Every NFL Team’s Biggest Need Going into the Draft

Evan Tomcik, The Mel Kiper of the Genesee|March 8, 2023

NFC North

  • Packers: Tight end. Robert Tonyan is solid, but an aging Aaron Rodgers [Ed. Note—you mean future New York Jet Aaron Rodgers?] needs all the help he can get. This draft class is loaded with tight ends, including Michael Mayer and Dalton Kincaid. The Packers should consider trading up to take a tight end in the first round, or maybe even trade Aaron Rodgers for a proven star to help Jordan Love.
  • Vikings: Defensive line. The team’s best lineman was Dalvin Tomlinson, who is solid, but cannot carry this mediocre defense. Much like the Packers, the Vikings might want to trade up to take an elite prospect in the draft to solve the problems posed by unreliable players.
  • Bears: Literally anything except for QB. Justin Fields is solid, but the rest of his team isn’t. There are a few building blocks like Chase Claypool and Cole Kmet on offense, and Kyler Gordon on defense. With the first overall pick, the Bears have a plethora of options, although some of the better ones are Jalen Carter, Will Anderson and Paris Johnson.
  • Lions: Cornerback. The Lions have drafted several corners highly in the past decade, the most recent being Jeff Okudah. The Lions however still lack stability at the position, and with Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Aaron Rodgers in the division, elite corners are necessary.

NFC East

  • Giants: Offensive line. Andrew Thomas at left tackle was the only bright spot on the Giants O-line. Rookie Evan Neal struggled, and the interior was a particular weakness. A prospect like O’Cyrus Torrence from Florida or Steve Avila from TCU would be a solid fit for this team of rising stars.
  • Eagles: Defensive depth. The Eagles defense is elite, but there could be weaknesses in the future. TJ Edwards and James Bradberry are pending free agents, and Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham aren’t getting any younger. A corner, or maybe even a defensive lineman would be a solid pick.
  • Commanders: Quarterback. Taylor Heinicke is inconsistent, and while Sam Howell has potential, we won’t know for sure who will be leading the Commanders until after free agency. While taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft may seem foolish, considering the lack of stability at the position for the past several years shows that it may not be a terrible idea.
  • Cowboys: Wide receiver. CeeDee Lamb is the WR1, but the depth chart behind him isn’t as clear. Michael Gallup, while solid and heavily underrated, is injury-prone, and KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert are more suited to special teams than offense. This draft has several solid WR prospects, and the Cowboys should take a look.

NFC South

  • Panthers: Quarterback. Matt Corral missed his rookie year with an injury, which only further put his ability as a starter in doubt. With prospects like CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson on the board, the Panthers definitely have homework to do to secure their future.
  • Falcons: Literally anything. Desmond Ridder is still raw, and while the run game has potential, everything else needs work. The Falcons can’t really go wrong with anything, but focusing on the defense would probably be the best bet.
  • Saints: Defensive line. Marcus Davenport is a pending free agent and Cam Jordan is getting ever older. There are plenty of defensive line prospects for the Saints to take, and with his defensive experience, Dennis Allen will probably add valuable insight to drafting a prospect.
  • Buccaneers: Quarterback. Tom Brady is gone (ding-dong, the witch is dead), and with Blaine Gabbert hitting free agency, Kyle Trask is the only QB under contract for next year. But with Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo on the move, the Buccaneers may have already found a stopgap for at least one or two seasons before a true replacement for Brady can be found.

NFC West

  • Cardinals: Anything on defense. Budda Baker is a top ten safety, but other than him, the defense is weak. JJ Watt is now retired, and Isaiah Simmons continues to struggle. Any help for this unit will be appreciated as the Jonathan Gannon era begins.
  • Rams: Offensive line. The retirement of Andrew Whitworth and the departure of Austin Corbett was felt greatly as the Rams’ O-line is a major reason for Matthew Stafford’s injuries and the team’s glaring lack of success.
  • 49ers: Defensive tackle. The departure of DJ Jones last offseason left Javon Kinlaw to hold down the fort, which he surrendered. He failed to make any impact, showing the need for younger and more effective interior defensive linemen.
  • Seahawks: Defensive line. The secondary is above average with Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, and the offense is interesting. But the front seven needs work, and with a high draft pick, that issue can be solved in April.

AFC N

  • Bengals: Offensive line. The same demons that stopped the Bengals from winning the Super Bowl came back last season. Jonah Williams and La’el Collins struggled with pass blocking, and that is of utmost importance with someone like Joe Burrow under center.
  • Browns: Defensive line. Myles Garrett is elite, but he cannot carry this squad. Taven Bryan and Jadeveon Clowney ceased to be factors. With the offense struggling as much as it is, an elite defense is a most if the Browns want a shot at relevance (for the right reasons this time).
  • Steelers: Cornerback. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a top five safety, but his teammates in the secondary struggled against elite wideouts this past season. Cameron Sutton and Levi Wallace aren’t bad by any means, but improvement in the secondary is needed.
  • Ravens: Wide receiver. Shocker: the Ravens have yet to find a true WR1. Rashod Bateman is injury-prone, and Demarcus Robinson and Devin Duvernay aren’t exactly WR1 capable. DeAndre Hopkins could be on the move this year, and with several prospects in the draft, the Ravens have their work cut out for them if they want Lamar Jackson to stay in Baltimore.

 

  • Bills: Offensive line. The Bills O-line continually got worse over last season, and injuries certainly didn’t help. There are several elite prospects for the Bills to take, and if they don’t, they might want to hide their tables from the angry Bills Mafia.
  • Patriots: Wide receiver: Jakobi Meyers has been carrying the Patriots’ receiving core the past few years, but he’s a pending free agent leaving the reigns to Kendrick Bourne and DeVante Parker. Like the Ravens, trading for DeAndre Hopkins or drafting an elite prospect would be a simple solution to this problem.
  • Jets: Quarterback. Who knew that the Jets can’t draft a decent quarterback? Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo, and maybe even Aaron Rodgers, could be on the move, but if the Jets struggle to land any of them, they could trade up in the draft to get one.
  • Dolphins: Offensive line depth. The Dolphins O-line is actually decent, but it could use some depth. Protecting Tua is of utmost importance, and young players who could supplement—and maybe even replace—older players like Terron Armstead would be a big help for Miami in April.

AFC South

  • Colts: Quarterback. Matt Ryan is washed up and choking more than ever. The Colts have had a different starting QB in Week One every year since 2017, so stability is clearly missing. With a solid draft class, the Colts can’t and shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to become relevant.
  • Titans: Anything on offense except for RB. The only bright spot on the offensive line was Taylor Lewan, who has been cut, as happened to WR Robert Woods, leaving Treylon Burks as the only decent WR on the team. Malik Willis and Ryan Tannehill will battle it out for the “Who sucks less, because they’ll be starting” competition this offseason, all while Derrick Henry’s extreme talents are being wasted.
  • Jaguars: Offensive line or secondary. The offensive line is solid, but could use some depth. Other than that, the secondary needs improvements. Tyson Campbell, Shaq Griffin and Darious Williams shined at times, but struggled with consistency. Those areas could use some young players come April.
  • Texans: Literally anything except for RB. Davis Mills struggled in year two, Brandin Cooks is probably on the move, and despite Laremy Tunsil’s strengths, the offensive line was terrible. The defense was also horrid outside of Roy Lopez and Derek Stingley. The Texans can’t really go wrong in April, so they shouldn’t have to worry too much about drafting a dud (hopefully, Texans gonna Texan).

AFC West

  • Chiefs: Defensive line. Chris Jones is solid, but the rest of the DL is inconsistent. Last season showed that this doesn’t affect the Chiefs that much (stupid call in the big game), but any help would make this team even scarier.
  • Broncos: Offensive line. Garrett Bolles is a top ten tackle, but he is injury prone and the rest of the unit probably won’t be able to stop Frank Clark, Chris Jones, Chandler Jones, Maxx Crosby, Khalil Mack or Joey Bosa on a consistent basis. The Broncos need to draft at least one lineman this year if Sean Payton wants to make a deep playoff run.
  • Raiders: Quarterback. Derek Carr is gone now, leaving Jimmy Garoppolo and Aaron Rodgers as the only options for the future. That is, unless they draft one in April, which they have the capital to trade up for.
  • Chargers: Defensive line. Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson and Morgan Fox were not what the Chargers had hoped, and injuries to Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack didn’t help the D-line at all. Drafting a young DT or DE would be a must for the Chargers.