We’re only a couple of days away from the start of the 2017 NFL Draft, with all 32 teams itching to refuel their lineups with this year’s class of incoming rookies.
While not all teams are in desperate need of roster help, there’s always that one position that could definitely use an upgrade by way of drafting a young up-and-comer. As such, let’s take a look below at which specific position each NFL franchise will look to bolster this week in Philly.
If the Falcons learned anything from their crushing loss in Super Bowl LI, it’s that they’ve got to generate more pressure unto the opposing QB. Adding an edge rusher to complement Vic Beasley – the 2016 NFL sack leader – as well as newly-acquired defensive tackle Dontari Poe, Atlanta may just find the right solution to its defensive struggles to make another solid run at the Lombardi Trophy.
With Steve Smith Sr. finally retiring, the Ravens only have Mike Wallace as the top option in the receiving corps. Wallace has had history of underperforming when he doesn’t get his way in the team, and Baltimore should be wary of such a predicament. The Ravens have the 16th-overall pick of the draft, where the likes of Mike Williams and Corey Davis might still be available on the board.
Like the Ravens, the Bills need to add options to their receiving game. They must give more viable weapons to Tyrod Taylor, who just signed a six-year contract extension as the evident franchise QB of Buffalo’s foreseeable future. Taylor’s dual-threat skill set is a plus, which means the Bills don’t need to be picky in drafting a wideout with a particular specialization.
Cam Newton can’t be counted on to pass and also run the ball in every given situation, and even head coach Ron Rivera is aware of this dilemma. As such, Carolina’s in a sweet spot with the eighth-overall pick of the draft, where star LSU back Leonard Fournette will likely be lying in wait much to the delight of the Panthers.
Surprisingly, Chicago had the seventh-best passing defense in the league last season. Then again, there are still holes in the team’s secondary that can easily be addressed in the draft given how deep the talent at the defensive back positions are. Safeties Malik Hooker (Ohio State) and Jamal Adams (LSU) make for an interesting decision that the Bears will be glad to have with their third-overall pick.
The Bengals no longer have Kevin Zeitler and Andrew Whitworth manning their offensive line, which is quite scary if you’re Andy Dalton. Cincy even lost RB Rex Burkhead in free agency, which leaves the team’s offense back at the whim of the proven Dalton-A.J. Green combo. However, that pairing won’t be maximized if the Bengals don’t give proper pass protection to their redheaded gunslinger.
It’s become an annual tradition that the Browns need a little bit of everything at the draft, and it’s also obvious that they’re in constant search for a franchise QB that wouldn’t turn into a total bust. With the first-overall pick, they’ll likely go for sheer value with DE Myles Garrett, but don’t be surprised if they trade down for a shot at Mitch Trubisky instead while also getting some assets in return.
Help in the pass rush and secondary would be nice, but the Cowboys won’t have a lot of top-tier options from those positions by the time their clock is up in the first round. In turn, finding a successor to aging Jason Witten might be the better plan. This move will also ensure that Dallas’ prolific offense from last season will still be intact, or even strengthened at that.
For Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch to have any success in Mile High, they’ll need to be protected well by the offensive line. The Broncos even struggled to run the ball after C.J. Anderson’s season-ending injury because the likes of Devontae Booker and Kapri Bibbs couldn’t find any holes to run through. OT’s that huge gap in the O-line, so count on Denver to address this issue the soonest.
Detroit’s offense carried the team into the playoffs, which means its focus in the draft should be to find more pieces for its front seven, particularly at linebacker. If someone like ‘Bama’s Reuben Foster falls onto their lap, the Lions would be glad to have a young LB such as he who can make an immediate impact in the league.
It was evident that the weakest link in Green Bay’s secondary was its secondary, so nabbing a corner with their late first-round pick sounds like a no-brainer. USC’s Adoree’ Jackson and Washington’s Kevin King make for fine options and should still be available late in the draft, and both should flourish well under the Packers’ in-house development team.
Boy, did Houston’s moves to try and steal Tony Romo from the Cowboys blow up in their face or what? Mitch Trubisky and Deshaun Watson will likely have found new homes come the Texans’ turn to make a pick, but Patrick Mahomes and DeShone Kizer are still attractive options. Basically, anybody but Brock Osweiler will do at this point.
Defensive ends Henry Anderson and Kendall Langford are currently penciled in as Indy’s starters this season. The two combined for a grand total of zero sacks last season, so it’s clear that the DE position is a major concern. Sure, the Colts need help in the secondary just as badly, but at least they have two-time Pro Bowl selection Vontae Davis holding the fort from that end of the D.
If Jacksonville has gotten any smarter from their lackluster drafts of past, the team should have the most predictable pick in the top five this Thursday by going all-in on Alabama’s O.J. Howard. Easily the best tight end from the class, Howard can very well make Blake Bortles look good again via the short-to-intermediate passing game that Bortles needs to regain his confidence.
It’s hard to admit that the Chiefs will soon have to move on from Derrick Johnson as early as now. Johnson’s 34 years old, and he’s had more than his fair share of significant injuries as well. The Chiefs live and die by their shutdown defense, and it would be wise for them to sustain their D’s prowess by going with someone like Takkarist McKinley or Zach Cunningham; both great at coverage like Johnson was.
How badly do the Chargers miss Eric Weddle in the secondary? Well, after giving up the fourth-most points in the league last season, apparently a lot. Their seventh-overall pick means that they have a sweet shot at either the aforementioned Adams or Hooker at safety, but they wouldn’t be wrong to go with a standout cornerback instead should the two fly off the board quickly.
For the Jared Goff experiment to be a success in LA, the Rams need a threat in the receiving game right away. The bad news: they don’t have a first-round pick at the draft. The good news: USC’s very own Juju Smith-Schuster should still be available early in the second round. The hometown darling has route-running and size to his advantage rather than speed, and he’s the type of receiver Goff needs right now.
An upgrade at linebacker would be fantastic, but Miami’s D is still pretty decent all things considered. If the Dolphins are really sold on Jay Ajayi as their main option on offense, they’ve got to find someone to complement Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey and last year’s relative steal at the draft, Laremy Tunsil. Finding an heir to QB Ryan Tannehill is also logical, but let’s give the man another season.
Trading away this year’s first-round pick as part of the deal with the Eagles to acquire Sam Bradford acts as a double-edged sword for Minnesota. The team has to settle for a mid-second-round pick to start the draft, but at least they’ll have fewer debates on who they should pick up to bolster the O-line. An able body in the trenches is a must for the recent signing of Latavius Murray to work out.
Do the reigning Super Bowl champs really need any further help? Heck, they just had a magnificent offseason wherein the internet just basically showered them praises for making all the right moves. Yet if there’s one position that the Pats would like to enhance, it would be at DE. The loss of Chandler Jones, Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard will come back to haunt them sooner than later.
Another season, another porous showing by New Orleans’ secondary. With the 11th- and 32nd-overall picks in the first round of the draft, the Saints should have their pick of playmakers in the backfield. They could even mix-and-match their need to upgrade their pass-rushing unit as well should the cornerback and safety positions suddenly run dry after the first 10 picks.
Much has already been said about the Giants’ need to move Ereck Flowers back to right tackle, so it’s clear that the team should use its 23rd-overall pick on a left tackle. More weapons at tight end and running back are also options, but Eli Manning needs his blindside to be covered first and foremost.
Where do we even begin with the rebuilding Jets? They shouldn’t make a run for a signal-caller with their sixth-overall pick since they already have three QBs in Josh McCown, Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg, so perhaps drafting a top cornerback would be a better move. Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore should be a solid replacement for Darrelle Revis, whose regression knows no bounds.
An explosive offense coupled with a leaky defense pretty much sums up Oakland’s 2016 campaign. The Raiders can attack from the edge with Khalil Mack, so it’s about time they shore up their midfield D. Florida’s Jarrad Davis seems like a good fit with his speed and awareness in both zone and man-to-man coverage, and he should be there for the picking with the Raiders’ 24th-overall pick.
Carson Wentz has the potential to be the an elite NFL quarterback, but he’ll need better weapons downfield for him to make bigger strides with his progress. Zay Jones and Chris Godwin are viable options come their 14th-overall pick in the draft, with Penn State’s Godwin having trusty hands and hometown homerism working in his favor.
Be it in the middle or on the edges, Pittsburgh’s linebacker situation is what’s hurting the team’s defense. The team won’t get enough mileage out of James Harrison pretty soon and Lawrence Timmons’ departure will sorely be missed. Houston’s Tyus Bowser and Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan seem like good fits to the Steelers’ 3-4 base scheme, and both of them have cool names to boot.
With all the talk about landing a deal for Washington’s Kirk Cousins suddenly going quiet, perhaps the 49ers will instead take the plunge and draft either Trubisky or Watson as their next franchise QB. Then again, don’t be surprised if general manager John Lynch opts to upgrade the Niners’ safety position (a position he knows a lot about, obviously) by taking Adams or Hooker early.
Seattle had the lowest combined salary for offensive linemen last season, and it was clear that being frugal with the O-line was a terrible idea as the team allowed the sixth-most sacks in the league. There’s drama brewing with Richard Sherman possibly on his way out, but the Seahawks’ D is still too good that it doesn’t need insurance for the secondary until the later rounds.
Maybe outside of another running back, Tampa Bay’s offense appears to be in good shape already. To make that next big step towards true playoff contention, though, there’s got to be somebody else other than Gerald McCoy that can provide a scare from the D-line.
The Titans showed a ton of promise after last season, and them having a real playmaking receiver this time around may be the jolt that Marcus Mariota needs to break into the elite QB conversation. With the fifth-overall pick, they’ll have to decide between top-tier targets like John Ross and Mike Williams, but that’s a predicament that the team is more than glad have.
Nearly every position on Washington’s defense needs an overhaul, but perhaps it’s about time that the Redskins reach for a defensive lineman after reluctantly getting viable pieces for the D-line in the early rounds of previous drafts. The team’s biggest weakness was its run defense, so going for a hulking run-stopper with their first-round pick is quite imperative.
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