Is it possible it isn't all gloom and doom?
First, I don't care about getting the #1 overall pick. I need to see this team fight and win. That informs me about the players on the team and more importantly how they respond to the coaching. I have never questioned McDaniels offensive mind. Throwing out the outliner of the Saints game, the low point scoring game was 19 against a Charger defense that had all it's guys ready (except JC) and playing. The offense has played well other than that one game of a dud. A couple of games ago though, I did start to question whether McDaniels had lost this locker room and it looked like he just is one of the long list of Belicheat coaching tree failures with a repeat of his horrible Denver stay. This team winning or losing, even with nearly no realistic road to the playoffs, tells me more about what we need to know than getting a couple spots higher on the draft board.
@Chaka brought up the line. Parham has come in and played well and Munford has flashed. In fact, he is our highest PFF rated rookie. If he continues to develop into a RT then we have our LT, C and LG and RT and could easily draft a RG in the 2nd round to start. Bars and Eluemanor have stepped up but they are both suited as backups in my mind.
The rest of the offense is good (assuming we retain Jacobs). Let's just put to rest this Carr sucks crap. He isn't the problem. He isn't even close to being a problem.
The problem is our defense. The good is this: We have one of the best (actually, IMO he is playing the best defensive football in the NFL right now) defenders in the game. We have another great young talent in Hobbs. Perryman was a steal and continues to play at a high level. The bad is this: Jones has been an absolute bust of a failure. We have had no other play on the line to come close to the level of Crosby. Some other players are playing at 'piece level' but other than Crosby and Hobbs, we are void of difference makers. The ugly is this: Jones contract sucks. We can't easily walk away from this bad decision.
How do we fix this? Another legit pass rusher will make a world of a difference for this defense. Ideally, we can draft a game wrecking DT that can pass rush but I would take an edge rusher for sure. If DT then I would like to find someone, maybe FA or later draft picks, that we can spell Jones. Have Jones transition to a part time player so maybe he has some burst. The positive about Jones is that he does bring a lot of leadership and 'intangibles' so... since we are stuck with him, let's figure out how to get the most from him. It is clear to me that he is too old to be on the field for all 3 downs. He needs to be sub 50% on snaps while he is currently running around 75%. Adding a really good pass rusher along with Crosby will go a long way to transforming this defense.
I really liked Graham coming in but I am questioning him as a DC. There were two plays that we had basically given the short/middle of the field completely up in a way that you rarely see. Maybe it is lack of talent? Maybe Graham isn't the right DC? I don't know.
We don't have to do much with the offense. Shore up the line a bit more and don't muck it up trying to get cute with something stupid like trading Carr. Add to the defense and have it be at least a midling defense and we can be a dangerous team. Remember, for most of the games we lost, it was literally 1 or 2 plays breaking our way in them and we would be 9-2 right now. It will take a near miracle for us to make a run this year but next year even with Jones crappy contract, we have the 9th most money to spend as well and assuming we don't go on some miracle run, a decent draft position.
Plus, the Donkeys being stuck with a Wilson who looks toast, no way out and giving Seattle all their picks is delicious. On a side note, Seattle is going to be a young and dangerous team with all of those Donkey picks and what they have now. Good on Geno to go from throw away to a legit NFL starter.