Offseason wish list for NFL's nine eliminated teams: Bears need QB whisperer, Pats need QB protectors

BIGGEST WISH: Aid for Bryce Young

The wish remains the same as it was one year ago. Whether you agree with it or not, Young is poised to get another year to build on his step forward after being unbenched. Considering the assets the Panthers used to draft Young, giving up this early makes little sense. Instead, they must continue to put pieces around the young quarterback to allow him to grow. Last offseason, they bulked up the interior O-line, spent three of their first four draft picks on offensive weapons (WR Xavier Legette, RB Jonathon Brooks and TE Ja'Tavion Sanders) and unearthed promising undrafted rookie wideout Jalen Coker. There remain questions at tackle, and another weapon would be helpful -- especially with Brooks sadly suffering his second torn ACL in the past 13 months. Building up the defense so it doesn't get trampled over when the offense does get a late lead would be useful to Young, too. The former Alabama quarterback has taken steps forward this season, as small as they might appear. He should get another year under Dave Canales to continue that development. To get the most out of their investment, the Panthers brass must keep stacking pieces around their former No. 1 overall pick.

BIGGEST WISH: An offensive-minded head coach

The back-and-forth nature of the Bears' coaching hires since Lovie Smith's ouster suggests they will look for an offensive-minded lead voice in the coming weeks. This time around, let's stay out of Montreal and away from non-play-calling OCs. Chicago needs a coach who can help grow Caleb Williams. It should have been the plan last offseason, but better late than never, I guess. Yes, the offensive line hasn't been great, leading to some of Williams' struggles. But the rookie quarterback also hasn't developed at a rate you'd hope from a No. 1 overall pick. He's slow to the trigger, leaving too many easy throws in the holster while big-game hunting. He invites pressure. To a certain extent, that's what most young quarterbacks go through. It's happening some to Jayden Daniels in Washington (SEE: eight sacks taken this past Sunday). The main difference is that Daniels' offense helps give him answers when things go awry. Williams just hasn't been afforded that comfort this year. Thomas Brown showed promise when he was elevated to OC, but in his two games as interim head coach, Chicago's offense has taken a step back -- perhaps the 38-year-old needs a longer incubation period before getting a big chair full time. Whether it's Ben Johnson, Joe Brady or Kellen Moore, the Bears need a coach who has proven he can work with QBs and runs a scheme that puts them in optimal situations. Otherwise, they'll be right back here in another few years.

BIGGEST WISH: A suitable Deshaun Watson solution

There is no easy escape hatch, given the fully guaranteed $230 million contract Cleveland handed Watson back in March of 2022. Beyond the money, the situation has become untenable. Fans have had it with Watson, waiting to boo him lustily at every incomplete pass. That is, when he's on the field. In three seasons with Cleveland, he's played in just 19 games -- and he's been horrible for about 17 of them. As a Brown, Watson is completing 61.2 percent of his passes while averaging 177.1 yards per game with 19 TDs, 12 INTs and an 80.7 passer rating. Oh, and he hasn't had a QBR over 43 in any year. The most depressing part for Browns fans is that every other veteran QB has looked better in Kevin Stefanski's offense than Watson. Is Cleveland really going to continue to waltz this charade, praying that Watson magically turns into the QB he no longer is? We know the brass understands "sunk cost." They have to pay Watson all that money, but they don't have to play him. Finding a low-cost option so the Browns can float through the final painful years of the Watson deal would be the ideal situation. Unfortunately, those are Purdy hard to find -- but we can wish.

BIGGEST WISH: Secondary help

The Jaguars' defense has been a miserable disappointment in 2024. Getting tagged by Davante Adams and his 41-year-old quarterback this past Sunday was the latest instance of Ryan Nielsen's unit collapsing. The secondary has been a mess all season, with corners who get torched and safeties who miss assignments or take bad angles. The Jaguars allow NFL worsts in EPA per dropback (0.21) and passer rating against (108.3), per Next Gen Stats, and are third-worst with a 2.8 completion percentage over expected allowed. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging 8.3 yards per attempt (32nd). A dismal pressure rate is part of the problem, but the breakdowns in the secondary are the scourge. The Jags entered the season with question marks on the back end that they attempted to paper over. The loose leaf got torched. I'd love to pencil in Travis Hunter to Jacksonville. It would be a beautiful marriage. But with the Jags finishing the season against the two-win Raiders, three-win Titans and six-win Colts, Doug Pederson's crew might run into a victory or two to push Jacksonville out of position for the Heisman Trophy winner.

BIGGEST WISH: A first-round quarterback

Las Vegas was boxed out of the rookie QB mix in 2024, with six(!) coming off the draft board before the Raiders went on the clock at No. 13 overall, and it's been evident since April that the backup plan wasn't viable. Gardner Minshew was meant to be a bridge backup, not a full-season starter. Aidan O'Connell has flashed minor improvements in Year 2, but his ceiling's always been capped. And Desmond Ridder is Desmond Ridder. Raiders fans are already pining for Shedeur Sanders, and they have good reason for the wandering eye. Among 44 signal-callers with at least 75 dropbacks this season through Week 15, the Vegas quarterbacks rank 39th (Ridder; -0.27), 35th (Minshew; -0.17) and 24th (O'Connell; -0.06) in EPA per dropback. That's just unsustainable QB play. Luckily for Raiders fans, they shouldn't get frozen out of this year's QB class.

BIGGEST WISH: An offensive line overhaul

It looks like the Patriots got the QB right, with No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye flashing poise and a big arm. The help around the rookie has been an abject failure. From unproductive weapons to an abhorrent O-line, the larger offensive product has been unwatchable. New England knew the offensive line would be an issue, which is one reason Jacoby Brissett started the season under center. If the Pats brass took truth serum -- which Jerod Mayo might already be microdosing, given how many times he's had to walk back comments this season -- they'd probably admit it's even worse than expected. Injuries haven't helped, but this line has been hopeless since Day 1. Demontrey Jacobs is the lowest-graded qualified tackle in the entire NFL, per Pro Football Focus. Heck, Vederian Lowe couldn't even get out of his stance in last Sunday's loss to Arizona. Maye needs help up front, or he won't make it through another season. Free agency usually doesn't offer many OL answers (the good ones get locked up), but New England must attack the open market and the draft pool to refurbish this sieve of a blocking unit.

BIGGEST WISH: A first-round quarterback

Banner-flying fans aren't entirely off base in suggesting the entire operation is a "dumpster fire," given how the past two seasons have unfolded for this proud franchise. But with one wish, they should pray for a quarterback to hose down the blaze. As we've seen time and time again, a great QB can lift all boats and cover the inadequacies around him. Daniel Jones was never that man. The former Giant was the wrong QB from the jump and regrettably got PAID to be something he wasn't -- a boat lifter. Racing toward a top-two selection, the G-Men could finally get their true next Eli.

BIGGEST WISH: A plan to stick with

The spin cycle Jets fans are subjected to is nauseating. Every year, a new plan is sprouted to end the NFL's longest active postseason drought. Every year, it's abandoned by Halloween. The knee-jerk reactions to each negative failing keep Gang Green in a perpetual rebuild. It's impossible to get out of the basement when you cut the stairs in half every six steps. Woody Johnson needs to make a smart front office hire, install a coach who's fully equipped to handle the New York environment and let those two go to work. Sam Darnold's success this year is a blaring lesson in organizational patience and hiring the right coach to nurture young talent. Dan Campbell is the other example that New York should look to. The Lions coach went 3-13-1 in Year 1 and started Year 2 at 1-6. There were calls for his job. Now he has the Lions holding the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. NFL turnarounds are difficult. I'm not suggesting fired general manager Joe Douglas didn't have enough time to build a winner. But the next man in the GM seat needs to devise a plan -- with the quarterback position topping the agenda -- and flesh it out, as opposed to scrapping it at the drop of a hat.

BIGGEST WISH: A right tackle

Tennessee invested assets on the left side of the offensive line while the right side decayed like an abandoned wooden shack. Nicholas Petit-Frere has been like a greased-up revolving door, letting everyone in. When the Titans tried to replace him, they fared little better before injuries struck. The thought entering the season was that bringing in legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan could help straighten things out. Nope. If Callahan can't fix it, no one can. Yes, the QB will be a question mark heading into the offseason -- I won't be surprised if the Titans chase Sam Darnold, should the Vikings let him walk -- but no one will thrive in Nashville if the blocking situation remains untenable.