Most Poised to Improve Last Place Finisher

[CGI_Ram]

These are the 2021 last place finishers, their FA signings and draft picks.

Who is poised to improve the most? What do you think?

Jets 4-13

QB Joe Flacco (1 year, $3.5 million)
RB Tevin Coleman (1 year, $1.5 million)
WR Braxton Berrios (2 years, $12 million)
Bengals TE C.J. Uzomah (3 years, $24 million)
Vikings TE Tyler Conklin (3 years, $21 million)
49ers OG Laken Tomlinson (3 years, $40 million)
OG Dan Feeney (1 year)
DT Nathan Shepherd (1 year)
Texans OLB Jacob Martin (3 years, $13.5 million)
Seahawks CB D.J. Reed (3 years, $33 million)
S Lamarcus Joyner (1 year, $4.5 million)
Buccaneers S Jordan Whitehead (2 years, $14.5 million)

Round 1: Nos. 4, 10 (from Seahawks) overall
Round 2: Nos. 35, 38 (from Panthers)
Round 3: No. 69
Round 4: Nos. 111 (from Panthers), 117 (from Vikings)
Round 5: Nos. 146, 163 (from Steelers)

Ravens 8-9

Jets OT Morgan Moses (3 years, $15 million)
Vikings DT Michael Pierce (3 years, $16.5 million)
Saints S Marcus Williams (5 years, $70 million)

Round 1: No. 14 overall
Round 2: No. 45
Round 3: Nos. 76, 100
Round 4: Nos. 110 (from Giants), 119, 128 (from Cardinals), 139, 141
Round 6: No. 196 (from Dolphins)

Jags 3-14

Cardinals WR Christian Kirk (4 years, $72 million)
Raiders WR Zay Jones (3 years, $24 million)
Giants TE Evan Engram (1 year, $9 million)
OT Cam Robinson (franchise tag)
OT Will Richardson (1 year, $2 million)
Commodes OG Brandon Scherff (3 years, $49.5 million)
OG Tyler Shatley (2 years, $6.8 million)
Jets DT Foley Fatukasi (3 years, $30 million)
Falcons LB Foye Oluokun (3 years, $45 million)
Rams CB Darious Williams (3 years, $30 million)
CB Tre Herndon (details unavailable)

Round 1: No. 1 overall
Round 2: No. 33
Round 3: Nos. 65, 70 (from Panthers)
Round 4: No. 106
Round 5: No. 157 (from Vikings)
Round 6: Nos. 180, 188 (from Seahawks), 197 (from Eagles), 198 (from Steelers)
Round 7: Nos. 222, 235 (from Ravens)

Broncos 7-10

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (via trade)
Ravens TE Eric Tomlinson (1 year)
49ers OL Tom Compton (1 year)
OT Calvin Anderson (1 year)
Packers OG Ben Braden (1 year)
49ers DT D.J. Jones (3 years, $30 million)
LB Josey Jewell (2 years, $11 million)
Cowboys OLB Randy Gregory (5 years, $70 million)

Round 2: No. 64 (from Rams)
Round 3: Nos. 75, 96 (from Rams)
Round 4: Nos. 115, 116 (from Seahawks)
Round 5: No. 145 (from Lions)
Round 6: No. 206 (from Bucs through Jets and Eagles)
Round 7: No. 232

Giants 4-13

Texans QB Tyrod Taylor (2 years, $11 million)
Commodes TE Ricky Seals-Jones (unavailable)
OT Korey Cunningham (unavailable)
Colts OG Mark Glowinski (3 years, $20 million)
Bills OL Jon Feliciano (1 year)
CB Jarren Williams (unavailable)
LS Casey Kreiter (unavailable)

Round 1: Nos. 5, 7 (from Bears) overall
Round 2: No. 36
Round 3: Nos. 67, 81 (from Dolphins)
Round 4: No. 112 (from Bears)
Round 5: Nos. 147, 173 (from Chiefs through Ravens)
Round 6: No. 182

Lions 3-13-1

QB Tim Boyle (1 year, $2 million)
QB David Blough (unavailable)
FB Jason Cabinda (2 years, $4.1 million)
Jaguars WR D.J. Chark (1 year, $10 million)
WR Josh Reynolds (2 years, $6 million)
WR Kalif Raymond (2 years)
C Evan Brown (1 year, $2.05 million)
DE Charles Harris (2 years, $14 million)
LB Josh Woods (1 year, $1.55 million)
LB Alex Anzalone (1 year, $2.25 million)
LB Shaun-Dion Hamilton (1 year, $1.035 million)
S Jalen Elliott (1 year, $825,000)
S Tracy Walker (3 years, $25 million)
S C.J. Moore (1 year, $1.75 million)

Round 1: Nos. 2, 32 (from Rams) overall
Round 2: No. 34
Round 3: Nos. 66, 97
Round 5: No. 177
Round 6: Nos. 181, 217
Round 7: No. 234 (from Browns)

Panthers 5-12

Rams P Johnny Hekker (3 years)
Commodes DT Matt Ioannidis (1 year, $5.9 million)
Titans RB D'Onta Foreman (1 year, $2 million)
Browns WR Rashard Higgins (1 year)
WR Brandon Zylstra (1 year)
Rams OG Austin Corbett (3 years, $29.25 million)
K Zane Gonzalez (2 years, $4.5 million)
DE Marquis Haynes (2 years, $5.5 million)
Jaguars OLB Damien Wilson (2 years)
Vikings S Xavier Woods (3 years, $15.75 million)

Round 1: No. 6 overall
Round 4: No. 137 (from Rams through Texans)
Round 5: Nos. 144 (from Jaguars), 149
Round 6: No. 199 (from Raiders)
Round 7: No. 242 (from Patriots through Dolphins)

Seahawks 7-10

Raiders DT Quinton Jefferson (unavailable)
Broncos QB Drew Lock (via trade)
Broncos TE Noah Fant (via trade)
TE Will Dissly (3 years, $24 million)
Chiefs C Austin Blythe (bag of chips)
Broncos DL Shelby Harris (via trade)
DT Al Woods (2 years, $9 million)
Chargers LB Uchenna Nwosu (2 years, $20 million)
CB Sidney Jones (1 year, $3.6 million)
Bears CB Artie Burns (1 year, $2 million)
S Quandre Diggs (3 years, $40 million)

Round 1: No. 9 overall (from Broncos)
Round 2: Nos. 40 (from Broncos), 41 overall
Round 3: No. 72
Round 4: Nos. 109 (from Jets)
Round 5: Nos. 152 (from Broncos), 153
Round 7: No. 229

 

[bubbaramfan]

Wouldn't be surprised to see them all finish last again.

 

[Riverumbbq]

I'd guess the Jags ...

 

[Allen2McVay]

Broncos and/or Ravens.

Both are in strong divisions but both have talent on both sides of the ball, plus quality QBs.

 

[TexasRam]

I feel sad for all those teams and how little they improved for how much they spent.

Except the Broncos. They could make some noise.

 

[Oregonram]

My vote is for the Ravens…the least change on the OL and some quality on both sides of the ball.
A very close 2nd would be the Broncos…even though they are trying to build an entirely new OL, Wussell’s playmaking ability can overcome the lack of early season cohesion.

 

[Merlin]

Broncos improved a ton so they're a good choice. Problem is that division holy shit. I feel like Denver has the biggest question mark at HC, so even though they're better they may end up in the cellar again.

Jags are a good bet because the Texans are in the division.

Giants offseason doesn't look great or anything but they have two high picks in this draft and a shit division with a team like the Commodes to jump. Like a lot of these teams the HC change is going to factor in big.

Looking at Detroit their division got better in the opposing HCs. Eberflus is an interesting new HC in Chicago. Same with OConnell in Minnesota. I think the Bears are the team they might be able to jump if they draft well and Goff has some fight in him to show he wants to be the guy.

Guess I'd go with the Jags. Good young QB going into year two with a real OC plus the Texans in the division seem like a winning combo.

 

[shovelpass]

Ravens should improve, they had so many injury problems.

I can see both Jax and Det doubling their wins from last season

 

[norcalramfan]

I'm rooting for the Lions to improve, (a few ex-rams plus Brad Holmes), they have like 6 picks in the 1st hundred for this years draft. Here is a youtube link to some talking heads from Detroit and a mock draft of theirs.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vRCesKHwU

 

[Mojo Ram]

I'll always go with the teams with the big picture history of winning programs and pedigree. Baltimore. Denver possibly. I do think time is running out with L.Jackson. I can see his usage and style of play becoming more and more degenerative, similar to what happened to Cam in Carolina.

Conversely, teams like Jacksonville, NYG and Lions will continue to stink. The Lions played hard last year but so did Fisher's Rams. Shaking off a losing culture requires much more than just spending money and playing hard. You need a competent front office and HC that are on the same page. You also need an uber-competitive QB with some elite skills.

Baltimore has proven for quite some time that they know what they're doing(much like the Rams since '17) by building a program.

Jacksonville has proven they don't have a clue.

 

[Mackeyser]

Broncos.

They already had the best D in the division from a functional standpoint (their O put the D in bad spots).

They have the weapons and with Wilson, they're not finishing last... I dunno about first, but def not last...

 

[BuffaloRam]

I'm rooting for the Lions to improve, (a few ex-rams plus Brad Holmes), they have like 6 picks in the 1st hundred for this years draft. Here is a youtube link to some talking heads from Detroit and a mock draft of theirs.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vRCesKHwU

I’d like to see how the Lions go in year two. Goff started to improve once the playcalling was taken over by the HC.

The Jets could improve but also their QB might be a colossal bust…

 

[PARAM]

Ravens have the shortest way to go. Denver and Seattle the second shortest. Which one of these things is not like the other? I'll take Denver and Baltimore.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Yeah, Broncos and Jags have done well… and more coming from the draft.

Jaguars overpaid in several places, but they needed to buy some guys off to lure them onto the team. Just like Cleveland did to get Watson.

I think Wilson is just what the doctor ordered for Bronco fans. The AFC West is going to be so much fun to watch when the Rams aren’t playing.

Ravens are sitting there with 5 fourth rounders!

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Baltimore wins the division next year. The only thing holding them back in 2021 was injuries.

Cleveland and Cincinnati vie for last place

 

[Ram65]

Who is poised to improve the most? What do you think?

Could it be the Lions, Jets, and Jags? Since they all are the lowest on the win totals.

Something about the Lions not giving up and quitting on their coach has me thinking they could move up. They made some mid-price and lower price moves in free agency. If SJ Chalk can stay healthy Goff has a #1 type of WR to go with Reynolds, They resigned WR Kalif Raymond who has 4.34 speed out of the slot. They have a number of early draft choices too. If they protect Goff they can score some points.

The Jets and Jags are building around last year's top drafted QBs. They also have a lot of early draft picks.

 

[den-the-coach]

Easy to Pick the Ravens, they had so many injuries last year, it's easy to figure they should be better I won't agree with @Elmgrovegnome them winning the division, but they could all depending on how many games Watson will miss with the Browns.

Don't sleep on the New York Football Giants (this is for my wife) I like Brian Daboll plus they've been improving their Offensive Line. As to the Jaguars, they did overpay and acted like a kid maxing out their parent's credit card, when they were away, but the Jaguars now have an adult in the room in Doug Pederson, but everything starts at the top and the guy signing those checks is still clueless IMHO.

 

[fearsomefour]

Broncos or Titans because they already have the best base. Broncos I would assume but playing both West divisions their schedule will be brutal.
$18 M a year for Christian Kirk? Yikes.

 

[1maGoh]

Depends on if you mean most improvement in win total or most improvement in place within division. Ravens and Broncos we're already at 8-9 and 7-10. Realistically they improve by 4 or 5 games at most? The odds of any team going 14-3 or 15-2 aren't super high anyway, plus you have to come up from the bottom of your division. And the Broncos are in a mega tough division. The Ravens have a bit easier division, but I'm not going to bet on a team only have 3 losses. I don't even really about Seattle because it really didn't seem necessary to explain why they won't improve that much.

That leaves the Jets, Jags, Giants, Lions, and Panthers. I could see at least one of them improving by 6 wins.

Shaking off a losing culture requires much more than just spending money and playing hard. You need a competent front office and HC that are on the same page. You also need an uber-competitive QB with some elite skills.

At least the Lions have the QB part right. He's already helped turn around one team with a losing culture.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Easy to Pick the Ravens, they had so many injuries last year, it's easy to figure they should be better I won't agree with @Elmgrovegnome them winning the division, but they could all depending on how many games Watson will miss with the Browns.

Don't sleep on the New York Football Giants (this is for my wife) I like Brian Daboll plus they've been improving their Offensive Line. As to the Jaguars, they did overpay and acted like a kid maxing out their parent's credit card, when they were away, but the Jaguars now have an adult in the room in Doug Pederson, but everything starts at the top and the guy signing those checks is still clueless IMHO.

Baltimore has a very good roster. They played the Rams tough despite their DBs all being injured and they used a backup QB.

If Baltimore had been healthier the Rams lose that game imo