2011 NFL Draft: 5 Teams That Should Be Desperate for Georgia WR A.J. Green
A.J. Green, according to most NFL analysts, is the top receiver available in this year's draft.
There are multiple NFL teams that are desperate to add an elite receiver, but only one will be able to land Green.
With Green in line to be a surefire top-10 pick, any team looking to secure him outside the top 10 will need to trade up for the star receiver.
When draft day comes around, will your favorite team be the one to land Green?
Matt Faulconer is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist for the NFL and the Washington Redskins. He has served as an intern for the site as well. He also contributes his writings on the North Carolina Tar Heels to the fan site, TarHeelCoalition.com. He has had articles featured on partner sites such as Philly.com (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
You can reach Matt Faulconer by e-mail at matt.faulconer.br@gmail.com with any questions and concerns.
Kansas City Chiefs
1 of 5
The Chiefs certainly need to add another receiver to play across from Dwayne Bowe. Chris Chambers was supposed to be that guy and was relatively productive when he first arrived in Kansas City following his release from San Diego. Since then, Chambers has turned into a disappointment and found himself riding the pine in the Chiefs' playoff game last season.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they do not pick until 21st overall this year. The only chance that the Chiefs have to secure A.J. Green is to hope that he falls to the eighth or ninth selection, giving them a better chance to trade up for him without mortgaging the entire draft.
The Chiefs' chances of landing one of the top two receivers in this year's draft will be nearly impossible. However, there is no denying that the Chiefs could use an elite receiver to help out Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Cassel.
Jacksonville Jaguars
2 of 5
Mike Sims-Walker appears to want out of Jacksonville and is possibly heading to Miami. With the loss of Sims-Walker, the Jaguars will need to find a receiver to play across from Mike Thomas.
David Garrard has spent years on the hot seat in Jacksonville, and losing Sims-Walker will certainly hurt his game.
The Jaguars will need to acquire another receiver this offseason, and A.J. Green would certainly fill what could become a huge need.
The problem for the Jaguars is that they would need to trade up to acquire Green, and they have other needs they need to fill, including their biggest need, a pass rusher.
If for some reason Jack Del Rio feels that he has to land a flashy player, and someone who will make an impact on the offensive side of the ball, the Jaguars could possibly look to trade up for Green. Again, like the Chiefs, they would need Green to fall to the bottom of the top 10 in order to have a chance at him.
St. Louis Rams
3 of 5
The Rams want to land a receiver more than any other NFL team. Sam Bradford had an outstanding rookie season, and the Rams front office needs to help him out with a big-time receiver.
The Rams have a lot of young talent at the receiver position, but none of the receivers have A.J. Green's game-changing ability.
The Rams currently own the 15th pick in the draft, and will certainly be looking to move up to secure either Green or Julio Jones.
There have been some reports that the Cincinnati Bengals like Jones better than Green, and if that is true, it is quite possible Green could slip on draft day.
If Green starts to slip, the Rams will be first in line to trade up to secure the star receiver.
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Washington Redskins
4 of 5
The Washington Redskins, like the Rams, are desperate to land an elite receiver. With Santana Moss hitting the free agent market and the Redskins left with Anthony Armstrong as their top receiver, they need to bring in a receiver via the draft or free agency.
While the Redskins don't know what they are doing at quarterback, it is possible they can grab Ryan Mallett, Jake Locker or Colin Kaepernick in the second round.
Grabbing A.J. Green would immediately improve the Redskins offense and could help them in the development of one of the rookie quarterbacks they may consider in the second round.
While the Redskins have a lot of needs, especially in the trenches, it would be very difficult to pass up Green if he somehow fell to the 10th pick.
Cincinnati Bengals
5 of 5
The Bengals are apparently leaning toward Julio Jones if they plan to use the fourth pick on a wide receiver. Deciding between two elite receivers will be a difficult decision, and both receivers make sense for the Bengals.
A.J. Green has better hands than Julio Jones and runs crisper routes. On the other hand, Julio Jones is a better blocker and is much more athletic.
As Peter King mentioned, some teams are viewing Julio Jones as the safer pick. However, taking the safe pick does not always work out as well as teams hope, and the Bengals could opt to select the player with more potential.
That player is Green. While Jones may be considered the safer pick according to King, the Bengals should take Green if they want to land a player with the potential to be one of the best receivers in the game.
When everything is said and done, look for the Bengals to select Green with the fourth overall selection in April's draft.
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