One bright spot for each of NFL's worst teams in 2018
For more than a third of NFL teams, the postseason is already an impossibility. That means for a significant portion of the league, the final two weeks are merely a matter of draft positioning and coaching hot-seat fodder.
But this time can also provide an opportunity to evaluate the roster closely and determine which players could be foundational figures in a rebuild. Even the NFL's most moribund franchises have at least one reason to be optimistic.
Here's one bright spot for each of the 13 teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs thus far:
Raiders — DT Maurice Hurst
Jon Gruden's strip-mining of much of the team's young talent makes it difficult to identify any young building blocks on the roster, much less on a defense that ranks last in scoring (29.9 points per game). But Hurst, who was flagged at the combine for a heart issue, proved to be somewhat of a gem after falling to the fifth round. Questions about his size (6-1, 292 pounds) were soon answered, as he has posted four sacks and displayed much of the disruptive tendencies he showed at Michigan. He forms a promising duo on the interior with fellow rookie P.J. Hall, though more help is obviously needed on a league-worst pass rush that has half as many sacks (12) as the next closest team.
Jets — S Jamal Adams
Maybe the Jets' secondary was a year too early with its self-anointed "New Jack City" nickname. But for all the disappointments this defense encountered in 2018, Adams continued his ascension toward stardom. In only his second year, he became one of the league's best at his position not only in coverage but also as a blitzer, with his nine tackles for loss best among all safeties and 3 1/2 sacks tied for first. More importantly, he promoted a sense of accountability in the locker room, positioning him as a leader for years to come.
Jaguars — WR Dede Westbrook
Is there really a bright spot anywhere in Jacksonville's offense? If so, Westbrook is clearly it. He not only paces the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (662) and touchdown catches (five) but also was one of the lone reliable options on a unit that is tied for the NFL's worst drop rate at 5.1 percent, according to ESPN. His 74-yard punt return for a touchdown last week exemplified a big-play ability that should provide further dividends in the future.
Bills — Defense
Don't be fooled by the pedestrian scoring average of 23.8 points allowed per game — Sean McDermott again has a top-notch defense. Weighed down by an offense that too often yields unfavorable field position, Buffalo has still managed to give up just 4.9 yards per play, which ranks third behind Baltimore and Chicago. The Bills were just one of three teams not to have a Pro Bowl selection this season, but there are still sufficient pieces for this unit to remain strong for some time.
Bengals — RB Joe Mixon
A rookie season in which he averaged just 3.5 yards a carry left unclear exactly what Cincinnati had in its 2017 second-round pick. But despite his offensive line doing him few favors, Mixon stands as the AFC's leading rusher with 995 yards. Along with Tyler Boyd, who became the team's first wide receiver other than A.J. Green to record a 1,000-yard season since Chad Johnson in 2009, the multi-talented running back gives Andy Dalton a burgeoning threat ready for a larger workload.
Broncos — Rookie class
John Elway's hit rate in the draft is still the source of many of Denver's problems, but it's hard to ridicule him for his haul this past April. Top pick Bradley Chubb has 12 sacks, just 2 1/2 shy of Jevon Kearse's rookie record. Receivers Courtland Sutton (second round) and DaeSean Hamilton (fourth round) have shown potential despite the passing game's problems, while linebacker Josey Jewell (fourth round) has been a capable late-season starter. But the real gem is running back Phillip Lindsay, the first undrafted offensive player to be named to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year.
Cardinals — WR Christian Kirk
Arizona has been searching for a complement to Larry Fitzgerald for years, and they finally appear to have found one in this year's second-round pick. Kirk ranked third among all rookie receivers with 590 yards before an early December broken foot sidelined him for the remainder of the season. Proving himself as more than a slot option, he gives quarterback Josh Rosen a needed point of trust on an offense that has averaged a league-worst 4.3 yards per play.
49ers — TE George Kittle
Losing Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn anterior cruciate ligament might have closed the lid on whatever chance San Francisco had to emerge as a breakout team this year, but it didn't prevent Kittle from establishing himself as a rising star. A Pro Bowl selection in his second season, Kittle has posted 1,154 receiving yards, just 173 short of Rob Gronkowski's record for a tight end in a single season (though the Chiefs' Travis Kelce is closer to eclipsing the mark). He's also shown a penchant for separating from defenders, as his 715 yards after the catch trail are second only to Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. With Dante Pettis also coming on strong as a dynamic threat, Garoppolo should have no shortage of weapons upon his return next season.
Lions — WR Kenny Golladay
This title could just as easily go to rookie running back Kerryon Johnson, who revived the long-dormant ground game, or the team's trio of formidable defensive tackles. Golladay, however, gets the nod after meeting lofty expectations by eclipsing Marvin Jones and the since-traded Golden Tate as Detroit's No. 1 receiver. The 6-4, 213-pound target drew early comparisons to Calvin Johnson, even earning the nickname "Babytron" thanks to his build and prowess in the deep passing game. But he made significant strides this season toward becoming a complete receiver by also attacking defenses on the short and intermediate levels.
Giants — RB Saquon Barkley
There won't be a quick resolution to the debate over whether New York erred in not taking a quarterback with the No. 2 selection in April's draft. Barkley, however, dismissed any notion that the pick had gone to waste. Running past, through or over the top of opposing defenders, Barkley has recorded 1,809 yards from scrimmage, third-highest total of any player and 403 short of Eric Dickerson's rookie record. Now it's up to the Giants to identify that needed successor to Eli Manning so that defenses can't gear up against the team's new centerpiece the way the Titans did, holding him to 31 rushing yards on 14 carries last week.
Buccaneers — Receiving corps
Oscillating between starting quarterbacks is usually a symptom of a decrepit offense. But Tampa Bay's passing attack weathered toggling between Ryan Fitzpatrick to Jameis Winston before the team eventually settled on the latter. Top target Mike Evans has already exceeded his career high in receiving yards with 1,328, while tight end O.J. Howard made a strong second-year surge before landing on injured reserve. Even if the Buccaneers move on from DeSean Jackson in the offseason, this should be one of the best and deepest receiving corps in 2019.
Falcons — WR Calvin Ridley
An early-season stretch in which he notched six touchdown catches in three games was not sustainable an entire season. But Ridley still leads all rookies with 699 receiving yards on the season. With Julio Jones turning 30 next year, Atlanta should be comforted by the knowledge it has his successor in place.
Packers — DT Kenny Clark
Overshadowed amid all of the drama surrounding Mike McCarthy's firing and the Aaron Rodgers-dependent offense, Clark quietly established himself as one of the NFL's best young defensive linemen. In 13 games before landing on injured reserve, he posted 55 tackles and six sacks as the stout presence in the middle. The Packers' collection of edge rushers might need to be retooled, but Clark and Mike Daniels should provide a substantial push up front once again next year.
Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.