For teams coming off a losing season, this point in time will feel the worst

[MightyGiants]

Having experienced a decade of losing (with only 2 playoff seasons to break things up), I have come to appreciate the time from after the season ends until the start of free agency is when it feels most hopeless.  The reason I say that is:

1)  You don't know which of the team's free agents will be retained

2)  The team hasn't filled holes via free agency

3)  The team hasn't yet added talent via the draft

So right now, the team is the least talented it will be in 2025.  That does make things seem more bleak than it will be by the start of training camp.

[DaveBrown74]

Fair point, and an accurate observation for sure.

Of course, items 1, 2, and 3 apply to the other 31 teams as well, but different teams have different amount of free agent spending capacity as well as draft capital, so the degree to which other fan bases will feel better about their roters come this summer will vary from team to team.

[Jclayton92]

I am the complete opposite, I am the most optimistic in the offseason because I can see a path through the maze to success.

I have been down the past few offseasons only because we have had a qb albatross that we couldn't do anything about. Even now I clearly see a way to the playoffs with 7-8 moves.

[Painter]

Having experienced a decade of losing (with only 2 playoff seasons to break things up), I have come to appreciate the time from after the season ends until the start of free agency is when it feels most hopeless.  The reason I say that is:

1)  You don't know which of the team's free agents will be retained

2)  The team hasn't filled holes via free agency

3)  The team hasn't yet added talent via the draft

So right now, the team is the least talented it will be in 2025.  That does make things seem more bleak than it will be by the start of training camp.

"...more bleak than it will be..." Are we thus to assume that you are not quite as pessimistic as we may have thought that schoenful will be undaboll to make significant improvements in the team by the start of training camp?. Is that so, Mighty...whatsitagain?

Cheers!

[MightyGiants]

Fair point, and an accurate observation for sure.

Of course, items 1, 2, and 3 apply to the other 31 teams as well, but different teams have different amount of free agent spending capacity as well as draft capital, so the degree to which other fan bases will feel better about their roters come this summer will vary from team to team.

Jeff,

I think there is usually a natural optimism after a winning season.  I guess I should have included consideration of another important variable which is salary cap space.  If your team is being squeezed by the cap you tend to be less optimistic.

I am the complete opposite, I am the most optimistic in the offseason because I can see a path through the maze to success.

I have been down the past few offseasons only because we have had a qb albatross that we couldn't do anything about. Even now I clearly see a way to the playoffs with 7-8 moves.

Regardless of if we had Jones or we have no one, we are left with the biggest challenge in football, which is finding ideally an elite QB or failing that a solid franchise QB

[kartanoman]

I am the complete opposite, I am the most optimistic in the offseason because I can see a path through the maze to success.

I have been down the past few offseasons only because we have had a qb albatross that we couldn't do anything about. Even now I clearly see a way to the playoffs with 7-8 moves.

You know, I feel similarly because I'm going into the salary cap management and talent acquisition phases of the season where it is time to leverage lessons learned from the past, examine my organization's risk, issue, opportunity register and begin to put action plans in place to address my season's objectives.

The important point to remember is to acknowledge "what went right and wrong" previously, conduct root cause analysis to understand "why," assess impact and plan, going forward, to align with and achieve your objectives.

Sounds generic enough but it is an exercise that forces you to be accountable to your over-arching goals and objectives

Peace!