Atlanta Falcons
Last Season’s Record: 11-5
Positional Needs: DE, LB, G, S
The Atlanta Falcons surprised everyone last season, not only winning the NFC South, but also going to the Super Bowl in coach Dan Quinn’s second season. MVP Matt Ryan led an incredible offensive attack that put up points on points. Two great running backs kept teams honest and Ryan’s arm had a lot of weapons to target, even with Julio Jones hobbled at times. The biggest impact may have been the signing of C Alex Mack in the offseason to shore up an offensive line that suddenly could give Ryan time to be the quarterback we knew he could be.
On defense, the Falcons have a lockdown cornerback in Desmond Trufant. They boasted the league’s sack leader in Vic Beasley, Jr. They even saw the ageless Dwight Freeney continue to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. The defense exceeded expectations all season long and for one half of the Super Bowl, but eventually youth and lack of depth showed that the Falcons have some work to do on defense.
The big move by the Falcons this offseason was easily the signing of DT Dontari Poe, a large wall to shore up the middle of the defensive line. To really get this defense to the next level, the Falcons need to look for a disruptive pass rusher to join Vic Beasley. The previously mentioned Poe signing should help with that as well. Building up the linebacker corp will give Dan Quinn the tools he needs to really have a tough, hard-nosed defense like he likes to have. Some depth at safety could be the piece that tops it off.
For the offense, Alex Mack raised the entire offensive line up but the guard position has to be addressed, preferably early on. Depth all along the offensive line is a good idea too. The great thing for the Atlanta Falcons is that coming into the draft their needs overall are needs that don’t have to be met in the first round. The Falcons have the ability to choose the best available player at the time or even trade up at the cost of an additional pick to get a player they really want. Getting back to the Super Bowl is never easy, but the Falcons have a great roster already and the draft should get them on track to give it a good run yet again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Season’s Record: 9-7
Positional Needs: DE, CB, LT, S, WR
Talk about a team that suddenly looked scary. Jameis Winston showed he can be a franchise quarterback, throwing for over 4,000 yards with a running game that seemed to vanish entirely thanks to Doug Martin’s injuries and a suspension. Mike Evans had an incredible year and the offense overall seemed to find their stride. The team seems poised for more success in 2017, especially with the signing of DeSean Jackson to stretch the field and open up the options for Winston.
The defense continues to show its toughness and playmaking ability. Vernon Hargreaves performed very well and Robert Ayers has been a great signing for the Bucs. All in all, the unit is solid and capable, but the presence of a couple more playmakers would help complete this team and make the Bucs a legitimate NFC threat.
Going into the draft, the Bucs are very likely to target a running back early on. This draft is deep in running talent and the Bucs need to find a back to take over for Doug Martin, who is suspended the first few games of the season and has been injured as of late. To round out the offense, it would be good to find a solid tackle to help the offensive line and another weapon for Winston to throw to.
To complete the team, the defense has a few needs to fill. A strong defensive end to compliment William Gholston would solidify the defensive line and create a pass rushing presence. With Alterraun Veerner gone, the Bucs can find a slot corner in this deep draft and depth at the Safety position is a must.
New Orleans Saints
Last Season’s Record: 7-9
Positional Needs: CB, DE, LB, OL, DL, WR, QB
There are two things we have come to count on in New Orleans: 1.) Drew Brees will lead a high-flying offense. 2.) The defense will underachieve for reasons beyond their control. Such was the way of 2016. Drew Brees led the league in passing again. A guy who was considered too short to play quarterback professionally is going to be impossible to replace and New Orleans is going to have to think about that soon. Rookie Michael Thomas was a pass-catching phenom and gives New Orleans another receiver that can catch tight balls and open up the other receivers on the field. The offense could be scarier this year with Adrian Peterson now lining up beside Drew Brees.
Now we have to talk about the defense. Coming into the season, the Saints looked poised to improve dramatically from the near last finishes of the previous two years. While they did technically improve to 27th in the league, injuries and lack of depth to the top LBs, CBs, and lineman made it almost impossible to judge the unit. The signing of Manti Te’o gives good depth to the LB core, but there are a lot of holes to fill.
New Orleans has two picks in the first round and it is a great draft to be in that position. Coming out of the first round, the New Orleans defense could be exponentially better. A cornerback is very likely to be the first thing New Orleans gets with Malcolm Butler probably not in the cards. Follow that up with a game-ready Defensive End and New Orleans could draft Ryan Leaf and Jamarcus Russell and still have an incredibly successful draft.
Defense will definitely be the focus here, defensive line depth and linebacker depth are going to be high prioritities as well. We know that if a skills player is available that Sean Payton really likes, he will pull the trigger. Despite the signing of Chase Daniel to back up Drew Brees, this is also a good draft for the Saints to find a successor to groom for when Drew Brees finally hangs it up. Expect a quarterback to be taken sometime in the mid to late rounds.
Carolina Panthers
Last Season’s Record: 6-10
Positional Needs: CB, RB, OL, DL
The Panthers are a great example of how dramatically a team can change in the offseason. This is a team that went from playing in the Super Bowl to last in their division. Missing some key parts of their stalwart defense, the young guys on the team showed they had what it takes to play at a high-level, but the drop off from Josh Norman at CB was pretty evident.
The offensive line could hardly block anyone and Cam Newton got hit A LOT. It is a clear sign of his toughness and the will of the defensive line that the Panthers won six games last year. Jonathon Stewart is going to get tired very soon and the young pass catchers are still developing. There is reason to hope for Carolina with some great talent on the team, but Newton has to be protected for him to carry this team like he has done in the past.
Expect offensive line to be addressed early in this draft. There is a need at tackle and the interior of the line and Carolina is in a prime position to fill that need quickly. The cornerbacks taken last year showed potential, but this draft is so deep in talented corners that Carolina could potentially upgrade even in the mid-rounds. Running back is also a possibility for first or second round picks as Jonathon Stewart is thirty years old and injury-prone. Fozzy Whitaker is a great second back, but is not a main back. This will be addressed in the first four rounds for sure.
Cam also needs another solid pair of hands to throw to. His receivers have potential, but they still need to grow and grabbing a receiver that can help now can do a lot to keep Cam confident behind a hopefully bolstered line. Next year, it’s possible that the defensive line could be missing a couple key pieces. Drafting some strong guys to come in and contribute now will ease that burden and keep Carolina’s brutal defensive front the showcase unit of that defense.
