Shedeur Sweepstakes: Looking at the NFL’s 2 Win Teams

 Odds are that the #1 overall pick will be a Colorado Buffalo. Shedeur Sanders is the favorite among oddsmakers (and the heavier favorite as Draft Nation sized up the draft) followed closely by his teammate and versatile WR/CB Travis Hunter.

But who is in the best position to win the Shedeur Sweepstakes? In a poor draft class for quarterbacks, Deion’s son has put together the strongest season of the bunch and has the fewest glaring lapses on film. For teams eager to turn around their franchise, he’s the safest bet.

Five teams currently sit at the bottom of the NFL pecking order: the Jaguars, Browns, Titans, Raiders, and Giants. Draft Nation doesn’t think many expected Jacksonville to be this bad. The others were at least semi-predictable. Here’s the current outlook for each team:

Jaguars (2-9): v. Houston (6-4), @ Tennessee (2-8), v. NYJ (3-8), @ Las Vegas (2-8), v. Tennessee (2-8), @ Indianapolis (5-6)

Outlook: The Jaguars only have six games to “screw up” their chances of landing the #1 overall pick by winning. However, they are going to have to be really, really bad to avoid dropping their pole position. Collectively, their opponents are 20-42, and a stretch against the Titans (2X), Jets, and Raiders will all-but-ensure that the Jags will fail to land the #1 selection (that’s some really, really bad football set to be played with major draft implications). 

The good news: Jacksonville has the least “need” of the top selection and would almost certainly just use that spot to improve their draft capital. Look for the team to try to stay high up in the draft for a shot at Hunter or one of the premier offensive linemen.

Browns (2-8): v. Pittsburgh (8-2), @ Denver (6-5), @ Pittsburgh (8-2), v. Kansas City (9-1), @ Cincinnati (4-7), v. Dolphins (4-6), @ Ravens (7-4)

Outlook: If you’re hoping for the Browns to land the #1 overall, you have to love their remaining schedule—with opponents possessing a 46-27 record. The late season home game against the Dolphins might be the best opportunity to win as both franchises may already have their eyes on the draft at that point. The early season loss to the Raiders may be one that cements the Browns as the favorites for the top spot. Should they, as expected, land in the top 3, it’s hard to imagine the Browns going any other direction than QB.

Titans (2-8): @ Houston (6-4), @ Washington (7-4), v. Jacksonville (2-9), v. Cincinnati (4-7), @ Indianapolis (5-6), @ Jacksonville (2-9), v. Houston (6-4)

Outlook: Another member of arguably the NFL’s worst division, the Titans have plenty of “threats” of victory. Those two games against the Jaguars will have major implications on the Draft, but the Titans don’t exactly face a juggernaut in any of their other games either. Beating Houston, which will be jockeying for playoff positioning, in either game will be tough, and I would expect a loss when they trek to Washington. That said, the Titans may be somewhat intriguing come draft time. I would not think they’d pass on a QB in favor of continuing the Will Levis Experiment, but it’s possible that they would rather provide him with an elite offensive tackle or wide receiver. This is not a franchise that is exactly just a “QB away” from contention—they are bad across the board.

Raiders (2-8): v. Denver (6-5), @ Kansas City (9-1), @ Tampa Bay (4-6), v. Atlanta (6-5), v. Jaguars (2-9), @ Saints (4-7), v. Chargers (7-3)

Outlook: Collectively, Raiders’ opponents are 38-36, but Vegas tends to “fail” to complete an atrocious season with a #1 pick. Notably, they missed out on Nick Bosa in 2019 due to a late season win which meant they got Clelin Ferrell instead. Odd things happen in these AFC West division games, and each of the NFL South games and the Jags visit to Vegas are “threats” to turn into wins. However, Antonio Pierce’s team has a uniquely bad offense, and keeping pace with the Jags late in the season with, presumably, a return of Trevor Lawrence, could allow the team to “run the table” with losses. 

Undoubtedly, the Raiders want Shedeur, and, there is some reason to speculate that Deion may pull an “Archie Manning” and try to orchestrate his son landing with the Raiders. Arguably, this is a franchise that may be best positioned for a quick, QB-driven turnaround. Loaded with cap room, possessing an inspiring coach, and having two of the game’s best players (Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers), drafting a premier signal caller could make a big difference if they can “Just Lose, Baby” for the rest of the season.

Giants (2-8): v. Tampa Bay (4-6), @ Dallas (3-6), v. New Orleans (4-7), v. Baltimore (7-4), @ Atlanta (6-5), v. Indianapolis (5-6), @ Philadelphia (8-2)

Outlook: The next three games are critical for the Giants’ pursuit of the #1 overall selection. After that, it’s four matchups against teams battling for a berth in the playoffs, and they will not be favored in any of them. What is clear, however, is that the Giants will be moving on from Daniel Jones. Benched in favor of Tommy DeVito, all signs point to the idea that the former #6 overall selection has played his last game for the franchise. A rookie QB would greatly benefit from Malik Nabers, Wandale Robinson, and Theo Johnson forming an impressive young trio of pass catchers.