It happens every year.
A team has a bad season. Fans want the head coach fired. They call talk shows demanding the benching or trading of the starting quarterback. More than anything else, the fans want losing teams to blow up the roster and make major changes.
Based on what we've seen over the past couple of years, there aren't simple solutions. The Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed coaches, revamped their rosters and spent money, and all are sitting among the top five slots for next year's draft.
I contend the collective bargaining agreement of 2011 has made the rebuilding process more difficult. Good teams have a shorter shelf life, and bad teams need a lot more time to rebuild. The four-year contracts of rookies create a four-year window for teams.
As great as it is for teams to be able to lock up draft choices for lower salaries with four-year contracts and freeze first-round picks for a fifth year with an option bonus, it has put extra pressure on teams to draft well -- particularly in the first three rounds.
If a team doesn't get three or four starters out of a draft, major problems lie ahead. Free agency is less of an answer. Not many impact players get to free agency, and the cost is often prohibitive. Trades are tougher because teams are more determined to keep picks in the first three rounds. Of all the trades in 2014, not one veteran player netted anything better than a fourth-round pick in return.
If a team keeps only one out of every four or five draft choices beyond the first contract, which is the norm, where do the bad teams find the starters to fill in for the bad picks? The Bucs spent $143 million on contracts for unrestricted free agents, yet they are 2-12 and at the top of the draft order. Anthony Collins hasn't worked out well at left tackle. Defensive end Michael Johnson has only three sacks. Josh McCown wasn't the answer at quarterback.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been trying to rebuild through the draft and free agency, yet they are still among the worst teams in the league. The Oakland Raiders signed a lot of older veterans and are 2-12.
Another byproduct of the CBA is the impact on college underclassmen. Each year, more than 100 underclassmen declare for the draft. They leave school early to gain a year toward getting that contract extension in the fifth year of their pro career. This creates uneven drafts, with some bad years when a position might be thin because so many players turned pro early.
Even teams with elite quarterbacks are struggling. The Atlanta Falcons (Matt Ryan), New York Giants (Eli Manning) and New Orleans Saints (Drew Brees) all have losing records. Teams without franchise quarterbacks are doing worse.
Building a winner isn't easy.
From the inbox
Q: It is well documented that the NFL wants to encourage offense and increased scoring. As I look at these playoffs-seeding scenarios, common opponents and conference records come into play as tiebreakers. Do you think this would ever be switched to points scored? That might encourage even more scoring.
Max in Los Angeles
A: Teams don't need encouragement to score more points. If you move "points for" into a higher tiebreaker position, it might create more problems. Teams with rookie or unproven quarterbacks struggle to score more than 17 points a game. Those teams have more turnovers and make more mistakes. What you like about common opponents is that it's a good comparison to the schedule. Teams are going to get an extra win or two if they have an easy schedule. They shouldn't get an added advantage in the tiebreakers. Going to the common opponent balances that equation. Changing to the "points for" formula could make the playing field less even.
Q: All the national attention to the Cowboys seems focused on the great season DeMarco Murray and the offensive line are having, and it's all justified, but how about some MVP love for our man Tony Romo with his busted-up back doing a great job? What he's been able to do on the road this year is unprecedented.
Stephan in Plano, Texas
A: You are probably right. He has been overlooked. It's sometimes hard to look at two MVP candidates on a team. Romo has been good in most years. The big improvement on the Dallas Cowboys has been Murray and the offensive line. I had Murray as my midseason MVP. Right now, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers. Let's see how things go over the final two weeks. In a roundtable posted here, we discussed all the leading MVP candidates.
Q: I can't understand why my 49ers are being so disrespectful to Jim Harbaugh. Three years, three NFC Championship Games. Now it's Super Bowl or be fired. By that logic, 31 teams should have new coaches every year. We almost feel Raider-esque with this drama from the front office. I can't see why two grown men and professionals can't put differences aside and work it out, especially given the team's success. I mean, the Giants' coach hasn't had a winning season since his last Super Bowl and he has a job still.
Matt in Richmond, Virginia
A: I agree with you 100 percent. Logic can't be involved in this organizational decision. Any coach who wins that many games and goes to three straight championship games deserves to be among the highest-paid coaches in football. Demanding a Super Bowl win to get that extension doesn't make sense. I can't envision the San Francisco 49ers being better without Harbaugh and his talented coaching staff.
Q: Is it time now for GMs and scouts to stop drafting high (or at all) spread quarterbacks? From my recollection, there isn't one successful spread quarterback in the NFL, unless you count Alex Smith. College spread offenses do not teach the necessary skills to succeed as an NFL quarterback. It is ridiculous to me to see these quarterbacks go high just because of potential. Most every team that drafted a spread quarterback has failed and has had to restart over again. Tennessee, Jacksonville, Jets, Washington, Houston, Cleveland, Carolina, Buffalo, San Francisco and Oakland are in some way regretting drafting a spread quarterback in the past decade. Give me a traditional QB (except [Jay] Cutler -- Bears fan) over a spread QB.
Maurice in Merrillville, Indiana
A: If I'm not mistaken, Ben Roethlisberger was a spread quarterback in college. Most quarterbacks coming out of college now are spread quarterbacks. The silliest thing I hear at scouting combines is that it will take spread quarterbacks a long time to learn to take snaps from center. Judge a quarterback for his accuracy and his ability to read defenses, whether he's in a spread or just a pocket passer. The Carolina Panthers won 12 games last year and don't regret taking Cam Newton.
Q: Over two consecutive weeks, the Buffalo Bills have held Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers -- arguably the two best quarterbacks in the NFL -- to a combined 358 yards and no touchdowns and intercepted them four times. Can they be considered the best defense in the league, or is their slightly better-than-average run defense still holding them back from being a truly elite unit?
Ryan in Danbury, Connecticut
A: Clearly, the Bills have one of the NFL's best defenses. They have the best defensive front four in football, better than Detroit's. The St. Louis Rams have a deeper defensive line, but the Bills can dominate with their front four. I like their linebacking corps and think they have a decent secondary. Credit their personnel department for doing well in the draft and in free agency. They lead the league in sacks. The best defense will come down to the stats among the Bills, the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions.
Q: As a Michigan State alum, I have been pleased to see so many Spartans start at quarterback in the NFL this year. Of course, I've been disappointed in the results. Do you think Kirk Cousins will find success in the NFL? His college career showed so much promise.
Jon in Spreckels, California
A: I think he has a chance, but we might have to wait a year. He still has a year left on his contract with the Washington Redskins. He might not have much trade value, so he will probably be with the Redskins next season. He needs a fresh start. His 2-7 record works against him in Washington. Of course, Robert Griffin III has gone 4-14 as a starter since his rookie season. The surrounding cast has pulled down the stock of both quarterbacks. Both need fresh starts. I think Cousins has the talent to be a good starter somewhere.