Source: Adam Glanzman / Getty
It’s that time of year on the calendar where everyone has basically cashed out on any work priorities from now until we turn the calendar flips to 2024. The NFL regular season is already more than half over and we’re getting an even clearer idea of who the contenders and pretenders are across the league. Another thing we know is who the absolute turkeys of the season are. Teams, players and coaches that have been so bad that it’s egregious not to notice. That’s what we’ll focus on here. The biggest turkeys of the 2023 NFL season. So sit back, pour a drink, have Planes, Trains & Automobiles on in the background and get a few minutes of quiet from the family before the inevitable spats begin over the next 48 hours.
The New England Patriots
What a fall from grace for the Patriots. Once the darlings of the league, they have been absolutely atrocious to watch the last couple of seasons but 2023 is by far the worst they’ve looked. Mac Jones ain’t no Tom Brady. Neither is Bailey Zappe. Bill Belichick looks old and overmatched and just worn out in general. There is no one on the team that looks like they have a guaranteed roster spot even a season from now. They are old, ineffective and just a boring watch and they looked poised to be holding one of the top three spots in the NFL Draft. This could be Belichick’s swan song in New England and if so, what a dull and miserable way to go out.
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Zach Wilson
This poor bastard. Everyone in New York hated Zach Wilson last season. The fans, his teammates, his coaches, his mom’s friend, EVERYONE. Then the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers and it looks like Wilson could be the backup, learn from him and watch a future Hall of Fame quarterback work throughout a season and help him build his confidence back. Three offensive plays into the Jets season and Rodgers goes down and Wilson us thrust into the spotlight once again but this time with the highest of high expectations on the team. He hasn’t learned anything under Rodgers. If he has, it sure hasn’t translated. He’s been all around bad and the clearly the weakest link on a team that had Super Bowl aspirations. Wilson has officially been benched in favor of Tim Boyle and that should just about seal his fate in a Jets uniform and maybe even in the NFL all together. What other franchise is going to see anything he’s put on tape and thinks he’d even remotely be worth the headache?
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Matt Eberflus
It was only a matter of time before Matt Eberflus’ name appeared on this list. The Chicago Bears head coach has been outmatched and in over his head for almost two seasons now. Granted, last season was a complete teardown for the Bears, but this year was supposed to be the turning point for the franchise. Not with Eberflus at the helm. His public comments focus on any positives he can grasp to week in and week out with nary a criticism of himself or his players. He’s been the man in charge of multiple games that have had the word “historic” attached to them, none of which have the Bears on the positive side either. He’s had TWO members of his coaching staff dismissed due to HR disciplinary issues THIS SEASON. He’s yet to have back-to-back wins and hasn’t won a single division game in his coaching tenure. There are simply no positives to take away from his coaching tenure. He’s going to go down as one of the worst coaches in Bears and NFL history. And there’s still six games remaining…..oy.
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The Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have been the worst team in the NFL this season. The problem is they were pretty bad last year too, and they made a bold move by trading all the way up the No 1 overall pick in the draft to select Bryce Young. That hasn’t worked out at all through his rookie season. Young has showed why a lot of people were concerned about his skills translating to the NFL. His size has been a major factor, his accuracy has been anything but and he seems lost quite a lot of the time. On top of that, the Panthers have a bunch of aging veterans on the team that look to be past their prime. Oh, and C.J. Stroud, who was taken one spot below Young looks to be the Rookie of the Year as he’s slinging it all over the place for the Texans. Frank Reich may not survive Year 1 with the team and the worst part is the Panthers don’t have what is likely going to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft with that going to Chicago as part of this past off-season’s mega-deal.
Source: Michael Owens / Getty
Running Backs
Ahead of the season, running backs were fed up with being chewed up and spit out by teams and not getting the big paydays other positions were lining up. Saquon Barkley, Austin Ekeler, Jonathan Taylor, Dalvin Cook, Najee Harris and Ezekiel Elliott were among those voicing their displeasure. Saquon restructured his deal with the Giants, who have been an absolute dumpster fire. Ekeler is free to leave at the end of the season after what looks to be another season where the Chargers are Jekyll and Hyde on a week in and week out basis. Dalvin Cook got dealt to the Jets and Ezekiel Elliott signed with the Patriots, both of which have been pretty much forgotten and rarely used. Najee Harris is starting to see Jaylen Warren quickly take his reps and be more productive. Jonathan Taylor was the only one that got an extension and new money. Overall, it looks like the position group hasn’t accomplished nearly what they thought they would ahead of the season.
Source: Megan Briggs / Getty
Chase Claypool
A little over a year ago Chase Claypool was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Chicago Bears for what ended up being the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He didn’t even make it to the next trade deadline before he was dealt from the Bears to the Miami Dolphins for a 2025 sixth-round pick. To say that’s a huge drop-off in compensation is an understatement. Claypool has completely fallen off a cliff in terms of production and expectations. Entering a contract year, it appeared he was going to show why the Bears bought high on him. Instead, he showed complete disinterest in learning the playbook, not blocking on plays where he wasn’t thrown the ball and from multiple reports, a pain in the ass for teammates and coaches in the locker room even during the early parts of training camp. Now, he’s on the Dolphins and has rarely been heard of since. He has a grand total of five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in 2023 and underwent knee surgery during Miami’s Week 10 bye. At 6’4″ and 238 pounds he should be a dominant wide receiver in the league but instead of capitalizing on his God given abilities he seems dead set on being a “what could have been”. To say his NFL career is hanging by a thread would be putting it kindly.
There you have it. Did I miss any? Who are your Turkeys of the NFL Season? Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
