10 NFL teams poised to be better in 2016

Are the San Francisco 49ers going to be a mediocre at best team in 2016? Probably, as the 49ers will likely finish with one of the 10 worst records in football. Their record may not improve from 2015, but there is reason to believe that the 49ers will make progress this fall under new head coach Chip Kelly.

Yes, the 49ers face arguably the toughest 2016 slate of games of any team in the NFL, but Kelly will have the San Francisco offense running like clockwork before season’s end. He would be wise to start Blaine Gabbert over Colin Kaepernick in 2016, as Gabbert seems to be the more intellectually savvy of the two 49ers quarterbacks.

Kelly is somewhat of a quarterback whisperer. If he can get career years out of Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, and Sam Bradford, imagine what he can do with a player like Gabbert that has some dual-threat capabilities. Yes, Gabbert hates being under duress in the pocket, but he showed in 2015 that he learned from his mistakes as a failed starting quarterback with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The 49ers will improve in 2016 because they’ve seriously upgraded their coaching department. Jim Tomsula was grossly underqualified to lead the 2015 49ers in the gap year between Jim Harbaugh and Kelly. San Francisco seems to like what they’ve seen out of NaVorro Bowman, as the new leader of the 49ers defense.

Improving in terms of wins is going to be very difficult for the 2016 49ers, but having Kelly should help the club improve in the intangibles. What is more important than anything for Kelly, general manager Trent Baalke, and owner Jed York to try to co-exist despite having very abrasive personalities.

Next: 9. Cleveland Browns.