Analysis
5/16/23
9 min read
4 NFL Teams Who Failed 2023 Offseason
The NFL offseason is about team building via re-signing or extending key players, bringing in young talent in the draft and augmenting the roster in free agency and then coaching up the players in OTAs and minicamps.
Having a great offseason guarantees nothing come September, but it certainly builds confidence for the prospects of a successful season.
Here are four teams who — unfortunately for them and their fan bases — failed the 2023 offseason due to bad moves and decisions or because they failed to make enough significant moves. These teams are not generating positive vibes thus far in 2023.
Teams Who Failed 2023 Offseason
Los Angeles Chargers
The last time we saw the Los Angeles Chargers on the field, they blew a 27-point lead in the wild-card round at Jacksonville, as they allowed Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars to come back and win, 31-30.
Coach Brandon Staley somehow survived this epic collapse, which involved questionable decision-making by Staley in this game. This wasn't the only game where Staley made questionable decisions. He made many questionable fourth-down calls the past couple of seasons and played his starters in a meaningless Week 18 game against Denver. That resulted in losing star wide receiver Mike Williams because of a back injury for the playoff game.
At the March league meeting, Staley said on NFL Network, “We feel like we’ve got a really good team. At the same time, you know you’ve got to go through some games like that to get where you want to go.”
But some teams never get over a bad loss like the Jaguars game. It doesn’t help the Chargers did little in free agency and had a so-so draft. The team re-signed RT Trey Pipkins and a good punter in J.K. Scott, along with adding Eric Kendricks. Kendricks was an excellent middle linebacker in the Vikings' 4-3 defense for eight years until he had to play inside backer in Minnesota’s 3-4 last season and was less effective (the Chargers are a 3-4 team).
The Chargers have a lot of star-caliber players on defense, but their top edge players are battling age (Khalil Mack is 32) and injury issues (Joey Bosa missed 13 games last season because of a groin muscle injury). Pro Bowl safety Derwin James has missed 33 games during the past four seasons.
Justin Herbert is an elite quarterback who will likely be extended this year. The team added a young receiver with size and speed in 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston, but he needs to improve his route running and have fewer body catches. He could take some time to develop.
Tuli Tuipulotu should add quality depth on the edge. But this is basically the same team that finished last season on a down note and has not done enough this offseason to reach a point where they will challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, much less become a Super Bowl contender.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans' finish in 2022 was even more disastrous than the Chargers, who at least made the playoffs. Tennessee was sitting at 7-3 with a four-game lead on Jacksonville, Then, injuries to quarterback Ryan Tannehill and several other starters, along with poor play, caused the team to lose its last seven games, including getting swept by the Jaguars.
Not enough progress occurred this offseason to believe this team will rebound to when it was the AFC’s top-seeded team two years ago. The Titans released several past starters for cap relief — due to being less productive and often injured in some cases — including edge Bud Dupree, tackle Taylor Lewan, center Ben Jones and receiver Robert Woods.
The passing game fell to 30th in the league as the team could not replace A.J. Brown after he was traded to Philadelphia in a move that contributed to the firing of GM Jon Robinson. Derrick Henry is still an elite back, but his yards per carry have fallen the past two seasons, and he turns 30 in January.
Perhaps first-round pick Peter Skoronski can lead a resurgence of a once-strong offensive line after the team decides if it will play him at guard or tackle. He worked at both positions in Titans camp. The Titans also lost perhaps their most effective offensive lineman from last season in free agency when guard Nate Davis left for Chicago.
Second-round QB Will Levis is an intriguing prospect with a major chip on his shoulder after his draft fall. Coach Mike Vrabel says Levis is the No. 3 quarterback. If Levis can move up quickly and become the starter this season or by next year, it will help the team cap-wise once Tannehill is off the books.
Other talented players arrived via the draft, such as third-round back Tyjae Spears, but free agency appears to have brought no impact additions. Leading the signees were Andre Dillard, who was often injured and considered a bust in Philadelphia as a first-round tackle, and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who missed 13 games in Tampa Bay during the past two seasons.
The Titans gave a $7 million per year deal to Arden Key, who is now with his fourth team in a six-year career and has never been a full-time starter.
The good news was the Titans’ extension of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who is expected to lead the defense that fell from No. 12 in 2021 (when Tennessee was a 12-5 team) to No. 23 in 2022 (and last against the pass).
Green Bay Packers
It’s been rough sledding for the Green Bay Packers this offseason. Last season, they fell from their accustomed top spot in the NFC North after three consecutive 13-win seasons, falling out of the playoffs with a painful season-ending home loss to Detroit.
The offseason has been quiet on the free agency front as the Packers have dealt with a tight salary cap due to $40.3 million of dead money on Aaron Rodgers after his trade to the New York Jets. Green Bay lost leading receiver Allen Lazard, top tight end Robert Tonyan and a couple of good players on their defensive line in Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed. The free agent signings have mostly been returning depth players.
Their defense was shaky last season (No. 26 run defense and No. 22 in total pressures), so the Packers picked edge Lukas Van Ness in the first round, a good player with upside. Still, he was never a starter at Iowa and had only 6.5 sacks last season. The Packers are counting on their best pass rusher, Rashan Gary, to make a successful comeback from ACL surgery, which is always iffy the first year back.
The team also has battled injury problems on the offensive line (particularly Pro Bowl tackle David Bakhtiari), but it hasn't added much help there. Jordan Love has not been handed an overly talented group on offense even though there is hope at wide receiver and tight end because of the past two drafts.
The group is led by 2022 draftees Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, plus 2023 second-round WR Jayden Reed and two tight ends from this year’s draft: Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft. These are all young players, so there will be growing pains, including for Love as a first-year starter.
The 2024 season should look better in Green Bay with Rodgers’ dead money off the books, but the Packers likely will be looking up to the Vikings and Lions this season and possibly the improving Bears, too.
Who would have thought that when Rodgers was coming off an MVP season and the Packers were a popular Super Bowl pick? A poor season followed by not enough immediate help this offseason has turned the tables on the Pack.
Los Angeles Rams
As with the Packers, the 2021 Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams took a major nose-dive last season to 5-12. Again, salary cap issues are biting the Rams, whose all-in strategy worked great in their championship season but backfired when injuries and declining play took their toll in 2022.
The Rams brass sold their souls to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium and have not done enough to climb back into contention with the 49ers and Seahawks in the NFC West.
This team has an unwieldy $73.8 million (approximately 33 percent of their cap) tied up this season in QB Matthew Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp and DT Aaron Donald. All were premier players in 2021 but battled injuries last season.
The Rams' offseason subtractions have far outweighed their additions. They traded Pro Bowl corner Jalen Ramsey to gain cap relief with little in return — a 2023 third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long. The Rams also lost Greg Gaines and A’Shawn Robinson off the defensive line in free agency. They have not added any free agents of note and are hoping their 14-player draft class will lead to improvement.
The Rams did not have a first-round pick for a second consecutive season because of the Stafford trade with Detroit and have not picked in Round 1 in seven years due to other trades. Their top 2023 selection was guard Steve Avila in the second round, and they need him to step right in and help protect Stafford after the Rams' offensive line allowed 59 sacks last season. The two third-round picks — edge Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner — should help on defense. Two-time national champion QB Stetson Bennett is a fourth-round pick with a good shot to backup Stafford initially and be a future starter, but it’s questionable how much these players will help the Rams this season.
It looks like another painful year for coach Sean McVay after a lackluster offseason, even if Stafford, Kupp and Donald can make successful comebacks. The schedule doesn’t help as the first five games include four 2022 playoff teams, with Seattle (in the opener) and Cincinnati on the road and the 49ers and Eagles at home.
Jeff Diamond is a former Minnesota Vikings general manager and Titans team president. He was selected NFL Executive of the Year after the Vikings’ 15-1 season in 1998. Follow him on Twitter at @jeffdiamondnfl.
