NFL Tank Bowl: Week 4

Even though it’s early in the NFL season, it’s never too early to think about the race for the first overall pick.

As of before Week 4, some teams have fallen short of what they hoped to be when the season started, so here are some teams that should consider contending for the Tank Bowl.

Cleveland Browns

It’s apparent that quarterback Deshaun Watson is not his Houston self and has taken up an albatross of $230 million of cap space in Cleveland.

To make matters worse, the offensive line, which had been missing tackles Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin, lost guard Wyatt Teller to injured reserve and star edge rusher Myles Garrett is trying to play through foot injuries which may require surgery.

With the Browns playing in the uber-competitive AFC North, it may be time to start searching for a guy who can replace Watson, but time will tell who will fall into their lap as the quarterback room in the 2025 NFL Draft shakes out.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was signed to a five-year, $275 million deal in the offseason, has regressed under head coach Doug Pederson’s watch, and it was clear when he overthrew rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for an interception against the Buffalo Bills on Monday.

The Jaguars’ secondary is also a mess, as they rank 30th in the NFL in terms of passing yards allowed per game, and without top corner Tyson Campbell, it looks like it’ll only go downhill from there.

The Jaguars mostly need help on the defense’s back end, so if they were to continue losing, they could target Georgia’s Malaki Starks at safety in the draft and fix the offense’s issues by firing Pederson.

New England Patriots

The Patriots’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 has become a blip on their season projection radar.

New England was outclassed in every way by the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, but they’re doing a good job being patient with rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Once Maye takes the field, he’ll need a No. 1 receiver to throw to, as rookie second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk arguably has the group’s most promise, and there are plenty in this coming draft including Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Missouri’s Luther Burden.

Bill Belichick did an awful job of drafting wide receivers with the Patriots, so maybe Jerod Mayo and the new regime can create something Belichick couldn’t.

Tennessee Titans

If Will Levis were not the Titans’ quarterback, they would likely be at least 2-1 instead of 0-3, but such is a consequence of his crushing turnovers.

Unless head coach Brian Callahan benches Levis for Mason Rudolph, the Titans will continue to waste their defense and won’t go anywhere, as evidenced by their first three games.

The Titans will be looking for their new face of the future, and Georgia’s Carson Beck and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are among those who could fall into their lap.

They’ll also need a right tackle unless second-year player Jaelyn Duncan pans out, as the Titans benched Nicholas Petit-Frere in Week 3.

Denver Broncos

Despite their victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, the Broncos still have a likely unwinnable climb through the AFC West.

Playing the back-to-back Super Bowl champions and two other playoff contenders doesn’t bode well for them, especially as rookie quarterback Bo Nix is still developing.

The Broncos will need another receiver to support Nix in 2025, as Courtland Sutton will have just one year left on his contract after 2024 and it’s unclear if Marvin Mims or Troy Franklin will emerge.

Denver also needs help at center, and it may come with Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson or Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea.

Miami Dolphins

It may be crazy to think that this is possible considering all the talent Miami has at the skill positions, but the Dolphins are 1-2 with injuries, underperformance and tumult surrounding head coach Mike McDaniel.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has gotten calls to retire after another concussion and Jalen Ramsey hasn’t played like the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

If the Dolphins continue to lose and if Tagovailoa does retire, they’ll need a quarterback to replace him, but the Dolphins should consider searching for one in the draft regardless because of his lengthy injury history.

The Dolphins will also need some protection for their quarterback, as Terron Armstead also has an injury history, and it could come with either 2024 second-round pick Patrick Paul or a draftee in 2025.

New York Giants

In the NFC, many surprises have come, especially those in the NFC North, and while the NFC South is still so muddled and the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are dealing with waves of injuries, the Giants stand out.

It may be too early to judge the Giants considering they beat the Browns, who aren’t good, would’ve likely won against the Washington Commanders had kicker Graham Gano not gotten injured and that their blowout loss against the Minnesota Vikings doesn’t look as bad considering their 3-0 record.

However, the offensive line is still a mess with Evan Neal busting and Daniel Jones being overpaid, although rookie first-round receiver Malik Nabers is a stud.

The Giants have an out on Jones’ contract after this season, so they can draft another quarterback if they decide to get rid of him.

Outside of quarterback and offensive line, the Giants could target a cornerback with someone such as Arizona’s Tacario Davis or Kentucky’s Maxwell Hairston but their game against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday will be a good test of where the Giants are.

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.