ points at quarterback doesn't mean a team has Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes on the wing, but rather that they have talent that can move forward compared to other shady organizations. It means that.
new england patriots
It's clear that New England is a team looking to improve. This year marks the first year of their monumental shift from Bill Belichick, and we knew this was always going to be ugly until they found their footing.
The saving grace for the Pats is that Drake Maye has shown great signs of becoming a potential superstar at quarterback since taking over the starting job. Jerrod Mayo also seems aligned with the idea that the team needs to get tougher. Couple this with solid ownership and front office support and it's already in pretty good shape, although it could take a few more years to complete.
QB: 13
Roster: 10
Coach: 12
Front office: 15
Number owned: 15
Future assets: 6
71/100
tennessee titans
Will Revis is too inconsistent to be the long-term answer as a QB, but there have been flashes that show he can at least shoulder the load until a franchise player is found.
The Titans' biggest problem is that they currently don't have the talent to run the offense that Brian Callahan wants, but that will be resolved with time. The jury is still out on Callahan as the head coach, but things could get even worse.
Ultimately, the next two years will be key to determining the future of this organization, but the saving grace is that they have a ceiling and the ability to find answers.
QB: 4
Roster: 15
Coach: 9
Front office: 14
Ownership: 9
Future assets: 6
56/100
cleveland browns
This team starts and ends with Deshaun Watson, and he's the one responsible for making that happen. The team will be saddled with a failed QB for two more years due to salary cap considerations, but it's possible they'll find an option later.
There's enough high-level talent to really like this team and let's hope they're not stupid enough to fire Kevin Stefanski. All this organization needs is good players under center to fill in their rough spots.
To be honest, I still feel good about Cleveland's future.
QB: 2
Roster: 21
Coach: 13
Front office: 6
Ownership: 1
Future assets: 2
45/100
carolina panthers
This team is a mess. In fact, it's an insult to confusion. The only bright spot for the Panthers is the quality of their roster, especially on the offensive line and running backs. Outside of these positions, it's a bit confusing.
Indecision at quarterback, meddlesome ownership that keeps rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, and head coach Dave Canales' lack of clear vision have made Carolina a disaster.
What if I couldn't be Bryce Young? something In the NFL, the Panthers will not only make the worst trade in NFL history, but will also remain in last place for a long time. It can't get any worse.
QB: 4
Roster: 16
Coach: 6
Front office: 12
Ownership: 0
Future assets: 0
38/100
Disgraceful Mention: Jacksonville Jaguars
The only two-win team to add to this list is the Jaguars, but they completely wasted their potential entering the season. Doug Pederson and Trent Baalke are running the show, and beating the Patriots in London is cold consolation for two guys who should be out of work.
This is not helped by Shad Khan's passivity and he allows everything to happen under his watch. To break out of this death spiral, the team needs to make an organization-wide change before they completely waste Trevor Lawrence's potential.
QB: 13
Roster: 17
Coach: 4
Front office: 0
Ownership: 5
Future assets: 8
47/100
