Caleb Williams is the presumptive No 1 overall pick in this year’s draft.Photograph: Ryan Sun/AP
In theory, the NFL draft is an even playing field. Unlike the Super Bowl, you don’t automatically win the draft because Patrick Mahomes is nestled on your roster. Teams are free to build draft capital or ship it away in lieu of constructing the missing parts of their roster through trades and free agency.
But the reality in 2024 is that, while a team like the Houston Texans can preen around for a while after nailing last year’s draft, the pressure for most other teams is sky high. The teams below range from the terrible to those who need a bit of help to get to the next level.
Buffalo Bills
Position needs: Wide receiver, defensive end, safety.
The Bills have their quarterback. What they don’t have is even one Super Bowl appearance in the Josh Allen-Sean McDermott era, despite getting awfully close. But close isn’t good enough any more.
Now they’ve traded away Stefon Diggs and are hampered with the biggest non-QB dead money in NFL history. They also released impact players like Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White.
Clearly Buffalo need to draft a stud wideout. The options are vast, though they may need to trade up to get their guy (while the Bills have 10 picks in 2024, only two of those are before the fourth round.) They also need help at safety having bid farewell to Poyer and Micah Hyde, and they could do with a long-term option at defensive end as well. Other than Allen (and maybe Ed Oliver), Brandon Beane has failed to find studs in the draft. Given the financial hits from Diggs’s dead money and Allen’s mega deal, that has to change or Buffalo are in danger of taking a big step back.
Chicago Bears
Position needs: Quarterback, defensive line, edge.
There are two lenses through which to view Chicago’s upcoming nuptials with Caleb Williams, the presumptive No 1 pick. The first is that Williams is being handed to Chicago on a platter. His insane playmaking…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-jets-teams-nail-nfl-090026693.html
Author : The Guardian
Publish date : 2024-04-11 09:00:26
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