You Can't Win for Losing

Since 1944, only two NFL teams have managed to lose every regular season game, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) and the 2008 Detroit Lions (0-16). With the 2017 Cleveland Browns needing to win one of their final four games to avoid an 0-16 finish, it begs a question, who's the best player ever to play on a team that lost every game. The criteria we'll use for determining who's "the best" is a combination of Super Bowl Rings, and Pro Bowl/All-Pro Team appearances. Without further ado, here are your Top 5, and a candidate to join the list from Cleveland should they pull off their winless campaign.

#5 Cliff Avril, 2008 Lions, Defensive End - Avril was a rookie with the Lions in 2008 after getting drafted in the third round out of Purdue. A 2016 Pro Bowler and member of the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII Championship squad, Avril has amassed 74 sacks over 10 NFL seasons. His best season came in 2016 when he logged 11.5 sacks to go along with five forced fumbles. Avril recorded five sacks and four forced fumbles for the 2008 Lions.

#4 Jason Hanson, 2008 Lions, Placekicker - Hanson spent his entire 21 year career with the Lions and holds the record for most field goals of 40 or more yards (189), most consecutive field goals of 40 or more yards (24), most career games with one team (327), most career seasons with one team (21), and is tied for the most career game winning field goals in overtime with nine. Hanson was a Pro Bowler in 2007 and 2009, and an AP Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2009. Hanson made 21 of 22 field goals, including 8 of 8 from beyond 50 yards with a long of 56 during the 2008 season.

#3 Daunte Culpepper, 2008 Lions, Quarterback - Culpepper announced his retirement in September of 2008, but joined the Lions that November and took over the starting quarterback job from Dan Orlovsky. Culpepper made five starts for the Lions, completing 60/115 passes for 786 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions. Prior to arriving in Detroit, Culpepper made three Pro Bowls (2000, 2003, 2004) with the Vikings, and was a 2-time First-Team All-Pro Selection (2000, 2004). His best season came in 2004 when he passed for a league-best 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also led the league in touchdown passes in 2000 with 33.

#2 Calvin Johnson, 2008 Lions, Wide Receiver - Johnson played his entire NFL career (2007-2015) with the Lions making six Pro Bowl squads, and was selected as member of the First-Team All-Pro squad from 2011-2013. In 2012 he set an NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards, while also leading the league in receptions with 122. In his nine NFL seasons, Johnson recorded over 1,000 receiving yards seven times (and just missed an eighth time when he tallied 984 receiving yards in 2009). In 2008, Johnson - in just his second year in the league - caught 78 passes for 1,331 yards and a league best 12 touchdowns.

#1 Lee Roy Selmon, 1976 Bucs, Defensive End - Lee Roy Selmon was the first overall pick in the 1976 NFL Draft, and he went on to have a sensational nine-year career with the Buccaneers. Selmon made six Pro Bowls (1979-1984), was a three-time First-Team All-Pro Selection (1979, 1980, 1982), the co-MVP of the 1981 Pro Bowl, the 1979 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the 1979 Defensive Lineman of the Year, and a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. You can read more about him here.

Knocking on the Door:

Joe Thomas, 2017 Browns, Offensive Tackle - Joe Thomas has been a Pro Bowler every year he's been in the league up until now (10 times) and is a seven-time First-Team All-Pro Selection. He played in over 10,000 consecutive snaps since his arrival in the league before going on injured reserve this year with a torn triceps muscle.  NFL.com's Gil Brandt ranked Thomas the 7th best Offensive Tackle of all-time this summer. IF, Cleveland doesn't pull out a win, he'll definitely find himself with a place on this list.