How to Escape from NFL Purgatory.

Bootleg Football

The NFL is divided into four tiers: the bottom eight teams, the championship contenders, fringe playoff teams, and a middle group stuck in "NFL purgatory." This middle group, typically picking between 9th and 15th in the draft, is neither bad enough for top draft picks nor good enough for the playoffs.

Five teams are identified as being in NFL purgatory: the Saints, Bengals, Cowboys, Bears, and Colts. Each team faces a major issue preventing their escape from this middling position.

These teams recognize their shortcomings and what they need to improve, but face uncertainty in achieving those improvements.

The Dolphins were considered for inclusion but ultimately excluded due to their playoff potential with Tua's return and a strong offense.

The New Orleans Saints are burdened by a significant salary cap issue and face decisions regarding their coaching staff and quarterback situation. Their defensive line struggles contribute to their problems.

This is the first opportunity for the Saints to have a clean break from the Payton era, allowing them to choose a new direction.

Their pass rush is weak, ranking ninth lowest in sacks and seventh worst in pressure rate, impacting their secondary's performance.

The Saints' cap situation stems from repeatedly delaying financial reckoning, even after the Brees era.

A potential solution involves strategic cuts and retirements to reset the cap, even if it means tanking for a high draft pick in 2026, potentially targeting Arch Manning.

The Cincinnati Bengals, despite Joe Burrow's MVP-caliber season, are underperforming due to their owners' unwillingness to spend and retain core players. This has led to a cycle of building and dismantling competitive rosters.

Despite strong offensive performances, the Bengals' defense has regressed, impacting their overall success.

The Bengals' ownership has a history of not retaining key players, leading to the loss of talent like Jessie Bates, D.J. Reader, and Joe Mixon.

The team's unwillingness to invest in its roster, despite having significant cap space, is hindering their ability to maintain a competitive window.

The Dallas Cowboys' issues stem from poor cap management, paying players too late, and a disorganized front office. This has led to a lack of depth and ongoing struggles to find key players at certain positions.

The Cowboys' practice of playing hardball with contracts has resulted in overpaying for players like Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

Their depth has suffered due to this approach, and they haven't found consistent solutions at wide receiver and right tackle.

To improve, the Cowboys must draft well, address needs at right tackle, wide receiver, and running back, and improve their run defense.

The Chicago Bears, despite promising performances from Justin Fields and a relatively solid roster, are struggling due to coaching deficiencies.  A change in coaching could significantly improve their prospects.

Despite Fields' excellent performance against the Vikings, the Bears lost due to questionable coaching decisions.

The Bears have a potential franchise quarterback, a decent pass rush, and promising players at various positions, but coaching is holding them back.

Acquiring a top-tier coach like Ben Johnson could elevate the Bears to playoff contention.

The Indianapolis Colts, despite a promising roster on paper, are underperforming due to issues with their general manager (GM) and defensive coordinator (DC).  These issues manifest in a weak pass rush, a poor run defense, and a lack of talent at tight end.

Despite investments in their defensive line, the Colts struggle to generate pressure and have a below-average run defense.

The GM's failure to address the tight end position and questionable draft decisions regarding edge rushers have hurt the team.

Changes at GM and DC are necessary for the Colts to improve, especially given the offensive potential with Anthony Richardson.