If each team in the AFC could get one do-over, what would it be? That’s the question we posed to Yardbarker’s NFL writers, who compiled the biggest regret for all 16 AFC teams.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Signing OLB Von Miller | Buffalo signed Miller, then 32, to a six-year, $120M contract during the 2022 offseason and must now hope the wasted money doesn’t cost it a Super Bowl. Miller hasn’t been the same player since his 2022 ACL tear, as he collected three tackles and no sacks in 12 games this season and was even a healthy inactive in Week 17.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Losing to the Tennessee Titans in Week 14 | While the Dolphins probably regret drafting QB Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert, they’ll always look back on their 28-27 Week 14 loss to Tennessee as the bitter turning point of their season. Miami became the first team since 2016 to lose after holding a 14-point lead with under three minutes remaining in regulation. The loss undermined its chances of clinching the AFC East title.
NEW YORK JETS | Not acquiring a competent backup quarterback | Although it was impossible to predict QB Aaron Rodgers suffering his season-ending Achilles injury just four snaps into his Jets debut, the team knew not to trust Zach Wilson and should’ve added a veteran backup. The Jets ranked 29th in scoring (15.8 PPG) but still won seven games this season, so perhaps they could’ve made a playoff push had they signed someone like Jacoby Brissett to back up Rodgers.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Ruining QB Mac Jones’ development | While Jones likely wouldn’t have been the long-term answer in New England, the mismanagement of his development after OC Josh McDaniels left ultimately cost former OC Bill Belichick his job. Jones, a Pro Bowler under McDaniels, was forced to play in former DC Matt Patricia’s offense in 2022 and has struggled since, throwing for 5,117 yards, 24 touchdowns and 23 interceptions over the past two seasons. — Colum Dell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | Trading for Sean Payton and Russell Wilson | Over the past two offseasons, the Broncos dealt two first-round picks (and more) for the HC and QB. The flashy moves haven’t produced results, as Denver is 13-21 over the past two seasons and will probably move on from Wilson in the offseason.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Not acquiring a star WR | The Chiefs should’ve signed or traded for a proven veteran — Mike Evans or DeAndre Hopkins would have been fabulous — instead of betting on their inexperienced pass-catchers. Kansas City led the league in drops (44), per Pro Football Reference. and often frustrated QB Patrick Mahomes.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Hiring Josh McDaniels | In two seasons as Las Vegas HC, McDaniels went 9-16 and clearly hindered the team. The Raiders (8-9) went 5-4 after they fired him and named Antonio Pierce interim HC.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Giving Brandon Staley one more chance | Letting Staley return after L.A. blew a 27-point lead in a 2022 wild-card round loss to Jacksonville was foolish. The Chargers went 5-12 and canned Staley after Week 15. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | Drafting Rashod Bateman | The No. 27 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has 47 catches for 652 yards and three touchdown catches over the past two seasons. It’s another brutal miss at wide receiver by the Ravens, who could have drafted Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit), Nico Collins (Houston) or Elijah Moore (Cleveland) instead.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | Trading for Deshaun Watson | The Browns traded three first-round picks and then some for Watson, who has played in just 12 games over the past two years. With 14 touchdown passes and 12 games played since joining Cleveland, Watson has not been worth his five-year, $230M fully guaranteed deal.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Losing Jessie Bates | After five impressive seasons with the Bengals, Bates signed a four-year deal with the Falcons in free agency and hasn’t looked back. The 26-year-old safety had a career-high 132 tackles, three forced fumbles and six interceptions, leaving Cincinnati kicking itself for letting him go.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Extending Mitchell Trubisky | The Steelers gave Trubisky a two-year, $11.25M contract extension in the offseason after he proved to be a capable backup in 2022. That hasn’t remained true this season, however, as the team demoted him to No. 3 QB. Expect Pittsburgh to cut its losses with Trubisky following the season. — Aaron Becker
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | Not starting RB Devin Singletary sooner | The offense was performing at a high level thanks to QB C.J. Stroud and WRs Nico Collins and Tank Dell, but they really took off after giving Singletary more carries. He rushed for over 100 yards in three of the four games he had 20 or more carries. Had he been lead back sooner than Week 10, he likely would have been Houston’s first 1,000-yard RB since Carlos Hyde in 2019 (Singletary finished with 898 yards).
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Letting QB Anthony Richardson run as much as he did | Richardson’s rookie season was cut short by a shoulder injury after four games —the play in which he got hurt was a designed run. The Colts ran Richardson 10 times in two of his first three games, and he had 35 or more rushing yards in each, but using him on designed runs like he’s Lamar Jackson or Justin Fields was reckless and robbed him of what could have been a special rookie season.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Letting Doug Pederson waste two years of Trevor Lawrence’s career | After a promising 2022 season (25 TD passes, eight interceptions), many expected Lawrence to ascend into the upper echelon of the league’s QBs this season, but he regressed and looked like an average passer (21 TDs, 14 INTs). Pederson has a Super Bowl ring, but take away that one stellar season with the Eagles and he has below-.500 regular-season record (47-50-1). He’s dropping the ball with Lawrence’s development.
TENNESSEE TITANS | Fielding arguably the worst offensive line in franchise history | Trying to replace a three-time Pro Bowl left tackle such as Taylor Lewan was by no means an easy feat, but the Titans seriously looked at their offensive tackle depth that included Andre Dillard, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Dillon Radunz, Chris Hubbard and rookie sixth-rounder Jaelyn Duncan and said, “Eh, good enough.” Tennessee must prioritize finding QB Will Levis better blocking after surrendering the fourth-most sacks in the NFL (64). — Michael Gallagher
