Every NFL Team's Biggest Need After 1st Week of Free Agency
Thanks to a fast-moving free-agency period and an unusually high amount of trades, the first week of the 2015-16 league year has reshaped the rosters of all 32 NFL teams. Subsequently, each franchise must reassess its needs as the offseason continues through free agency toward the 2015 NFL draft.
Unless you receive Team Stream notifications for all 32 NFL teams or keep one eye on Twitter at all times—I’m guilty of both—you’ve probably lost track of who is playing for what team at this point.
Some teams (looking at you, Philadelphia Eagles) have been much more active than others. All teams, however, have started the process of addressing needs by acquiring veterans from other teams, while new needs have also opened up throughout the league by virtue of players leaving to join other organizations.
In the following slides, we take a look at the roster needs that remain most pressing for each NFL franchise. Some of those needs were already present and have yet to be addressed; others have become evident based upon the movement of the past week.
It is likely that many of these teams are honing in on potential draft fits or are in the process of trying to sign players who will fill their biggest needs. One way or another, the following areas stand out as ones that teams must find fixes for this offseason or suffer for it when they start playing games.
Note: Any NFL roster moves to occur after 7 a.m. ET Tuesday will not have been taken into account for the following needs and analysis.
Arizona Cardinals: Outside Linebacker
1 of 32
Alex Okafor, who had eight sacks in 2014, is the only outside linebacker currently on the Arizona Cardinals roster who recorded more than one quarterback takedown this past season.
The Cardinals had a good defense last year, but to become a great unit, they need to have more players who can get after the opposing passer.
Specifically, Arizona should be looking to add explosive athleticism at the outside linebacker position. While Okafor is a decent pass-rusher, neither he nor any of the other OLBs on the Cardinals roster—Matt Shaughnessy, Lorenzo Alexander and LaMarr Woodley—has the burst and speed to regularly strike fear into the quarterbacks they face.
This year’s draft class, which has no shortage of pass-rushing talent, should offer an opportunity for the Cardinals to address this need. A great fit in the first round, where Arizona has the No. 24 overall pick, would be Virginia’s Eli Harold.
Atlanta Falcons: Pass-Rusher
2 of 32
The Atlanta Falcons have made some solid depth moves for their pass rush in free agency by signing Brooks Reed (who played for the Houston Texans in 2014), O’Brien Schofield (Seattle Seahawks) and Adrian Clayborn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers). That said, the Falcons still do not have anyone on their roster who can be considered a premier pass-rusher.
Reed, who had three quarterback takedowns as an outside linebacker for the Texans last year, had the most 2014 sacks of any player on the current Falcons roster. The Falcons defense had many issues this past season but none greater than its lack of ability to put heat on opposing quarterbacks.
With former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as its new head coach, Atlanta is expected to use a similar scheme to that which Seattle employs. That means the Falcons will run a defense that includes 4-3 and 3-4 elements and uses a wide variety of pass-rushers, from interior defensive linemen to hybrid outside linebackers.
Fortunately for the Falcons, they should be able to land the premier pass-rusher they need with their first-round selection. Between Florida’s Dante Fowler, Clemson’s Vic Beasley, Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, Missouri’s Shane Ray and Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree, the Falcons should still have one or two options left among the draft’s top edge defenders at the No. 8 overall pick.
Baltimore Ravens: Wide Receiver
3 of 32
The departure of Torrey Smith to the San Francisco 49ers has left the Baltimore Ravens with only one wide receiver, Steve Smith Sr., who has a history of production in the NFL.
Marlon Brown had a promising rookie season but caught only 24 passes for 255 yards in 14 games last year. Kamar Aiken, who caught 24 passes for 267 yards last year, belongs no higher than fourth on a wide receiver depth chart. Michael Campanaro had just seven catches for 102 yards as a rookie, and Aldrick Robinson had just 30 receptions for 608 yards in four seasons with the Washington Redskins.
The Ravens need to make a move for another starting wideout, ideally one like Torrey Smith with the speed to stretch the field deep and be a big-play threat.
Fast wideouts who could appeal to the Ravens in the draft could include Ohio State’s Devin Smith (4.42 40-yard dash), Central Florida’s Breshad Perriman (did not run at combine), Auburn’s Sammie Coates (4.43) and Miami (Florida)’s Phillip Dorsett (4.33).
There are also still some starting-caliber veteran pass-catchers available on the free-agent market, including Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree and Greg Jennings, who would be quality additions to start opposite Steve Smith.
Buffalo Bills: Guard
4 of 32
I know what you’re thinking: The Buffalo Bills still need a quarterback. You’re right: The Bills cannot count on EJ Manuel, Matt Cassel or Tyrod Taylor to be their long-term answer under center. Realistically, though, the Bills’ acquisitions of Cassel and Taylor is probably the best they will be able to do this offseason.
One need the Bills can and should take further steps to address is at guard, where they had liabilities on both sides of the offensive line last season.
Though the Bills might have added one starter by signing Richie Incognito, they should not bank on the talented but troubled guard—who did not play a single snap in 2014—to solve their woes.
Right guard Erik Pears is no longer with the Bills, as the San Francisco 49ers announced Pears' signing Tuesday, and the other guards who started games for Buffalo last season—Kraig Urbik, Chris Williams and Cyril Richardson—did not play well.
Richardson could develop into a starting-caliber player in his second NFL season, and 2014 second-round pick Cyrus Kouandjio could also have a future at guard. But the Bills still need to add more talent and competition at the position.
At this point in free agency, there are not many encouraging guard options available; the best still on the market might be Justin Blalock, whom the Atlanta Falcons released last month. That said, the Bills should have a chance to draft a potential starting guard, such as Duke’s Laken Tomlinson, South Carolina’s A.J. Cann or Florida State’s Tre' Jackson, with one of their Day 2 draft picks.
Carolina Panthers: Left Tackle
5 of 32Byron Bell was arguably the NFL’s worst starting left tackle last season, which is why neither the Carolina Panthers nor any team in the league has signed him yet. That said, the reason Bell remained a starter on the Panthers as long as he did is that they have no viable replacement on their roster.
Truly, the Panthers should be in the market for upgrades on both sides of their offensive line, but free-agent signing Michael Oher should at least be a slight upgrade over Nate Chandler and Mike Remmers at right tackle. Moving one of those players to start on the left side, however, will only lead to quarterback Cam Newton being bombarded with pressure once again this season.
Problematically, there are no offensive linemen available on the free-agent market who are worthy of being starting left tackles. Anthony Collins would be the most realistic option, but his 2014 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was so disappointing that they released him after just one year.
Given that, the Panthers should set their sights on drafting a left tackle with their first-round pick (No. 25 overall). There are no sure-thing left tackle prospects in this year’s draft, but players with starting potential who could be available include Stanford’s Andrus Peat, Miami’s Ereck Flowers (Florida), Florida’s D.J. Humphries, Oregon’s Jake Fisher and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings.
Chicago Bears: Defensive Line
6 of 32
As part of his effort to resuscitate the Chicago Bears defense, which ranked within the NFL’s bottom three in both points allowed per game and yards allowed per game in 2014, new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is switching the unit to a 3-4 alignment. As the roster currently stands, however, he does not have the personnel—especially on the defensive line—to make that transition effectively.
The Bears already lost their best interior defensive lineman from last season, Stephen Paea, who signed with the Washington Redskins. The defensive linemen left behind are all either questionable fits for a three-man front or are moving to outside linebacker.
Chicago drafted two defensive linemen last year, second-round pick Ego Ferguson and third-round pick Will Sutton, but neither of them are natural fits for a three-man front. Jeremiah Ratliff (6'4", 303 lbs) has experience playing as a 3-4 nose tackle, but he lacks the optimal size for that position and will be 34 years old by the start of the season.
With no other good options on the roster, the Bears need to make additions at both nose tackle and defensive end from the remaining free-agent options and/or the draft.
Available free agents who could fit the Bears’ 3-4 include defensive end Jarvis Jenkins (Washington Redskins), defensive end Red Bryant (Jacksonville Jaguars) and nose tackle Kenrick Ellis (New York Jets).
Draft targets at defensive end could include Oregon’s Arik Armstead and Stanford’s Henry Anderson; nose tackle options could include Washington’s Danny Shelton, Texas’ Malcom Brown, Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips and Florida State’s Eddie Goldman.
Cincinnati Bengals: Defensive Tackle
7 of 32
The Cincinnati Bengals have done a terrific job building a well-rounded roster, and as a result they are in their second consecutive offseason of not having any pressing needs to address. They have capable players and young talent on every area of their team.
With that being said, there are always areas in which a team can get better. For the Bengals, perhaps the most evident of those areas is at defensive tackle.
Domata Peko has started all but five of Cincinnati’s games in the past eight seasons, but his play has declined in recent years; for 2014, Pro Football Focus graded him as the second-worst defensive tackle in the NFL. Geno Atkins emerged as one of the NFL’s elite defensive tackles in 2012, but he was not nearly as disruptive in 2014 as he was in former years after coming back from a torn ACL in 2013.
Atkins will be expected to re-emerge as a star of the Cincinnati defensive line in 2015, but the Bengals would be best served in finding an upgrade over Peko at the nose tackle spot. The Bengals could also use increased depth at the position, as their only backups currently on the roster are Brandon Thompson and Kwame Geathers.
Draft options at the defensive tackle position could include Texas’ Malcom Brown, Florida State’s Eddie Goldman and Iowa’s Carl Davis. The Bengals aren’t likely to find a significant upgrade for their lineup at this point in free agency, but potential signees who could factor into a rotation include Pat Sims (Oakland Raiders), who previously played for the Bengals, and C.J. Mosley (Detroit Lions).
Cleveland Browns: Pass-Catcher
8 of 32The Cleveland Browns’ passing offense is a mess. One could make the case that the Browns’ biggest need is at quarterback, as the team has shown no confidence in 2014 first-round pick Johnny Manziel this offseason, but they also need to add more legitimate weapons for whoever will be throwing the ball.
Josh Gordon, who led the NFL in receiving yards in 2013, is suspended for the entire 2015 season and might very well never play for the Browns again. Tight end Jordan Cameron, who was the Browns’ most dangerous downfield receiving weapon outside of Gordon, signed with the Miami Dolphins last week.
The Browns have two decent receivers returning to the team in Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel but desperately need to add more targets with size. Hawkins is only 5’7” and 180 pounds, while Gabriel is 5’8” and 167 pounds.
The Browns added a decent role player at the position by signing free-agent wide receiver Brian Hartline, but that doesn’t solve their woes at the position. Hartline is a possession receiver, not a game-changer, and he had a career-low 474 receiving yards in 2014 for the Miami Dolphins.
Cleveland would be smart to use one of its first-round picks on a wideout like West Virginia’s Kevin White, Louisville’s DeVante Parker or Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong who can bring the size, speed and ball skills of a true No. 1 wide receiver. The Browns could also fill their need at the position by signing free agent Dwayne Bowe, who they have had negotiations with, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and others.
Additionally, the Browns have no one at the tight end position who offers much in regard to downfield playmaking ability. Remaining free-agent options at tight end include Jermaine Gresham (Cincinnati Bengals) and Zach Miller (Seattle Seahawks), while draft targets could include Minnesota’s Maxx Williams and Miami’s Clive Walford.
Dallas Cowboys: Running Back
9 of 32DeMarco Murray led the NFL in 2014 with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 392 carries. Now that he has left the team to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys should be in the market for another feature back to take his place.
Joseph Randle has talent, but he has been arrested multiple times in the past year and cannot be relied upon as a result. The Cowboys added one potential replacement for Murray by signing free agent Darren McFadden, but he no longer has the skill set of a feature running back either, as injuries have taken their toll.
The case could be made that the Cowboys do not need to have a star running back, given that they have arguably the NFL’s best offensive line as well as a highly functioning passing offense. The flip side of that, however, is that the Cowboys cannot maximize their offensive line’s potential without having a great running back behind it.
That could mean using their first-round pick on a running back, such as Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon or Georgia’s Todd Gurley.
Given the declining value of that position in recent drafts, however, the Cowboys could likely wait until the second or third round and still come away with a starting-caliber runner such as Indiana’s Tevin Coleman, Minnesota’s David Cobb, Boise State’s Jay Ajayi, Miami’s Duke Johnson or Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah.
Denver Broncos: Right Tackle
10 of 32
When the Denver Broncos moved Orlando Franklin to left guard last season, they ended up with a liability at the right tackle position.
The Broncos initially tried to replace Franklin with Chris Clark and later Paul Cornick at right tackle. Both struggled, especially in run blocking, with their chances to start. That ultimately led to moving Louis Vasquez to right tackle. But after losing Franklin to the San Diego Chargers in free agency, the Broncos should look to move Vasquez back inside and find a more permanent option to start at right tackle.
As the Broncos move back to a zone-blocking scheme under new coach Gary Kubiak, they are likely to emphasize athleticism in their acquisitions of offensive linemen.
If the Broncos decide to draft a right tackle with the No. 28 overall pick in this year’s draft, a good fit would be Jake Fisher, who played in a zone-blocking scheme at Oregon. Other draft options could include Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings, Florida’s D.J. Humphries and Colorado State’s Ty Sambrailo.
Detroit Lions: Cornerback
11 of 32
Despite drafting a cornerback within the first four rounds of each of their past three drafts, the Detroit Lions continue to have a need at the position.
Darius Slay, a 2013 second-round pick, emerged as a quality starter in his sophomore season last year. Beyond him, however, the Lions do not have any proven cornerback talent on their roster.
Rashean Mathis had a decent year as the Lions’ other starting cornerback last season and could potentially still be re-signed, but he will be 35 years old before the season starts and would only be a short-term stopgap at the position.
Bill Bentley, a 2012 third-round pick, and Nevin Lawson, a 2014 fourth-round pick, both had their seasons cut short last year due to injuries. Both of them have potential to be solid slot cornerbacks, but their talent remains unproven.
Even if it is presumed that either Bentley or Lawson can hold down the nickel cornerback role in 2015, the Lions still need another outside cornerback to start opposite Slay. Re-signing Mathis would be their best free-agent option at this point. If they do not do that, their options in the draft could include LSU’s Jalen Collins, Utah’s Eric Rowe and Florida State’s P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby among others.
Green Bay Packers: Inside Linebacker
12 of 32
The Green Bay Packers’ play at the inside linebacker position became so bad this past season that the team began using Clay Matthews, its best outside linebacker, inside in some situations.
Having had a lingering need at the position for years, it’s time for the Packers to address it.
Winds of change began blowing earlier this offseason when Green Bay released longtime starter A.J. Hawk as well as Brad Jones, but the Packers have yet to add any new talent—except former Indoor Football League linebacker Josh Francis—at the position.
The Packers drafted one inside linebacker, Carl Bradford, with a fourth-round pick in last year’s draft. Whether he will be able to contribute in 2015 is uncertain, however, after he did not play a single snap in his rookie year.
What the Packers really need at the position is an authoritative run-stopper for the middle of their defense. There are some decent options still available in free agency, including Brandon Spikes (Buffalo Bills) and Mason Foster (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), but there are also numerous options available in the draft, including Clemson’s Stephone Anthony and Miami’s Denzel Perryman.
Houston Texans: Inside Linebacker
13 of 32
Through one week of free agency, the Houston Texans have done a nice job addressing most of their needs. After re-signing cornerback Kareem Jackson to avoid a big need there, the additions of nose tackle Vince Wilfork, wide receiver Cecil Shorts III and even of quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett have helped lessen the team’s burden to add talent at those positions.
One position of significant need the Texans have yet to address, however, is inside linebacker, where they should be in the market to bring in another playmaker for their 3-4 defense.
Brian Cushing is still the team’s best inside linebacker, but he is not the tackling machine he once was, as injuries have taken their toll on him over the past three seasons. The other inside linebackers on the Texans roster—most notably Mike Mohamed and Justin Tuggle—are best suited for backup roles.
Considering that head coach Bill O’Brien has already brought in numerous former New England Patriots in his short time with the Texans, Brandon Spikes (who last played for the Buffalo Bills) would be an unsurprising target. Other free-agent targets could include Nate Irving (Denver Broncos), Mason Foster (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Joe Mays (Kansas City Chiefs) and Colin McCarthy (Tennessee Titans).
Given their lack of other pressing needs, the Texans could also select an inside linebacker early in the draft. UCLA’s Eric Kendricks could be a first-round option, while second- or third-round possibilities could include Clemson’s Stephone Anthony, Miami’s Denzel Perryman, TCU’s Paul Dawson and USC’s Hayes Pullard.
Indianapolis Colts: Safety
14 of 32The Indianapolis Colts have made many short-term fixes already in free agency with the signings of running back Frank Gore, wide receiver Andre Johnson, offensive lineman Todd Herremans, defensive lineman Kendall Langford and outside linebacker Trent Cole. One area the Colts have yet to address and still need to is the secondary, particularly at safety.
Mike Adams played well last season in his first year with the Colts and has experience playing both free and strong safety, but he turns 34 years old next week. And while he is only a short-term solution, the Colts more importantly need to find another player who can start alongside him in 2015.
As Sergio Brown signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and LaRon Landry was released earlier this offseason, the Colts do not have any other safeties on their roster who have started more than six games in their NFL careers.
There are still some potential starting options on the free-agent market, at least for the short term, including Stevie Brown (New York Giants), Dwight Lowery (Atlanta Falcons) and Dawan Landry (New York Jets). Should the Colts instead look to the draft for a safety, options could include Alabama’s Landon Collins, Utah’s Eric Rowe, Louisville’s Gerod Holliman and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Free Safety
15 of 32
Like the two aforementioned AFC South teams, the Jacksonville Jaguars have likewise done a nice job addressing needs through free agency. With a plethora of signings including defensive tackle Jared Odrick, tight end Julius Thomas, right tackle Jermey Parnell and cornerback Davon House, the Jaguars have improved their roster at many positions.
One area where the Jaguars still need to get better, however, is at free safety. Although they made a free-agent upgrade at that position as well, Sergio Brown is a player better suited for situational and special teams play than handling deep coverage responsibilities on the back end of the defense.
Some have suggested that cornerback Dwayne Gratz or Aaron Colvin could make the move to safety, but that might be a stretch. The incumbent at the position, Josh Evans, struggled as a starter in his first two NFL seasons.
All of that said, the Jaguars might not have had any better options than Brown available to them in free agency. There aren’t any great options in this year’s draft either, but a few players who could be Day 2 draft targets and potentially play the position include Utah’s Eric Rowe, Louisville’s Gerod Holliman and Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt.
Kansas City Chiefs: Wide Receiver
16 of 32Even with the addition of one terrific wide receiver in Jeremy Maclin, the Kansas City Chiefs have a need to continue building up their roster at the position.
The Chiefs, who famously did not have a single touchdown from the wide receiver position in 2014, do not have any other receivers on their roster besides Maclin who accumulated more than 400 receiving yards this past season.
They do have two dynamic young offensive weapons, Albert Wilson and De’Anthony Thomas, who showed some intriguing athleticism and playmaking ability as rookies last season. That said, Kansas City should still be in the market for another wideout who can be a legitimate No. 2 option opposite Maclin.
The Chiefs are effectively out of cap space, so they will need to look to the draft to complete their receiving corps. Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong could be a first-round option, while second-round possibilities could include Kansas State’s Tyler Lockett, USC’s Nelson Agholor and Michigan’s Devin Funchess.
Miami Dolphins: Linebacker
17 of 32
The Miami Dolphins made three big-money free-agent signings in 2013—wide receiver Mike Wallace and linebackers Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe—and got rid of all three of them in the past week. The Dolphins have started to address their subsequent need at the wide receiver position by trading for Kenny Stills, but their extrication from Wheeler and Ellerbe has left a hole at the linebacker position.
Ellerbe and Wheeler were expected to be difference-makers for the Miami defense, but neither emerged as such. Koa Misi is a decent middle linebacker, and Jelani Jenkins emerged as a rangy tackler in 2014—but the Dolphins still lack a major playmaker at the position.
It would be ideal for the Dolphins to find a true middle linebacker, which would enable them to move Misi to his more ideal position of strong-side linebacker. Free agents still on the market who could fit that role include Brandon Spikes (Buffalo Bills) and Mason Foster (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Miami could also look to add a playmaking linebacker to its roster through the draft. UCLA’s Eric Kendricks and Washington’s Shaq Thompson could be options for the Dolphins’ No. 14 overall pick, while second-round options could include Mississippi State’s Benardrick McKinney, TCU’s Paul Dawson and Miami’s Denzel Perryman.
Minnesota Vikings: Left Guard
18 of 32
Although the Minnesota Vikings had poor play at the left guard position from Charlie Johnson for most of the season and Vladimir Ducasse late in the year, they never gave 2014 first-round pick David Yankey a chance to see the field.
It’s still possible Yankey could emerge as the team’s starting left guard this season, but the Vikings need to bring in competition. Neither Johnson, who was released, nor Ducasse, who signed with the Chicago Bears on Monday, per the team's website, is still with the team.
The Vikings might also have a need next to the left guard position at left tackle, where third-year player Matt Kalil had a horrendous 2014 season. It’s likely the Vikings will give him at least the start of the 2015 season to try to right the ship—after all, he was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2012 draft—but they need to at least give him better help to his inside.
The optimal draft pick for the Vikings to fill this need would be LSU’s La’el Collins if he is available at the No. 11 overall selection. Collins has experience playing both left guard and left tackle, which would enable him to step in immediately at left guard, while he could also eventually move to left tackle if Kalil fails to step up his game this season.
If the Vikings simply want to player to plug the hole at left guard, other options beyond the first round of the draft could include South Carolina’s A.J. Cann, Duke’s Laken Tomlinson and Alabama’s Arie Kouandjio. Free-agency options are limited at this point, though Justin Blalock, previously of the Atlanta Falcons, would be a solid short-term stopgap.
New England Patriots: Cornerback
19 of 32Signing Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner last offseason played a key role in the New England Patriots ultimately winning this year’s Super Bowl championship. Losing both of them in free agency this offseason now leaves the team in need of two new starting cornerbacks.
There are some cornerbacks already on the roster, including Logan Ryan, Alfonzo Dennard and Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, who might all be capable of filling in starting roles. Kyle Arrington is likely to continue in his role as the team’s slot cornerback, though he was benched from that capacity in favor of Butler in the Super Bowl.
What the Patriots do not have is any cornerback who can come close to providing the lockdown coverage Revis did for New England in 2014. They’re not going to find anyone who can replace him seamlessly this offseason, but they need to at least add some more talent and competition at the position.
Free-agent options are very limited at this point, so the Patriots should look to address their need in the early rounds of the draft. Players who could be options in the first or second round include LSU’s Jalen Collins, Florida State’s P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby, Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson and Miami (Ohio)’s Quinten Rollins.
New Orleans Saints: Outside Linebacker
20 of 32After trading away tight end Jimmy Graham, wide receiver Kenny Stills and guard Ben Grubbs all in the past week, the New Orleans Saints have unexpectedly opened up a number of needs on the offensive side of the ball.
Their biggest need, however, remains that of adding another edge-rushing outside linebacker to play in their 3-4 defensive alignment.
Junior Galette, the team’s best outside pass-rusher, could potentially face a suspension from the NFL after allegedly attacking a woman this January. But even if Galette’s case were cleared tomorrow, the Saints would still have a need for another impact player at the position to start opposite him.
New Orleans has not used the 3-4 base defense as much as expected under defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and a lack of adequate personnel has been one reason for that. It appears the Saints are looking to use their increased assets to land the right personnel this offseason, as they are “going all-in to build a defense,” according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.
The Saints do not have the cap room to make any more significant free-agent additions, but with five of the draft’s top-78 picks now in their possession, they will likely use at least one of them on the outside linebacker they need. Potential draft targets could include Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree, Virginia’s Eli Harold and Washington’s Hau’oli Kikaha.
New York Giants: Safety
21 of 32
The New York Giants have just three safeties—Nat Berhe, Cooper Taylor and Thomas Gordon—currently under contract. As Jordan Raanan of NJ.com noted this past weekend on Twitter, none of those players has ever started an NFL game.
Antrel Rolle, who started every Giants game in the past five seasons at free safety, signed with the Chicago Bears during the first week of free agency.
The other two safeties to start games for the Giants last season, Stevie Brown and Quintin Demps, remain available as unrestricted free agents and could be re-signed. That said, there are no veterans left on the market who can adequately fill the shoes of Rolle as a leader in deep coverage on the back end.
That will likely lead the Giants, even if they re-sign Brown and/or Demps or add other veterans, to take a chance on one of the safeties in this year’s draft class. Alabama’s Landon Collins would be a reach at the No. 9 overall pick and probably won’t still be on the board for their second-round pick, but other options in the draft could include Louisville’s Gerod Holliman, Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt and Virginia’s Anthony Harris.
New York Jets: Outside Linebacker
22 of 32
This slide could easily be written all about the New York Jets’ need for a franchise quarterback. Geno Smith has struggled mightily in his first two NFL seasons, and recently acquired Ryan Fitzpatrick should not be viewed as anything more than a short-term spot starter. If the Jets have a chance to draft Oregon’s Marcus Mariota or Florida State’s Jameis Winston with the No. 6 overall pick, they should decisively take it.
That said, there is no guarantee that either of the draft’s top two quarterbacks will still be available when the Jets are on the clock.
Should both Winston and Mariota be off the board, it’s probably in the Jets’ best interest to ride out 2015 with Fitzpatrick and Smith—especially given offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s history of working with Fitzpatrick and other underwhelming quarterbacks—rather than reaching for a potential bust at the position.
One position the Jets ought to still address this offseason, whether it be with the No. 6 overall pick or not, is outside linebacker. Quinton Coples’ first three seasons in New York have been a disappointment, and the Jets do not have any other regularly impactful pass-rushers for the edges of their 3-4 defense.
If the Jets miss out on Mariota, they will likely decide to draft a premier pass-rusher in Round 1, such as Clemson’s Vic Beasley, Nebraska’s Randy Gregory or Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree. Should they instead look to address that need on Day 2 of the draft, options then could include Virginia’s Eli Harold, Washington’s Hau’oli Kikaha, LSU’s Danielle Hunter or Missouri’s Markus Golden.
Free-agency options are relatively slim at this point, but options could include Sam Acho (Arizona Cardinals), Dwight Freeney (San Diego Chargers) and Anthony Spencer (Dallas Cowboys).
Oakland Raiders: Wide Receiver
23 of 32
If the Oakland Raiders want to maximize the potential for second-year signal-caller Derek Carr to succeed this season, they need to give him better pass-catching weapons to work with.
The Raiders’ big wideout acquisition last offseason, James Jones, had an underwhelming first year in Oakland. Andre Holmes is a big target (6'4", 210 lbs) with playmaking ability but also has inconsistent hands and could be signed away as a restricted free agent. Those two were the only wide receivers on Oakland’s roster to top 300 receiving yards last season.
Even with more than a half-dozen signings already made, the Raiders have plenty of cap room to potentially pursue one of the top free-agent receivers still available, such as Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers), Dwayne Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) or Greg Jennings (Minnesota Vikings).
That said, the Raiders will also have plenty of options available to them in the draft.
They could add a bona fide top wideout to their offense by drafting Alabama’s Amari Cooper or West Virginia’s Kevin White with the No. 4 overall pick. If they choose to wait until the second or third round, other potential wide receiver options could include Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong, Michigan’s Devin Funchess, Ohio State’s Devin Smith, Auburn’s Sammie Coates and Miami (Florida)’s Phillip Dorsett.
Philadelphia Eagles: Guard
24 of 32
The Philadelphia Eagles addressed their quarterback need by making a bold trade with the St. Louis Rams for Sam Bradford and answered a big need at cornerback by signing Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond. One position that only looks to be becoming a greater area of need for the Eagles, however, is guard.
Todd Herremans, who was the Eagles’ starting right guard for eight games last season and started games at one position or another in each of his 10 years with the team, was released in February. Despite that, the Eagles have not yet made an addition at the guard position, while they have also reportedly placed star left guard Evan Mathis on the trade block, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Whether the Eagles will actually trade Mathis remains to be seen. But even they don't, they will still need to make a move for at least one potential starting guard, as they do not have any strong internal candidates on their roster.
As aforementioned, the free-agent market for guards is mostly stark at this point. Draft options to potentially start at guard could include Duke’s Laken Tomlinson, Florida State’s Tre' Jackson and Louisville’s John Miller.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Cornerback
25 of 32The Steelers have been one of the NFL’s quietest teams in free agency so far, but they did reportedly inquire on star cornerback Darrelle Revis before he went back to the New York Jets, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Given that the Steelers traditionally abstain from making splashy free-agent signings, that in itself is evidence of how badly Pittsburgh needs to upgrade at the cornerback position.
The Steelers never truly replaced Keenan Lewis following his departure in 2013, while Ike Taylor’s play has deteriorated in recent years. William Gay has stepped in to be a productive starter in each of the past two seasons, but the Steelers need to find more long-term answers at the position.
Those answers will need to come through the draft, potentially as early as the first round. If Washington’s Marcus Peters is available at the No. 22 overall pick, he could be the Steelers’ choice. Other cornerbacks who could fit the Steelers’ need include LSU’s Jalen Collins, Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson, Miami (Ohio)’s Quinten Rollins and Florida State’s P.J. Williams.
St. Louis Rams: Offensive Line
26 of 32The St. Louis Rams made a huge investment in their offensive line last offseason by drafting Greg Robinson, who is now their left tackle, with the 2014 draft’s No. 2 overall pick. There remain huge questions, however, to the right of Robinson and left guard Rodger Saffold on that unit.
Scott Wells, the Rams’ starting center of the past three seasons, was released earlier this month. Davin Joseph played poorly at right guard last season, and the team has not re-signed him. Joseph Barksdale is an adequate right tackle, but he remains an unrestricted free agent as of now.
Beyond 2013 fourth-round pick Barrett Jones, who is a candidate to take over a starting spot at either center or right guard, the Rams have no other legitimate starting offensive linemen on their roster.
Barksdale and Stefen Wisniewski, an interior offensive lineman who last played center for the Oakland Raiders, are the most appealing free-agent options left on the market.
Possible draft picks to bolster the offensive line could include Iowa’s Brandon Scherff and LSU’s La’el Collins, who have the versatility to play both tackle and guard and would be options at the No. 10 overall pick.
Should the Rams instead look to draft an offensive lineman in Round 2 or 3, other options could include Florida State center/offensive tackle Cameron Erving, South Carolina guard A.J. Cann and Texas A&M offensive tackle/guard Cedric Ogbuehi.
San Diego Chargers: Outside Linebacker
27 of 32
The San Diego Chargers finished 29th in the NFL in 2014 with just 26 total sacks. In order to bring more pressure against opposing quarterbacks, the Chargers need to find a premier pass-rusher at the outside linebacker position for their 3-4 defense.
Melvin Ingram, the Chargers’ 2012 first-round pick, has failed to stay healthy enough to become that player.
2014 second-round pick Jeremiah Attaochu has flashed the athleticism and pass-rushing ability to be the star outside linebacker the Chargers need, but he played sparingly as a rookie.
Even if Attaochu and/or Ingram play up to their potential, the Chargers will still need more players at the position. Jarret Johnson retired earlier this offseason, while Chargers general manager Tom Telesco confirmed last week in a conference call that unrestricted free agent Dwight Freeney will not be re-signed, per U-T San Diego’s Michael Gehlken.
This need is not as pressing as many of the others in this slideshow, so the Chargers don’t necessarily have to use a premium draft pick on an outside linebacker. But they would be smart to consider it, especially if a top prospect such as Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, Missouri’s Shane Ray or Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree falls to the No. 17 overall pick.
San Francisco 49ers: Inside Linebacker
28 of 32
If a list of the San Francisco 49ers’ needs was made one week ago, inside linebacker would have been at or very near the bottom of the list. With three stars at the position in NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis and Chris Borland on the roster, the only question was how the 49ers would be able to get all three of them on the field.
One week later, following shocking retirements by both Willis and Borland—the latter of which was just announced Monday night in a report by ESPN.com’s Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru—the team’s biggest strength has suddenly become an area it must address immediately.
Bowman was arguably the NFL’s best inside linebacker two years ago, but it’s no sure thing that he will return to his past level of greatness either after he missed the entire 2014 season recovering from a torn ACL.
Michael Wilhoite played adequately as a fill-in for Bowman last season, but a scenario in which he is a full-time starter again in 2015 would not be ideal. As such, the 49ers need to find another playmaker at the position for the upcoming season.
Brandon Spikes (Buffalo Bills), Colin McCarthy (Tennessee Titans) and Mason Foster (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) are decent options the 49ers could pick up quickly off the free-agent market. They could also look to draft a linebacker such as UCLA’s Eric Kendricks, Clemson’s Stephone Anthony or Miami (Florida)'s Denzel Perryman with one of their early-round picks.
Seattle Seahawks: Interior Offensive Line
29 of 32
The Seattle Seahawks traded center Max Unger to the New Orleans Saints in their trade for Jimmy Graham last week then lost left guard James Carpenter as an unrestricted free agent to the New York Jets. As such, the Seahawks—who otherwise have one of the NFL’s most complete rosters—are now in rebuilding mode for their interior offensive line.
Add in the fact that J.R. Sweezy has been an unspectacular performer in three seasons as the Seahawks’ right guard, and Seattle could truly be in the market for upgrades at all three interior offensive line positions—though their focus needs to be on replacing Unger and Carpenter.
Patrick Lewis and Lemuel Jeanpierre both took turns as Seattle’s starting center when Unger was sidelined by injury, but neither has the look of a long-term starter at the position. The Seahawks could shift Alvin Bailey inside to take Carpenter’s spot at left guard, but he has fared better in his play as an offensive tackle.
The Seahawks could fill their opening at center by signing Stefen Wisniewski, the best interior offensive lineman still on the free-agent market. Wisniewski, who played his first four NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders, visited Seattle last week, according to Fox Sports’ Mike Garafolo.
Seattle also traded its first-round pick to the Saints as part of the Graham deal, but potential second- or third-round options to upgrade the interior offensive line could include Hobart guard Ali Marpet, Duke guard Laken Tomlinson, Oregon center Hroniss Grasu and Florida State guard Tre' Jackson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quarterback
30 of 32
Quarterback, left tackle and pass-rusher are considered to be three of the most premium positions for an NFL team. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in dire straits at all three positions, which helps explain why they won only two games in 2014.
The Buccaneers need to improve at all three of those positions to pull themselves out of the NFL’s basement, but it all starts with the quarterback position. That’s why the Buccaneers, whose only signal-callers on the current roster are Mike Glennon and Seth Lobato, will almost certainly be drafting a passer with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Despite some promising flashes within 18 starts in his first two NFL seasons, Glennon remains far from being an NFL franchise quarterback. The fact that Tampa Bay benched him for Josh McCown late last season after McCown (who was released in February) had already been benched in his favor says it all.
Tampa Bay still has a long way to go in its rebuilding effort, but the most important step of its entire offseason is its quarterback draft pick, which is expected to be Florida State’s Jameis Winston but could also be Oregon’s Marcus Mariota.
Tennessee Titans: Right Tackle
31 of 32
The case could very well be made that the Tennessee Titans, who pick directly after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, should also have a slide here about their quarterback situation. Projected starter Zach Mettenberger was only a sixth-round draft pick in 2014, and no one would fault the Titans for picking up whichever one of the top two quarterbacks the Buccaneers do not take.
With that being said, Mettenberger showed enough promise in six rookie starts to earn the chance to prove himself in 2015. That shouldn’t necessarily preclude the Titans from drafting another quarterback, but it also means that selecting one is not a pressing matter.
Right tackle is a position at which the Titans almost certainly do not have the answer on their roster yet. Having released Michael Oher in February after just one season with the team, the Titans are in need of a replacement to bookend with second-year left tackle Taylor Lewan.
Joseph Barksdale (St. Louis Rams) is the best remaining free-agent option at the position. If the Titans do not land him, they should look to select a right tackle in Round 2 or 3, where options could include Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings, Oklahoma’s Daryl Williams and Wisconsin’s Rob Havenstein.
Washington Redskins: Safety
32 of 32
The Washington Redskins have had a lingering weakness at both safety spots on their roster for years. With 2014 starters Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather no longer on the roster, they are looking worse than ever at the position right now.
Jeron Johnson, who signed with Washington this past week, could be a potential breakout candidate. He started only one game in four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, but that was mostly because he never had the chance as Kam Chancellor’s backup.
Beyond Johnson, however, there are no other safeties on the Redskins roster with intriguing potential.
Washington needs to make a significant investment in the position in order to stop shuffling through players, but its options could be limited at this point. The best free-agent safeties available are Stevie Brown (New York Giants), Dawan Landry (New York Jets) and Dwight Lowery (Atlanta Falcons).
The most intriguing draft option for the Redskins would be Alabama’s Landon Collins, especially if he falls into Round 2. Other potential draft targets could be Louisville’s Gerod Holliman, Virginia’s Anthony Harris, Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt and Arizona State’s Damarious Randall.
Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
.jpg?w=600 "Vrabel Seeking Counseling")
