2012 NFL Draft: Unlucky Teams in Worst Draft Position

The NFL draft is a place where some teams look to rebuild, and it's where some teams look to retool.

The trouble with the draft is that so much depends on where a given team is picking. Teams with glaring needs to fill often find themselves unable to fill them because of where they are drafting, and trading up or down is easier said than done.

We already have a good portion of the order for the 2012 draft set in stone. Take one look at it, and you may notice that some unlucky teams will be in some pretty tough spots on draft day.

For example, let's take a look at the four teams listed below.

Pittsburgh Steelers (pick No. 24)

The Steelers have had problems along their offensive line for a couple seasons at this point, and answers to those problems have no exactly been forthcoming.

To be sure, the Steelers scored when they draft Maurkice Pouncey in 2010, but he needs help. The Steelers would be wise to look for O-Line help in the 2012 draft.

They will look for some, but they're not going to find any drafting at No. 24. There are too many teams that need offensive line help drafting ahead of them, and it's a good bet that those teams will take the best O-Line prospects.

In all likelihood, the Steelers will be forced to fill secondary needs, such as a new nose tackle and an additional body for their secondary. That will mean another season of subpar offensive line play, and that's not exactly music to Ben Roethlisberger's ears.

Chicago Bears (pick No. 19)

The Bears are another team that needs offensive line help, but they're a team that could also be in the market for a wide receiver or a running back if Matt Forte leaves as a free agent.

As far as O-Line help is concerned, the Bears are going to be just out of reach of top prospects like Jonathan Martin and Riley Reiff, and they may not even have a shot at Cordy Glenn or Mike Adams either. 

Concerning wide receivers, both Justin Blackmon and Alshon Jeffery will likely be long gone, and the Bears may also miss out on Michael Floyd.

If Forte leaves, the Bears could look to draft Lamar Miller, who would be a great pick. But he's going to be a hot prospect on draft day, and it's easy to imagine a team like the Cincinnati Bengals, who have two first-round picks, trading up to nab him.

So by the time they're finally on the clock, the Bears may have to improvise, and their biggest needs could very well go unfilled.

Arizona Cardinals (pick No. 13)

The general consensus is that the Cardinals will be on the lookout for a new left tackle on draft day. Levi Brown could be on his way out, and he's not very good to begin with.

Drafting a player like Martin or Reiff would be ideal, but I for one am expecting both of them to come off the board before the Cardinals are on the clock. The Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs are all candidates to grab a tackle on draft day.

It won't be the end of the world if the Cardinals don't land a left tackle on draft day, but it's never good when a glaring weakness remains a glaring weakness. Truth be told, the Cardinals needed to draft a tackle last year, and they didn't.

If they miss out on a tackle again, what is already a big problem could get even bigger.

Miami Dolphins (pick No. 8/9)

I'm including the Dolphins on this list because they need a franchise quarterback. No question about it.

Unfortunately, the only one that is even in play for the Dolphins is Robert Griffin III, and it's going to take an unfathomable stroke of luck for them to get him at No. 8 or No. 9 (Miami has a coin flip with Carolina).

Among the teams drafting ahead of the Dolphins, the Cleveland Browns (No. 4) and Washington Redskins (No. 6) are both candidates to take RG3. If the Browns pass on him, I don't think there's any way the Redskins will pass on him.

If so, the Dolphins will be out of luck. They'll have to fill a secondary need, and will embark on the 2012 season with Matt Moore or some other low-ceiling quarterback under center.

In other words, it will be another season without a permanent replacement for the long since retired Dan Marino.