3 teams poised to end long playoff droughts in 2016
Perusing the playoff drought list reveals several teams at the top ready to end the monotony of sub .500 seasons, giving their fans the thrill of a postseason game.
While the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns probably aren't quite ready to end their respective droughts, there are three teams with a combined 32 years of playoff-less football ready to break through in 2016.
Here are three teams ready to end their respective playoff droughts:
Oakland Raiders
Drought length: 13 years
The Raiders are trending up after spending almost all of their 2016 cap space in free agency.
They're attempting to build around a young core that made major strides in 2015, particularly offensively where Derek Carr, Amari Cooper, and Michael Crabtree gelled into one of the league's best passing units. Adding cornerback Sean Smith, linebacker Bruce Irvin, safety Reggie Nelson, and left tackle Kelechi Osemele were just some of their immediate upgrades.
Declaring any team "offseason winners" is always a dangerous proposition, as the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles can attest to, but the Raiders couldn't have done more over the past year to pull themselves out of the basement they've resided in since 2003.
This team won't be held out of the playoffs long, but with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs sitting atop the AFC West, the road back to postseason glory will still be difficult.
Los Angeles Rams
Drought length: 11 years
The Rams' return to L.A. could be just the shakeup they need to get over the hump.
Possessing a dominant defensive line for the past four seasons, the Rams have been stuck around .500 since head coach Jeff Fisher took over. But Fisher may be the only man for this unique job, already having experience at the helm of a team relocating, doing so with the Titans in 1997.
This team will likely ride a dominant defense and running game to success in 2016, with Todd Gurley possessing generational talent, while Aaron Donald may be his game-changing counterpart on the defensive line. This team has too much talent to flounder, and No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff's development could be accelerated by the pieces already in place with the Rams.
But Goff won't be the one driving this squad back to the playoffs just yet, as running the ball and stopping the run will be a feather in this team's cap next year. That means the formula that will get the Rams back to the playoffs will be the antithesis to the "Greatest Show on Turf" teams of the early 2000s.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Drought length: 8 years
This team is generally considered the most improved unit in the NFL because of smart moves in free agency and a dynamite draft that yielded at least two defensive starters. Already one of the most explosive offenses in the league, the Jags decided to upgrade defensively while Blake Bortles and company continue to develop.
Unlike the Raiders, the Jags remain $50 million-plus under the cap, instead deciding to add cautiously with a few reasonable contracts, while bolstering the defense through the draft. Looking at the Jags' starters, it's hard to find positions that don't feature an extremely talented young player or established veteran.
The trio of defensive tackle Malik Jackson, safety Tashaun Gipson, and cornerback Prince Amukamara suddenly make this one of the deepest defense's in the league, on paper. How quickly this disparate group of talent can gel will be a decisive factor in the Jags' immediate success.
Other active postseason droughts:
- Buffalo Bills, 16 years
- Cleveland Browns, 13 years
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8 years
- Tennessee Titans, 7 years
- Miami Dolphins, 7 years