2012 NFL Draft: 5 Teams That Need to Ace Their Draft

The NFL draft is the culmination of a football season, but the combatants are the scouting departments and front offices of the franchises instead of the players. Many times we can look back at a draft as a turning point for a franchise, good or bad. Which teams will look back at this draft as an important event in the history of their team?

New York Jets: The Jets made the AFC title game in the first two years of Rex Ryan's reign, but the team seemed to disintegrate as the season went on last year on the way to an 8-8 finish. With Tim Tebow in the center ring, the 2012 draft picks will join the circus and try to keep Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum's seats cool this year.

Cleveland Browns: After trading out of the top six last year, the Browns find themselves with two first-round picks and the ammunition to shift from rebuilding to built very soon. They face tough choices about how to address needs across the offense. How they decide to cash in their picks will start the clock ticking, and if the 2012 class doesn't show results in a few years, the Holmgren/Heckert regime will be on shaky footing.

Miami Dolphins: Only the Saints have had a worse offseason than Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland, who lost on Jeff Fisher, lost on Peyton Manning and lost on Matt Flynn. David Garrard was the big acquisition at quarterback, so there is a lot of pressure to find the long-term starter in the draft this year. This could be Ireland's last stand if he makes the wrong call on drafting Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill.

Denver Broncos: When you give a player $18 million for one year of football, you expect to contend for a Super Bowl. Peyton Manning will elevate the Broncos from mere playoff team to potential champion, but he'll need some help from GM Brian Xanders in the draft. The championship window is open, but the 2012 draft picks will have to have a few instant hits to get through it.

Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals turnaround was dramatic, going from picking fourth in the draft to the playoffs, and the 2011 draft was a huge part of that. Team emperor Mike Brown has two first-round picks, and if they hit like AJ Green and Andy Dalton did last year, the Steelers and Ravens will be within reach. The Bengals have had short trips into respectability in the past, but the 2012 draft could make their stay much longer this time.

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