3 NFL Teams With Losing Record With Best Chance To Make Playoffs Next Season (NFL)
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3 NFL Teams With Losing Record With Best Chance To Make Playoffs Next Season

David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports
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The 2023 NFL playoffs will feature six teams that did not partake in the festivities the year before: the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Rams. Parity is present yearly, which represents hope for franchises who disappointingly missed out on the postseason. 

For the 18 teams who missed the postseason, attention swiftly turns to an offseason that must include personnel-based improvement ahead of 2024. We've identified three teams with losing records with the best chance to qualify for the 2024 playoffs.

NEW YORK JETS

The Jets' 2023 campaign was doomed from the moment superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on their first offensive drive of the season. Luckily for the Jets, Rodgers doesn't plan on retiring. He's planning on returning in 2024 with a vengeance.

The Jets still crawled to a semi-respectable 7-10 record despite the circumstances. They started four different quarterbacks, including Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle. Rodgers' return will represent a massive boost.

The Jets will also possess the No. 10 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Expect them to target a player that immediately helps Rodgers, like offensive tackle Joe Alt or JC Latham, or wide receiver Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze.

It's playoffs or bust for the Jets in 2024.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The Chargers are tasked with hiring a coaching staff that finally maximizes the talent of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. That eluded defensive-minded head coach Brandon Staley, who hired two offensive coordinators, Joe Lombardi and Kellen Moore, to no avail. The Staley era was a massive whiff, and the Chargers will likely pivot to an offensive-minded leader.

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson should top owner Dean Spanos' wishlist. Since drafting Herbert, the Chargers have gotten nearly everything else wrong. It's inexcusable that the presence of a young franchise quarterback like Herbert hasn't led to more on-field success.

Herbert's upside delivers annual hope. If the Chargers finally get the right general manager-head coach pairing for Herbert, they can experience a quick turnaround. That will be Spanos' expectation.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikings lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles injury eight games into the year. The expectation was once that Cousins, who entered the final season of his contract in 2023, wouldn't be back in Minnesota. Now it would qualify as shocking if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn't re-sign Cousins to a multi-year extension.

The Vikings finished 7-10 despite starting four quarterbacks. Minnesota cycled through signal callers like Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has one of the best one-two punches at wide receiver after Jordan Addison emerged opposite Justin Jefferson. 

After fielding a struggling defense in 2022 under defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, O'Connell made a fantastic hire in Brian Flores. Flores deserves another opportunity to be a head coach, but current signs point to him returning to Minnesota in 2024. With Cousins and Flores back, the Vikings should contend for the 2024 NFC North title.



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