Identifying the biggest remaining need for all 32 NFL teams
Adam Schefter details the teams that could make a bid for Blake Bortles after he was released by the Jaguars. (0:36)
The first week of free agency — counting the tampering period — is in the books.
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost running back Le’Veon Bell (free agent) and wide receiver Antonio Brown (trade). But their biggest need is on defense.
What does the rest of the league need? NFL Nation breaks it down.
Scan through all 32 teams by division, or click here to jump ahead to your team:
Defensive line depth. The Bills’ need along their defensive front is not as much about this season as it is planning for next offseason, when the contracts of Jerry Hughes, Shaq Lawson (if his fifth-year option is not exercised) and Jordan Phillips expire. There are also durability questions with Trent Murphy, whom the Bills signed to a three-year deal last offseason. Buffalo seemed to have that in mind when it hosted Ziggy Ansah on a visit last Thursday, but GM Brandon Beane said there wasn’t likely to be a deal. — Mike Rodak
When: April 25-27
Where: Nashville, Tennessee
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Defensive line. The Dolphins found a stopgap starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, and while QB is still a need, defensive line is Miami’s biggest hole. The Dolphins finished 31st in run defense and 29th in sacks last season, and they lost their best defensive lineman in Cameron Wake to Tennessee in free agency. Miami should target multiple defensive linemen during the draft — at edge and defensive tackle. If the Dolphins are looking to select one at pick No. 13, Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins and Mississippi State’s Montez Sweat could be top options. Also, look for Miami to seek affordable value options in the free agent market.
Wide receiver. The Patriots went hard after slot receiver Adam Humphries, which highlights how they view that position (and Humphries as a player) as one to target. With Humphries signing with the Titans, the Patriots filled out the depth chart with lower-cost and lower-upside options in Maurice Harris and Bruce Ellington. So this could be a spot the Patriots look closely at in the draft, while also exploring trade possibilities across the NFL. — Mike Reiss
Edge rusher. Specifically, they need an outside linebacker for their 3-4. The Jets thought they had one, but Anthony Barr reneged on his agreement and returned to the Vikings. Now what? They could take a one-year flier on Justin Houston, but the long-term answer lies in the draft. With the third pick, they could be in position to take OLB Josh Allen. — Rich Cimini
Wide receiver. This is a huge void. The Ravens return one wide receiver (Willie Snead) who caught more than 20 passes last season after Michael Crabtree was cut and John Brown signed with the Bills in free agency. Here are the current targets for Lamar Jackson on the outside: Chris Moore, Jordan Lasley (inactive for every game last year), Jaleel Scott (spent last year on injured reserve) and Quincy Adeboyejo (coming off injured reserve). Jackson didn’t throw often to his wide receivers last season, which is a reason it could be difficult to lure a top wide receiver to Baltimore in free agency. Baltimore really needs to address wide receiver early in the draft. — Jamison Hensley
Linebacker. The Bengals sat out the early wave of free-agent linebackers, instead signing middle linebacker Preston Brown to a three-year deal. It appears for now that they’re sticking with last year’s group of linebackers in Brown, Vontaze Burfict and Nick Vigil. Considering Burfict’s lack of availability over the past few years, linebacker still remains a need, and it’s likely it’s one they could address early in the 2019 draft. — Katherine Terrell
Safety. The Browns traded Jabrill Peppers in the Odell Beckham Jr. deal and have no evident replacement. Eric Berry is a possibility, but injuries the past two seasons limited him to three games. Filling this spot may extend to the draft — and beyond. — Pat McManamon
Inside linebacker. The Steelers return both starters but need a high-level roamer with elite lateral speed, which was once Ryan Shazier‘s specialty. L.J. Fort signing with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency hurts the depth. Armed with 10 draft picks, including four in the first 83 picks, the Steelers could try to move up in the first round to land LSU’s Devin White. Wide receiver will also be a major area of need come April. — Jeremy Fowler
Left tackle. Texans general manager Brian Gaine has already said he expects Seantrel Henderson to start at right tackle in 2019, but Houston does not have an obvious candidate to play on the left side. Houston allowed an NFL-leading 62 sacks last season, and the Texans have three picks in the first two rounds to find the player who can protect quarterback Deshaun Watson going forward. — Sarah Barshop
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Edge rusher. The Colts went into the offseason openly talking about the need to get help in the pass-rush department after finishing tied for 19th in sacks. The lone free agent signed from the outside so far is receiver Devin Funchess. Pass rushers Justin Houston and Ezekiel Ansah are one and two, respectively, on ESPN’s list of best remaining free agents, but indications at the moment are that the Colts will use the draft to address pass rushers unless they can sign a player to a short-term deal at a low cost. — Mike Wells
Right tackle. The Jaguars signed former Bengals first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi, but he ranked in the bottom 10 in the NFL in pass blocking in 2016 and ’17, per Pro Football Focus metrics, and was a healthy scratch for much of 2018. Will Richardson, the team’s 2018 fourth-round pick, was far behind where the Jags hoped he’d be last season and they can’t count on him in 2019. The Jaguars have little cap space remaining but have the seventh pick, which would be a perfect spot to find their starter, whether it’s Florida’s Jawaan Taylor, Alabama’s Jonah Williams or another player. — Michael DiRocco
Outside linebacker: No Titans posted double-digit sacks last year. Adding Cameron Wake will definitely be a boost to the pass rush, but the Titans would still like to add a pure standup edge defender. There aren’t many options left in free agency, so expect the Titans to address outside linebacker in the draft. — Turron Davenport
Cornerback. The Broncos lack depth at cornerback and play in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Philip Rivers, Antonio Brown, Travis Kelce, Keenan Allen and Sammy Watkins. Yes, Chris Harris Jr. is an elite option in the defensive plan, and they signed Kareem Jackson in free agency, but Jackson could play in a cornerback/safety/nickel hybrid role, and Isaac Yiadom is a second-year player still on the learning curve. The Broncos have plenty of work to do with perhaps another second-wave signing in free agency as well as a premium pick or two in the draft. — Jeff Legwold
Cornerback. The Chiefs were thin at corner last season and are without two of their top three from 2018 — Steven Nelson and Orlando Scandrick — because one left in free agency and they aren’t interested in re-signing the other. The Chiefs will likely bring in veteran help whether through a trade or free agency but will also make the position a priority in the draft. — Adam Teicher
Defensive tackle: The Chargers recently re-signed nose tackle Brandon Mebane to a two-year deal but currently have only two defensive tackles on the roster. The Chargers need an interior pass rusher to push the pocket to go with talented edge rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. Bringing in someone like Ndamukong Suh in free agency could make some sense, or the Bolts could look to the draft, with players like Clemson’s Christian Wilkins or Dexter Lawrence possibly available at No. 28. — Eric D. Williams
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Edge rusher. Sure, the Raiders added Josh Mauro in free agency, but, along with Arden Key, Oakland has only two defensive ends on the roster. And they have combined for — wait for it — three career sacks. Expect Jon Gruden to address the position big time in the draft. Paging Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Rashan Gary, Clelin Ferrell, Montez Sweat & Co. Oakland, which had a league-low 13 sacks last season (or half a sack more than Khalil Mack did for the Bears), has four picks in the top 35 of the draft. — Paul Gutierrez
Re-sign DeMarcus Lawrence. This was the need as soon as the Cowboys placed the franchise tag on him for the second straight year. They have until July 15 to get a deal done, but if they wait that long, then there’s no telling when Lawrence will have his shoulder surgery and will be able to play in a game. The Cowboys’ early free-agent work has been about depth. Getting Lawrence locked up for the foreseeable future will show teammates the Cowboys will reward high-end production. — Todd Archer
Linebacker. The Giants’ defense still lacks talent overall and there is a glaring need for a natural cover linebacker. This has been a major problem for years in their attempt to corral tight ends and running backs. The Giants had interest in Deone Bucannon, but he chose Tampa Bay. Defensive coordinator James Bettcher desperately needs somebody to fill the “moneybacker” spot on his defense. — Jordan Raanan
Running back. The Eagles finished 28th in rushing yards (1,570) and second from the bottom in yards per attempt (3.9) last season. Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles are both free agents. Even if one of those players comes back, they need to bolster the position. The Eagles don’t put a high value on the running back position, but the need is clear. It would not be surprising if they add two backs this offseason — one through free agency and the other through the draft. — Tim McManus
Wide receiver. The Redskins need more help at receiver, especially after losing Jamison Crowder in free agency. Last season, Washington’s wideouts ranked last in the NFL with 1,694 yards and 28th in average yards after the catch. A healthy Paul Richardson will help, but durability has long been an issue for him. They would like to add a low-cost veteran in free agency, but will target this position early in the draft. The Redskins want to run the ball and play good defense, but high on their list: adding a playmaker at receiver. — John Keim
Place-kicker. The Bears have two rookie kickers on their roster after a series of tryouts that led to the release of veteran Cody Parkey. But after the impact of poor kicking on their 2018 season, the Bears need to fortify the competition with a veteran. The kicking market typically extends into training camp, all the way into Labor Day after final cuts. — Kevin Seifert
Cornerback. Yes, the Lions signed Justin Coleman and it’s not clear how they plan to use him. But he was much more effective as a slot corner than an outside corner throughout his career — so to kick Coleman outside would seem risky. Mike Ford and Teez Tabor are outside corner options, but both have struggled in game action. Don’t be surprised if the Lions do two things: sign a veteran corner that can be serviceable at No. 2 (someone like D.J. Hayden in prior years) and draft a player on Day 1 or 2 to groom for late 2019/early 2020 as an eventual starter if Ford and Tabor don’t work out. — Michael Rothstein
Weapon in the passing game: We’re not just going to narrow it down to receiver. It could be a tight end or a running back, or some combination of the three. Outside of Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, the Packers don’t have enough playmakers for Aaron Rodgers. There’s a glaring hole in the middle of the field, and a tight end, slot receiver or a pass-catching back would help fill that. — Rob Demovsky
Offensive linemen. The Vikings currently have one guard under contract for 2019: Danny Isidora, who played all of 214 snaps in four games last season. Even after restructuring Everson Griffen‘s contract, Minnesota doesn’t have the space needed to rebuild its offensive line in free agency. They’ll likely have to dedicate draft capital there because the interior of the O-line is nonexistent. If Minnesota wants to make a financially sound move to get a starter in free agency, it might be by going after the likes of Josh Kline, T.J. Lang, Ben Garland or other lower-tier starters. — Courtney Cronin
Defensive tackle. The Falcons need to attain a big, physical body to pair with Grady Jarrett on the interior. They need a defensive tackle with pass-rush ability who can stop the run as well, something they didn’t have consistently last season — although Jack Crawford had flashes. There are a variety of defensive tackles in the draft, so expect the Falcons to look there. — Vaughn McClure
Edge rusher. The Panthers’ biggest offseason need won’t be filled until the draft, when they find a long-term replacement for future Hall of Fame defensive end Julius Peppers. That the draft is loaded with quality edge rushers as Carolina begins blending a mix of 3-4 into its 4-3 scheme makes this position almost a lock for the No. 16 pick. Whether that position is an end or outside linebacker remains to be seen, although end seems most likely with the first pick. — David Newton
Pass catcher. It’s the same as it was one week ago. The Saints badly need either a pass-catching tight end or slot receiver to flank Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. They brought in the top free-agent tight end, Jared Cook, for a visit, which would fit the bill. Otherwise it’s pretty slim pickings at this point. — Mike Triplett
Cornerback. The Bucs need cornerback help to supplant Brent Grimes. While Vernon Hargreaves showed promise in the season opener prior to a shoulder injury, there are still too many question marks with him, Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart. It’s a weak free-agent cornerback market, but a veteran like Morris Claiborne is still available and has familiarity with Todd Bowles’ system. — Jenna Laine
Wide receiver. Arizona agreed to terms with Kevin White late last week, but the former No. 7 pick has played in just 14 games since getting drafted in 2015. White has had trouble with both staying healthy and being consistent. The Cardinals still need receiving options now that J.J. Nelson has signed with the Oakland Raiders. Beyond Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, who’ll be returning from a broken foot, Arizona is thin at the position, just like last year. — Josh Weinfuss
Linebacker. At the outset of the offseason, it was clear this was a position in which depth would need to be built, with backups Ramik Wilson and Bryce Hager becoming unrestricted free agents. But then the Rams released veteran starter Mark Barron, which saved $6.33 million in their salary cap but created a sizable hole in their defense. Barron could return on a smaller deal, but the Rams continue to monitor the free agency market and could look to the draft to bulk up the position. — Lindsey Thiry
Wide receiver. The 49ers signed or re-signed players at nearly every position in the opening days of free agency, some with substantial investments. That includes wideout, where Jordan Matthews was added on a one-year deal. While Matthews was a sensible, cost-effective option, the 49ers still need a difference-maker outside. The type of receiver the Niners need simply isn’t available on the free-agent market, but if they can’t find a trade partner, it’s fair to assume they will make adding a receiver or two a priority in the first two days of the draft. — Nick Wagoner
Edge rusher. The Seahawks have Frank Clark and his 32 sacks over the past three seasons but not much else in the way of a proven pass-rush threat off the edge. Clark’s future beyond 2019 is uncertain after Seattle placed him under the franchise tag. Even if the Seahawks sign a veteran like Bruce Irvin, Ezekiel Ansah or Justin Houston to a short-term deal, it may not stop them from doubling down on that position with an early-round pick.— Brady Henderson