2007 NFL Draft - Team Needs  

Posted by Walter

Team Needs - AFC


New England Patriots

  • Wide Receiver - Caldwell is a FA, Brown is old, Jackson has shown nothing
  • Linebacker - Bruschi is almost done, Vrabel is better on the outside, really need a ILB
  • Defensive Back - if Samuel stays they are solid with him and Hobbs, could use an upgrade at both safety spots
  • Running Back - should be looking for a late round replacement for Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk isn't getting any younger

New York Jets

  • Defensive Back - Dyson is solid but Miller stinks, this needs to be a CB
  • Tight End - they have no talent at the position to speak of
  • Defensive Tackle - if they want to play the 3-4 they have only one player (Shaun Ellis), need a nose and another end (Von Oelhoffen sucks)

Miami Dolphins
  • Defensive Tackle - almost no one under contract, Holliday and Traylor stink anyways
  • Defensive Back - Will Allen is OK at one corne but they have nothing at the other CB spot (A Goodman) or eith safety (Hill and Bell)
  • Quarterback - Culpepper looks done and Harrington is not the answer

Buffalo Bills
  • Offensive Line - specifically at right tackle, 3 interior guys are no names as well
  • Linebacker - Spikes is a shade of his former self, Fletcher is productive but old
  • Defensive Back - if they lose Clements they need another corner
  • Running Back - early if they give up on McGahee, late if they keep him

Indianapolis Colts
  • Linebacker - OLB specifically, especially if Cato June leaves, Morris is solid but old at SLB, Brackett is OK in the middle
  • Defensive Back - Sanders and Bethea are a great young safety tandem, but Harper and David are just so so as corners
  • Defensive Tackle - Boog McFarland is still solid, but Raheem Brock is only average, a young stud would really help

Houston Texans
  • Offensive Line - so what else is new, they have nothing here
  • Defensive Tackle - they have nothing on the defensive line other than Mario Williams, pass rusher would be huge
  • Defensive Back - Dunta Robinson is a keeper but they don't have adequate play at either safety spot

Tennessee Titans

  • Defensive End - Vanden Bosch is good but injury prone, they have nothing onthe other side
  • Defensive Tackle - Robaire Smith is good vs. the run, this is even more pressing should they drop Haynesworth
  • Cornerback - Pacman is a stud, but Reynaldo Hill and Andre Woolfolk are not starters

Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Defensive Back - Rasheen Mathis is one of the best but they need a starter opposite him, Deon Grant is fine at free but need a SS
  • Outside Linebacker - they love Daryl Smith in the middle, but Greisen and Ingram are not long term answers
  • Quarterback - I don't think they are sold on either Leftwich or Garrard

Baltimore Ravens
  • Offensive Line - Ogden might retire, Pashos (RT) is only average, pretty good on the interior though
  • Running Back - Jamal Lewis looks done, and Mike Anderson is not the answer
  • Linebacker - only if Adalius Thomas leaves, Suggs and Scott are great, but Ray Lewis is not getting any younger

Cincinnati Bengals
  • Defensive Back - rumors are that Deltha O'Neal and Tory James are gone, Joseph is good but they have nothing else, could use a safety too
  • Tight End - they have nothing and could really use a weapon here
  • Offensive Line - need a starting guard if Steinbach leaves, and Richie Braham is old and injured at center

Cleveland Browns
  • Defensive Line - Ted Washington is old at NT, and they have nothing at DE for the 3-4
  • Offensive Line - specifically at tackle, they need both tackles
  • Running Back - Droughns is sure not the answer in the backfield, Harrison was only a late round pick
  • Defensive Back - Bodden is a solid starter but they need a corner opposite him, Baxter was terrible

Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Offensive Line - they really need a center now that Hartings has retired, Kendall Simmons (G) and Max Starks (T) are also question marks
  • Defensive Back - Ike Taylor and Desheah Townsend have ability but are inconsistent, they are all set at safety but could use an impact corner
  • Linebacker - they are set for starters but could use some depth

San Diego Chargers
  • Defensive Back - Jammer and Florence are adequate, McCree is OK at FS, Kiel is already gone so they have nobody at SS
  • Wide Reciever - Vincent Jackson looks like a keeper, but McCardell is old and Parker sucks
  • Linebacker - Phillips and Merriman are great on the outside, but Godfrey and Edwards are old and won't play much longer

Denver Broncos
  • Defensive Line - they are a bunch of castoffs and were adequate this past year, but basically their isn't a single impact player
  • Defensive Back - the death of Darrent Williams leaves a whole at CB (or FS if Foxworth slides over to CB), Lynch is getting old at SS
  • Offensive Line - they don't put a premium on this, but Meadows, Foster and Pearman are only average starters

Oakland Raiders
  • Quarterback - Brooks was a disaster and Andrew Walter hasn't shown anything
  • Offensive Line - lots of high draft picks here, probably won't give up on Gallery, Grove is a good young center, really need a RT and RG
  • Wide Reciever - tons of talent with Moss and Porter, but terrible attitude

Kansas City Chiefs
  • Offensive Line - Roaf retired last year, Shields retired this year, Turley is not all the way back, outside of Waters and Wiegman they need 3 starters
  • Defensive Tackle - Ron Edwards and James Reed?, Sims was a bust and they need to give up and move on
  • Wide Receiver - they have nothing here, Kennison is their best and Parker is a 4th WR at best
  • Defensive Back - Ty Law and Pat Surtain are old and they have no depth behind them, they could use some youth at safety as well

Team Needs - NFC

New York Giants
  • Defensive Back - Demps and Wilson are OK at safety, Webster was a disaster at one CB spot and Madison is getting old at the other
  • Offensive Line - they lost Whitfield to retirement, Petigout they cut, and Kareem McKenzie is terrible
  • Linebacker - Pierce is great, but they cut Emmons and Arrington

Dallas Cowboys
  • Defensive Back - Newman and Roy Williams are good, but Anthony Henry is only adequate, and they really need a ballhawking free safety
  • Offensive Line - Columbo (RT) stinks, Rivera (RG) is old, Kosier (LG) stinks, Flozells Adams is old, they could use a tackle and a guard
  • Defensive Line - Canty is a keeper, but Spears has been a bust and Ferguson is old at the nose

Washington Redskins
  • Defensive Line - Cornelius Griffin is old, Andre Carter is their best defensive lineman, they really need an impact DE or DT or both
  • Defensive Back - they have Sean Taylor and Carlos Rogers, but Troy Vincent (FS) is old, and they have no other starting caliber corners
  • Offensive Line - they have good starters, but virtually no depth, Jansen (RT) is the most injury prone, Rabach (C) is the worst player

Philadelphia Eagles
  • Linebacker - Trotter is solid but old, they really need help on the outside
  • Wide Reciever - Reggie Brown is good but they have nothing after him, they almost never take WR though
  • Defensive Back - Sheppard and Brown are good at the corners, but Dawkins is getting old and they have no SS

Detroit Lions
  • Offensive Line - they pay Jeff Backus like a top LT but he isn't, they need starters at every position
  • Quarterback - Kitna is not the answer, although Martz likes Orlovsky and doesn't really want a project
  • Defensive Line - James Hall is OK, but aside from Cory Redding they have nothing, they need a DT and DE

Green Bay Packers
  • Defensive Back - Al Harris is a good cover man, Nick Collins is a good FS, but Charles Woodson is old and Manual sucks at FS
  • Wide Reciever - Driver is old, Jennings is decent, but they could use a stud here
  • Running Back - Ahman Green is coming to the end and Vernand Morency is not the answer

Minnesota Vikings
  • Wide Reciever - Travis Taylor is a bust and they have nothing else, they desperately need a stud
  • Defensive Back - they are old at safety (Sharper and Smith), Winfield is getting old, and Smoot is a bum
  • Offensive Line - they are all set with McKinnie and Hutchinson, but the right side is terrible at both spots

Chicago Bears
  • Tight End - Desmond Clark is adequate but a playmaker here would really help their QB
  • Offensive Line - talented but old at many spots (Tait, Brown, Miller) and they could really use some depth
  • Linebacker - Hunter Hillenmeye is OK and they only really need a player here is Briggs leaves
  • Defensive Back - if Briggs stays they could certainly use a "cornerback of the future" to push Nathan Vasher (who is incredibly overrated)

Atlanta Falcons
  • Defensive Back - Deangelo Hall is great, the safeties are old, and they really need another corner
  • Wide Reciever - Petrino loves to throw and they need a stud on the outside
  • Defensive Line - if Kerney leaves they need an end, but otherwise they could use some youth inside at DT (maybe a pass rusher to spell Jackson)

Carolina Panthers
  • Linebacker - they need a MLB and an OLB to play opposite Thomas Davis
  • Offensive Line - other than Jordan Gross they don't have a lot, especially in the running game
  • Quarterback - Delhomme has been a revelation but he started to show signs of slowing down, they need a QB of the future and an immediate backup
  • Tight End - Jeff King is an intruiging player, but they haven't had an impact pass catcher since Wes Walls

New Orleans Saints
  • Defensive Back - Mike McKenzie is OK but Fred Thomas was terrible, and they badly need a SS to play next to Bullocks
  • Linebacker - they always draft linebackers but none are ever any good
  • Defensive Line - the ends are great but neither tackle is anything special
  • Tight End - not a huge part of their offense but an elite pass catcher would add a new dimension

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Defensive Line - Rice is getting old and Dewayne White is gone, they also need help inside after losing Sapp and McFarland the past two seasons
  • Wide Reciever - Galloway is getting old, Stovall is a project, and they don't really have anything else for Gruden's famed passing attack
  • Defensive Back - specifcally they need to fill both safety spots, and Ronde Barber, while still playing at a high level, isn't getting any younger
  • Quarterback - Gradkowski and Simms are not pro bowl caliber, Drew Stanton would be a good fit and I personally think Quinn would be a star in Gruden's offense

San Francisco 49ers
  • Defensive Line - Bryant Young is old, Marque Douglas was good, but they need youth, especially if they want to go to the 3-4
  • Defensive Back - aside from Shawtae Spencer they have nothing, they need a CB and both safety spots
  • Linebacker - Lawson and Moore are solid on the outside, but they need a MLB especially if they want to go to the 3-4
  • Wide Reciever - perhaps a more immediate concern but can be addressed later in the draft, Antonio Bryant is a solid starter but they could use a slot man

Seattle Seahawks
  • Offensive Line - Locklear and Jones are still great, they really need two starting caliber guards though
  • Defensive Back - Trufant is OK, but they need another corner and could use an upgrade for both Babineaux and Boulware at safety
  • Defensive Line - the starters are OK but they could use some depth, Wistrom is getting old and they could use someone to play next to Bernard inside

Saint Louis Rams
  • Linebacker - Will Witherspoon is OK in the middle but they have nothing on the outside
  • Defensive Line - Claude Wrotten has potential, Jimmy Kennedy was a 1st rounder, but neither is great, they also need an end opposite Little
  • Defensive Back - Ty Hill looked OK as a rookie, Fakhir Brown is actually pretty decent, but nobody is special back there

Arizona Cardinals
  • Offensive Line - like the Texans what else is new, they really need a left tackle
  • Defensive Line - aside from Darnell Dockett and the project that is Gabe Watson inside they have nothing, they really need a DE
  • Defensive Back - Robert Griffith and David Macklin stink, so they could use a corner and a safety

2 comments

Anonymous   says 10:31 PM

Eugene Wilson is not a good safety? He is a hard hitting, fast safety and Randell Gay is also a good backup cornerback who has been injury prone this season, he started for a superbowl winning team.

True that those two names are on the roster but I'd point out a few things: (1) neither one of those players finished last season on the active roster due to serious injuries, (2) Wilson hasn't shown one iota of improvement since his rookie season, and (3) Gay is a restricted free agent who will likely recieve only a late round tender if any tender at all. Since Gay was an undrafted free agent that means that any team wishing to sign him wouldn't have to give up a draft pick to do so.

Assuming they resign Samuel the Patriots have a decent start in the secondary. Samuel is a legitimate starting corner (although perhaps not a lockdown corner), but the jury could be out on whether Hobbs will ever be more than a nickelback. I will concede that safety is a bigger need area with Harrison nearing the end of his career and the uncertainty surrounding guys like Eugene Wilson, James Sanders, and Atrell Hawkins. The bottom line is that the Patriots NEED a long term solution at strong safety and they could definitely USE some young talent at free safety, and cornerback.

And to be fair, I did list defensive back as the third need area for the Pats.

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