2012 NFL Mock Draft: What Are the Biggest Needs of NFL's Worst Teams?

Because we're just three weeks into the 2011 season, there's just no way of knowing for sure how the order for the 2012 NFL draft is going to shape up. Teams that are projected to be at the top now could be at the bottom later on, and the vice versa works too.

This being said, I do think it's pretty clear that there are a handful of teams throughout the league that are not only bad, but doomed to remain bad for the rest of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs come to mind.

These unfortunate teams may as well get a head start on their draft preparations now. That will be a matter of identifying which college studs are worth targeting, but it will also be a question of what each team's biggest need is.

At this point, that's a good question. We only have three games to judge the worst of the worst by, and that's admittedly not much.

But what the heck? Let's give it a shot. Scroll forward for a discussion of what the league's 10 worst teams really need in the upcoming draft.

Note: I picked teams for this list based off of my Week 4 NFL Power Rankings.

10. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Three games into the Kevin Kolb experiment, the Cardinals might find themselves wondering if he was worth it.

Alas, only time will tell in that regard. Regardless, I think we can count the Cardinals out of the quarterback picture in the 2012 draft. They'll be looking to upgrade other areas.

Perhaps the most pressing is their offensive line. The Cardinals needed O-line help heading into the 2011 draft, and they didn't draft a single lineman. The 2012 draft class will offer them a golden opportunity to rectify that mistake.

If the Cardinals want to pass on drafting a lineman again, they could use some help in the secondary. They did use a top pick on Patrick Peterson back in April, but his talents alone are not going to be enough to fix what ails Arizona's secondary, which has been awful.

If they need to draft another corner, so be it. If they'd for some reason rather draft a safety, that's fine too.

Verdict: O-line or secondary

9. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

One thing we know for sure is that the Panthers don't need a quarterback. This Cam Newton guy is pretty good. I wonder where and when they got him...

The sad part is that the Panthers have plenty issues away from Newton. The running game is a mess, and the Panthers could use some help at various spots on defense.

One area in particular that I think Carolina could use a boost is at cornerback. Captain Munnerlyn is pretty good, but I think another pretty good corner would do the Panthers well in an NFC South that is loaded with talented passers.

Then again, I think the absolute best move for the Panthers on draft day will be to take the best player available, regardless of position. As much as I hate to do it, I'm afraid I therefore have to go with a copout with this verdict.

Verdict: best player available

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)

The good news is that the Jaguars are starting Blaine Gabbert at quarterback.

Unfortunately, that's also the bad news. Gabbert wasn't supposed to be in this position quite yet, and the fact that he is tells you just how bad things are in Jacksonville.

But the question concerning the Jags heading into the 2012 draft won't be how they can help Gabbert out. Instead, I fully expect them to address some of their defensive issues.

I'm well aware that the Jags have looked solid on defense this year, but don't take that to mean the issues aren't there. Jacksonville's secondary is less than impressive, as is its front seven. More than anything, they could use a pass-rushing presence, whether its on the defensive line or in the linebacking corps.

If I had to throw a name out there, maybe somebody like Vontaze Burfict would suffice. So would Quinton Coples. Or Donte Paige-Moss. Or...

Well, you get the idea.

Verdict: pass rush

7. Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)

I was optimistic about the Bengals after they beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 1. But after watching them lose to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3, I'm inclined to believe the Bengals are in for a long season.

That's nothing out of the ordinary in Cincinnati, but at least they will tackle said long season with a surprisingly decent defense and talented rookies at quarterback and wide receiver.

I don't know how many people are going to agree with me here, but I think the Bengals should look to draft a running back in the 2012 draft. Cedric Benson is on a one-year deal, and I think it's safe to say he won't be back. As such, the Bengals are going to need to find a replacement.

As for who the Bengals might target, how do you Bengals fans feel about Trent Richardson?

Probably pretty good, huh?

Verdict: running back

6. Miami Dolphins (0-3)

As you may or may not have noticed, the Dolphins are a wreck. Talk of Tony Sparano's seat being hot is not being blown out of proportion.

With or without Sparano, the Dolphins are going to head into the 2012 draft looking for a way to start fresh. The best way to do that is to target a quarterback, which is something the Dolphins need to do if they want to avoid another year of having Chad Henne under center.

Sadly, I'm not so sure the Dolphins are going to be in the mix for Andrew Luck. If not, they'll have to set their sights on Landry Jones or Matt Barkley, who are certainly not bad consolation prizes.

Verdict: quarterback

5. Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

The Vikings could be, and probably should be, 3-0 right now. Instead, they're 0-3 and they have a rightful place in this discussion.

If Vikings fans want to complain about the team's 0-3 start, they can go right ahead. But I think they should know that 2011 always was going to be a rebuilding year. So far, it's shaping up that way.

The good news for the Vikings is that they won't go into the 2012 draft looking for a quarterback, as they took Christian Ponder in the first round this year. I do think, however, that they would be wise to find some extra protection for Ponder. He had injury issues at Florida State, and it's in Minnesota's interest to make sure they don't come back.

A stud left tackle will help in that regard. The Vikings cut ties with Bryant McKinnie this offseason, and replacing him with the likes of Matt Kalil or Jonathan Martin wouldn't be a bad idea.

Verdict: offensive tackle

4. St. Louis Rams (0-3)

On paper, the Rams are a pretty decent team. That's why a lot of people had them tabbed to win the NFC West this year.

So far, things aren't going so well. The Rams are 0-3, and it's just hard to determine exactly how they're going to snap out of it. If they don't, they could be picking in the top five for the fourth time in five years.

If that's where they end up, I can definitely see the Rams targeting a top-flight wide receiver. Sam Bradford is pretty good, but he'll be even better if he has a Justin Blackmon or an Alshon Jeffery to throw to.

If Bradford isn't better with a guy like that, my guess is that people would start associating him with the dreaded B word.

Verdict: wide receiver

3. Seattle Seahawks (1-2)

Well, at least we know the Seahawks aren't going to go winless this year. I don't know about you, but the thought did cross my mind before their Week 3 win over Arizona.

But let's not kid ourselves. The Seahawks are a lousy team, and they are very much in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick.

And from where I'm sitting, they're the team that actually needs the No. 1 pick. This is to say they actually need Andrew Luck, as quarterback is by far Seattle's biggest weakness.

In fact, I dare say this slide is kind of an open-and-shut case. Thank you, Tarvaris Jackson.

Verdict: quarterback

2. Indianapolis Colts (0-3)

Things are pretty bleak for the Indianapolis Colts these days. Peyton Manning is probably going to be out for the season, and the team is already 0-3 in his absence.

No wonder Colts president Bill Polian was scouting Andrew Luck a couple weeks ago. The Colts are in the mix for his services, so they may as well do their due diligence.

If the Colts end up with the No. 1 pick, I think they'll take Luck. Nevertheless, I think it's foolish to suggest that quarterback is Indy's biggest need at this juncture.

No, sir; Indy's biggest needs lie on the defensive side of the ball. The Colts have never really been a strong defensive team, and their weaknesses are currently being magnified by Manning's absence. Specifically, the interior of their defensive line is a weakness, and they strike me as a team that could really benefit from adding a stud defensive tackle.

If there are none worth drafting, adding a defensive end or a linebacker wouldn't be a bad idea, either. Whatever the Colts can get, really.

Verdict: defensive tackle

1. Kansas City Chiefs (0-3)

Just like the Rams, the Chiefs are another team that I think is very talented on paper.

But as we all know, the games aren't played on paper, and that much is evident in Kansas City's 0-3 start. Part of the problem is health, as both Eric Berry and Jamaal Charles have been lost for the season. The bigger part, I think, is coaching, as Todd Haley and his staff just didn't get their team ready to play when they had the chance.

At this point, I don't think it would be at all surprising if the Chiefs ended up with the No. 1 overall pick, which would give them a shot at Andrew Luck. If they have that shot, I think they'll take him and end the Matt Cassel experiment right then and there.

But quarterback isn't the Chiefs' biggest area of need. They're another team that needed offensive line help heading into the 2011 draft, and I don't think drafting Rodney Hudson really solved the problem. There are going to be some pretty good offensive linemen at the top of the draft class in 2012, and I think the Chiefs would be wise to nab one of them.

Verdict: offensive line