Fixing the biggest offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams
Sometimes it’s good to step back and reset. When assessing team needs for the 2019 offseason, we decided to do something to that effect — instead of carrying forward the running list of needs that everybody uses for every team at all times, we elected to see if the stats were telling us anything different.
Below are the primary needs for all 32 teams if we had, without any knowledge of their roster, simply looked at their 2018 advanced stats and assessed their major weaknesses. Some teams are going to have “needs” for positions they’re obviously hoping they can address with someone already on the roster — Buffalo needing a quarterback, for instance. But it felt like a good time to start clean and simply say, “If Team A is going to improve in 2019, here are the aspects of their game they need to address,” whether that’s through free agency, the draft, or in-house development.
Buffalo Bills
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
The Bills used free agency to build around Josh Allen, getting quantity (if not quality) as they work to prop up their budding franchise QB. Wideouts John Brown and Cole Beasley will add viable targets for a weak passing game, and linemen Mitch Morse and Spencer Long should keep Allen from getting his jersey too dirty in 2019.
Buffalo still lacks the kind of game-changing WR1 who can give Beasley, Brown, and Zay Jones room to thrive. But they still improved on offense in day two of the draft by scooping up guard Cody Ford, running back Devin Singletary, and tight end Dawson Knox. The real gem of the rookie class for the Bills came a day earlier when they filled the Kyle Williams-shaped hole with Ed Oliver, an incredible value at No. 9 overall.
Miami Dolphins
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The Dolphins simply didn’t have enough picks to address every position of need in this draft, and I believe taking the best player available regardless of position is the best draft philosophy anyway. With all that said, Grier’s deft maneuvering that allowed the team to trade for Josh Rosen while still netting an extra second-round pick in next year’s draft deserves applause."
Miami needed help just about everywhere this offseason and probably got worse. First-year head coach Brian Flores brought former Patriots Eric Rowe and Dwayne Allen south with him, which … yeah, isn’t splashy. But the grand plan appears to be a tear down and patient rebuild of the roster.
Adding as much pure talent to a barren roster as possible will be the priority for the foreseeable future. Maybe Josh Rosen can be a piece to build around, but even beating out Ryan Fitzpatrick for a starting role could be difficult.
Replenishing the team’s defense — primarily at edge rusher and in the secondary — and the offensive line are the first steps in a long road back to prosperity. In the first round, the Dolphins went with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and then they added guard Michael Deiter in the third round.
New England Patriots
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The common theme in the Patriots’ draft was getting physical, high-character, and great football IQ players. In an era where NFL defenses are getting smaller and faster, New England is getting bigger and stronger."
The Patriots watched some premium talent leave this offseason when Trent Brown and Trey Flowers each struck off for massive contracts elsewhere and Rob Gronkowski retired. The shiny new toy for Tom Brady is first-round pick N’Keal Harry, along with a new group of veteran pass catchers: Demaryius Thomas, Bruce Ellington, Matt LaCosse, Maurice Harris, and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Defensive veterans Michael Bennett and Mike Pennel should be able to replace some of the versatile upfront presence Flowers left behind too.
New England didn’t address its need for young blood at tight end, but added cornerback Joejuan Williams and edge rusher Chase Winovich to the defense in day two of the draft. The also nabbed running back Damien Harris and offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste in round three. The Patriots drafted Jarrett Stidham in the fourth round to compete for the quarterback job. The BACKUP job, of course.
New York Jets
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"By having so few picks, the Jets have left themselves with minimal paths to a successful draft. In fact, I think it comes down to Polite. If he fails to become a consistent double digit sack guy, we probably won’t remember this as a very successful class."
New York is following a similar blueprint as Buffalo: adding talent around a second-year quarterback to help coax a giant leap out. That’s brought Le’Veon Bell and Jamison Crowder into town to revamp the offense, while C.J. Mosley will be called upon to lead the Jets’ defense.
The team still needs to address the departures along the interior of its offensive line in order to allow Bell to feast and to keep Sam Darnold upright. They grabbed Chuma Edoga of USC, a tackle, but one with versatility. The rest of the Jets’ draft was mostly used to add to the defense. The pass rush should get a solid boost from Quinnen Williams, who they selected at No. 3 overall, as well as Jachai Polite in the third round.
Baltimore Ravens
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"Overall, it was a pretty successful draft for Eric DeCosta’s first go-around as general manager. Baltimore filled roster needs, got good value with their picks, and boosted their long-term outlook."
The Ravens lost some big names (C.J. Mosley, Joe Flacco, Terrell Suggs) and added a pair of their own in Earl Thomas and Mark Ingram. That’ll add an extra punch to the running game and provide a younger upgrade to Eric Weddle at safety, but Baltimore’s chance to repeat as AFC North champion may hinge on the new, dynamic talent added in this year’s draft.
The top priority was giving Lamar Jackson the receiving talent he needs to thrive as a passer. They took a step in that direction with receiver Marquise Brown of Oklahoma at No. 25, and another one in Miles Boykin of Notre Dame at the end of the third round. The Ravens also need pass rushers to replace the production Suggs and Za’Darius Smith left behind, and third-rounder Jaylon Ferguson can help there.
Cincinnati Bengals
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The first draft class for new head coach Zac Taylor was a productive one that filled all of the team’s major needs while adding impact players in other areas."
The Bengals’ quest to move on from the Marvin Lewis era meant re-signing marginal (or oft-injured) talent like Bobby Hart, C.J. Uzomah, and Tyler Eifert. Vontaze Burfict is gone though, so now the Steelers will have to drive 15 more yards than usual each time they play Cincinnati.
New coach Zac Taylor is an offensive-minded leader, but he’ll need the Bengals to have a defensive rebound if the team wants to get back to contender status. Linebacker Germaine Pratt should help fill the void left by Burfict’s departure. Fourth-round pick Renell Wren can help at defensive tackle too.
But for the most part, the draft was used by the Bengals to add offensive talent. Alabama’s Jonah Williams, who was drafted with the 11th overall pick, and fourth-rounder lineman Michael Jordan (not that one) will help on the offensive line. Cincinnati also added tight end Drew Sample in the second round and quarterback Ryan Finley in the fourth.
Cleveland Browns
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
Only the Raiders could match the Browns’ big-name activity this offseason, as new head coach Freddie Kitchens added Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon, Kareem Hunt, and Sheldon Richardson to his rising team. This influx of talent, coupled with the strong finish to 2018, has Cleveland looking like AFC North favorites for the first time in a long, long time.
The exciting start to the offseason didn’t leave many gaping holes to fill in the draft, and that’s good because it left the Browns without a first-round pick. They still managed to get a special talent in cornerback Greedy Williams though, and added linebackers Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson.
Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"I’m not really in the business of handing out draft grades, but I think the Steelers did pretty well. Not drafting a safety, in my opinion, is completely bonkers and irresponsible, but trading up to snag Bush was a home run and both Johnson and fifth-round pick Zach Gentry could play very prominent roles in 2019."
Le’Veon Bell? Gone. Antonio Brown? Gone. Jesse James? Also gone, but in much less dramatic fashion.
Who’s in? Mark Barron, Steven Nelson and, uh, Donte Moncrief.
The Steelers needed some fresh talent in this year’s draft, but most of the replacements for those losses were already on the roster. The big hole to fill early was left by Ryan Shazier in 2017, and Pittsburgh aggressively moved up to grab Devin Bush for the role. The Steelers didn’t pick again until the third round, but added wide receiver Diontae Johnson and cornerback Justin Layne.
Houston Texans
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
The Texans lost two major components of their 2018 run when starting safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Kareem Jackson departed for eight-figure salaries elsewhere. Kevin Johnson and Christian Covington followed, leaving gaps only be partially filled by free agent signees Tashaun Gipson, Bradley Roby, and Briean Boddy-Calhoun.
Drafting Lonnie Johnson in the second round should help Houston’s secondary need. But the top priority of the draft was to keep Deshaun Watson — who was sacked an unacceptable 62 times in 2018 — upright and healthy. The first thing the Texans did was draft Tytus Howard, a tackle out of Alabama State, which is a good start. They added another tackle in the second round in Max Scharping.
Indianapolis Colts
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"In the end, one can only grade a draft class 2-3 years down the line, and time will tell if Ballard made the correct calls or not. Colts fans have a lot to be excited for, but I also have reason to believe that our roster could have been better if the draft had been approached differently."
The Colts jumpstarted their rebuild with a handful of impact additions last offseason, but had a relatively quiet this spring despite a wealth of cap space. Indianapolis re-signed Pierre Desir, bet on Devin Funchess living up to his potential with Andrew Luck, and then lured Justin Houston north after he was released by the Chiefs to cap a small — but potent — free agent haul.
Chris Ballard absolutely nailed last year’s draft, adding two different All-Pros. This year he didn’t have nearly the same amount of firepower to work with. Still, he used three second-round picks to add cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, edge rusher Ben Banogu, and receiver Parris Campbell, and a third-round pick on linebacker Bobby Okereke.
Jacksonville Jaguars
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The Jacksonville Jaguars got two of their top rated players in the first two rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft. No matter how the rest of the class performs, if those two turn out to be long-term starters — which is the expectation, make no mistake — then this draft will have been deemed a success."
2018 was an impressive mess, and the 2019 offseason brought quarterback Nick Foles and not much else to help it. Jacksonville is betting last year’s defensive regression won’t last, and that losing Tashaun Gipson and Malik Jackson won’t see the team back. It still has several good, young players in place, and added another by taking edge rusher Josh Allen of Kentucky at No. 7 overall to pair with Yannick Ngakoue.
The Jaguars got some help for Nick Foles when Jawaan Taylor landed in their laps at the beginning of the second round, and gave him tight end Josh Oliver in the third round. He was sacked 4.5 percent the past two years in Philadelphia, while Blake Bortles and Cody Kessler were sacked on 9 percent of their dropbacks in 2018.
Tennessee Titans
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
Tennessee has to make a decision about whether to commit to Marcus Mariota at quarterback or not as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. The team gave him some extra weapons this offseason, signing slot receiver Adam Humphries and lineman Rodger Saffold. The latter will be particularly useful after losing both his starting guards from 2018 — Josh Kline and Quinton Spain — this spring.
In an attempt to help Mariota be his best self they grabbed Ole Miss receiver A.J. Brown in the second round and Charlotte guard Nate Davis in round three. An already good defense didn’t need too many tweaks, and that’s good because first-round pick Jeffery Simmons might not be healthy enough to contribute on the defensive line right away.
Denver Broncos
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"It would seem Elway has figured out the NFL Draft as he has stacked back-to-back draft classes that have the making of something special."
John Elway has pegged Joe Flacco, a man with worse numbers than Case Keenum in 2018, as his Keenum replacement — at least for now. The future of the franchise could be second-round pick Drew Lock, who was projected by some to be a potential top 10 pick, but slipped into Denver’s hands at No. 42.
More immediately, the Broncos addressed the offense by signing offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James and drafting Dalton Risner in the second round. The top pick for the club was tight end Noah Fant, who came at a discount price after a trade down 10 spots in the first round.
The Denver defense backslid in 2018, and needed a little help. Most notably, the Broncos were on the hunt for a powerful defensive tackle who can take the blocking attention away from Von Miller and Bradley Chubb along the edges, and they may have got just the man in Dre’Mont Jones in the third round.
Kansas City Chiefs
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"There are clear paths to success for almost all of their picks. They addressed the right positions to build this roster further. If Hardman shows promise over the offseason and in training camp, Chiefs fans should be very optimistic about how this class will pan out."
The Chiefs needed defense, but were too cash-strapped to keep the big names they already had in 2019. Eric Berry, Dee Ford, Steven Nelson, and Justin Houston are all gone from last year’s AFC finalist squad. Frank Clark, Tyrann Mathieu, and Alex Okafor will help bolster the defensive rebuild, but it’s still probably going to be a team that wins shootouts, although second-round safety Juan Thornhill and third-round defensive tackle Khalen Saunders should help too.
The first pick of the draft for the Chiefs didn’t come until No. 56 overall, when the team added speedy receiver Mecole Hardman to the roster. That pick may serve as a replacement for Tyreek Hill, whose days in Kansas City appear numbered.
Los Angeles Chargers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
The Chargers’ 2018 put them back in contention for the AFC West crown, but a tight salary cap situation meant the biggest contract they’d hand out would go to backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Los Angeles’ free agent losses were minimal — deep threat Tyrell Williams, lane-clogging DT Darius Philon, and oft-injured cornerback Jason Verrett foremost among them — so there’s a chance Philip Rivers’ team can compete in 2019 even without a new crop of rookie playmakers.
An impact draft class could be the missing piece that sends Rivers to his first Super Bowl, and the Chargers picked up a pair of defenders who could do the trick. Defensive lineman Jerry Tillery will join a front that already had Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, and safety Nasir Adderley will slot in with Derwin James in the secondary.
Oakland Raiders
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"I hope everyone is enjoying imagining the possibilities of the Raiders 2019 draft haul. They picked up nine new prospects in the draft, many of whom could have an immediate impact."
Jon Gruden’s second offseason was somehow busier than his first, as he handed out massive deals to Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams, and Lamarcus Joyner after trading for unhappy Pittsburgh wideout Antonio Brown. Vontaze Burfict is also here to give John Madden flashbacks of his 1970s Oakland squads.
The Raiders are primed for a bounce back, but they still might not be ready to compete for the title in the ultra-tough AFC West. They no longer have a Khalil Mack-like presence in the pass rush and have a lot of work to do on their defensive line. They got some help on the edge with the surprise pick of DE Clelin Ferrell at fourth overall, where many consider him to be a reach. But he is, at least, a proven pass rusher.
Oakland used another first-round pick to find their Marshawn Lynch replacement in running back Josh Jacobs. Then the team shored up its secondary by drafting with safety Johnathan Abram late in the first and cornerback Trayvon Mullen early in the second.
Dallas Cowboys
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"There were times when I felt like the Cowboys were reaching, but I think subconsciously my mind wasn’t seeing the effects of not having a first-round pick. When you take a step back and lay it all on the table, it looks like a much more impressive draft haul."
The Cowboys used this offseason to keep DeMarcus Lawrence locked down and bring Jason Witten out of retirement, which is a boon for both their receiving corps and any of us who failed to mute Monday Night Football in 2018. Signing Randall Cobb adds an extra weapon for Dak Prescott, who will be without Cole Beasley and Geoff Swaim after both signed elsewhere. And while George Iloka isn’t Earl Thomas, he’ll still add value to the Dallas secondary.
The draft was a little boring for Cowboys fans after the team sent its 2019 first-round pick away during the 2018 season for Amari Cooper. The Cowboys were one of the last teams to pick a player, waiting all the way until No. 58 overall to get defensive tackle Trysten Hill. They added more beef in the third round with guard Connor McGovern.
New York Giants
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"After taking some time to think this through and look at both sides of the coin carefully, I concluded that the Giants, who remember had three first-round draft picks, are probably going to get their two defensive players, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and cornerback DeAndre Baker, on the field from Day 1."
Dave Gettleman’s reshaping of the Giants’ roster has been puzzling for much of the 2019 offseason. He traded both Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon to the Browns, leaving big shoes to fill at wide receiver and defensive end — although the latter trade landed guard Kevin Zeitler in New York, helping to upgrade an offensive line that struggled in 2018. The Giants also lost Landon Collins, one of the best young safeties in the NFL, in free agency.
But no decision was more important than the move to draft Daniel Jones sixth overall. The franchise will — at some point — be placed in his hands, and there aren’t many people who think that’s a good thing.
The Giants made some positive moves elsewhere. They signed replacements for their veteran losses by signing receiver Golden Tate, pass rusher Markus Golden, and safety Antoine Bethea. New York also found value in the draft by picking defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, cornerbacks Deandre Baker and Julian Love, and edge rusher Oshane Ximines. But it all probably won’t matter much in the long run if Jones is a bust.
Philadelphia Eagles
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"My genuine feeling is that I’m not thrilled by this draft class. I don’t feel like the Eagles hit a home run by any means. At the same time, I don’t feel like the Eagles royally scewed everything up."
The Eagles already have a roster that should continue to be in Super Bowl contention, so the offseason has mostly just been small tinkering to make it even better. The Eagles added Malik Jackson to the defensive line, traded to bring receiver DeSean Jackson back to where his career began, and added running back Jordan Howard in another trade.
There are no holes on the roster that desperately needed to be filled in the draft, so getting a replacement for 37-year-old left tackle Jason Peters ended up being the priority instead in the first round. Offensive tackle Andre Dillard was the No. 22 overall selection, but might not play at all during his rookie year. Second rounders Miles Sanders and JJ Arcega-Whiteside should give the offense a boost right away, though.
Washington
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"They entered the 2019 NFL Draft with a lot of holes on the current roster, and a nice array of top 100 picks to attempt to fill some of those holes. What they did to fill those needs, and how they did it was an absolute thing of beauty!"
The offseason started for Washington in a big way with the addition of Landon Collins, a transformative safety who should make a gigantic difference on defense. After that, spring was pretty depressing for the team.
Alex Smith probably won’t be back in 2019, and Washington acquired Case Keenum as the quarterback to temporarily fill those shoes. The team also signed colossal draft bust Ereck Flowers for offensive line depth, and pulled cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie out of his brief retirement.
It got significantly less depressing when the NFL Draft rolled around, though. Washington got its quarterback of the future in the middle of the first round by patiently waiting for Dwayne Haskins to fall in its lap. Then the team picked a good time to be aggressive and traded up to get Montez Sweat late in the first round. Receiver Terry McLaurin was a solid value pick in the third-round too.
Chicago Bears
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"Again, the Bears found themselves without a pick in the first two rounds and that needs to be taken into account. But even so, it’s hard not to like what Pace was able to do with limited resources."
Last year, the Bears dove headfirst into free agency and then landed Khalil Mack in a trade just before the regular season. The 2019 offseason hasn’t been nearly as exciting, but it hasn’t had to be. Chicago is already a contender and tried nudging itself over the hump by signing safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.
Clinton-Dix will help offset the loss of Adrian Amos, who joined the Packers in free agency. The Bears also lost cornerback Bryce Callahan and running back Jordan Howard, but the additions of Buster Skrine and Mike Davis should fill those holes.
All that meant there was little work left for general manager Ryan Pace to do in the draft. Chicago didn’t make a pick until early in the third round, but gave its offense a boost by picking running back David Montgomery and then took receiver Riley Ridley in the fourth round.
Detroit Lions
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"We may not agree on value, but the fact of the matter is the Lions addressed some key needs and improved their roster from top to bottom. I don’t see many glaring needs, other than some extra help on the interior offensive line."
The coup of the offseason for the Lions was pass rusher Trey Flowers, who will make a big difference on defense if he provides more consistency than Ezekiel Ansah did. That was far from the only move Detroit made, though. The Lions also brought on cornerbacks Justin Coleman and Rashaan Melvin, tight end Jesse James, and receiver Danny Amendola.
Matthew Stafford needed even more help, and Detroit provided that in the draft by taking tight end T.J. Hockenson of Iowa in top 10. The rest of the draft was used to give Matt Patricia pieces on defense by selecting linebacker Jahlani Tavai, safety Will Harris, defensive end Austin Bryant, and cornerback Amani Oruwariye.
Green Bay Packers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"Green Bay only really has one spot like that in 2019 and traded up to get a player to fill that role. This class looked beyond the immediate future to 2020 and beyond, filling holes before they crack open. While it won’t make some sports talk radio callers happy, it’s the smart way to build a franchise."
It was an uncharacteristically active venture into free agency for the Packers, who added safety Adrian Amos, linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith, and offensive lineman Billy Turner.
While making Aaron Rodgers happy was expected to be the top priority by the team, defense continued to be the focus in the draft. Defensive lineman Rashan Gary was the first player added, and the Packers traded up into the bottom half of the first round to get safety Darnell Savage. Offensive help for Rodgers didn’t come until day two when center Elgton Jenkins was picked in round two and tight end Jace Sternberger was picked in round three.
Minnesota Vikings
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"Looking at the Vikings' draft overall, it’s clear they were looking to draft starters on offense -- particularly offensive line, and backups on defense -- where starting jobs are pretty well set."
The Vikings’ defense was still good in 2018, but quarterback Kirk Cousins wasn’t the savior who pushed the team over the top. Part of his struggles can be attributed to an offensive line that failed to clear space. Minnesota didn’t do a whole to fix that, though. It lost Nick Easton in free agency, released Mike Remmers, and only spent big money to retain linebacker Anthony Barr.
It’d be a significant help if center Garrett Bradbury is able to start right away and play at a high level. The Vikings also picked up guard Dru Samia in the fourth round.
Otherwise, the Vikings drafted tight end Irv Smith Jr. in the middle of the second round and running back Alexander Mattison in the third round.
Atlanta Falcons
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The Falcons didn’t set out to be popular, and they didn’t set out to fix a defensive front seven they think just needs health and some good ol’ Dan Quinn magic to turn into a terrific unit. That’s a questionable decision, in my opinion, but the Falcons did get terrific athletes along the offensive line and at cornerback."
The offseason for the Falcons consisted of more subtraction than addition with Tevin Coleman, Robert Alford, Andy Levitre, and Bruce Irvin all leaving as free agents. Atlanta kept the most important impending free agent, though, by giving defensive tackle Grady Jarrett the franchise tag.
Still, Matt Ryan has no shortage of weapons, and the defense has speed at linebacker and in the secondary. Atlanta turned its attention in the draft to adding beef on the offensive line.
The defensive line appeared to be the more important project of the two — especially after the offensive line added James Carpenter and Jamon Brown in free agency. But the Falcons spent two first round picks to get guard Chris Lindstrom and tackle Kaleb McGary.
Carolina Panthers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"Overall, I think the Panthers had a good draft. They came into the weekend with the mindset of making both the offensive line and pass rush better, and taking two players at each group helped them reach that goal."
It’s starting to feel like a bit of a broken record at this point: The Panthers went into an offseason needing to upgrade Cam Newton’s supporting cast. Keeping offensive tackle Daryl Williams and signing center Matt Paradis was a start, a the offensive line got another boost when they took Greg Little of Mississippi.
The bigger issue early was adding to a defensive line that had Kawann Short, Mario Addison, and not much else. Julius Peppers finally retired and that left pass rusher as the clear top priority for the team heading into the draft, a priority they addressed with Brian Burns of Florida State in the first round and Alabama edge defender Christian Miller in the fourth.
New Orleans Saints
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
" The Saints showed their usual aggressiveness in moving up to get the players they wanted, and a Super Bowl caliber roster appears to have gotten younger, deeper, and more athletic."
The Saints didn’t need to do much this offseason after a 13-win season, and that’s good because they didn’t have many resources to use. New Orleans needs cap space in the reserves to lock down Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara for the future. But the team still managed to tinker away in free agency and add tight end Jared Cook and center Nick Easton. It lost pass rusher Alex Okafor and running back Mark Ingram, but replaced the latter with Latavius Murray.
New Orleans didn’t make its first draft pick until the second round, and the team addressed arguably its biggest need by taking center Erik McCoy out of Texas A&M. The Saints also drafted high-upside defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The Buccaneers passed up another opportunity to get some of the pieces they don’t just really need, but must have; even if Bunting and Dean and Edwards are steps in the right direction, they aren’t the elite prospects that change the course of franchises."
Bruce Arians’ first year coaching in Tampa looks like a rebuilding one. The Bucs made few big moves this offseason; their most expensive signing of the spring was punter Bradley Pinion. Kwon Alexander, Adam Humphries, and even Ryan Fitzpatrick have all moved on from Tampa Bay, leaving Arians with an opportunity to shape the team in his image.
Alexander’s departure left a hole in the middle of the defense, but it was quickly filled with the No. 5 pick in the draft with LSU linebacker Devin White. The rest of the draft was used to continue to add pieces to a defense that has been Swiss cheese for over a decade. Defensive backs Sean Bunting, Jamel Dean, and Mike Edwards were all picked in the second day, which should help a defense that gave up the third most passing touchdowns in the NFL in 2018.
Arizona Cardinals
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"They’ll go deep, run it, get tricky and all in all make football in Arizona I think, something it wasn’t last year. Exciting."
While the Cardinals made some minor moves to improve an awful roster this offseason, their rebound from 2018’s bottoming-out will depend on how their draft class pans out. More than anything, it’ll depend on Kyler Murray being worth the No. 1 pick and Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive reconstruction working out.
Arizona continued the offensive makeover in the draft by taking receivers Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler in rounds two and four, respectively.
The defense also needed work and the Cardinals got started in free agency by signing Jordan Hicks, Darius Philon, and Robert Alford. The Cardinals also drafted cornerback Byron Murphy and defensive end Zach Allen in day two. Players like J.R. Sweezy, Charles Clay, and a 36-year-old Terrell Suggs probably aren’t going to be instrumental to the team’s rebuild.
Los Angeles Rams
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"But as I look at it for a roster that already has the immediate contributors and has invested in the young and mid-level veterans to lift the team, it’s a fine draft that can fill some roster gaps beyond 2019 and perhaps hit on a talent or two to develop in their own right."
2019 has been a measured offseason for a Rams team that built an NFC champion over the course of the previous two years. Starters like Lamarcus Joyner, Rodger Saffold, and Mark Barron departed, replaced by Eric Weddle, Clay Matthews, and whomever can step up either in this year’s draft or from previous drafts.
The reigning NFC West champs aren’t hurting for talent, so the Rams were exceptionally patient in the draft sliding all the way to the bottom of the second round before finally taking safety Taylor Rapp at No. 61 overall. In round three, the Rams picked running back Darrell Henderson, cornerback David Long, and offensive tackle Bobby Evans.
San Francisco 49ers
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"The 2019 NFL Draft is in the books and the message that the San Francisco 49ers front office sent couldn’t be any louder: Surround franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with weapons."
San Francisco lost a season due to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s knee injury, but 2019 should bring improvements thanks to the expensive additions of linebacker Kwon Alexander and pass rusher Dee Ford, and the low-risk, high-reward signings of Tevin Coleman, Jordan Matthews, and Jason Verrett. The free agent losses were minimal, too — the biggest names leaving Santa Clara were punter Bradley Pinion and rotational pass rusher Cassius Marsh.
The 49ers addressed their need at pass rusher by taking Nick Bosa second overall, as many believed they would and despite talk of trading down. Their second-round spot yielded a solid group of young receivers to team up with Marquise Goodwin, George Kittle, and Dante Pettis and push Garoppolo to a resurgent season — they had a lot of players to choose from, and went with Deebo Samuel, and then in the third round took Jalen Hurd.
Seattle Seahawks
2018 Offense
2018 Defense
"To go from two firsts and three mid-rounders to four picks in the top 88 plus seven more choices while trading up in the second round and futhermore, adding a seventh to nab the collegiate leader in receiving TDs: that’s the best process one could have hoped for out of the Seahawks, and they delivered."
Seattle’s latest attempt to protect Russell Wilson swaps out J.R. Sweezy for Mike Iupati, which is a step in the right direction but probably not enough for Wilson to avoid being one of the league’s most-sacked QBs again. No offensive linemen were picked by Seattle into the fourth round of the draft.
While retaining K.J. Wright and the awaiting-sentence-for-insider-trading Mychal Kendricks helps, that won’t offset the losses of defenders like Shamar Stephen, Justin Coleman, Frank Clark, and especially Earl Thomas.
If the Seahawks want to stave off a decline, they’ll need defensive end L.J. Collier picked at No. 29 overall to help some up front and second-round safety Marquise Blair to help in the secondary. Wilson got some help in the draft with the addition of receivers D.K. Metcalf and Gary Jennings, but may be facing the departure of Doug Baldwin soon.
