Last season served as a prequel to each NFL team's journey toward the upcoming campaign. Organizations aren't allowed to live in the past; they can only learn from previous successes or failures.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "Life is a journey, not a destination."
Those words provide an important lesson since a franchise's destination can change and provide a surprising result. Eight of last season's 12 playoff squads, including the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, didn't earn a postseason berth the previous year. Similar turnover occurs every season.
As such, the league's offseason turns into a chess match between 32 different masters trying to best position their organizations.