I know it’s fairly early to speculate on a matter such as which NFL team will be the worst of 2011, but Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is that special of a player.
Luck made a bold decision to return to school for his senior year, but it was the right decision for an intellectually savvy student who has an immense passion for architecture.
It would be crazy to think the Carolina Panthers will once again be the worst team in the NFL, so let’s look at another five teams who will have a dismal 2011 season and could pick the potential franchise quarterback in the 2012 NFL Draft.
By: Nick Grays
5.) Detroit Lions
Will 2011 be another year where we see multiple quarterbacks under center in the motor city? If Matthew Stafford stays true to his brittle stereotype, it could be time to give up on the former number one pick.
I know another number-one overall pick would demote the Lions back to the league’s biggest joke, but Luck could be the guy to turn the franchise around for good. With the Lions defense looking scary good, I’m not sure how likely it is they will finish near the bottom of the standings, but the chance always exists in Detroit.
4.) Denver Broncos
If the Broncos were smart, they would stick with Kyle Orton and realize he is a decent quarterback, but they probably won’t do that. 2011 will most likely mark another year in the atrocity known as the Tim Tebow experiment.
This will happen because the Broncos won’t be very good. Wouldn’t it be a dream true if Broncos legend and executive vice president of operations, John Elway, could grab a fellow Stanford alum in Andrew Luck.
3.) Cincinnati Bengals
How bout this for a bold statement; with the Ohio State Buckeyes taking a turn for the worse, the Cleveland Browns will be the best football team in Ohio in 2011. I can’t believe in the Bengals after they churned out a disappointing 4-12 season in 2010.
The fact remains that Carson Palmer is not happy and the Pittsburgh Steelers/Baltimore Ravens are not leaving the AFC North anytime soon. The Browns seem on the up as a franchise, meaning the Bengals are slated for another bad year and an OK shot at the Luck sweepstakes.
2.) Arizona Cardinals
It’s hard to believe that this team graced the Super Bowl just two years ago. The loss of Kurt Warner impacted the team in the desert a lot more than people suspected.
Rumors have swirled about Philadelphia Eagles back-up Kevin Kolb joining the team, but wouldn’t Luck trading one set of Cardinals for the other be so much sweeter. With the QB position up in the air and Kolb still yet to prove his self, I give Arizona good odds at landing Luck.
1.) Buffalo Bills
Over the past decade, the Buffalo Bills have been one of the NFL’s worst franchises. They have trouble filling the stands in Buffalo and to make matters worse, the league has shipped the team to Toronto each season for a home game. Oh yeah, it doesn’t hurt to mention that the Bills haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Jim Kelly in the early 90’s.
Luck is the kind of talent that could be a savior for the Bills on the field and in the stands. Starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick may be smarter than Luck with his Harvard degree, but he can’t possibly be looked at as a legitimate long-term option. The Bills ranked near the bottom in almost every offensive category in 2010 and I would expect much of the same in the upcoming season, making the Bills the most likely destination for Luck.
Where do you think Andrew Luck will land? Let me know by commenting below!
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.