Buffalo Bills
The Bills hope the solution to their passing woes is already on the roster in second-year quarterback Josh Allen. The Wyoming product was dynamite on the ground (631 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) but much less impressive through the air, where he completed only 53 percent of his passes and threw more interceptions (12) than touchdown passes (10). Buffalo could stand to learn from the Rams and Bears, each of whom boosted their young franchise quarterbacks by surrounding them with talent in Year 2.
For the Bills, that means using their massive salary cap space to shore up the blocking in front of Allen. Some answers may be on the team. Buffalo will try to coax a giant third-year leap from Dion Dawkins at left tackle and hope former Jets lineman Spencer Long can be better than he was last year. The Bills can also look to the draft, where they have 10 picks.
Only one Buffalo wide receiver had more than 27 receptions last season. While this year’s crop of free agent receivers isn’t anything special, there are plenty of potent wideout prospects in the draft who could become homegrown stars alongside Allen.
Miami Dolphins
First-year head coach Brian Flores has his hands full with a rebuild in Miami, which means he’ll need talent pretty much everywhere. Step one will be replacing Ryan Tannehill, who never rose above “... fine” when it came to glowing descriptions in South Beach. Any number of veteran passers — Tyrod Taylor, Case Keenum, or, uh, Blake Bortles? — could be a stopgap solution, but expect Miami to address this problem early in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Whomever takes over behind center will need better blocking at the edges, especially if Ja’Wuan James leaves in free agency. Pass rush will be a concern as well, since Cameron Wake is a 37-year-old free agent and Miami’s sack rates weren’t as good as they should have been. Standouts like Trey Flowers and Justin Houston could add varying levels of help on the defensive side of the ball.
That’ll help their passing defense, though the Dolphins will need some new defensive backs alongside Xavien Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick, both of whom look like building blocks for Flores. There are intriguing but flawed young-ish free agents they could target, including Bradley Roby, Darqueze Dennard, and the oft-injured Jason Verrett.
New England Patriots
The most pressing need will be upgrading Tom Brady’s list of targets. Of the team’s top five wideouts, only Julian Edelman is under contract for 2019. This could be troubling for New England; there aren’t many strong WR options on the market, and drafting receivers has been a rare blind spot for Bill Belichick — though the odds of him signing Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow as an undrafted free agent are about as high as anything else this spring.
The Pats could use a youth infusion at safety, with Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty on the wrong side of 30. A replacement for defensive tackles Malcom Brown and Danny Shelton, both of whom are free agents and neither of whom stood out last season, would go a long way to help restore New England’s run defense. In typical Belichick fashion, these needs will either be met with second-round picks, overlooked veteran free agents, or unhappy players from opposing teams who can be freed for the low cost of a pick swap.
And while interior line play was an issue early, that unit strengthened to become one of the league’s top pass-blocking groups through the playoffs — consider that problem solved. A bigger issue may be what the team will do with Trent Brown, the starting left tackle who hits free agency this spring.
New York Jets
The Jets need playmakers and blockers to spring them after ranking 29th in the league in yards gained in 2018. While Robby Anderson is a fine complementary piece at wideout, the club could use a true WR1 to take some pressure from his shoulders. That’ll be tough to find in free agency — maybe Golden Tate? — but a solid crop of rookie receivers could help restock New York’s cupboard.
The Jets also need help at tailback. Winning the Le’Veon Bell sweepstakes would help both facets of their offense, but there’s no guarantee he’d be interested in a role with New York’s perpetual rebuild. Fortunately there will be plenty of other, cheaper options available to turn this position into a strength, ranging from veteran backs like Jay Ajayi or Tevin Coleman to potential Day 2 picks like Kentucky’s Benny Snell or Penn State’s Miles Sanders.
The team’s problems at safety are likely already settled, at least. Jamal Adams is developing into a dangerous young playmaker, while 2017 second-round pick Marcus Maye is set to return to the lineup after missing 10 games last fall.
Baltimore Ravens
Although Baltimore has long been a graveyard for young receiving talent, adding playmakers will be a top priority for new general manager Eric DeCosta. There’s not a surplus of WR/TE talent available in free agency (Jared Cook, maybe?), but a solid draft class should give the Ravens plenty of opportunities to land a deep threat to pair with Jackson’s ability to extend plays. Marquise Brown’s fast-twitch, zone-busting speed could be a perfect fit. Same with either of Iowa’s potential first-round tight ends, Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson.
Lining up successors to replace Brandon Carr and released Pro Bowler Eric Weddle would be a smart move as well. There wasn’t much to complain about with the Baltimore defense last season, but shoring up the team’s one-on-one coverage with a cornerback like Pierre Desir or Bryce Callahan would be a luxury.
Cincinnati Bengals
Last year’s tailspin proved this is still Andy Dalton’s team, for better or worse. Now the Bengals need to figure out if he’s their future under new head coach Zac Taylor. That starts with surrounding the quarterback with talent. While a healthy A.J. Green can pair with Tyler Boyd to boost Cincinnati’s passing game, extra depth and an upgrade from the eternally injured Tyler Eifert would be a boon for Dalton. This year’s free agent crop is filled with third-wideout types — Phillip Dorsett, Cole Beasley, Tyrell Williams — who could help.
Replacing Alex Redmond or Bobby Hart — two young blockers on the right side of the line with relatively low ceilings — with veteran free agent help like Trent Brown or Ramon Foster would help protect Dalton.
The Bengals’ cap space and solid draft position will help fix the their problems along the defensive line as well. A defense-heavy draft should drop a pass rusher like Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, or Montez Sweat to Cincinnati. A deep vein of veteran defensive tackles could also be a cost-effective strategy for a team with several holes to fill.
Cleveland Browns
Freddie Kitchens’ offensive philosophy worked wonders by spreading the ball to multiple targets, unlocking Baker Mayfield’s MVP potential in the process. Getting Jarvis Landry some help at wideout should be a priority in 2019. The Browns could re-sign Breshad Perriman, who was a versatile rehabilitation project in the second half of the season. While that’s not an exciting move, it’ll give them an inexpensive high-upside receiver who can provide some continuity as Kitchens upgrades from interim OC to head coach.
Beyond Perriman, the Browns will likely turn to the draft for some extra aerial support — they’ll have four picks in the first three rounds.
Cleveland’s statistical profile suggests a young defensive core needs to keep growing in 2019. Larry Ogunjobi is developing into a star up front, and trading for Olivier Vernon could be the patch the team needs to fix the holes in its rushing defense. The return of Christian Kirksey, who missed nine games last year, will be a boost as well.
Oh, and they could use a better punter, too. The Browns can always steal Jordan Berry away from the Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Le’Veon Bell is gone, but the combination of James Conner and Jaylen Samuels gives Pittsburgh a built-in solution to their issues in the backfield. Fixing the defensive problems that ultimately sank the Steelers, however, is a different situation entirely.
Pittsburgh has turned to free agent help to shore up its defense in recent years with middling returns. That streak should continue in 2019, and the good news for the Steelers is there are plenty of useful linebackers who can make a home in the middle of the field. Jordan Hicks, Kwon Alexander, and even AFC North rivals like C.J. Mosley and Preston Brown could be the long-term replacement the team needs following Ryan Shazier’s injury. Same goes at defensive tackle, which is loaded with capable run-stuffing thickmonsters.
That wouldn’t solve the club’s needs at edge rusher or safety, though. Pittsburgh has a top-20 draft pick that could be used to bookend T.J. Watt’s pass-rushing attack. And while there’s some expensive center field help on the market like Earl Thomas, Tyrann Mathieu, and LaMarcus Joyner, the Steelers’ lack of cap space suggests this is another need that will be met in the draft.
Houston Texans
The Texans have the pieces to be really special, but they so badly need to improve along the offensive line. Deshaun Watson was sacked an NFL-most 62 times, and it hamstrung what should’ve been an excellent passing game. So adding new offensive linemen is numbers one, two, and three on the to-do list for the Texans.
Houston has the cap space to go after the best free agent offensive lineman, but that could be slim pickings. Daryl Williams, Ja’Wuan James, and Trent Brown are among the limited options. The No. 23 pick in the first round could be a perfect spot to take Ole Miss offensive tackle Greg Little or Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard. The Texans also have an extra second-round pick via their trade of Duane Brown.
After the offensive line, the Texans will also need to be better at cornerback, especially if Kareem Jackson leaves in free agency. Aaron Colvin was a swing and a miss last year, and the team cut ties with Kevin Johnson, but Houston could go back to the well with players like Ronald Darby and Bradley Roby expected to hit the open market.
Indianapolis Colts
A season of bulldozing teams with an elite offensive line was enough for the Colts to earn a trip to the Divisional Round. Now, they can use their copious cap space and four top-90 draft picks to fill in the gaps. Most of all, Indianapolis needs to give Andrew Luck a better wide receiving corps.
Maybe they could bolster both the running and passing game by signing Le’Veon Bell? The Colts have the resources to make a splash and add serious talent to the offense.
There are plenty of spots on defense where the Colts could be better too. Adding an elite edge rusher would be a significant boost. Trey Flowers and Ezekiel Ansah are among the rushers expected to be on the market, and the Colts are one of the few teams in good position to win bidding wars.
The amount of pass rushers in the 2019 draft class could leave the Colts in a great spot to nab a sliding player at No. 26 overall too.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The top priority for the Jaguars is fixing their anemic passing game that made the offense one of the least explosive in the NFL. Most of all, that means finding a quarterback to replace Blake Bortles. A top-10 draft pick may be used at that position, but expect them to go after a veteran in free agency first. Nick Foles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Ryan Tannehill are all logical options — and Foles appears to be Jacksonville’s favorite.
The offensive problems go further than quarterback, though. The Jaguars also need to retool the wide receiver corps and get offensive line help after their pass protection was decimated by injuries up front. The team doesn’t have much cap space to work with, so don’t expect any pricy additions. The 2019 NFL Draft is where the Jaguars really need to find playmakers.
Jacksonville focusing its slim resources on upgrading the offense could leave the defense with nowhere to go but backward. It still has several good, young players in place, but it would benefit from finding an edge rusher to pair with Yannick Ngakoue.
Tennessee Titans
It’s still difficult to figure out the enigma that is Marcus Mariota, but the quarterback will be back on his fifth-year option in 2019 — leaving him with one year to prove he’s worth an extension.
That means the Titans will look to upgrade their lackluster pass offense by loading up on weapons around Mariota. They already have some with wide receiver Corey Davis, and offensive tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin. Finding another receiver and some interior line help would be a good boost for a subpar offense. Look for the Titans to be in the market for free agent pass catchers like Golden Tate or Randall Cobb.
While defense is the strength of the roster, it’s also time to get young at a few spots on that side of the ball — particularly, at linebacker. Wesley Woodyard turns 33 this summer and pass rusher Brian Orakpo retired after the 2018 regular season. Outside linebacker will likely be a priority in both free agency and the draft.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos still haven’t found a solution to a quarterback problem that has plagued them since the end of the 2015 season. They threw a one-year bandage on the issue by trading for Joe Flacco, but a longterm successor is still needed. The draft is a possibility — Missouri quarterback Drew Lock would be a solid draft-and-stash player.
Outside of quarterback, the Broncos have to inject some talent into their offensive line. The Broncos might want to add someone in the mid-rounds of the draft or make a run at a top-flight guard like Rodger Saffold. Garett Bolles will likely get another shot to be the starting left tackle for the Broncos. Right tackle Jared Veldheer’s contract is expiring and they likely needed to upgrade regardless.
Denver’s secondary could use some retooling as well. Chris Harris Jr. is the only notable cornerback returning to the team. Fixing cornerback will be a high priority, especially in a division featuring Patrick Mahomes and Philip Rivers. That might come in the draft — if they decide to take a cornerback at 10, LSU’s Greedy Williams or Georgia’s Deandre Baker makes sense. Adding a safety to play with Justin Simmons is another offseason task. They could be in the Landon Collins market if the price is right.
Kansas City Chiefs
It’s pretty simple: the Chiefs need defense. Their offense is championship caliber, but the defense is not quite there yet.
Dee Ford received the franchise tag, which shored up one pass rusher spot — but he may also be on the trading block. The Chiefs are also expected to move on from Justin Houston, who has a massive cap hit for the upcoming season. There’s also a decision to be made about Eric Berry, who will also be pricy to retain.
Whether or not they decide to bring back Berry, new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will be looking for pass rushers and corners as he implements a 4-3 defense in Kansas City. Kendall Fuller is a decent start in the secondary, but as a whole the Chiefs don’t really have anyone to fear on the back end.
The Chiefs have a first-round pick this year they should use to bolster their defense. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence could be an option at the end of the first round.
An under-the-radar need for the Chiefs is running back. They helped address that by signing Carlos Hyde to complement Damien Williams.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have a pretty strong team entering the offseason, but a few roster tweaks could get them over the hump toward Super Bowl contention.
First, they could stand to improve their offensive line, which would help them in the red zone and on short down-and-distance situations. If they take the free agency route, Daryl Williams and Ja’Wuan James would make sense as immediate, veteran upgrades at right tackle. Or they can take someone like Dalton Risner or Andre Dillard in the draft. Risner would be a perfect fit because he has the flexibility to play guard and tackle — right guard in particular needs some help considering Forrest Lamp hasn’t developed into the player they thought he would be.
Los Angeles needs to spend resources in the middle of its defense as well. Defensive tackle Corey Liuget will hit free agency and nose tackle Brandon Mebane hasn’t been as dominant vs. the run since tearing his biceps during the 2016 season. The Chargers could use some speed at linebacker as well. Dexter Lawrence is a possible replacement for Mebane in the draft this year.
A third safety could be a need too, but that likely won’t be addressed with a premium resource.
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders’ defense was an absolute mess last season. Pass rush, run defense, and pass coverage — just the three basic areas that the Raiders need to improve. No biggie. At least they have the cap space and draft picks to fix things this offseason.
After trading away Khalil Mack, the Raiders finished with an embarrassing 13 sacks — this is where their offseason needs to start. They have two nice building blocks on the defensive line with Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall, but that’s not enough as they try to build a defense capable of competing with the two juggernaut offenses in their division. If Quinnen Williams falls to the fourth pick in the draft — the first of three first-round picks for Oakland — he’s a no-brainer choice there.
On the other side of the ball, Oakland could use some weapons to help out Derek Carr in his final audition to be the Raiders’ franchise quarterback. Step one is already complete: They traded for Antonio Brown. A longterm solution at right tackle is needed too. Trent Brown could be someone Oakland throws money at to lock down the right side of the offensive line.
Dallas Cowboys
Even with Amari Cooper in the lineup, Dallas needs receivers. With Cooper and Dak Prescott each due big contract extensions and a limited market of available receivers, it looks like the Cowboys will have to fix this issue through the draft. The bad news is Dallas doesn’t have a pick before No. 59 on account of the Cooper trade.
JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Parris Campbell, and UMass receiving god Andy Isabella could all be sleeper-ish picks who provide an immediate boost at wideout. Things get rockier at tight end, where the consensus top three players — T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Irv Smith — will all likely be gone before the 59th pick. That puts a lot of pressure on Jason Witten to perform well after his one-year foray into the broadcast booth.
Retaining DeMarcus Lawrence goes a long way in shoring up the team’s pass-rushing deficiencies, but he needs inexpensive support. Scooping up a ball-hawking cornerback will be easier — reclamation projects like Darqueze Dennard or Jason Verrett could be candidates despite their flaws. Signing a secondary-boosting dynamo like Earl Thomas would make perfect sense, but it wouldn’t come cheap.
New York Giants
The Giants had tight end issues last fall, but much of that was due to Evan Engram missing eight starts. If he’s healthy, he’s a mismatch-creating weapon who can devastate opponents up the seam and with a variety of short passes.
Fixing their offensive line remains an ongoing process. Outside of Nate Solder and Will Hernandez, the rest of the blockers are ripe for upgrades. They’ve already made one big addition, trading for right guard Kevin Zeitler and sending pass rusher Olivier Vernon to Cleveland.
New York will also have to decide whether to throw money at veteran free agent pass rushers and linebackers or take a chance on cheaper, unproven rookies. The Giants could borrow from the Patriots’ roster again and sneak the versatile Trey Flowers out of New England, or they can use the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft and target whomever is left over from the Rashan Gary, Ed Oliver, Montez Sweat, Devin White group of defenders.
Doing that would mean passing on a first-round quarterback. Given how popular the Dwayne Haskins pick is with mock drafts, it seems likely the Giants will draft Eli Manning’s successor.
Philadelphia Eagles
On the surface, the Eagles don’t appear to be a team with many needs. They have franchise quarterback Carson Wentz on a rookie deal, they’re rock solid in the trenches, and they have some playmakers at wide receiver and tight end. Their Super Bowl window is still very much open, but they need to continue to be aggressive with their roster building.
One thing Philadelphia does need is depth on defense. The team re-signed Brandon Graham but could lose Chris Long to retirement. That would open up some holes on the defensive line — which wasn’t as effective as expected to begin with — that immediately need to filled. Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson is a big-bodied defensive end who would fit well in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s scheme.
Philadelphia could also use help at running back. The Eagles really struggled make big plays in the run game after Jay Ajayi was hurt early in the season. If they are looking for a home run threat in the draft, Oklahoma State running back Justice Hill would be a perfect fit.
Washington
Washington struggled to pass the ball even before Alex Smith suffered an injury in November. Now he’s dealing with a leg injury so severe it may end his career and it’s probable he won’t return in 2019. The first thing on the agenda for Washington was addressing the gigantic hole at quarterback, which it did by working out a trade for Case Keenum.
That’s fine for this year, but the future is still a question mark. The No. 15 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft could also be a good spot to take a prospect like Missouri’s Drew Lock or reach to grab Duke’s Daniel Jones.
Elsewhere on offense, Washington could stand to add more talent at wide receiver and some interior offensive linemen. The defensive line also needs to be much better at stopping the run and rushing the passer.
Drafting talent is going to be the most cost-effective way for Washington to get better this offseason. So if Lock or Jones aren’t the targets at No. 15 overall, there are plenty of other players — Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf, among them — who could be the pick.
Chicago Bears
The Bears could use an upgrade at the skill positions, even after last year’s spending spree in free agency. Allen Robinson had a good but not great season as the team’s top wideout, and Chicago needs to get more out of Jordan Howard and his 3.7 yards per carry average or trade him. The former is a need that can be served in the draft, while a free agency dive into a deep crop of veterans could be the key that turns the tailback platoon into a more dynamic pairing.
Keeping Mitchell Trubisky comfortable in the pocket will be important as well. The Bears can look to an intriguing but flawed OT market that includes the Dolphins’ Ja’Wuan James and the Patriots’ Trent Brown, but they may prefer to build from the ground up through the draft instead.
Pass rush, surprisingly, was a weak spot despite Khalil Mack’s arrival. Fixing that may be as simple as getting him for 16 full games, as his ability to wreak havoc from the outside-in allows guys like Akiem Hicks, Roquan Smith, and Leonard Floyd to thrive. Either way, that weakness should improve without many major additions this offseason.
Detroit Lions
The Lions need to build around Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay, which means they’ll likely be in the market for a wide receiver (or tight end) before Day 3 of the 2019 NFL Draft. One of Iowa’s dynamic duo of T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant could help wipe the taste of the disappointing Eric Ebron era from the team’s memory.
Steady improvement from 2018 first-round selection Frank Ragnow will help address the team’s weakness in the interior of its line, but it needs to replace guard T.J. Lang, who was released after playing fewer than 300 snaps last fall.
Adding Damon Harrison was a boost to the team’s run defense last season. Detroit can add support for him in the draft or with a variety of veteran tackles who can add more immoveable objects to the center of its line, including players like Shamar Stephen, Corey Liuget, or former Matt Patricia mentee Malcom Brown. Getting help in the secondary will be more difficult — the Lions can take a shot at flawed top-line veterans like Bradley Roby or Ronald Darby this offseason, but may be better served turning to the draft to reload at cornerback.
Green Bay Packers
Keeping Aaron Rodgers happy is the name of the game in Green Bay, so expect its top priority in 2019 to be adding receiving talent next to Davante Adams. That could be signing a depth option like Cole Beasley or Devin Funchess, or hoping that one of last year’s three receiver draftees (Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, and J’Mon Moore) has a great offseason. The Pack could also spend a Day 1 or 2 selection — they have three of the top 44 picks — on a wideout like A.J. Brown, N’Keal Harry, or Deebo Samuel.
The Packers need to shore up their defense, especially with Clay Matthews declining. A healthy Nick Perry will bolster the team’s pass rush, but Kyler Fackrell could regress back to the mean in 2019, so adding some extra punch along the edge wouldn’t hurt. The good news is there’s plenty of pass-rushing talent waiting to be selected in this year’s draft.
While cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Kevin King can lead the team’s secondary in the future, Green Bay badly needs help at safety — and if the Alexander/King combo is any indication, that’s other need likely to be met in the draft. Punting and kick coverage were also concerns, but JK Scott should be better in his second season as a pro.
Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins wasn’t the savior for Minnesota, and part of his struggle can be attributed to an offensive line that failed to clear space. Left tackle Riley Reiff was inconsistent but still the team’s best blocker. Retaining interior lineman Nick Easton, who missed all of 2018 but was solid in 2017, could help if he’s healthy.
Getting more from 2017 third-round pick Pat Elflein would be a boon as well. Either way, the Vikings would be well-suited to upgrade their blocking this offseason — whether that means throwing cash at a player like Trent Brown or taking a swing at a first-round tackle talent like Washington State’s Andre Dillard.
Fixing their defensive line will be easier thanks to a solid market of veteran run stoppers who can also provide a pass rush from the inside. Minnesota can go big by chasing a player like Ndamukong Suh. It can also try to extract maximum value from less-heralded free agents like Earl Mitchell, Michael Pierce, or Corey Liuget.
Wideout was also an issue, but that’s a problem that should fix itself with better blocking — though an extra option behind Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs wouldn’t hurt. Adam Humphries’ skill in the slot would be a useful luxury in Minneapolis.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta needs offensive linemen and defensive linemen. The Falcons’ skill position talent, particularly on offense, is among the best in the league, but some talented big dudes up front can help them get back into the postseason.
Atlanta solidified one defensive tackle spot by giving defensive tackle Grady Jarrett the franchise tag. The team should also find one or two guards to flank center Alex Mack on the interior of the offensive line. The offensive guard market is a bit thin, so the draft might be a better opportunity to focus on those spots.
The Falcons could stand to upgrade defensive end as well. Vic Beasley and Takkarist McKinley combined for 12 sacks, which is a bit disappointing for two former first-round picks. Free agent Preston Smith makes sense in Atlanta if the money works for both sides.
A sneaky need for the Falcons is cornerback. They released cornerback Robert Alford and didn’t tender Brian Poole, making him a free agent. That leaves a hole at the third cornerback spot next to Desmond Trufant and Isaiah Oliver.
Carolina Panthers
It’s starting to feel like a bit of a broken record at this point: The Panthers need to upgrade Cam Newton’s supporting cast. Wide receiver was a concern, even with talented, young receivers like D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. They also let Devin Funchess walk this offseason in free agency. Attrition on the line could become an issue, too.
Carolina could use help on the defensive line. Kawann Short is a star, but Vernon Butler hasn’t panned out as a first-round defensive tackle, and the roster doesn’t have many viable players at defensive end with the recent retirement of Julius Peppers. The draft is a possibility here with a strong crop of defensive linemen this year. Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat and Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell are a couple of defensive end candidates. If they opt to draft an interior lineman, Jerry Tillery is a big, explosive defensive tackle with an array of pass-rush moves.
Safety is another need for the Panthers. They have Eric Reid locked up for three years, and Rashaan Gaulden is a nice complementary piece, but a third safety to replace Mike Adams makes sense. Nasir Adderley from Delaware could be a nice early-round fit for Carolina.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints had a dominant passing attack in 2018, but oddly enough they could use help at wide receiver. Michael Thomas is the only receiver who truly threatens defenses in any way, which could be a difficult way to orchestrate a passing offense with a 40-year-old Drew Brees who struggled toward the end of the season.
On defense, the Saints need a boost at cornerback. Marshon Lattimore is a beast, but the rest of the cornerbacks don’t instill fear in opposing offenses. In fact, their entire defensive backfield could use an influx of talent. Depth at safety and even a rangy linebacker who can really cover would be welcome additions for New Orleans.
Offensive tackle is a sneaky need for the Saints, but they likely wouldn’t be able to address that position until Day 3 of the draft. New Orleans only has one pick on the first two days of the draft and not much cap space to address these needs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers should remake most of their defense in Bruce Arians’ first offseason with the team. They do have a few nice players in Jason Pierre-Paul, Lavonte David, and Vita Vea, but just about everyone else on their defense could use serious competition.
Cornerback and defensive line talent are huge needs, and they should allocate draft picks and free agents toward fixing that problem. Brent Grimes is a free agent, which means they’ll be relying on young cornerbacks like M.J. Stewart, Carlton Davis, and Ryan Smith. If the Bucs don’t mind spending the fifth pick on a defensive back, LSU cornerback Greedy Williams would be a good fit in new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ scheme.
Tampa Bay should upgrade its running game as well. Last year, the Bucs spent a second-round pick on Ronald Jones, who didn’t have an impactful rookie season. They could draft someone like Elijah Holyfield from Georgia, pick up a veteran like Telvin Coleman, or hope that the light switch comes on for Jones. Offensive line is a concern too, but they at least they solidified the left tackle spot by re-signing Donovan Smith to a three-year deal.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury, because they were flat-out atrocious on offense in 2018. Ideally, Arizona already has a few of its major offensive weaknesses at least somewhat addressed with Josh Rosen, David Johnson, and Christian Kirk on the roster. If Rosen progresses, Johnson bounces back, and Kirk builds on the promise he showed as a rookie, the Cardinals have a core in place.
There’s also the possibility that the Cardinals cash in Rosen for draft capital and use their No. 1 pick on Kyler Murray to give the offense a jolt.
Either way, to fill in the blanks, they need to add offensive line help and more weapons for their quarterback to work with, because Larry Fitzgerald (probably) won’t be around forever. Arizona already traded for tackle Marcus Gilbert and has the cap space to target a top free agent offensive lineman, although the options are slim.
If the No. 1 pick isn’t used on Murray, it’d probably be used on a defensive lineman — most likely Ohio State’s Nick Bosa or Alabama’s Quinnen Williams — which makes sense for a team that wasn’t great against the run. Adding elite talent wherever they can find it has to be the Cardinals’ goal.
Los Angeles Rams
Selling out for a Super Bowl run worked out for the Rams, but now they have one draft pick in the top 90 selections and only enough cap space to retain a couple of their key free agents. Los Angeles re-signed Dante Fowler Jr., but it probably won’t be able to keep all of Ndamukong Suh, Lamarcus Joyner, and Rodger Saffold. It also cut ties with Mark Barron to save a little space.
That means that outside of signing veteran safety Eric Weddle, it’ll probably be a relatively boring spring for the Rams without many marquee additions.
In the 2019 NFL Draft, the first concern will be replacing some of that departing talent and getting younger in other places. Even with Andrew Whitworth coming back, the Rams need to add young offensive linemen and could look to do so at No. 31 overall.
Also doing a little to be better at preventing big plays could be enough to make it a successful offseason. The Rams just need to worry about being a tad better in the secondary and at rushing the passer.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers’ 2018 season tanked when Jimmy Garoppolo went down with an ACL tear early in the season, but it positions the team to fill out the roster with more weapons.
San Francisco needs to be better at rushing the passer, and the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft is a good spot to take an edge rusher. Ohio State’s Nick Bosa and/or Kentucky’s Josh Allen will be available. The 49ers could also sign a free agent pass rusher with Ezekiel Ansah, Dante Fowler Jr., and Trey Flowers all likely hitting the market.
On offense, the 49ers could benefit from adding another receiver or two for Garoppolo, and improving an offensive line that wasn’t great at protecting the passer in 2018. San Francisco has more than enough cap space to address those problems in free agency, but the talent pool will probably make the NFL Draft the best place for the 49ers to get better.
Seattle Seahawks
For what feels like the 17th straight offseason, the Seahawks need to find linemen to protect Russell Wilson. Duane Brown has been a revelation on the left side, but he’ll turn 34 in August and is the only starter the team can really feel good about on the offensive line.
The Seahawks had one of the most inefficient passing offenses in the NFL. Usually the blame falls — at least in part — on the shoulders of the quarterback. But in this case, it certainly isn’t a reflection of Wilson.
Seattle has the cap space to target a free agent offensive lineman — perhaps Daryl Williams, Ja’Wuan James, or Matt Paradis.
The Seahawks also need to continue to rebuild a defense that lost Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Michael Bennett last season, and will lose Earl Thomas this year. Adding a young run stuffer and more talent in the secondary should be priorities, although the 2019 NFL Draft could be the best way to target those needs. It’s a deep class for both positions this year.