2012 NFL Draft Order: 4 Teams That Need the Draft to Save Their 2012 Seasons

For teams in trouble, how they perform in the NFL draft could make or break the following season.

While holes can be filled via free agency, the draft is the best way to build depth and to ensure that a team has the components it needs for the upcoming season and beyond.

Here are four teams that need to make good decisions in the 2012 draft if they want to be serious contenders next season.

Chicago Bears

Now that longtime Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo has been relieved of his duties, it's time for the team to finally find a replacement who is more adept at the draft than Angelo has been in his 10 year tenure.

One glance at the Bears' draft picks during Angelo's reign and it's clear that drafting well has been a problem for him, and thus the team. They rarely address their most pressing needs by picking up talented rookies, more often settling for players who never take the field as starters for the Bears or any other team.

Chicago needs serious, playmaking wide receivers to aid talented quarterback Jay Cutler. They also need help on offensive line to keep Cutler protected, as well as additions on defense to build depth as its core members age.

Without serious improvements and a well thought-out 2012 draft, there's no chance the Bears can contend in an NFC North division that includes the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

The Bears' 2012 success hinges on their performance in the draft; hopefully their new general manager will be more adept at the task than Angelo has been.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers made major strides in improving their organization in 2011 simply by landing the No. 1 overall draft pick and using it to nab quarterback Cam Newton. Newton has been excellent in his rookie year, but he can't turn the entire franchise around alone.

Newton's success has exposed issues with the Panthers roster that prove offense wasn't really the problem. Instead, its defense—and also special teams—has been the Panthers' weakness this season.

Injuries have held the defense down (nine of their 17 players on injured reserve in 2011 were on defense), but it's clear that Carolina doesn't have the depth to compensate for them. The Panthers need a pass rusher, more talented defensive linemen and assistance in the secondary.

If Carolina can get enough fast, young defensive backs, they will be able to place a number of them on their special teams, hopefully improving their kick coverage, which the Panthers have struggled with in 2011.

With such an explosive offense, the Panthers are just a few key defensive components away from being a legitimate contender in 2012, even in the highly competitive NFC South division.

Cincinnati Bengals

Though the Cincinnati Bengals are a playoff team, they've found themselves in quite the advantageous position when it comes to the 2012 NFL draft. If they manage it correctly, it could elevate themselves into a serious AFC North powerhouse.

The Bengals have found themselves with a glut of extra picks this year thanks to trading quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders earlier in the season and sending wide receiver Chad Ochocinco to the New England Patriots.

Considering how well the Bengals performed in the 2011 draft, nabbing both quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green, if they keep making smart moves the Bengals could find themselves with some serious rookie playmakers for a second consecutive season.

The Bengals need a more dynamic running back than those currently on their roster. Improvements on their offensive line will only make Dalton's second season easier.

While the Bengals had a strong defense through most of the season, a few key additions should allow them to be competitive with the two defensive monsters of the division, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

The Bengals just may be in the best position of any team in this year's draft to build a team with the potential to dominate for years to come. If they draft wisely, the AFC North should boast three of the very best teams in the league for quite some time.

Indianapolis Colts

It's no secret that the Indianapolis Colts are in bad shape. Ending the season at 2-14, they've been bestowed the dubious honor of the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

While they're likely to use that pick to nab Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, thus shoring up a position they desperately need to fill (regardless of Peyton Manning's status come September, or even March), that's just one area in which the team is woefully deficient.

On defense, the Colts are in serious trouble. Just a few years ago, Indianapolis had the most fierce defense in the league. But since that time, players have moved on, aged or retired, leaving the team fielding one of the NFL's worst squads in 2011.

But defense isn't their only issue, though it's their most glaring. Their receiving corps, while reliable, is aging and they're going to need depth at the position if Luck is to have any success under center in the long term.

The Colts have needs at practically every position. While it's impossible for Indianapolis to fill all of those holes in a single draft, they'll need to use every pick wisely if they hope to drastically turn things around in 2012.

Full 32-Team First-Round Draft Order for 2012

2012 NFL Draft Order

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14)
2. St. Louis Rams (2-14)
3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13)
4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)
6. Washington Redskins (5-11)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
8. Carolina Panthers (6-10, coin flip)
8. Miami Dolphins (6-10, coin flip)
10. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9, coin flip)
11. Seattle Seahawks (7-9, coin flip)
13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8)
16. New York Jets (8-8)
17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7, from Oakland Raiders)
18. San Diego Chargers (8-8)
19. Chicago Bears (8-8)
20. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
21. Denver Broncos (8-8)
22. New York Giants (9-7)
23. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
24. Houston Texans (10-6)
25. Cleveland Browns (4-12, from Atlanta Falcons)
26. Detroit Lions (10-6)
27. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
28. New England Patriots (13-3)
29. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
30. New England Patriots (13-3, from New Orleans Saints)
31. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
32. Green Bay Packers (15-1)

Picks 20-32 subject to change based on playoff results