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It takes bold moves at the right moments for NFL front offices to deliver a roster capable of competing for a championship.
A handful of teams have seen those kinds of gambles from their decision-makers recently, but have yet to see them deliver by bringing home the ultimate prize. It's always easier said than done, but when the results don't follow, NFL owners aren't terribly forgiving when it comes to holding those at the top of the staff list accountable for risks that don't pay off.
Here are four NFL front offices who are facing the most scrutiny heading into the 2026 season, as they continue to chase a Super Bowl win in the wake of some massive recent dice-rolls:
San Francisco 49ers
The combination of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan has come tantalizingly close to bringing home the franchise's first Lombardi Trophy since 1994, but they've yet to close the deal. Shanahan's scheming/play-calling prowess has been the team's calling card, but Lynch's drafts have left much to be desired, headlined by the expensive trade up to select Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in 2021. They were saved the following year by finding Brock Purdy with the final pick in the draft, and his ability to successfully operate Shanahan's offense has covered a multitude of ills elsewhere on the roster.
But Purdy's now making $53 million per season on a new contract, leaving Lynch to prove he can spend wisely and draft well enough to keep the team's championship window open. With the Seattle Seahawks coming off a Super Bowl win, and the Los Angeles Rams entering the season as title favorites following the acquisition of Myles Garrett, the 49ers are left playing third fiddle in their own division. Time's running out for Lynch and his regime to get the job done and return the 'Niners to the top of the league for the first time in more than three decades.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have the one thing that's the hardest for NFL teams to find, a superstar franchise quarterback, but they've yet to maximize Joe Burrow's presence beyond a failed trip to the Super Bowl in 2021 and a loss in the NFC title game the following year. In the three years since, they've struggled to keep Burrow healthy for a reliable offensive line, managing a record of 24-27 with no postseason appearances. They've paid a pretty penny to keep Burrow around (only Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott make more per season), and done the same to retain his elite wide receiver tandem of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
They're still hoping for more development of the young talent along the offensive line, but the Bengals also made a bold move by trading this year's No. 10 overall pick for Dexter Lawrence, one of the league's most dominant interior defenders. Duke Tobin, the team's director of player personnel, is hoping a veteran superstar in the defensive trenches will make a more immediate impact than a top-10 rookie, and that he's finally built a supporting cast that can help Burrow get his team back to the Super Bowl.
Green Bay Packers
Only the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs have won more regular-season games than the Packers since Matt LaFleur took over as the head coach in Green Bay back in 2019. But that hasn't translated to playoff success, falling short twice in the NFC title game, and losing four of their last five postseason games. The draft record during Brian Gutekunst's tenure as general manager (since 2018) has been hit and miss, with far too many first-round picks failing to live up to the expectations of their draft slot.
Perhaps that's why the Packers traded multiple first-rounders last year for star pass rusher Micah Parsons, pushing their chips to the center of the table in hopes of getting over the hump and getting to the Super Bowl. Instead, Parsons suffered a season-ending knee injury, and he's not expected to be back on the field until well into the 2026 season. They made Jordan Love one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, but he's yet to prove consistent enough to lead the team deep into the playoffs. In a tough division, Green Bay's recent home-run swings need to start translating into wins when it matters most.
Indianapolis Colts
Speaking of trading away multiple first-round picks for defensive studs, that's what the Colts did last year to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets. When they made the move, the Colts had one of the best records in the NFL, and hoped to strike while the iron was hot. But they collapsed down the stretch, weighed down by a season-ending Achilles injury to quarterback Daniel Jones. That didn't stop general manager Chris Ballard from handing Jones a new two-year deal worth up to $88 million, a decision made necessary by the fact that former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson has struggled to stay healthy, and hasn't developed into a reliable starter when he has been on the field.
The Colts are on their fourth head coach during Ballard's tenure (since 2017), and they've only got one playoff win to show for it. They've gone five straight years without a postseason appearance, failing to win 10 games in any year over that stretch. Ballard needs Jones to live up to his pay grade, Gardner to prove worthy of missing out on two first-round prospects, and the rest of the roster he's built to deliver in 2026 if he wants to avoid watching the Colts clean house next offseason.
