5 teams that could select No. 1 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft

The NFL offseason is typically a time for optimism.

With teams around the league bolstering their respective rosters through both free agency and the draft, the hope is that the moves will immediately pay off in the win column.

But not every organization can be so lucky. For as many teams as there will be remaining in contention or taking another step toward such a level, there are also those poised for a long year.

Here's a look at five teams that could finish last and "earn" the No. 1 overall pick next spring.

Cleveland Browns

As the Browns commit themselves to a mass organizational rebuild, it goes without saying that Year 1 could be rough. An already thin roster lost a number of key players to free agency this offseason, and the new regime's first draft class was more about quantity than it was quality.

That's not to say there isn't reason for optimism in Cleveland, though. It's entirely possible that Hue Jackson and a unique front office structure can eventually get this team back to the postseason. But this is undoubtedly going to be a slow, methodical process.

Detroit Lions

It's no secret that Calvin Johnson was the key to Detroit's offense for the entirety of his nine-year NFL career. While the team was able to add Marvin Jones to take over opposite Golden Tate, Matt Stafford could be in for a difficult season now working without a receiver capable of bailing him out and single-handedly being able to take over a game.

On the other side of the ball, Detroit has done little to address both the secondary and the depth of the defense as a whole. Look for the 2016 Lions to be more in line with the team that got off to a 1-7 start last year, rather than the one that rebounded to finish strong down the stretch.

Miami Dolphins

Miami's 2016 season could go one of two ways. If Ryan Tannehill can take the next step under the guidance of Adam Gase, this is a team that could challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. With that being said, it has now reached a point in Tannehill's career where it's fair to wonder whether that will ever happen.

With some boom-or-bust players having critical roles elsewhere on the roster, particularly on what appears to be a talented defensive front, this once again has the feel of a team that will implode if it doesn't get off to a good start. Sometimes that can be a better indicator of a potential basement dweller than a basic evaluation of the roster.

San Francisco 49ers

Expectations for Chip Kelly's first year at the helm in San Francisco ought to be extraordinarily low. Unlike the situation he was stepping into with Philadelphia, where there was plenty of talent to work with, the head coach is taking over a roster that's been trending in the wrong direction since Jim Harbaugh's departure.

The 49ers don't seem committed to Colin Kaepernick as their starter, and the quarterback has made it known that he wants out. As is the case in Cleveland, this is a team that will require patience. Perhaps getting the No. 1 overall pick would be a best-case scenario in solving the club's issues under center.

Philadelphia Eagles*

Philadelphia's offseason certainly didn't lack excitement. Long-term extensions were handed down to a number of players, and a blockbuster move to acquire the No. 2 overall pick landed the club its potential franchise signal-caller.

Those two factors intersected with Sam Bradford, as it became clear shortly after he received a two-year contract that he wasn't in the team's long-term plans. Whether it's an unhappy Bradford returning to start, Chase Daniel stepping in, or Carson Wentz playing before he's ready, this offense could be a mess. On the other side, Jim Schwartz will have his work cut out for him when it comes to improving a defense that surrendered 401.6 yards per game last year.

Finishing last and getting the first overall pick, of course, would be a nightmarish situation for the Eagles, as they traded away the selection in the package to move up for Wentz. Might Cleveland end up with both the No. 1 and No. 2 overall pick?