With the NFL Draft only two weeks away we want to dive into what each team's thought processes will be on the day in question.
Most team's have a very difficult decision of whether they should draft based on need or best available. While it's common for the latter to be taken first, the draft gives team's their best opportunity to key in on certain positions and build their future in them.
This article will not be a mock draft and it will not consider the draft order, but solely will focus on what each team's biggest positional need is for the 2022-23 season. Player's names that fit the position and scheme for the team will be given along with what picks they have to work with and a brief explanation of why they're needed.
Buffalo Bills (Picks 25, 57 and 89)
Biggest Need: Cornerback
For the Super Bowl favorites going into this season there are not many holes in their roster. However, aside from Tre White they could definitely use another man corner.
Roger McCreary from Auburn would make sense for them,
Miami Dolphins (Picks 29, 50 and 102)
Biggest Need: Interior Linebacker
The Dolphins need help manning the middle of the field both in the run game and pass game. If Devin Lloyd were to drop to their first round pick it would be a perfect fit.,
New England Patriots (Picks 21, 54 and 85)
Biggest Need: Interior Offensive Line
The Patriots have made a dynasty out of plug-and-playing players that turn into stars. Their O-line is no different, but with David Andrews set to retire soon and Ted Karras leaving in Free Agency, drafting Kenyon Green out of TAMU would give them a great guard or tackle that would thrive in the scheme.
New York Jets (Picks 4, 10, 35, 38 and 69)
Biggest Need: Cornerback
The Jets have a lot of holes, but their biggest hole is their secondary. This MUST be addressed and with two top-10 picks there's no time like the present. It's likely either Sauce Gardner out of Cincinnati or LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. will drop to the 10th spot.
Baltimore Ravens (Picks 14, 45 and 76)
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
The Ravens have a solid roster with no immediate needs. However their 1-2 punch t defensive tackle are on the wrong side of thirty and are steadily decreasing in efficiency. The #14 selection should be perfect to draft Jordan Davis out of Georgia.
Cincinnati Bengals (Picks 31, 63 and 95)
Biggest Need: Cornerback
The defending AFC champions made their way to the Super Bowl with almost no secondary whatsoever, Adding a solid cornerback will do wonders to make this defense even better. With their late picks, drafting Kyler Gordon will give them a man corner who can get messy in the slot if needed.
Cleveland Browns (Picks 44, 78 and 99)
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
The Browns just landed Deshaun Watson and have an overall great offense. Last year they addressed linebacker with J.O.K. leaving defensive tackle their only hole. DeMarvin Leal has been dropping on boards and may be able to slide to them at 44.
Pittsburgh Steelers (Picks 20, 54 and 80)
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
The Steelers need to get younger on their O-Line, especially after investing a first rounder into Najee Harris last year. Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning should fill the role of run blocking tackle seamlessly and overnight, will make this unit better.
Denver Broncos (Picks 64, 75 and 96)
Biggest Need: Interior Linebacker
The linebacker role in Denver has never been the most important for their scheme. Stopping the run should be however. Adding a player like Christian Harris out of Alabama will give this defense a much easier time with that task
Kansas City Chiefs (Picks 29, 30, 50, 62, 94 and 103)
Biggest Need: Defensive End
Some people will think that the Chiefs need to draft another wide receiver after Tyreek Hill's departure. While that may be true, a dependable defensive end like Kingsley Enagbare would instantly add much needed QB pressure to this defense.
Las Vegas Raiders (Pick 86)
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
The Raiders spent this off-season perfecting their offense, so now it's time to draft on the other side. What a perfect way to start in the trenches, with a late pick like Logan Hall out of Houston who can rush the passer and clog the rushing lanes equally.
Los Angeles Chargers (Picks 17 and 79)
Biggest Need: Offensive Line
The Chargers have spent two season gathering their O-line for Justin Herbert and this year should be no different. Kenyon Green would slide perfectly into their offense as either guard and help protect Herbert for years to come.
Houston Texans (Picks 3, 13, 37, 68 and 80)
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
Possibly the team with the most holes in the league, the most logical pick at #3 is a QB. However this class doesn't have any worthy of the selection and the team seems comfortable with Davis Mills at least for right now. Go best player available at #3 then get Bama's Jameson Williams or Ohio State's Chris Olave at #13.
Indianapolis Colts (Picks 42 and 73)
Biggest Need: Left Tackle
The Colts need to keep their identity over the last five years of having a dominant offensive line. With their last two starters at LT retiring, they need a long-term answer. In the second round they can still draft Bernhard Raimann out of Central Michigan who could very well be that answer.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Picks 1, 33, 65 and 70)
Biggest Need: Safety
The Jaguars have gone out and spent a lot of money everywhere on the field except for a safety. They'll go for either Hutchinson or Neal at number one but to sure up their third level watch for them to take Jaquon Brisker at #33. The Penn State captain locked up every deep ball last year and could do the same for this expanding defense.
Tennessee Titans (Picks 26 and 90)
Biggest Need: Offensive Guard
No big splash here, the Titans need to do everything in their power to help Derrick Henry. Go and get Zion Johnson out of Miami, one of the most guaranteed starters in this draft who can play guard or tackle and put that position out of mind for four or five years.
Dallas Cowboys (Picks 24, 56 and 88)
Biggest Need: Defensive Back
The emergence of Trevon Diggs was needed last year but the entire secondary has a drop off after him. The Cowboys could use a zone safety or a man corner equally, but with the #24 pick a perfect combination of both would be Michigan's Dax Hill.
New York Giants (Picks 5, 7, 36, and 67)
Biggest Need: Interior Offensive Line
The Giants have a lot of holes to take care of next year but the offensive line is definitely one of the biggest. They need a center, left guard and right guard, and the rest of their line isn't set in stone by any means. They should take the arguably best lineman in this class Ickey Ekwonu at 5 and move forward with a defender at 7.
Philadelphia Eagles (Picks 15, 18, 51, 83 and 101)
Biggest Need: Interior Linebacker
The Eagles have done a great job of gathering picks this year while also building a solid young s=roster simultaneously. Georgia's Nakobe Dean almost certainly will be drafted at 15 to the Eagles and will quarterback this already great defense.
Washington Commanders (Picks 11 and 47)
Biggest Need: Interior Linebacker
At pick 11 the Commanders will likely not take a linebacker but a "flashier" position like wide receiver. With their next pick they definitely should get a run stuffing linebacker like Brandon Smith out of Penn State to solidify this as one of the best defenses in the league.
Chicago Bears (Picks 29, 48 and 71)
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
Justin Fields had a mediocre first year, and with #1 target Allen Robinson going to LA he will need a new weapon. Luckily this year's receiver class is deep enough to get that weapon even at pick 29. Treylon Burks out of Arkansas should be their intended target if he makes it, but if not Jahan Dotson out of PSU may be the best slot option in the entire draft.
Detroit Lions (Picks 2, 32, 34, 66 and 97)
Biggest Need: Quarterback
The Lions are in year two of a serious rebuild. Goff was a good band-aid but the team seems set to get a future plan this year, more specifically at pick 32. This year's QB class will drop farther down the board than any of the last 5, meaning QB's like UNC's Sam Howell or Ole Miss' Matt Corral will likely be there if their rumored favorite option Malik Willis is already taken.
Green Bay Packers (Picks 22, 28, 53, 59 and 92)
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
It seems like every year the Packers are mocked a wide receiver. This year is even more dyer as Davante Adams moved to Vegas. at pick 22, Drake London and Treylon Burks are both at play. Both big-bodied red zone threats would be an excellent add to the stable of deep threats in Green Bay.
Minnesota Vikings (Picks 12, 46 and 77)
Biggest Need: 3-4 Defensive End
A replacement for Everson Griffin has been needed for two years, and while band-aids have been decent in his spot, a long-term filler could be Travon Walker out of Georgia who has been skyrocketing up boards lately.
Arizona Cardinals (Picks 23, 55 and 87)
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
Recent rumors have said that Kyler Murray is on his way out of Arizona, if that were the case Quarterback becomes the immediate need. If we were to carry on as if this completely well-rounded roster weren't changing, a defensive tackle like Georgia's Devonte Wyatt would round out their D-line along side J.J. Watt.
Los Angeles Rams (Pick 104)
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
The defending champions have only one hole on their team thanks to the retirement of Andrew Whitworth. Without a first or second round pick it will be difficult to get that this year, but ASU's Kellen Dietsch at 104 would be a great start.
San Francisco 49ers (Picks 61, 93 and 105)
Biggest Need: Cornerback
The 49ers have needed secondary pieces for the last three years and this year is no different after the filed Richard Sherman experiment. At pick 61 you can still find good players like Cincinnati's Coby Bryant or Oregon's Mykael Wright to fill out their nickel defense.
Seattle Seahawks (Picks 9, 40, 41 and 72)
Biggest Need: Quarterback
After the Russel Wilson trade the Seahawks are definitely in the market for a QB. However, it seems as though they might draft another need to round out their roster at 9, while waiting for their 40 or 41st pick for a QB. Carson Strong is a project based on injury concerns and will not go before this area. If his knee problems are fixed they will be getting a first round talent at a steal to replace their franchise QB.
Atlanta Falcons (Picks 8, 43, 58, 74 and 82)
Biggest Need: Quarterback
The Falcons best franchise QB Matt Ryan was shipped off to Indy and thus began a serious rebuild in Atlanta. With this draft class a high-drafted QB is unlikely but the Falcons just may be the first team to do that. Watch for Liberty's QB Mailk Willis or Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett to be named QB1 if another team doesn't get one first like...
Carolina Panthers (Pick 6)
Biggest Need: Quarterback
The Panthers have quietly built one of the most well-rounded rosters in football. Sam Darnold is nowhere near ready to lead a Super Bowl team and if they don't trade for a replacement by season's start, Malik Willis or Kenny Pickett will likely be going here.
New Orleans Saints (Picks 16, 19, 49 and 98)
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
The Saints recent trade to acquire draft capitol likely means they will try to trade up again for a QB, but for right now they need a receiver to pair with Mike Thomas if Thomas even gets on the field this year. If they do keep a pick in the late-teens, Chris Olave would be a beautiful pairing and someone who is a clone copy of Mike Thomas.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Picks 27, 60 and 91)
Biggest Need: 3-4 Defensive End
The best roster in all of football needs nothing. But if they were to plan for the future a DE to replace William Gholston would be smart and every team could use extra pass rushers. at pick 27 Perrion Winfrey out of Oklahoma would go well and could play either a 3-technique or the 1 in multiple packages.