ClutchPoints
The NFL season is seven weeks deep, and a lot hasn’t gone as expected. Whether teams have exceeded expectations or underperformed, every team has at least one player who hasn’t been as good as fans, coaches, and teammates assumed they would be.
Here is one early-season disappointment from all 32 teams who must step up the rest of the year. Players who have disappointed merely because of injuries were, for the most part, left off of this list.
For example, the Baltimore Ravens’ season has been a nightmare largely because of injuries. Lamar Jackson has missed time, and that has played the biggest part in their disappointing record, but he wasn’t included in this article because injuries are unavoidable.
Derrick Henry was just 79 yards short of becoming a member of the 2,000-yard rushing list last season. He also ran for a league-leading 16 touchdowns as he formed an unstoppable rushing tandem with quarterback Lamar Jackson. The impressive season put all doubts about Henry’s age and fit in Baltimore to the side.
However, in 2025, Henry and the Ravens as a whole have struggled mightily. The team came into the season with championship expectations, yet they are just 1-5 and in last place in the AFC North. The team obviously has numerous underperformers, but none have been more shocking than Henry. Most notably, Henry has a newfound issue with being unable to hold onto the football. Henry has three fumbles already, all of which have come at costly times.
The Buffalo Bills’ pass defense has been great this year, but the same can’t be said about the team’s ability to stop the run. Run defense starts with the defensive tackles, and DaQuan Jones hasn’t contributed as much as expected. The defensive tackle has just eight combined tackles through five games.
The Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line as a whole has underperformed this year, which has directly contributed to a disappointing season by Chase Brown. Really, anybody from the Bengals’ offense could make this list, but Brown was expected to improve upon a breakout campaign last year.
Instead, the Bengals have the fewest rushing yards (483) in the entire NFL. Not only has Brown disappointed in the rushing attack, but he hasn’t been nearly as impressive in the passing game as expected.
The Cleveland Browns have experienced numerous disappointments on their roster since rejoining the NFL in 1999. That is why all-time draft busts articles are littered with Browns players, and why 41 different quarterbacks have started for the team this century. Neither Dillon Gabriel nor Shedeur Sanders showed enough in training camp to earn the Week 1 starting quarterback job this year.
The Browns really need one of their rookie quarterbacks to establish themselves as the franchise guy, though. Gabriel is starting for now, but his performances thus far haven’t been pretty. Perhaps Sanders will take over before the season’s...
