1 Need Every NFL Team Absolutely Must Fill in the Offseason

For some teams, it is hard to decipher one specific need because they have so many holes to fill. For other teams—I am looking at you, Green Bay—it is hard to find one need that they will have to fill prior to the start of the 2012 season. 

With just three weeks left in what has been a really interesting season in the NFL, we have a pretty good idea of what teams are in contention for the Super Bowl and playoffs. We also have a good idea of the pretenders and teams that have a lot of work to do in the offseason in order to compete next year.

Today I am going to take a look at one need each team must address in the offseason in order to either remain at the top or take that next step.

Denver Broncos: Wide Receiver

Despite the amazing success of the Denver Broncos over the last two months led by Tim Tebow, they still do have numerous holes that need to be filled. Teams just cannot rely on miraculous comebacks on a weekly basis if they want to sustain success over the duration of a season.

Demaryius Thomas has stepped up and is now living up to his potential as a possible starting receiver in the NFL. Still, they don't seem to have that consistently solid wide receiver that can take over a game on the outside and help Tebow further.

There will be a lot of talent available via the draft and free agency, so the Broncos will have their fair share of individuals to choose from.

Best fit: WR—Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

Oakland Raiders: Cornerback

In looking through where the Oakland Raiders have struggled the most in the last month, I have concluded that their defensive secondary remains the most glaring issue. When you have a washed-up Lito Sheppard in the mix at cornerback, it becomes apparent that it is a position of need.

While my prayers are with Chris Johnson and his family during his family's tragedy, I don't see him as anything more than a nickel back in the NFL. He seems to give too much space to receivers on the outside and gets turned around way too much to be a starter.

Stanford Routt, on the other hand, is a viable No. 1 type of corner in the NFL. I wouldn't go as far to say that he is a shutdown type of guy, but he sure has the look of someone who can become that in rather short order.

Oakland also has a host of young corners that might actually turn into something but aren't quite ready yet. This is a team that could concentrate on finding a No. 2 corner behind Routt or even upgrading at that position. Their current salary cap situation and lack of draft picks might hinder this possibility.  

Best fit: CB—Brandon Carr, Kansas City Chiefs 

San Diego Chargers: Head Coach

The San Diego Chargers have been one of the most underperforming teams in the entire NFL over the course of the last decade. Marty Schottenheimer led them to amazing regular-season records before struggling a great deal in the postseason. Following Marty's lack of success, Norv Turner was brought in to transform this talented team into a Super Bowl contender.

It has not happened.

Prior to the 2011 season, San Diego had gotten off to incredibly slow starts before turning it up a notch in December and squeezing into the playoffs.

This season they started relatively strong at 4-1 before losing six consecutive games. The Chargers currently sit two games behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West with three remaining. It is going to take another late-season run to make the playoffs.

As it is, Norv Turner's future in Southern California is already etched in stone. Short of a Super Bowl run this season, he will not be back in 2012.

San Diego will need to find the right head coach to fit their personnel, and it isn't going to be an easy situation for general manager A.J. Smith. He needs to find the right individual that can get along with some of the personalities on the team and coach the young players who need to make an impact moving forward.

Another bad hire could spell doom for Smith's tenure in San Diego and waste the talents of Philip Rivers and Co.

Best fit: HC—John Gruden 

Kansas City Chiefs: Offensive-Minded Head Coach

I wasn't too surprised when Todd Haley received his walking papers on Monday. In fact, I had already predicted that this was going to happen earlier in the season.

He didn't seem to have a solid grasp of the Chiefs' strengths and weaknesses. Their offensive game plan was too bland and didn't utilize the talents of young up-and-coming stars. Additionally, Matt Cassel wasn't put in a situation to succeed.

Even if Brandon Carr leaves via free agency, the Chiefs are going to have an upper-echelon defense in 2012. Eric Berry will return from a devastating injury and team up with Brandon Flowers in a talented secondary. Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali lead a strong front seven as well.

In order to become perennial playoff contenders, the Chiefs are going to have to upgrade at core positions on the offensive side of the ball, but more than that they are going to have to find an offensive-minded head coach to get the most out of the talent that they have.  

Best fit: HC—Jeff Tedford, California 

Baltimore Ravens: Find a Future Replacement for Ray Lewis

Who knows, Ray Lewis might have five more stellar seasons in front of him. I just don't see it that way. He has lost a step over the course of the last two seasons and isn't the same dominating force that we saw five or six seasons ago. Father Time catches up with everyone.

In order to have a dominating 3-4 defense, you have to build your front seven around the inside linebacker position. This is what has made Baltimore successful over the last decade, and this is also what has enabled the San Francisco 49ers defense to take that next step towards elite status.

The good news for Baltimore is that there will be multiple upper-echelon inside linebacker prospects in April's draft.  

Best fit: LB—Dont'a Hightower, Alabama

Pittsburgh Steelers: Get Big Ben Some Help in the Trenches

Step one: Find a reliable offensive tackle.

Step two: Call less five- and six-step drops.

Step three: Get an offensive coordinator that understands his physical limitations.

And so on...

Big Ben might actually be made of steel, but he will not continue to hold up for an entire season while facing constant pressures and hits in the offensive backfield.

This needs to be the Pittsburgh Steelers' No. 1 priority this offseason.

Best fit: OT—Mike Adams, Ohio State 

Cincinnati Bengals: Get a Premier Running Back

The Cincinnati Bengals already have the makings of a dynamic offense. Andy Dalton has continued to prove skeptics wrong and is playing extremely good football for a rookie quarterback.

A.J. Green will be a No. 1 receiver in the not-so-distant future. Jermaine Gresham has all the tools to be a dynamic receiver. And the Bengals offensive line promises to be one of the best in the league in 2012.

So, what are they missing?

A true cow-bell at the running back position. Cedric Benson is past his prime and doesn't have too many good years left in him. This means that the pickings are ripe for Cincinnati to select a running back with one of their two first-round picks in 2012.  

Best fit: RB — Trent Richardson, Alabama

Cleveland Browns: Skill Position Players

We could debate whether Colt McCoy is ever going to be an above-average quarterback until we are blue in the face. No quarterback, no matter his talent level, will succeed with the lack of playmakers that the Cleveland Browns have on offense. It just isn't going to happen.

Not only are the Browns void of a true No. 1 wide receiver, they don't appear to have any starting-caliber wide outs on the roster outside of Greg Little, who is still a bit raw.

The Browns also don't have a running game at this point. Peyton Hillis has had a significant drop off in production from last year, and Montario Hardesty has struggled in regards to consistency and staying healthy.

Needless to say, Cleveland could use multiple upgrades on the offensive side of the ball. It is extremely hard to decipher between what position they should look at first.

I can envision a scenario in which the Browns take a page from division rival Cincinnati and spend their first two picks on offensive skill position players. Cleveland is going to have two first-round picks this season and could go with any combination of quarterback, running back and wide receiver.

For the purposes of giving Colt McCoy the benefit of the doubt, I would conclude that Cleveland should look at running back and wide receiver in the first round of April's draft, while finding a veteran to compete with their young signal-caller.  

Houston Texans: Wide Receiver

I am pretty sure that Matt Schaub and now T.J. Yates are excited to see Andre Johnson back in the fold and will be looking forward to the elite receiver being fully healthy in 2012. With their defense pretty much set, the Texans are probably going to look to the offensive side of the ball for an upgrade or two this offseason.

With an offensive line that looks set and two great running backs, the Texans will look at a wide receiver opposite Andre Johnson in the draft. They will have to find the perfect complement, one that will work well with Johnson.

Alshon Jeffery seems like the perfect fit, but he might not be available where Houston will be slotted to draft.  

Best fit: WR—Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina 

Tennessee Titans: Cornerback

Looking over the Tennessee Titans' roster, I do see upgrades that they need to make in the offseason in order to be a viable playoff contender. You could say that they need help along the offensive line and at linebacker, and you would be right.

The more I look at what Tennessee needs the most, the more I keep going back to the corner position.

Cortland Finnegan is going to be a free agent following the 2011 season. While still playing good ball, Jason McCourty is not a No. 1 corner in the NFL. I do like Alterraun Verner a great deal, but he also doesn't have the ability to be a top-tier corner.

Tennessee doesn't venture into free agency too much, rather they make a point of filling needs via the draft. This is a blueprint that most successful franchises have.

There are going to be a ton of top-tier corners in April's draft, and the Titans should be able to find one in the middle of the first round.  

Best fit: CB—Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Wide Reciever

Mike Thomas and Jason Hill really don't have the ability to be No. 1 wide receivers in the NFL. No matter who the Jaguars starting quarterback is going to be next season, he is going to need to have that outside threat.

They should be in position to grab one of the elite wide receivers in the draft depending on how postseason workouts and the combine work out. Either way, there will be ample opportunities to find a capable and consistent wide receiver during the offseason. 

Best fit: WR Dwayne Bowe—Kansas City Chiefs

Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck

Let me be clear about this: The Indianapolis Colts are not playoff contenders with Peyton Manning as the starting quarterback. It is time that this team moves past the Manning era and starts building to the future.

One of the ways that the Colts can build for the future would be trading the No. 1 pick for a bounty of selections in 2012 and 2013. This would enable the Colts to build numerous needs throughout their weakened roster.

That said, it is extremely hard to pass up on a once-in-a-generation-type of franchise quarterback. Andrew Luck could come right in and have success in the Colts offense.

He is strong in the pocket, can make every throw on the field and is surprisingly mobile.

With the selection of Luck, Indianapolis would be telling their fanbase that this franchise is in it for the long haul and not being foolhardy in believing that they can contend short-term.  

Best fit: QB—Andrew Luck, Stanford 

New England Patriots: Cornerback

The Patriots defense has been playing much better as of late, but it is still a major weakness for the talented football team. I still maintain my belief that the Patriots are not built to win in January.

Their defense is too weak, and they don't have the necessary running game to go up against the likes of Pittsburgh, Houston, Green Bay and San Francisco.

Not being able to stop the pass and being extremely limited in the running game are two major deficiencies that will lead to the Patriots' downfall in the playoffs.

The good news is that New England has a wide array of draft picks heading into April's draft and are in a surprisingly good salary-cap situation. They could easily rebuild that secondary in one offseason.

I don't see New England going after just one corner this offseason. Rather, I see them drafting a young player and signing a veteran.

The two best fits would be Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama) in the draft and Asante Samuel via trade or free agency. Those two players would solve the Patriots' secondary issues immediately.  

Best fit: CB—Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama 

New York Jets: Running Back

Shonn Greene has picked it up a great deal over the last month and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard rushing season. My issue with Greene is that he is far too inconsistent to be relied upon over the duration of the season. 

Additionally, Mark Sanchez isn't the type of quarterback that can put an offense on his shoulders. He needs a solid running game and a good mix on offense in order to succeed. Simply put, he isn't an elite signal-caller. 

I have absolutely no faith that Jerry Angelo is going to handle the Matt Forte situation well this offseason. Rather, I think that the relationship between the star running back and Bears organization will be damaged beyond repair.

This means that Forte may request a trade if the Bears decide to franchise him. If this happens, I am pretty sure the Jets will come calling rather quickly. 

Best fit: RB—Matt Forte, Chicago Bears

Buffalo Bills: Linebacker

There is no doubt in my mind that if the Buffalo Bills can build an above-average defense, they will be able to contend with the Jets and Patriots in the AFC East. Their offense is going to be dynamic in 2012, so that isn't going to be a primary concern. 

I also think that the Bills secondary, when healthy, is relatively good. The major concern with that group is actually staying on the field. 

The front seven is an entirely different issue and that starts with the middle three. They need to get more athletic at linebacker. 

Best fit: LB—Zach Brown, North Carolina

Miami Dolphins: Quarterback

On Monday, I wrote an article that suggested Jeff Ireland and the Dolphins' front office might be leaning towards retaining Matt Moore as their starting quarterback in 2012. Even if that is the case, he isn't a franchise quarterback, and they will need to find a future signal-caller in the draft.

The good news is that there will be some quality quarterback prospects in April's draft.

Some people believe that Landry Jones and Matt Barkley will return to their respective schools for their senior season, but I doubt that very much. This means that Miami will have options when selecting in the top 10 of the draft.

The Dolphins could actually find a solid upgrade at quarterback without having to spend a high first-round pick at that position.

Matt Flynn will be a really good starting quarterback in the NFL and is set to be a free agent.

All indications are that the Green Bay Packers will not be able to retain his services for obvious reasons...Aaron Rodgers. 

Best fit: QB—Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers 

San Francisco 49ers: Wide Receiver

Despite not showing up in Arizona on Sunday, the 49ers are still in good position to grab a first-round bye in the playoffs.

This doesn't mean that San Francisco is going to do too much damage in the postseason. They appear to be on the upswing, but might not be ready for full-fledged contention at this point.

There are a few holes that I see this team filling in the offseason. They need to get the left part of the offensive line in tact and will probably shop for an upgrade opposite Carlos Rogers at corner.

That said, the biggest need is a downfield receiving threat.

Ted Ginn Jr. has the speed, but isn't consistent enough to be counted on.

I like Michael Crabtree a lot, but he is a possession receiver.

Kyle Williams will be a good receiver as well. Still, I don't see him being that downfield threat that this west coast offense needs.

Enter into the equation DeSean Jackson, who will hit the open market following the 2011 season.

He is a local boy who is going to look to revive a career that has been put into question by his ego. What better place to do that then with Harbaugh in Northern California?

If not, San Francisco could look to the draft for an upgrade on the outside.

Best Fit: WR—DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks: Quarterback

Tarvaris Jackson is not consistent enough to get it done for the duration of an entire season.

He shows flashes of brilliance but seems to be lacking the necessary mechanics to be an above-average quarterback in the NFL.

Rarely do I see Jackson set his feet or put all of his weight behind a pass. This enables defenders to get in front of the receiver and either break up or intercept the pass.

Considering Jackson's age, I am not sure that this is something that can be learned at this point.

Seattle will have to go into either the free-agent or trade market in looking for a quarterback.

While there does remain veteran options such as Matt Flynn, I fully expect Carroll to look more at a young franchise type of quarterback.

Seattle's recent success has pushed them out of the bidding for one of the top four elite quarterbacks in the draft, so barring a trade, they might have to get creative.

Either way, I am pretty sure that Seahawk fans can agree that this team needs to upgrade the quarterback position in relatively short order.  

Best fit: QB—Landry Jones, Oklahoma 

St. Louis Rams: Wide Receiver

Sam Bradford has struggled a great deal in his second season, but he needs some playmakers to help him out.

It isn't like the young quarterback has lost the talent that saw him go No. 1 in 2010 and take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Simply put, he needs to be placed in a better situation to succeed, and adding a dynamic wide receiver could significantly help.

I would hedge my bets on the Rams going with Oklahoma State stud receiver, Justin Blackmon with the second pick in the draft. He would give Bradford that outside threat and is already a polished route-runner. Blackmon would immediately come in and be the Rams' No. 1 receiver.

Short of drafting Blackmon or another receiver in the first round, St. Louis has a few other options.

They could entertain the idea of bringing Brandon Lloyd back, but that wouldn't solve all the problems within the receiving core.

I am a fan of both Greg Salas and Austin Pettis, but they aren't true No. 1 receivers.

Best fit: WR—Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

Arizona Cardinals: Offensive Line

I was going to go defense here, but Arizona's young core seems to have improved a great deal over the course of the last two months or so. They are still extremely raw, but the upside is tremendous.

Whether it is Kevin Kolb, John Skelton or another quarterback behind center in 2012, the Cardinals are going to have to find themselves an upgrade or two along the offensive line. I am looking at both guard and tackle in regards to where Arizona has to go in the offseason.

The Cardinals are going to have ample salary cap room, so I can easily see them taking a look at one of the top free agent offensive linemen. Ben Grubbs comes to mind first.

If Ryan Kalil stays at Southern California, which I believe is a strong possibility, the tackle position in the draft is going to be somewhat weak. Arizona will not be able to acquire the services of a player like Jonathan Martin, who promises to go top 10. 

Best fit: G—Ben Grubbs, Baltimore Ravens 

Green Bay Packers: Free Safety

Who knows if Nick Collins will ever be able to play another game in the NFL. Neck injuries are extremely scary and he is going to have to think about his health outside of football. If there is a risk of permanent damage, I hope he just calls it a day.

Other than that, the Packers are once again in prime position to challenge for a Super Bowl in 2012. They have the quarterback, an improving offensive line and numerous skill players. On defense, the Packers have a nice mix of savvy veteran leaders and young, up-and-coming players.

If Collins doesn't return, Green Bay will have to find someone to play opposite Morgan Burnett in the secondary.

There are some intriguing free agent options, but Green Bay tends to avoid that market in the offseason.

The larger possibility would be the Packers selecting a free safety towards the end of the first round, where there will be some nice options still available.

I personally believe that T.J. McDonald would be a perfect fit from USC.

Best fit: S—T.J. McDonald, Southern California 

Chicago Bears: Offensive Line

The Chicago Bears did spend their 2010 first round pick on an offensive tackle, Gabe Carimi from Wisconsin. Despite missing a large part of his rookie season, the Wisconsin product is going to be a really good offensive tackle.

This leads me to the interior of the Bears line.

Unless David DeCastro falls to the teens, I highly doubt that the Bears will go guard with that selection. This means that they are probably going to have to go the free agency route. 

By putting Carl Nicks on this slide I am not saying that the Saints are going to let him hit the open market, but they may have no choice.

Unless New Orleans comes to terms with a long-term contract with Drew Brees, there remains a strong chance that they will have to use the franchise tag on him. This means that Nicks will be unrestricted. 

If so, the Bears are going to make a strong push for the dominant interior linemen. 

Best fit: G—Carl Nicks, New Orleans Saints 

Detroit Lions: Linebacker

A lot of people, including myself, believe that Ndamukong Suh has taken a step back this season. While this might be the case, he isn't getting much help from the Lions linebackers.

Stephen Tulloch has been a really nice free agent signing and should return in 2012 despite being a popular free agent.

DeAndre Levy can play, but doesn't have an extremely high ceiling.

Some people have concluded that Justin Durant has played well since coming over from Jacksonville. I just don't see it, he isn't an impact player and never will be.

This means that Detroit will have to look to upgrade on the outside of their middle three.

Finding an outside linebacker in the 4-3 scheme can be tricky. You need to juggle pass rush and coverage ability.

Unlike the 3-4 scheme, you cannot just go after a player that rushes the passer. At the same time, you cannot get a serviceable cover guy that doesn't rush the passer.

This is where scouting comes into play.

In regards to the draft, I believe that Courtney Upshaw would fit perfectly into what the Lions are attempting to build.

Detroit also has some worries in regards to both the tackle and guard position along the offensive line. So, you may see them go there as well.

Best fit: LB—Courtney Upshaw, Alabama 

Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback

There is a reason why the Minnesota Vikings are going to have a top three pick in April's draft; they have numerous holes to fill in the offseason.

This is a team that appears to be in a full-scale rebuilding mode; they will be rebuilding through the draft for the next couple of years.

Antoine Winfield has lost a step and the Vikings don't have any No. 1 corner possibilities on their roster.

Other than that they look to be pretty solid in the front seven with a mix of veteran leaders and young players.

A dominant shutdown corner would make this defense a whole lot better. 

Best fit: CB—Morris Claiborne, Louisiana State

New Orleans Saints: Cornerback

Patrick Robinson has picked it up a great deal as of late and can be counted on to be a starting corner moving forward.

Jabari Greer has been a solid corner for a while now.

Still, the Saints are missing that physically dominating presence in the secondary. 

Cortland Finnegan wouldn't only add that physicality, he is a pretty damn good cover guy. 

Best fit: CB—Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee Titans

Atlanta Falcons: Offensive Tackle

I debated going corner here, but the Falcons are going to have to spend that money on bringing Brett Grimes back, who is going to demand a lot of money on the open market. 

Sam Baker just isn't getting it done at offensive tackle.

A great deal of the pressure that Matt Ryan has faced this season has come from that side of the line. They desperately need to find an upgrade opposite Tyson Clabo on the offensive line.

You don't spend a first-round pick for a tackle that isn't going to be protecting your quarterbacks blind side, and the Falcons don't have a first-round pick. This means that they are going to have to go the route of free agency. 

The bad news about this is that not many top-tier offensive tackles are going to hit the open market following the 2011 season. 

Demetrius Bell, who is an up-and-coming tackle, would fit right in opposite Clabo.

The Falcons may also want to look at teams with extra tackles and attempt to make a trade.

Joe Staley with the 49ers makes a little bit of sense. 

Best fit: OT—Demetrius Bell, Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers: Defensive Line

The Carolina Panthers have had a rather surprising season thus far in 2011.

This doesn't mean that they don't have a wide array of different holes that need to be filled in order to be serious contenders for a playoff spot. 

Most of these holes are along the defensive side of the ball. They need help in all three phases of the defense, but their primary concern should be on the defensive line.

In short, the Panthers cannot stop anyone on the ground. 

Carolina has probably played themselves out of a top 10 pick with recent success. This means that the possibility of them going to defensive line with a first-round pick is that much greater. 

Best fit: DT—Devon Still, Penn State

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cornerback

Aqib Talib is turning into a legitimate shutdown corner, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have no idea how his legal situation is going to play out and have to plan accordingly. Without Talib, they have one of the weakest cornerback groups in the entire league. 

The Buccaneers have made a point of avoiding free agency in their rebuilding process and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 

A young cornerback would do a world of good for this team.

Best fit: CB—Dre' Kirkpatrick, Alabama

New York Giants: Linebacker

I considered going with running back here due to the issues that the Giants have had at that position on and off the field, but they still do have both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, who are a great duo.

Watching the Giants' come-from-behind win against the Dallas Cowboys taught me one thing: They need immediate help at the linebacker position.

What better option than teaming Mark Herzlich up with his former Boston College teammate? 

Best fit: LB—Luke Kuechly, Boston College

Dallas Cowboys: Secondary

The Dallas Cowboys are going to have to acquire two or three players in the secondary if they want their defense to maintain its above average play. Simply put, they lack the talent and are too old at multiple positions along the secondary. 

Even if Dallas does spend a first-round pick on a corner, which I expect them to, they will have to address the safety position. There are only a handful of decent free-safety prospects in the draft, and only one or two are worth first-round picks. 

This means that Dallas may have to resort to free-agency in order to find an upgrade.

Michael Griffin is still incredibly young and would fill an immediate need in the secondary. 

Best fit: FS—Michael Griffin, Tennessee Titans

Philadelphia Eagles: Linebacker

The Philadelphia Eagles are absolutely horrendous at tackling.

They have been bad in this aspect of the game throughout the 2011 season and need help immediately.

I debated on looking at free agents for an upgrade, but I think the Eagles might have learned their lesson in regards to that. 

Enter into the equation Manti Te'o, who is known for his sure-tackling abilities.

He would be an immediate upgrade over the likes of Casey Matthews and Jamar Cheney, while giving the Eagles some more youth. 

Best fit: LB—Manti Te'o, Notre Dame

Washington Redskins: Quarterback

The Rex Grossman and John Beck quarterback situation in Washington isn't going to last past the 2011 season.

Everyone knows that this situation isn't sustainable.

They need to find that one guy to take over the helm of this struggling offense.

Some people have concluded that Matt Barkley would be the best fit in Washington, but this is assuming that Mike Shanahan will be back for a third season.

I don't think that his return is etched in stone at this point. 

On that note, I can easily see the 'Skins going for a quarterback with the most upside, and that man is Robert Griffin III. 

Best fit: QB—Robert Griffin III, Baylor