Biggest regret for each NFC team: Could 49ers be even better?

If each team in the NFC could get one do-over, what would it be? That's the question we posed to Yardbarker's NFL writers, who compiled the biggest regret for all 16 NFC teams.

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS | Drafting Mazi Smith | When asked about his first-round defensive tackle, owner Jerry Jones said in December, "Mazi has shown us everything that we've wanted when we took him." But surely he expected more than one sack and 13 tackles from the 26th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft? The 30th pick, DT Bryan Bresee of the Saints, had 24 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2023.

NEW YORK GIANTS | Re-signing Daniel Jones | What will $160M get you in New York? In terms of Jones’ contract, it got the Giants six games, six interceptions and three total touchdowns (two TD passes) this season and every reason to take a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency | Despite missing five games in 2022, Gardner-Johnson led the Eagles and tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions as part of the NFL’s best secondary. This season, Philadelphia's pass defense — ranked 30th-ranked in the NFL (252.7 YPG) — had only nine interceptions total.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | Not drafting an offensive tackle | With Cornelius Lucas and former Chief Andrew Wylie at tackle, the Commanders gave up the second-highest number of sacks (65) in 2023. Rather than drafting a cornerback (Emmanuel Forbes) with their first-round pick, imagine if they traded up to take Broderick Jones (Steelers), this season's third-best rookie tackle per Pro Football Focus. — Bruce Ewing

NFC West 

ARIZONA CARDINALS | QB Kyler Murray's contract extension | The Cardinals are on the hook for a huge salary cap hit if they want to get rid of Murray, who signed a five-year, $230.5 million extension in 2022. Arizona still has no idea if he's The Guy, and to get rid of him would prove costly. The Cardinals have the No. 3 overall pick in the QB-rich 2024 NFL Draft and must decide if they should take another QB.

LOS ANGELES RAMS | Trading Jalen Ramsey | The Rams saw a need to recoup some of the draft picks they traded over the years and thus dealt the star CB to Miami in March 2023. His absence, however, created a huge hole in their pass defense, which ranked 20th (232.4 YPG) this season.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS | Drafting Trey Lance | Everything worked out at quarterback because they stumbled into Brock Purdy in the seventh round. But imagine how much better the powerhouse 49ers would be if they hadn't traded significant draft assets (including three first-rounders) to draft Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in 2021. Lance is now a backup for Dallas.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Jamal Adams trade | In 2020, the Seahawks traded three draft picks (including two first-rounders) to the Jets for Adams, who Seattle made Adams one of the NFL's highest-paid safeties. The return on that investment has underwhelmed: 34 games over four years for a defense that has been one of the NFL's worst. — Adam Gretz

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS | Trading 2023 No. 1 overall pick | In March 2023, the Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Panthers, who selected Bryce Young with the selection. Imagine if Chicago had stood pat and selected dynamic QB C.J. Stroud with the pick. Would the Bears be in the playoffs instead of Stroud's Houston Texans?

DETROIT LIONS | Failing to fully address secondary | The Lions addressed an already-weak secondary through free agency and the draft last offseason, but it still needs work — Detroit ranked 31st against the pass (253.4) in 2023. 

GREEN BAY PACKERS | Signing LT David Bakhtiari | Neither the Packers nor Bakhtiari knew how poorly things would work out after he agreed to a four-year, $105 million extension in 2020. Three seasons and four knee surgeries later, the 32-year-old, two-time All-Pro has played only 13 games since signing the deal.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS | 2022 draft trades | The Vikings passed on drafting Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton in the 2022 NFL Draft and traded first and second-round picks to maneuver in the draft. The deals underwhelmed. Second-round guard Ed Ingram (32 starts) is so-so, and the remaining six players acquired — including safety Lewis Cine, cornerback Andrew Booth and running back Ty Chander —  have started a combined six games for Minnesota. — Mike Santa Barbara

NFC South 

ATLANTA FALCONS | Not pursuing Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson | The Falcons infamously decided against pursuing Jackson, the likely 2023 NFL MVP, in free agency, instead rolling with QB Desmond Ridder, who was benched multiple times. They had no guarantee of signing Jackson, but the franchise’s misguided faith in Ridder crippled their season.

CAROLINA PANTHERS | Drafting Bryce Young | Young (59.8% completion percentage, 2,877 passing yards) had pitiful weapons around him, but imagine how better the Panthers would be with the transcendent C.J. Stroud of the Texans or if they had drafted someone else with the No. 1 overall pick.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | 2022 NFL Draft trade with Eagles | The Saints’ 2022 trade with the Eagles continues to haunt New Orleans. New Orleans parted with their 2023 first-round pick, which ended up as No. 10 overall, as well as their 2024 second-rounder, which was No. 50 overall, for two 2022 first-round picks (WR Chris Olave and OL Trevor Penning). Olave is a stud, but offensive lineman Penning was benched in 2023, and the Saints could have used the traded second-round pick to fix their mistake.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS | Not signing QB Baker Mayfield to a longer contract | The Bucs got Mayfield at a discount, signing him to a one-year, $2 million salary (with a bonus) during the offseason. The former No. 1 overall pick has outperformed that deal and will be due for a big raise during the offseason. — Eric Smithling