With the regular season hitting its stretch run, Niner Noise takes a look at the top NFL Draft needs for each team around the league in 2018.
The 2018 NFL Draft is a ways away, but we’re getting a pretty good idea what each team’s needs will be this offseason.
2017 has been full of surprises, to put it lightly, making interesting situations for teams trying to stay at the top as well as those in either rebuild or reload mode. The draft provides a chance for each franchise to get younger and/or find upgrades at various positions.
Some teams, like the San Francisco 49ers, have a plethora of needs across the board. Others, on the other hand, might need help at just a handful of positions.
In this slideshow, we’ll break down the top needs for each team across the NFL. Sure, a lot can change between now and the start of the draft in late April. There’s free agency, the worrying loom of serious injuries and potential trades to be had.
But for now, let’s take a look the biggest NFL Draft priorities for each franchise heading into 2018.
There might be one word to describe the Arizona Cardinals this year — old.
At the pinnacle of this concern is the most important position in the NFL. Quarterback Carson Palmer is 38 years old, and guess what… he’s injured again.
A broken arm is likely to keep Palmer out until the very end of the season, meaning head coach Bruce Arians and Co. are forced to rely on backups like Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert.
Those options are certainly less than ideal, and Arizona has to be thinking about its long-term needs anyway considering Palmer’s age. On the positive side, though, the 2018 NFL Draft class is relatively deep at quarterback. There should be some first-round options available to the Cardinals should they go this route early.
Arizona has some other needs too, especially along what has turned into a banged-up offensive line.
That’s important, but finding a franchise signal-caller should be the top priority.
The Atlanta Falcons don’t have a bunch of needs heading into this offseason, but there are a few positions that could use an upgrade.
One of them is at free safety, where the incumbent, Ricardo Allen, is having a not-so-great year. Pro Football Focus gave Allen a 59.2 overall grade, which ranks 65th out of 108 safeties so far this season.
Allen hasn’t exactly been the rangy last line of defense in head coach Dan Quinn’s defensive scheme. In an ideal world, Quinn would have a player like Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas — an All-Pro-like talent Quinn enjoyed when he was with the Seahawks organization not so long ago.
The Falcons could use an upgrade at right guard too, although addressing this defensive need first should be tops on the list.
One could argue the Baltimore Ravens should start thinking about a new quarterback. The veteran, Joe Flacco, ranks 31st in the league in passer rating (72.7) and has just eight passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
That’s bad. But the reason might be because of the lack of weapons at his disposal.
Former wide receiver Steve Smith’s retirement after last year hurt more than Baltimore imagined. Veterans Mike Wallace and Jeremy Maclin haven’t provided enough to be considered adequate replacements, and Baltimore’s offense is struggling as a result.
Oklahoma State’s James Washington should be high on the Ravens’ wish list for the NFL Draft this offseason.
The Buffalo Bills have been one of the more intriguing surprises in the league this season, although one might wonder if they’ll start to fade down the stretch.
Armed with a flurry of NFL Draft picks for 2018, though, a retooling shouldn’t be that difficult.
Head coach Sean McDermott has more than a few needs, but adding a linebacker early should be the way to go here. While the Bills defense has impressed this season, the efforts at the second level have been less than adequate.
Currently, linebackers Ramon Humber, Preston Brown and Lorenzo Alexander hold down the WILL, MIKE and SAM linebacking spots, respectively.
And here’s how Pro Football Focus is grading them out:
- Humber — 37.8
- Brown — 43.1
- Alexander — 53.1
Alexander is 34 years old as well, so he’ll need to be replaced sooner than later.
Buffalo needs to figure out its quarterback situation too, although one could argue this is a bigger area of concern.
The Carolina Panthers have a number of needs on both sides of the ball heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, but the top should be at cornerback.
Carolina never truly recovered from the loss of cornerback Josh Norman in 2016, and current starters James Bradberry and Daryl Worley haven’t exactly turned into the ballhawking-type defensive backs one would ideally like to have here.
While both players are young (Bradberry — 24 years old, and Worley — 22 years old), targeting a true shutdown corner would be a great boost to this defense.
Especially considering the Panthers have to face off against quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Drew Brees twice a year.
The Panthers could look to find an upgrade over left tackle Matt Kalil, as well as finding a new go-to wide receiver after trading away Kelvin Benjamin earlier this season.
But cornerback should be atop the list of needs.
It’s pretty safe to say Chicago Bears wide receiver Kevin White (shoulder) has been a disappointment at the pro level.
The Bears invested heavily in quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in the last NFL Draft, so this year’s draft should be about finding weapons to make him more successful. Just think about what the Los Angeles Rams did for their quarterback, Jared Goff, last offseason.
Right now, we’re seeing what the lack of receiving weapons is doing to Trubisky’s development. He currently averaging just 23 passes per game, and Chicago’s offense doesn’t appear comfortable letting him handle a lot of passes.
A No. 1 receiver would improve that stat line dramatically.
The Bears could consider a cornerback, or two, to help within coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense. But that’s likely a need that could be addressed in the middle rounds.
There are a plethora of needs for the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, but a wise move would be to spend at least the first two picks on offensive linemen in the NFL Draft.
Here’s how Cincinnati’s O-line is shaping up right now, according to Pro Football Focus:
One of the reasons why the Bengals O-line has performed so poorly this season is the lack of efficient run blocking. According to Football Outsiders, this unit ranks 31st in the league this season.
That’s bad. And it’s putting to waste whatever talents rookie tailback Joe Mixon might have.
So when the Bengals’ number is called on draft day, look for the top-ranked offensive lineman to be the target.
The Cleveland Browns have so many needs in the NFL Draft, it’s almost impossible to narrow it down to just one.
Likely armed with the top pick in the draft, the Browns are likely to take the best player available. Perhaps this is someone like Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, or maybe a premier defensive back like Florida State’s Derwin James.
And with rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer struggling, it’s impossible to rule out a quarterback.
But the Browns should avoid going through the seemingly endless rotation of QBs and actually look to build around Kizer this offseason. That would mean giving him receiving weapons — much like the situation previously discussed with the Bears and Mitchell Trubisky.
A top-tier wide receiver could do wonders here and should provide an upgrade over Kenny Britt or Corey Coleman.
The Dallas Cowboys were forced to overhaul huge chunks of their defense last season, particularly in the secondary.
Additionally, cornerback Orlando Scandrick is 30 years old and might be destined towards more of a safety role sooner than later. And with second-round NFL Draft pick Chidobe Awuzie both inconsistent and oft-injured this season, looking at a true No. 1 corner should be on Dallas’ radar.
And No. 1 corner Anthony Brown has struggled all year, owning a 59.5 Pro Football Focus grade.
The Cowboys may want to start thinking about replacing tight end Jason Witten at some point, considering he’s 35 years old. And it wouldn’t hurt to find some depth along the offensive line.
Still, the secondary should get the most attention.
It’s hard to say this, but general manager John Elway’s only quarterback success during his tenure was landing Peyton Manning away from the Indianapolis Colts.
The names since then? Well, they’re not pretty.
We can pretty much close the books on QBs Trevor Siemian and Brock Osweiler being little more than backups at this point. But the most painful lesson is how former NFL Draft first-round draftee, Paxton Lynch, hasn’t worked out at all since his rookie 2016 season. And being hurt this year isn’t helping matters at all.
The lack of sufficient quarterbacking has hurt Denver in oh-so many ways this season. And with the Broncos defense still at an elite level, paired with good offensive weapons around the position, it’s a shame to think Denver is wasting this window because of bad quarterback play.
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ezekiel Ansah is set to be a free agent this offseason, and he might be one of the prime pass-rushers available on the open market.
One could question whether or not the 28 year old was merely a “one-hit wonder” after his 14.5-sack performance back in 2015. He had just two sacks the following year and just four entering Week 11.
Nevertheless, the Lions need to either replace him or build up the pass rush in support of him.
To date, Detroit ranks 18th in the league in sacks (20), and it’s no surprise the defense is giving up a ton of passing yards in 2017. Help is needed here.
So look for that to be the top area of focus for the Lions in the NFL Draft.
The Green Bay Packers’ loss of quarterback Aaron Rodgers (collarbone) reveals just how much the team relies upon the perennial All-Pro to carry the load.
Without him, Green Bay’s weaknesses become even more revealed.
While there are some needs on offense, particularly along the offensive line, the Packers should turn back to the defensive side of the ball to make some changes within the secondary.
Cornerback has been a primary issue for the Packers this season. And while Green Bay tried to address this in last year’s NFL Draft with Kevin King in Round 2, he’s mostly been a disappointment.
In fact, Pro Football Focus ranks both Green Bay starting corners, Davon House and King, at No. 95 and No. 96, respectively, out of 116 qualifiers this season.
Yeah, an upgrade is needed here.
If you thought the Bengals offensive line was bad, just check out what Pro Football Focus thinks about the Houston Texans:
Yikes!
It’s a darned shame Houston lost star rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson to a season-ending knee injury earlier this season. But he’ll be back.
And while the injury occurred in practice, protecting Watson should be high on Houston’s to-do list between now and 2018. An upgrade, or five, along the O-line is clearly needed. Unfortunately, as things stand now, the Texans don’t have a pick in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.
Hopefully that won’t hurt things too bad.
Hey, what a surprise! More offensive line needs!
That seems to be a trend around the NFL these days, doesn’t it.
Poor O-line play has already cost the Indianapolis Colts well over a season’s worth of services from quarterback Andrew Luck, whose shoulder injury all but eliminated his 2017 campaign.
On the positive side of things, the Colts have received adequate play from the tackles, Anthony Castonzo and Joe Haeg. But they could use an upgrade at any three of the interior spots. Left guard Jeremy Vujnovich has regressed since last year, and right guard Kyle Kalis has no business starting at the NFL level.
If the Colts truly value their quarterbacks, they’ll do the right thing and make moves to adequately protect them.
After years of futility, the Jacksonville Jaguars are finally relevant and, you know, good this season.
Most of this has to do with the moves the Jags made to upgrade their defense the last two offseasons. Those are paying off handsomely now, and weapons like running back Leonard Fournette provide promise for the future.
But there’s a glaring weakness at quarterback.
If you’re a regular visitor to Niner Noise, you’ll know we’re not fans of Blake Bortles. Few are. Well, maybe the Jaguars were when they picked up his fifth-year option for 2018, but even the most casual of football fans know he’s not the answer.
Jacksonville would be smart to use what looks to be a late first-round pick in the NFL Draft to tab a quarterback — someone who can spend a rookie season developing behind what looks to be Bortles’ final year in a Jaguars uniform.
The window is opening for Jacksonville, and a quarterback would truly put this team at a higher level.
After such a strong start to the season, the Kansas City Chiefs are starting to give up yards in massive chunks.
True, injuries to players like safety Eric Berry (Achilles) have hurt. But it’s a bit concerning to see K.C. rank 30th in total yards given up (3,513 entering Week 11).
There are a few directions the Chiefs could take here — defensive line depth, linebacker or another pass-rusher off the edge. But one of the more pressing needs would be to find a good cornerback to play opposite Marcus Peters.
Kenneth Acker hasn’t been the answer here, and Steven Nelson hasn’t been particularly great over the slot either.
One more cornerback would help make the Chiefs secondary much more imposing, which would take the pressure off the defensive front seven to a large degree.
The only thing, though, is the Chiefs are currently without a first-round pick in 2018. That will make things a bit more challenging.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers’ career is hitting its twilight, so that’s a need L.A. probably should think about sooner than later.
But Rivers probably has another year, or two, at his disposal. So protecting him and ensuring his health should be the main focus for the Chargers in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The left side of L.A.’s offensive line is in good shape, and the O-line will be bolstered by the healthy return of right guard Forrest Lamp (knee) at the start of next season. He’ll replace an ineffective Kenny Wiggins.
Yet right tackle is a problem position for the Chargers, and another upgrade over Joe Barksdale (foot) or Michael Schofield is needed.
Some additional help here would turn L.A.’s O-line into a relatively formidable force — a necessity in the physical AFC West.
The Los Angeles Rams placed the franchise tag on No. 1 cornerback Trumaine Johnson during the offseason. And his 2017 campaign has been something of a disappointment anyway, as his 48.6 overall Pro Football Focus grade suggests.
An educated guess has Johnson and the Rams parting ways this offseason, meaning another cornerback will be needed for coordinator Wade Phillips’ defense.
L.A. could use some linebacker help too, although that’s nowhere as big a need as at cornerback.
With a true shutdown defensive back, the Rams can improve even more on what has already been a stellar season.
While the Miami Dolphins offensive line isn’t in quite as dire straits as some of the other teams on this breakdown, this unit could use an upgrade, or two, during the NFL Draft.
The Dolphins have been atrocious in run support this season, ranking 30th in the league, according to Football Outsiders. Some big, powerful run-blocking linemen like, let’s say, Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson, would be a welcomed addition in Round 1.
Going this route would help alleviate the concern about quarterback protection too. With this position experiencing some uncertainty after this year, finding the adequate protection up front is needed.
Miami could look to find some linebacker help and some depth along the defensive line. But the O-line woes should be addressed first.
The Minnesota Vikings did a good job upgrading their offensive line last offseason, notably bringing aboard offensive tackle Mike Remmers to help bolster a terrible unit from the previous year.
While Minnesota doesn’t have a large number of holes to fill, the O-line could still use some additional work. Fellow tackle Riley Reiff has been OK, but the Vikings could stand an upgrade there.
In addition, some better play along the interior might be nice.
The Vikings also have some tough choices ahead of them regarding the quarterback position. The oft-injured Sam Bradford will be a free agent, and who knows how well fellow QB Teddy Bridgewater will be after his own horrid knee injury. Would the Vikings turn to Case Keenum again in 2018? He’s surprised some.
Regardless, the offensive skill positions need a potent O-line to make it all work.
The New England Patriots are probably going to lose cornerback Malcolm Butler to free agency this offseason, catapulting one of many defensive needs in the 2018 NFL Draft to the top of the list.
Defense is still a problem for New England, as head coach Bill Belichick’s squad is allowing more yards per play (6.5) than anyone else in the league. And while the defense has stiffened against opponents’ scoring opportunities as of late, it’s safe to say Belichick is going to spend some draft capital on this side of the ball.
Some offensive line help is needed, as free-agent-to-be left tackle Nate Solder isn’t having the best of seasons. And it wouldn’t be a shock to see some depth along the defensive line either.
Oh, and quarterback. Tom Brady, 40 years old, isn’t going to be around forever.
For the first time in what seems like years, we can finally say the New Orleans Saints defense is good.
Much of this has to do with last year’s NFL Draft acquisition of cornerback Marshon Lattimore out of Ohio State, who is Pro Football Focus‘ top-ranked corner entering Week 11.
Overall, the Saints secondary has been very good this season, as has the defensive line. But some help is needed in between. New Orleans tried to address this during the 2017 NFL Draft by attempting to land former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, only to see the 49ers swoop in, via a trade, grabbing him at No. 31 overall.
So another option is needed here. Right now, middle linebacker A.J. Klein is the 80th-ranked linebacker out of 106 qualifiers, per PFF.
Finding a playmaking linebacker would vastly improve a budding Saints defense even more.
About everything that could go wrong for the New York Giants this season has, and New York is now looking at a possible top-three pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
The Giants could go one of many different directions with the pick. Despite running back Orleans Darkwa’s sudden emergence, a top tailback might be the pick. Or, perhaps, the team looks for a potential long-term replacement for aging quarterback Eli Manning.
Assuming these are priorities, though, perhaps the better idea would be reinforcing what has been a bad offensive line this year.
Left tackle Ereck Flowers has shouldered a good chunk of the blame up front, but he’s not alone. The guard play hasn’t exactly been impressive either.
But an upgrade over Flowers should ensure Manning remains somewhat protected over the final stretch of his career, also providing assistance to what will likely be a high-profile investment to eventually take over for the quarterback at some point down the road.
The Giants aren’t at a full-on rebuild stage yet, but they need a lot of help.
The New York Jets are another one of those surprise teams in 2017 after virtually the entire league thought they’d be competing for the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
Not so much, although the Jets are far away from being labeled as a complete team.
New York could use some help at wide receiver, running back and along the offensive line. The secondary is a bit of an issue as well.
Yet the biggest area of concern is at quarterback. While veteran signal-caller Josh McCown has performed admirably well this season, he’s 38 years old and certainly isn’t the long-term answer.
Does that mean the Jets are willing to turn the reins over to younger QBs like Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg?
Likely not.
The Oakland Raiders could stand a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball, whose issues have forced the offense to shoulder the majority of the burden this season.
A number of areas pop up, including cornerback and safety, where the Raiders have lacked a rangy playmaking-type defensive back for some time. And while EDGE Khalil Mack has been superb this season, he needs some help within the front seven.
The linebacker spot has been particularly problematic in 2017. We can salute the Raiders for trying to upgrade this unit by grabbing NaVorro Bowman away from the 49ers. But the reality is he’s no longer the same player that made him a perennial All-Pro earlier this decade.
Simply put, he’s good. Not great.
Depending on how the Raiders finish up the season, it’s likely they’ll have a middle-of-the-road pick in the NFL Draft, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see general manager Reggie McKenzie use it to fill this need.
The Philadelphia Eagles are one of only a handful of teams without a sizable number of offseason needs in 2018. Their wide receiver shortage was addressed, and the cornerback crop is vastly better than it was a year ago.
Defensively, Philadelphia looks pretty good. And it’s hard to knock the skill positions on the offensive side of the ball.
But the season-ending knee injury suffered by veteran left tackle Jason Peters raises some alarm bells.
At 35 years old, Peters’ injury is likely going to take some time to recover, and who knows what kind of player he’ll be when he eventually returns. His replacement, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, isn’t cut out to be a full-time starter.
Philly might want to consider going this route as soon as possible.
After a few years of having a bad defense, especially within the secondary, the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to have turned things around on this side of the ball.
Still, it’s far from a complete unit.
One of the major weaknesses is at strong safety, where starting defensive back Sean Davis has been a disappointment. Pro Football Focus has given him a 39.3 overall grade this season, which ranks 81st out of 108 qualifiers.
Landing a playmaking tight end would be nice, and there’s room for depth improvements along the offensive line too.
And it’s not too early to start thinking about a potential heir apparent to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger either.
San Francisco 49ers
Like the Browns, the 49ers are in the initial stages of a long-term rebuild. But 2017 has shown the willingness to turn things over to the rookies, as the Niners are running away with the competition in first-year-player snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
The hope is, of course, some of these rookies turn into special talents. Perhaps, but there’s still a long way to go.
General manager John Lynch can cross quarterback off the long list of needs, following the trade for former Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo. But Garoppolo’s life won’t be any easier if his offensive line remains terrible.
The Niners currently rank second in the NFL in sacks allowed (32), and the interior O-line spots have been particularly problematic. Left guard Laken Tomlinson has been a major liability, and who knows how effective second-year guard Joshua Garnett will be after returning from his season-ending knee injury from training camp.
And remember, left tackle Joe Staley will turn 34 years old next season. He’s nearing the end of what has been a stellar career.
A player like Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson would be a welcomed upgrade for the Niners, who are likely to hold a top-three pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Like the 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks offensive line has been a major issue the past few seasons.
The thought here was quarterback Russell Wilson’s mobility would negate the need to have a more-than-effective O-line up front. Perhaps, but that only goes so far, and just a single hard hit could risk serious injury to Wilson and the Seahawks’ long-term hopes in this year and beyond.
Seattle made one move prior to the NFL trade deadline to address this issue by acquiring left tackle Duane Brown from the Houston Texans. That helps, but the rest of the O-line still needs a lot of work.
Chief among the needs are the guard positions, where rookie Ethan Pocic has been a disappointment and veteran right guard Oday Aboushi has struggled.
At some point, the Seahawks are going to have to think about getting younger on defense. Playmaking standouts like Michael Bennett, Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas aren’t getting any younger.
It’s a little too early to give up on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense, following an influx of talent and what we initially thought would be a major leap in quarterback Jameis Winston’s career this season.
The Bucs’ struggles on offense are of note, but there are bigger issues here.
Out of them all, the pass rush — or lack thereof — is something Tampa Bay needs to put atop its priority list in the NFL Draft this offseason. Entering Week 11, the Buccaneers are next to last with just 14 sacks on the year.
Only the Raiders and Giants have less.
Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy leads Tampa Bay with four sacks, but all those have been from the interior. What’s needed is an elite edge rusher.
Perhaps the Buccaneers take a look at someone like LSU’s Arden Key to fill the void.
Despite an up-and-down season, the Tennessee Titans still find themselves in the playoff hunt. There are number of areas needing fixes, though, and we can pinpoint the primary area up front — the pass rush.
Like the Buccaneers, the Titans have struggled to find a consistent edge presence over the course of the season. Linebacker Derrick Morgan leads the team with six sacks, but fellow edge rusher Brian Orakpo has only 2.5 off the other side.
Overall, Tennessee has just 16 sacks on the season, which was only two more than the lowly Bucs pass rush just discussed.
With some possible concerns in the secondary, a strong pass rush would seriously alleviate some needs to find shutdown cornerbacks and rangy safeties in the defensive backfield.
There’s no other way around it, but quarterback is the top-pressing need for the Washington Redskins this offseason.
With veteran QB Kirk Cousins on his second consecutive franchise tag, the Redskins need to figure out whether they’re going to exorbitantly pay him on another tag, re-sign him to what promises to be a lucrative deal or let him walk to the open market.
Based how things have gone the last two years, who knows?
More from Niner Noise
- 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
The fact of the matter is this — Cousins isn’t scheduled to be with the Redskins next year, making this a prime need. It’s entirely possible the numbers don’t add up in Washington’s favor, forcing them to look at an avenue like the NFL Draft to find his replacement.
Assuming he does re-sign, though, it would be wise for Washington to make some moves to help find some weapons around him on offense. Wide receiver Josh Doctson has been frustrating to watch. And when your leading receiver is 33-year-old tight end Vernon Davis, it’s pretty clear some firepower is needed at the skill positions.
Next: 2018 mock NFL Draft after flurry of trade-deadline deals
But all that is contingent upon what happens under center.