NFL Team Draft Needs: AFC East
NFL Team Draft Needs
We're into April and that signifies one thing that matters in the sports world right now-the NFL Draft. The draft is scheduled to go from April 23-25. The first round will go off on Thursday at 8pmET, while rounds 2-3 will take place on Friday, April 24 at 7pmET. The draft will end on Saturday, April 25 with rounds 4-7.
The draft was originally supposed to be held in Las Vegas, but that is off due to the effects of COVID-19. That means NFL general managers will have to rely mainly on scouting from the college football season and the NFL Combine instead of working out players individually. But these are difficult times so teams will need to adjust to the circumstances. We'll take a look at the NFL Draft over the next couple of weeks, starting with the needs of each NFL team, adjusted through NFL free agency. Let's start with the AFC East, a division that has changed thanks to Tom Brady's signing with Tampa Bay.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills:
2019: 10-6
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 28-1
First pick: No. 54
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: The Bills made one of the biggest splashes in the offseason by trading their first, fifth and sixth-round picks to Minnesota for wide receiver Stefon Diggs. OLB/DE Mario Addison comes over from Carolina after a solid season with 9.5 sacks.
Key Losses: DT Jordan Phillips (Arizona), DE Shaq Lawson (Miami), CB Kevin Johnson (Cleveland).
Needs: CB, RB, OG, pass rusher
Outlook:
The Bills already addressed their biggest need and that was the addition of Diggs. That cost them their first, fifth and sixth-round picks, so they will really have to hit their second-round pick. Diggs should be the number one receiver along with burner John Brown, who caught 72 passes for 1,060 yards, which were career highs. The Bills finished ranking 23rd in points per game (19.6), 26th in passing yards per game (201.8) and 20th in passing yards/attempt (6.78). So, adding to the passing game to help Josh Allen was a must. Diggs caught 63 passes for 1,130 yards with six TDs in a down year with Adam Thielen injured most of the season. If he's healthy, he should perform closer to 2018's production of 102 receptions for 1,021 yards with nine TDs.
On the defensive side, the Bills ranked second in points allowed per game (16ppg), third in total yards per game allowed (298) and 4th in passing yards allowed per game (195). But they were 12th in sacks per game with 2.75 and could use some help getting to the quarterback. Lorenzo Alexander retired at 30, while Shaq Lawson is a free agent. Back up DT Jordan Phillips led Buffalo with 9.5 sacks per game, but left for free agency. They did sign Mario Addison from Carolina, who had 9.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. That was a very underrated pick up as the 32-yard old Addison has 39 sacks over his last four seasons. Buffalo also signed DT Vernon Butler, another for Carolina Panther defensive player. Butler is 6-4, 335 and had a career-high 6.5 sacks last season with 32 tackles, should also help as a run-stuffer. They also signed DE Quinton Jefferson (6-4, 291), who had 3.5 sacks last season and could play in the rotation.
At cornerback, Tre'Davious White has emerged as one of the elite corners in the game. But Levi Wallace and Kevin Johnson struggled at times. Johnson left for Cleveland in free agency. They added veteran Josh Norman from Washington, who at one point, was a shutdown corner, but that was in Carolina (of course). At 32 and on the decline, you wonder if safety or nickel is his best bet at some point. Adding a corner early in the draft is important.
There is also a need at guard. Left guard Quinton Spain is a solid pass protector, but struggles in the running game. Right guard Jon Feliciano has his issues against to pass rushers and has one year left on his contract. The Bills went back to Carolina to add Daryl Williams (6-6, 330), who started 12 games last season.
2)Miami Dolphins
2019: 5-11
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 80-1
First pick: 5
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: CB Byron Jones (Dallas), ILB Kyle Van Noy (Patriots), ILB Elandon Roberts (Patriots), OT Ereck Flowers (Washington), OL Ted Karras (Patriots).
Key Losses: S Reshad Jones, CB Aqib Talib.
Needs: QB, OT, S, OG/C
Let's face it, Miami was a horrendous team last season and it's amazing that they won five games. They tried to tank in August when they dealt away OT Larem Tunsil to Houston and wound up with one of the worst group of tackles in the NFL. The good news is that they will have the 18th pick (from Pittsburgh) and 26th pick (from Houston) along with the fifth selection. But everything revolves around that No.5 pick, assuming they take a quarterback. Most feel, they'll take Alabama junior Tua Tagovailoa, a 6-foot, 217-pound lefty with injury issues, who is an extremely accurate thrower. They could take a shot with Justin Herbert, the 6-6 quarterback from Oregon, who is more of a project, but has the size and athletic ability. At 37, Ryan Fitzpatrick is not the answer and never really has been, while Josh Rosen appears to be a backup quarterback after playing for two teams in two seasons.
Offensive tackle is also a huge need for the Fins. They have one serviceable player in right tackle Jesse Davis and he's at best a backup on most teams. Flowers can fill in at one of the tackle spots, but he struggled in Washington last season and Karras can play the interior. Finding a tackle in the first round shouldn't be a huge issue. Josh Jones from Houston, Austin Jackson from USC, and Ezra Cleveland could all be options at 18 or maybe 26.
With Talib expected to sign somewhere else, Byron Jones comes in and should flourish. He's a big corner at 6-1, 205 and can tackle. The fact that he had no interceptions shows that teams went avoided him. Free safety Reshad Jones is also expected to leave. The addition of Kyle Van Noy (6.5 sacks) will help as a pass-rushing outside linebacker.
Fortunately, Miami has three first-round picks, but everything hinges on two things. Finding a quarterback and then rebuilding their offensive line to protect them, especially Tagovailoa with his size and injury concerns.
3)New England Patriots
2019: 12-4
First pick: 23
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: S Adrian Phillips (Chargers), DT Beau Allen (Tampa Bay), QB Brian Hoyer (Colts), WR Damiere Byrd (Arizona).
Key Losses: QB Tom Brady (Tampa Bay), ILB Kyle Van Noy (Miami), DT Danny Shelton (Detroit), OLB Jamie Collins (Detroit), OL Ted Karras (Miami).
Needs: QB, WR, Edge, OG
Outlook:
What a rough offseason. How do you replace Tom Brady? Bill Belichick has a plan, but he obviously isn't sharing it with anybody. Does he go with Brian Hoyer and second-year pro Jarrett Stidham? Not likely. Does he sign a veteran quarterback like a Cam Newton or even an Andy Dalton, if he is released? Possibly. At 23, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa will probably gone. Jordan Love from Utah State might be there, but the Pats will probably go for the best player and not the biggest need.
That's what good organizations do, but New England has also made some mistakes lately. One of them was trading this year's second-round pick to Atlanta for 30-year old receiver Mohamed Sanu, who struggled with 26 catches for 207 yards in eight games with the Pats. Julian Edelman is 34 and N'Keal Harry struggled as a rookie. They added Damiere Byrd, a smallish receiver at 5-9, who caught 32 passes for 359 yards and a score.
They also need a tight end since Ben Watson retired and they had a little over 400 receiving yards from that position last season. Maybe Robert Kraft can convince Rob Gronkowski to quit the WWE and return to the NFL, but most likely, they will need to draft one.
That Pats also added Beau Allen (6-3, 327), a massive defensive tackle from Tampa Bay, who came off the bench last season, but could help in the rotation as a run-stuffer. They could use an edge rusher, though most teams need one. They lost Jamie Collins (81 tackles, 7.0 sacks) and Kyle Van Noy (6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles), which means they need two new outside linebackers either from within the organization or they need to draft one or two.
But everything is about attempting to replace Brady. Without any major weapons last season, he was still able to produce 26 points per game (7th) and 247 passing yards per game (8th).
4)New York Jets
2019: 7-9
First pick: 11
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: CB Pierre Desir (Colts), OT George Fant (Seattle), G Alex Lewis, C Connor McGovern, LB Patrick Onwuasor (Baltimore), WR Breshad Perriman (Tampa Bay), OG Greg Van Roten (Carolina).
Key Losses: WR Robby Anderson (Carolina), DB Maurice Canady (Dallas), LB Brandon Copeland (New England).
Needs: OT, Edge, WR, OG
Outlook
The Jets will go as far as Sam Darnold will take them. Darnold suffered from mono last season, that held him and the offense back, that averaged just 17.2 points per game (31st) and 194.4 passing yards (29th). They also got nothing from Le'Veon Bell and the rushing game (78.6 yards per game). Darnold is the present and future, but he needs more weapons at receiver and running back. Breshad Perriman was added and he can help as a big receiver that can stretch the field. He finally broke out last season with 36 catches for 645 yards and six TDs. The 26-yar old started his career in Baltimore and was a huge bust. This will be his fourth team and he'll be replacing Robby Anderson, who caught 52 passes for 752 yards and six TDs. He's also 26 but has much more potential and will be catching passes from Teddy Bridgewater in Carolina.
Gregg Williams has a lot of talent on the defensive end led by safety Jamal Adams and FS Marcus Maye. They re-signed CB Brian Poole, who was their best corner last season. They signed Desir, who started 11 games for the Colts last season and had three picks. He'll probably replace Trumaine Johnson, who has struggled.
The Jets also added some inside linebacker help in Patrick Onwuasor, who had 64 tackles and three sacks last season with the Ravens. He'll be reunited with C.J.Mosley, another former Ravens linebacker, who had an injury-plagued 2019 season.
Now the Jets need some pass rushing help. They averaged 2.1 sacks per game last year (23rd) and allowed 236 passing yards (17th). At 11, they can take an edge rusher like K'Lavon Chaisson from LSU or take the plethora of quality receivers that are available. Another possibility is signing an edge rusher on the free agent market and the only one that is available is Jadeveon Clowney, whose price has reportedly gone down.
