No NFL team looks forward to an underwhelming season, but when expectations are high in August, finishing out of the playoff picture is even more disappointing. Inevitably, injuries, variance and mistaken optimism lead to franchises widely pegged as playoff locks falling out of the race before December. Outside of the Chiefs, it seems like no team is a lock to make the playoffs every year.
The only thing worse than missing the playoffs? Missing the playoffs again the following season. In the interest of avoiding that fate, let's lay out a retooling plan for four of the league's most disappointing franchises in 2024: the 49ers, Bengals, Cowboys and Jets.