The worst thing an NFL franchise can have is a middle-of-the-pack team. The goal is to have a legitimate Super Bowl contender, whether that's in the present or in the coming years.
Teams that hover around .500 don't have the talent for a deep postseason run, and they rarely end up with the cap and draft capital needed to dramatically change their fortunes.
Sometimes, it's best to blow things up, get younger and cheaper at key positions and stockpile that aforementioned capital for a pivotal offseason. That's what the Chicago Bears did in 2022, landing the top overall pick, flipping that for even more draft capital and creating the assets needed to add the likes of D.J. Moore, Robert Tonyan Jr., Nate Davis, T.J. Edwards and rookie tackle Darnell Wright over the past few months.
The moves will have to play out on the field, but the plan has been solid. For the following franchises, the rebuilds have gotten off to less promising starts. We'll dive into the teams, their situations and where the flaws in their processes lie below.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers deserve credit for getting a strong haul for Aaron Rodgers. They moved up two spots in the first round and added a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick that will become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays 65 percent of the offensive snaps in 2023 for the legendary quarterback and a fifth-rounder.
Unfortunately, that's about the brightest aspect of Green Bay's rebuilding offseason.
The Packers are starting over at QB with Jordan Love, but they have failed to surround him with proven talent. Green Bay parted with vets Allen Lazard, Tonyan, Randall Cobb and Jarran Reed while doing virtually nothing to replace them in free agency.
What's especially problematic is the fact that Green Bay got extremely young in its receiving corps. Second-year wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are not experienced leaders in a group that also includes rookies Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft.
That's a potential issue because the Packers have just two seasons left with which to evaluate Love before he becomes a free agent. The 24-year-old has a single start on his resume and will largely learn on the fly along with his skill players.
The early offseason buzz on Love has been positive.
"Looks more refined, the way he holds the ball, his command overall," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter.
However, there's a big difference between non-contact drills and regular-season action—something of which Love has seen little.
Green Bay is in an odd position, where it has too much talent to push for a top 2024 QB prospect such as Drake Maye or Caleb Williams should Love stumble, and it is perhaps too unseasoned offensively to get an accurate read on what Love can be as a pro.
This half-commitment to both sides of the process could derail Green Bay's chances of continuing to enjoy quarterback stability after 30 years of having a Hall of Famer under center.