We all want to know what our NFL team needs in the upcoming offseason after the 2010 season. Here is a brief breakdown of the top three most important positions each team needs to address, due to injuries, free agency, and simple lack of current production.
AFC
West
– Denver
1) Defensive Line (Bad trades and aging players have the defensive line as probably the worst unit in Denver. When running the 3-4, it is very important to be stout up front, so a replacement at NT or DE would be wise, especially in a division with stud runners (McFadden, Charles, Mathews))
2) OLB (How badly can one injury hurt a team? Well we saw when Dumervil went down with a torn pectoral muscle this year, therefore negating his 17.5 sacks recorded in 2009 season. Denver needs pass rush help)
3) CB (Champ Bailey is a Free Agent and expressed distaste for all the change in Denver lately. He will also be expensive as he is still playing at a very high level, so he will probably leave. Also, Perrish Cox was convicted of Assault, so should be facing some jail time)
– Kansas City CHIEFS
1) LB (Getting a partner for Tamba Hali would only increase his sack totals, since he going to be getting paid big time this offseason after a phenomenal year. Also Vrabel will be leaving due free agency. The ILBs are also needing a partner next to Derrick Johnson)
2) DL (NT could be one of the easiest positions to find quality players later in the 2011 NFL draft, so the Chiefs look to upgrade the position)
3) WR (Bowe can be a superstar, but who is opposite of him? The Chiefs need a legit #2 receiver)
– Oakland RAIDERS
1) QB (Is Jason Campbell the answer? No. An interesting experiment when they needed to get rid of Jamarcus Russell, but the Raiders need a franchise signal caller if they are going to take the next step in this division)
2) LB (McClain is good, but getting some more rushing OLB would be smart for this good defensive unit. Especially in a division with Philips Rivers, getting to the QB is important)
3) OL (The inside of the OL has been an interesting carousel this year of trying to find the right combination. Drafting another young interior lineman would help continue to find a good balance, for a good run game)
– San Diego CHARGERS
1) DE (Cesaire is a free agent this year, and drafting a replacement would greatly help the front lines pass rushing ability, and continue to help Garay progress into a pro-bowler)
2) LB (English has not panned out, and a rushing OLB would be a good idea to draft. Also, all the Chargers ILB are free agents; some will be resigned, but another draft pick would increase the most important position in the 3-4 defense)
3) OL (Clarey is up in free agency this season, and should not be resigned after a horrible season. Drafting a stud RT, to pair with McNeil protecting Rivers, would be smart)
South
– Houston TEXANS
1) DB (Kareem Jackson is coming along fine, but finding another corner opposite of him to fill the void Dunta Robinson left will be important. Both safety positions need to be considered also)
2) DL (The Texans were interested in Schobel this offseason, so DE is obviously a concern, and DT could use an upgrade also because at this point Okoye seem like a bust)
3) WR (Finding someone to line up opposite of Andre Johnson, and considering TE Owen Daniels is a Free Agent, the Texans need to keep some offensive weapons around Schaub)
– Indianapolis COLTS
1) OL (Ugoh is NOT the answer at LT, and Polian will almost 100% definitely draft a LT to protect his Golden Goose Peyton Manning. The Guards also need an upgrade)
2) DT (If the Colts don’t draft OL first, they will look to upgrade their DL, namely getting a young, smaller, quick DT to get into the opposing backfield)
3) LB (Having a major shake up shake up in the linebacking corp would not be shocking this offseason and they really haven’t been able to rush the QB or stop the run)
– Jacksonville JAGUARS
1) DE (Kampman has had back to back year ending ACL injuries on opposite knees. Will he be back? And if so, will he be dominant? Drafting a young DE, wouldn’t hurt this defense any)
2) Safety (Both safety positions remain the biggest glaring need on a defensive unit that is not very good. In a dvision with Peyton Manning, having deep coverage is important, so drafting some safety help this offseason would be smart)
3) LB (Few free agents could be leaving on this unit, so drafting some depth would be smart for a defense that is lacking few stand out playmakers)
– Tennessee TITANS
1) QB (Will Vince Young be back? This will depend on if Jeff Fischer is retained as the head coach; if he is back, expect him to draft a new QB)
2) OL (Chris Johnson has shown he is mortal this year, and his yardage has taken a huge hit, but this is mainly because the guards are not very good at run blocking this year. Upgrading the offensive line would help one the production of one of the most explosive players in the NFL)
3) LB (ILB is in desperate need of attention this offseason, and OLB could also use some upgrades. Drafting a few linebackers will definitely be in the Titans draft plans)
East
– Buffalo BILLS
1) OLB (Switching to the 3-4 defense has not been easy for Buffalo. Gailey has spoken out about Maybin not being able to handle being an OLB, and Merriman was just resigned for another year and who knows how he will come back after so much time off from injury)
2) CB (McKelvin hasn’t lived up to his draft spot, and Drayton Florence is a Free Agent this year, so getting a CB would be a good idea, especially when having to play Tom Brady twice a year)
3) QB (Most people around the league don’t think that Fitzgerald can be the guy making the calls, but word is that he will get 2011 to make his case. If the Bills can draft someone better, they should consider it though, at least to bring in competition)
– Miami DOLPHINS
1) RB (Both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are Free Agents this offseason and both wont be back, if either, so drafting a premier RB is important this offseason)
2) QB (Chad Henne has struggled and struggled, so finally they go in a different route and draft a new QB, unless they can draft for Kolb or similar young stud QB around the league)
3) OL (Ignonito is a good left Guard, but is a Free Agent, and if back will be moving to center. Therefore the inside of the line could use an upgrade. Also, a stud RT opposite of Jake Long will help the new QB stand upright)
– New England PATRIOTS
1) OLB (The Patriots desperately need youth that can perform and rush the passer on a regular basis. Tully Banta-Cane is the only true starter on the roster, and this is one of the most difficult positions to fill in the 3-4 defense, so drafting here is necessary)
2) DE (This is a strong position to contain the run in the 3-4 defense, and no one has been special opposite of Ty Warren, so Belichick continues to upgrade his defense in this area)
3) OL (Light will be an old free agent, and knowing the Patriots, probably not resigned. Also Mankins had contract dispute all offseason and help out half a season, he too will probably be walking this offseason)
– New York JETS
1) WR (Holmes, Smith, and Edwards are all Free Agents this offseason, and although one or two might get resigned, drafting a stud WR would be good for Sanchez, especially in the Red Zone where he has struggled. Finally Sanchez can find a WR that can hold onto the ball)
2) Safety (Injuries have shown how important the safety position is to Rex Ryan’s defense. Drafting depth on this position, or possibly a future blue-chip starter is a real possibility this offseason)
3) OLB (Jason Taylor has been interestingly good in the Jets defense this year, but he will be a Free Agent, and is noticeably losing a step with his quickness off the edge. Even if they retain him for another year, drafting youth is important for the OLB position in the 3-4 defense)
North
– Baltimore RAVENS
1) DB (So much needs to be done in the secondary to get the defense back to dominance that it is use to. Corners need to be addressed first. Next the safety position needs depth behind Ed Reed who is aging, and Landry who is a Free Agent)
2) LB (Ray Lewis is finally starting to show his age, and last years 2nd round in the 2010 draft Sergo Kindle might not ever return to the team, so getting youth in this unit is important, since it has always been the strong suit for the Ravens)
3) OL (So much needs to be done here also, it is hard to pin point where to start. But a RT, opposite of Oher should be first and foremost. Center Matt Birk is not as young as he use to be and some guards are Free Agents, so getting depth on the inside of the line could be addressed later in the draft)
– Cincinnati BENGALS
1) DE (Dunlap has been decent as of lately, but Odom has been injury plagued, so getting a stud pass-rushing DE would be smart for the Bengals defense)
2) Safety (Sorry Roy Williams, your days are over and retirement is near. Upgrading the strong safety position, would allow the two young stud corners to continue to excel)
3) OL (Benson is a great RB and likely back again next year, so the guard position must be upgraded. The Bengals need a run-blocking Guard, and should be addressed in the first couple rounds)
– Cleveland BROWNS
1) WR (No one has stepped up at the WR position for the Browns, drafting Colt McCoy a star receiver should be Holmgren’s first plan of attack this offseason)
2) DE (The defensive line is not very strong, but the weakest position is DE. Getting a stout run stuffing DE to contain the edge will be important for this defense to take the next step)
3) LB (Both ILB, and OLB should be addressed in the draft, since the Browns we unable to pass rush effectively, or run defense. Linebackers are one of the most important position in the 3-4, so drafting a couple LB’s will be smart)
– Pittsburg STEELERS
1) OL (The division is won is the trenches, and the tackles have been hurt by injuries this year. I think they try to draft depth here in the draft, and also the guard position that has Free Agency concerns)
2) CB (This is a pretty solid unit also, but could use some depth to upgrade their nickel and dime packages, also will help upgrade special teams)
3) NT (There is good depth in the 2011 draft class for NTs, and getting one to groom behind the incumbent would be a great idea for this great defensive line unit)
NFC
West
– Arizona CARDINALS
1) OLB (Joey Porter is old, and not much depth on the rushing OLB category. Upgrading this unit should be the first priority this season, as their defense was horrendous)
2) OT (Levi Brown is alright, but would be great at RT, where the Cardinals are really hurting, and then they could draft a true LT. Also, Alan Faneca is probably retiring this offseason, and upgrading into a good run-blocking Guard would greatly help the Cardinals run game)
3) QB (Skelton and Max Hall are interesting prospects, but neither is really graded as a franchise signal caller. If they are able to get one of the prime time QB’s in the draft, they will have to consider it)
– San Francisco 49ers
1) QB (Again, the Niners will try to get a franchise signal caller. Alex Smith was given a second and third chance, and will probably be kept on as the backup, but drafting a new signal caller will be the top priority of the new head coach for the 2011 season)
2) CB (The corners on the roster are declining and will becoming increasingly expensive, expect at least one to be dropped this offseason, so drafting a shutdown corner will be important for the Niners)
3) OLB (Manny Lawson is coming into a contract year, and someone will probably be offering him big money to walk away from San Francisco. Getting a speed rushing OLB would continue to upgrade the defense
– Seattle SEAHAWKS
1) DL (Getting upgrades at DE and DT is important this offseason and for the Seahawks to make the next step)
2) Safety (Free Safety is now locked down with a great pick last year with Earl Thomas, so getting a strong safety will completely lock down this good secondary)
3) OL (LT Okung has struggled, but shown promise, but RT Locklear is a free agent and probably will be leaving Seattle, so drafting a new RT is necessary)
– St. Louis RAMS
1) WR (As we saw in the final game of the 2010 season, Bradford had no one that he could throw to that was reliable, and was the changing factor in the game, AND making the playoffs! Getting Bradford a #1 receiver is important this offseason)
2) OLB (Getting some speed rushers is very important this offseason, and will be addressed early, since the head coach is a defensive minded coach, and it being the biggest area of concern on defense)
3) OL (Although the young tackles have not been great, the guards are even worse, and Goldberg is a Free Agent so probably not back. Finding a young OL to step in early is hard, so drafting this position early might be important to keep their prize QB protected)
South
– Atlanta FALCONS
1) TE (Tony Gonzalez has been a great story coming to Atlanta, and might end up getting the Super Bowl he is trying for. Either way, retirement is a serious issue, and Matt Ryan needs to make sure he has offensive weapons around him. If Tony comes back, Atlanta tries to draft a WR to pair with Roddey White)
2) DL (Abraham played great this year, but more youth needs to be added to the front line. There are some great DL players in this draft that can be had in later rounds where the Falcons will probably target this player)
3) OLB (Peterson isn’t getting any younger, and this unit could use some more speed in the pass rush. Getting youth in the draft is a good way to do this, to start along side Weatherspoon for years to come)
– Carolina PANTHERS
1) DL (DT is more of a need than DE, since they have drafted edge rushers lately. But, with that being said, the 3 young DE’s have not put many sacks on the board, and defensive pass rush is greatly needed in this division)
2) WR (Steve Smith has never gotten a partner opposite of him that has allowed him to shine. This might be the year, if they are able to resign Smith off of his Free Agent offseason, they should draft a stud WR)
3) OLB (This is not a huge need, but since DE/DT were grouped together I can add one more area, and OLB is it. Thomas Davis is becoming a Free Agent, and some youth/speed would be an upgrade, next to Beason)
– New Orleans SAINTS
1) DL (Upgrading the DT’s would help this unit. Stopping the run is very important for the defense to upgrade this offseason. DE’s are set at with starters, but Alex Brown could use some spelling, and an eventual replacement)
2) OLB (Youth is needed in this unit, since rushing the passer is very important for the Defensive Coordinators blitz schemes. Getting depth would help a ton)
3) Safety (Roman Harper is a stud here, and Jenkins could transition full time to Strong Safety, but I still think the Saints target a safety in this 2011 draft)
– Tampa Bay BUCCANEERS
1) DE (McCoy looks like a stud for years to come in the center of Tampa Bay’s line, but getting him a young partner next to him would do wonders for this defense)
2) LB (Hopefully Ruud will be resigned in Free Agency this offseason, but drafting an OLB will definitely be important to continue to improve the defense)
3) WR (Mike Williams has been a nice surprise, and Arrelious Benn shows promise, but drafting another big time WR will be important to keep weapons around a young, developing QB)
East
– Dallas COWBOYS
1) DB (The corner position and safety position need to be addressed this offseason and early, both are very bad)
2) DL (Marcus Spears is a Free Agent and might not be back, upgrading the defensive line will continue to help Ware be a dominant force rushing the passer)
3) OL (Free has shown he can be the LT in Dallas, but upgrading the RT will be important this offseason. Along with RT, the guard position could use some depth and competition to improve)
– New York GIANTS
1) LB (Coughlins favorite position to draft, and they could use to get some more LB to help on defense, especially if they can finally find one that is a full time starter, not just rotational player)
2) DL (Cofield played really well this year, and is a Free Agent, so probably will be getting paid really well to walk away from the Giants. Upgrading the inside of the DL would greatly help stop the run)
3) OL (Injuries totally decimated the Giants this season, so the head office will see some need to draft some youth onto the roster, especially with a few free agency picks)
– Philadelphia EAGLES
1) OL (Almost every positon on the OL could be upgraded this offseason. Guard and Center will be a major focus this offseason to protect Vick and his scrambling tendencies. Also, in the later rounds, the tackle position could use some depth)
2) DL (Another position that Andy Reid really likes to upgrade in the draft, and using the 4 man front, getting young guys to collapse the pocket will be important for the defense)
3) CB (Drafting at the end of the first round, is the perfect place to find a great #2 CB, since Ellis Hobbs could be leaving in Free Agency)
– Washington REDSKINS
1) QB (Donovan McNabb will be traded this offseason and Shanahan will bring in a QB he feels he can groom)
2) LB (McIntosh will be a free agent, and should be playing in a 4-3, so will probably be moving to a new team. Look for the Redskins to draft a few LBs if they continue with the 3-4 defense)
3) OL (Trent Williams will be a good LT for the future, but upgrading the rest of the offensive line will help the Redskins a lot, because Donovan was not so good due to the line around him)
North
– Chicago BEARS
1) WR (Cutler is really starting to thrive in Martz throwing offense. The problem is that Chicago as no true #1 WR. Drafting this for Cutler will greatly increase his effectiveness)
2) OL (LT is still a position that hasn’t been solved, as all prospects are now penciled for other positions along the line. Also, the guards could use more depth to see more competition in the offseason. Cutler must not be sacked so much next year)
3) DL (Getting a premiere inside DT in this years draft would be smart since Tommie Harris has totally regressed, and a presence needs to be found now that Julius Peppers is looking great)
– Detroit LIONS
1) CB (Corner is a huge need for the Lions this offseason and they couldn’t find one last offseason. It is such a big need, they might use two early picks on the position, and with possibly the second being a larger DB who can split time at Strong Safety)
2) LB (Peterson at OLB is getting old, and rushers need their speed so drafting some youth would help. Also, ILB DeVry is good, but would be a better backup, so upgrading the inside wouldn’t hurt this unit)
3) OL (Backus is getting old, and should move inside to guard where the Lions line needs help, and then they can draft a new, young LT to protect their expensive QB Stafford)
– Green Bay PACKERS
1) RB (The Packers were really hurt this year, when their RBs went down with season ending injuries. Drafting a young RB, will help the rotation, and keep a stud on the field)
2) OL (Buluga should be moving to LT, although he isn’t looking great. Guard positions and Center could also both be upgraded in the draft as they are both weakness due to upcoming free agency)
3) OLB (Getting another blue-chip rushing OLB opposite of Mathews, would continue his dominance of opposing QBs. The key to 3-4 defenses is having plenty of quick players rushing off the edge)
– Minnesota VIKINGS
1) QB (Favre is finally done, and now that Frazier is the head coach for 2011, he will try to draft a franchise signal caller, if not, they look for one in free agency)
2) OLB (Both starting OLBs are Free Agents this offseason, this position must be addressed in the staff because both probably wont be able to be resigned)
3) Safety (This was a huge need going into the 2010 draft and wasn’t addressed, the Vikings must draft a better safety this year)
HELP-MyTeam 
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