NFL Draft Daily: Each team’s biggest draft need following free agency

Chris McGlynn Uncategorized

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 20 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

The bulk of the free agency frenzy has wrapped up by this point and I think the NFL has surpassed its quota for blockbuster trades this offseason. That leaves us with a few weeks until the draft and plenty of holes still to fill on each NFL roster. Let’s take a look through each team’s biggest remaining need and how they might go about addressing it.

Arizona Cardinals
Biggest need: Edge rusher
Arizona lost one of the best players in the franchise’s history this offseason when Chandler Jones left to join the Raiders. Markus Golden did lead the team with 11 sacks this past season, but they need someone to line up across from him. There are a few veteran options available in Jason Pierre-Paul and Anthony Barr, but it would not surprise me to see the Cardinals target edge rusher in the first round of the draft.

San Francisco 49ers
Biggest need: Guard
The 49ers lost Laken Tomlinson and Tom Compton in free agency, leaving David Brunskill, Colton McKivitz, Aaron Banks and Justin Skule to compete for the two starting guard positions. There are a number of veteran guards they could sign to compete for a starting spot, but I still think they will need to address the position in the draft. Without a first-round pick, I could see San Francisco using another Day 2 pick to bolster their offensive line.

Seattle Seahawks
Biggest need: Quarterback
Russell Wilson is gone and I don’t feel overly confident that Drew Lock is going to be the long-term answer at quarterback. However, Seattle has plenty of other needs, including at offensive tackle and essentially every level of its defense. Drafting a quarterback with the ninth pick is not out of the question, but I think we will see the Seahawks focus on rebuilding their roster and use their additional draft capital over the next two years to acquire their next franchise quarterback. Baker Mayfield is also an option.

Los Angeles Rams
Biggest need: Right guard
Well, I had to rewrite this one after the Rams made a huge move to bring in Bobby Wagner. Brutal for the Seahawks seeing him stay in the division. With that move, Los Angeles can turn its attention to shoring up its offensive line. Andrew Whitworth retired and Austin Corbett left for Carolina. 2019 draft pick Bobby Evans is relatively untested and struggled in limited action. The Rams will have to wait a while to pick in the 2022 draft, but I expect one of their first picks to go towards an interior lineman.

Atlanta Falcons
Biggest need: Wide receiver
Who is the Falcons’ No. 1 receiver right now? That’s a genuine question. It might be Olamide Zaccheaus, which is not a great outlook for the offense. Atlanta is strapped for cash after trading away Matt Ryan. Marcus Mariota is clearly a stop gap, but whoever eventually succeeds him will definitely need more weapons to work with than Kyle Pitts. If Atlanta does not use the No. 8 pick on a receiver, I would be shocked if they ignore the position again in the second round.

Carolina Panthers
Biggest need: Quarterback
Sam Darnold and Cam Newton are clearly not the answer at quarterback. Carolina still needs an upgrade at left tackle and maybe some depth in the secondary, but this team will just continue to spin its wheels without an upgrade under center. If the Panthers feel strongly about one of the top prospects in this class, whether it’s Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett or Matt Corral, they could pull the trigger. Don’t rule out a move for Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo either with the rest of this roster being close to competing.

New Orleans Saints
Biggest need: Wide receiver
You could make an argument for quarterback here, but the combination of Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton makes me believe that this team will pass on the position in 2022. It’s unlikely that either of them will really be the long-term answer at the position, but the team seems to like Winston a lot. He needs more targets to throw to. Michael Thomas will hopefully be back. Marquez Callaway and Tre’Quan Smith are solid players, but neither is really good enough to pair with Thomas, assuming the latter can even stay healthy. In a deep receiver draft, I think we will see New Orleans grab on by Day 2 at the latest.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest need: Left guard
While the Buccaneers have been through a rather tumultuous offseason with Tom Brady retiring, then later returning, and Bruce Arians moving to the front office, this team is still very much a contender. Ali Marpet also retired and seems to be staying that way. Alex Cappa left for Cincinnati. One of the only needs this team still has is at left guard. Tampa traded for Shaq Mason, but he will likely slot in on the right. With a couple of potential interior lineman likely on the board late in the first round, I think the Bucs will prioritize protecting Brady.

Chicago Bears
Biggest Need: Right guard
James Daniel exited for Pittsburgh and the Bears struck out on Ryan Bates with the Bills opting to match the Bears offer. As a result, right guard is still wide open. Dakota Dozier is currently listed as the team’s right guard, but he has been a career backup to this point. Given how many times Justin Fields was sacked in 2021, the priority for Chicago has to be bolstering his offensive line. Without a first-round pick, the team could opt for a veteran there, but there are often quality, starting-caliber linemen available in the second and third round.

Detroit Lions
Biggest Need: Wide receiver
Detroit’s wide receiver situation is actually less dire than it was a year ago. Amon-Ra St. Brown looks like an impressive young option. D.J. Chark, Josh Reynolds, Khalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus create some really solid depth. However, this team definitely still lacks a true No. 1 option. Chark could theoretically be that, but he can’t seem to stay healthy. With picks No. 32 and No. 34 this year, I expect one of those selections to be a receiver.

Green Bay Packers
Biggest Need: Wide receiver
Davante Adams is gone. So is Marquez Valdez-Scantling. Aaron Rodgers desperately needs some reinforcements on offense. I expect them to pick up a veteran like Julio Jones, T.Y. Hilton or A.J. Green, but they shouldn’t stop there. Expect them to spend one of their two first round selections on a receiver. Don’t rule out a second receiver being added on Day 3 as well.

Minnesota Vikings
Biggest need: Cornerback
Even with Patrick Peterson returning to the team, this team has holes in its secondary. Peterson’s deal is also only for one season, so it is a short-term fix. Big names like Stephon Gilmore, Richard Sherman, Joe Haden are still out there, but I think Minnesota will opt for younger players. If Derek Stingley Jr. is on the board at No. 12, I don’t see the Vikings passing on him.

Dallas Cowboys
Biggest need: Safety
Edge rusher could also be in play here after Randy Gregory bolted for Denver, but I think safety is the bigger need. Damontae Kazee is still unsigned and Donovan Wilson is best suited as a backup or rotational player. It is a deep class for both safeties and edge rushers. I could see Dallas grabbing one of each along with a wide receiver or tight end in the first three rounds in the draft.

New York Giants
Biggest need: Offensive tackle
The Nate Solder experiment did not work out as planned. Andrew Thomas seems to be headed in the right direction after a much stronger second season, but Daniel Jones needs more protection. Grabbing an offensive tackle with one of their two top-10 picks feels like a certainty for New York. Either Ikem Ekwonu or Evan Neal would be great additions to this offensive line and would set Jones up to be successful in 2022.

Philadelphia Eagles
Biggest Need: Linebacker
I know, the Eagles don’t prioritize linebackers in their defense, but they need to find someone to play the position. Spending one of their three first-round picks on a linebacker such as Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean feels like a worthwhile investment. Don’t rule out a veteran joining on a team-friendly deal as well. Philadelphia is quietly close to making a deep run in what feels like a wide open NFC.

Washington Commanders
Biggest need: Wide receiver
Quarterback still feels like a need, but Washington made the decision to trade for Carson Wentz to give them an option for the short term. The Commanders could still spend a mid-round pick at the position, but the plan for now should be to build around Wentz. Terry McLaurin is a great receiver, but there is no one else that inspires much confidence at the position. Curtis Samuel is too injury prone. Cam Sims is a good depth option. Adam Humphries is a free agent. Spending a first-round pick on a receiver feels very likely.

Denver Broncos
Biggest need: Linebacker
Denver went all in by acquiring Russell Wilson, but the Broncos still have a few holes to fill before they earn contender status. A.J. Johnson and Kenny Young are both still unsigned. Someone needs to start next to Josey Jewell. Safety and tight end are also areas where they could use an upgrade, but I think linebacker should be the biggest focus. Without a pick until No. 64, the Broncos are going to need to hit in the middle rounds of this draft to make that jump.

Kansas City Chiefs
Biggest need: Wide receiver
Without Tyreek Hill, this receiver room looks like one of the worst in the NFL. The combination of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdez-Scantling isn’t really scaring anyone. Travis Kelce is still the best tight end in the game, but KC needs another reliable target to work into this system. MVS and JuJu were both free agent additions. I think the Chiefs will focus heavily on the draft to build out the rest of the receiver room. A first-round pick and a Day 2 pick spent at the position feels appropriate.

Las Vegas Raiders
Biggest need: Defensive tackle
The Raiders had one of the busiest offseasons of any team in the league, which is saying something. In addition to their blockbuster trade to acquire Davante Adams, Las Vegas signed Chandler Jones and sent Yannick Ngakoue to the Colts for Rock Ya-Sin. This team is clearly gearing up for a postseason run and a bid at a title. They still need reinforcements along the defensive line. Gerald McCoy is still a free agent. Vegas could definitely opt for a veteran, but I expect them to use one of their earliest draft picks (remember, they don’t pick until the third round) on a defensive tackle.

Los Angeles Chargers
Biggest need: Right guard
I could have easily picked right tackle here as well. The whole right side of the Chargers offensive line is in flux right now. Oday Abushi and Michael Schofield are both free agents. Storm Norton was one of the worst pass blocking tackles in the league last year. Take your pick as to which you want to target first. Norton is still with the team, so they at least have someone in place for the moment. Either way, the Chargers are going to be investing significant capital along the offensive line in the draft and in free agency.

Houston Texans
Biggest need: Edge rusher
There are a lot of directions the Texans could go at this point. I think edge rusher might be the biggest need. Jonathan Greenard quietly had a really impressive rookie year. However, Houston could use someone opposite him. With two picks in the top 15, I expect the Texans to grab an edge rusher in one of those slots. Their continued rebuild is going to take a few years. Finding talent at premium positions should be the focus.

Indianapolis Colts
Biggest need: Wide receiver
Indianapolis has gone all in again at the quarterback position. They will be hoping Matt Ryan is a bit more like Philip Rivers than Carson Wentz, but the Colts still need to replenish the roster around him. That starts with wide receiver. Michael Pittman is a great player, but T.Y. Hilton still remains unsigned and the cupboard is pretty bare outside of that. Indy does have a fair amount of cap space to potentially bring in one of Ryan’s favorite former targets in Julio Jones. With twp Day 2 picks in a deep receiver class, that is certainly an option as well.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Biggest need: Center
With the recent retirement of Andrew Norwell, the Jaguars suddenly have a pretty significant need at center. Tyler Shatley is a serviceable fill in if they cannot find anyone else, but Jacksonville should be putting a premium on protecting Trevor Lawrence. Obviously, they won’t be selecting a center with the No. 1 overall pick. I would expect center to be in play on Day 2.

Tennessee Titans
Biggest need: Right tackle
Tennessee swung and missed badly with Isaiah Wilson in 2020. David Quessenberry has been solid in his place at right tackle, but he is still a free agent. The Titans need to shore up the right side of the line. Dillon Radunz or Nate Davis will likely take right guard. Tennessee is up against it when it comes to cap space, so the draft is going to be crucial to filling out the roster. Right tackle is definitely in play when the Titans pick at No. 25.

Baltimore Ravens
Biggest need: Defensive tackle
Baltimore’s defensive line is a work in progress at the moment. Justin Houston, Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams are all still on the open market. The Ravens did bring in Michael Pierce, but they will still need reinforcements. I think Odafe Oweh will step up to fill the void left by Houston, leaving defensive tackle as a logical target. There are a couple of players that could be in play in the first two rounds if they fall to Baltimore. I don’t expect them to wait long to address the defensive line.

Cincinnati Bengals
Biggest need: Cornerback
Cincinnati did a fantastic job rebuilding its offensive line this offseason, adding Ted Karas, Alex Kappa and La’el Collins. Now it needs to upgrade its secondary. Chidobe Awuzie had a career year in his first season with the Bengals and Eli Apple was serviceable. Cincinnati is going to need better than serviceable though to get over the hump and continue to compete for titles. Corner is definitely in play at the end of the first round. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Cincinnati spent another pick in the later rounds at the position to build some depth.

Cleveland Browns
Biggest need: Wide receiver
Even after trading for Amari Cooper, the Browns receiving corps is a bit underwhelming. I like Donovan Peoples-Jones and Rashard Higgins, but I don’t know that either has shown they are capable of being a No. 2 receiver to this point. There has been some buzz that Jarvis Landry could return to the team as well. Cleveland does not have a first-round pick because of the Deshaun Watson trade, so they will have to address this need starting in the second round. George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert and more should be in play when the Browns select at No. 45.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest need: Left tackle
As of now, the Steelers could be placing a ton of faith into 2021 fourth-round pick Dan Moore Jr. to start at left tackle. Given how poorly he and the offensive line as a whole played last season, Pittsburgh would be wise to invest some premium picks into the unit. Left tackle is arguably the second-most important in football. If Charles Cross or Trevor Penning are on the board at that spot, that would be a smart investment.

Buffalo Bills
Biggest need: Right guard
Buffalo has a championship-caliber roster, but there are still a few holes. With Rodger Saffold likely to play left guard, the Bills need to find a right guard to bolster this offensive line. Zion Johnson, Bernhard Raimann and Kenyon Green could all be in play at the end of the first round. Cornerback and running back are spots where Buffalo could look to upgrade, but I think protecting your $258 million quarterback is the place to start.

Miami Dolphins
Biggest need: Running back
I struggled with Miami a bit. After trading for Tyreek Hill, they have a very talented receiver corps with plenty of speed. They have invested a ton of premium picks into the offensive line in recent years and signed Terron Armstead this offseason. The defense could use some upgrades, but is still poised to be a top-10 unit in the league. That leaves running back, where the Dolphins have struggled to find production in recent years. They did sign Chase Edmonds this offseason, but I think they need more of an every down back to take pressure off Tua Tagovailoa. They don’t pick until the third-round, but it is hard to see them signing another veteran back.

New England Patriots
Biggest need: Cornerback
New England could certainly use another receiver even after trading for Devante Parker, but I think his arrival takes the edge off for now. The Patriots can turn their full attention to finding a No. 1 cornerback. J.C. Jackson is gone and the Pats traded Stefon Gilmore last season. Malcolm Butler returns, but he was out of football in 2021. Picking at No. 21, New England should probably go with a corner, whether it’s Andrew Booth Jr., Trent McDuffie, Kaiir Elam or someone else they feel strongly about. There is depth at receiver, too, so the Patriots can look to bolster that group on Day 2.

New York Jets
Biggest need: Edge rusher
The Jets have needed an edge rusher since about 2013. They might have a really good one in Carl Lawson, who they signed from the Bengals last offseason. Unfortunately, Lawson suffered a torn Achilles in the preseason and missed the entire year. Even if he returns at full strength, New York needs someone to pair with him. With two picks in the top 10, and four in the top 50, the Jets will almost certainly spend one of those picks on an edge rusher.

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Draft Season Never Ends: NFC Team Needs

Chris McGlynn Uncategorized

New episodes dropping every Friday! In case you missed last week’s episode, Chris takes a look at every NFC team’s biggest need following free agency and addresses how they could best look to fill the remaining holes on the roster. The AFC will be up next!

You can find every episode on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts. As always, I appreciate reviews, feedback and when you hit that subscribe button.

NFL Draft Daily: Why will we never see a first round without quarterback again

Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NFL , , , , , , , , ,

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 30 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

You’ve heard it by now if you’ve been watching any sort of coverage in the lead up to the 2022 NFL draft: this is a weak quarterback class. There is no Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow or Kyler Murray. The expectation is that for the first time since 2017, there won’t be a quarterback taken with the first overall pick.

Mills was a bit of a wildcard in 2021, having only started 11 games in his career at Stanford. (Wikimedia Commons)

So, we know it’s bad, but how bad are we talking? Daniel Jeremiah recently said on his Move the Sticks podcast that if Davis Mills was in this draft class, he would be the first quarterback taken. Mills was the seventh quarterback selected in 2021 with the 67th overall pick. That should give us some perspective on how bad this is. Granted, that is just one draft scout, but DJ often knows what he is talking about.

Yet, every 2022 mock draft we see has at least one and probably two or three quarterbacks projected to go in the first round, including Jeremiah’s most recent mock. Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Kenny Pickett all seem to find their way into the top 32 selections. If these guys are no better than a player drafted in the third round just a year ago, why are they considered first-round players?

It all comes down to the league’s need for quarterbacks. Since 1996, there has been at least one quarterback selected in the first round of the NFL draft. In fact, only four times in that span, 2013, 2001, 2000 and 1997, was only one quarterback taken in the first round. Even that is a bit of a misnomer because Drew Brees was selected 32nd overall in 2001. It was just before we had 32 NFL teams, so he was the first pick of the second round.

So even when there arguably aren’t first-round caliber quarterbacks, the league finds a way for them to go in the first round. 2013 is a perfect example. E.J. Manuel was seen as the best of a very weak quarterback class, arguably even weaker than the one we have in 2022. He lacked the polish or skill set of a first-round prospect, but he went No. 16 overall because the Bills desperately needed a quarterback. He inevitably flopped, as did pretty much everyone from that draft class. Had Manuel come out the year before or the year after, he probably wouldn’t have gone until the third round. 2012 featured Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden. 2014 had Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr. I think all of them would have been viewed as better draft prospects, whether that was right or not.

Beyond teams getting desperate, there is more incentive to draft quarterbacks in the first round than ever. With contracts skyrocketing for these signal callers, getting a cost-controlled quarterback is often the key to building a Super Bowl contender. Especially since the introduction of the fifth-year option in 2011, it makes a ton of sense to grab a quarterback at the end of the first round for that extra year of contract control.

Jackson led the league in touchdown passes in his MVP season. (Wikimedia Commons)

Let’s use Lamar Jackson as an example. The Ravens quarterback will play this season on his fifth-year option. He has been to multiple Pro Bowls in his first four seasons, so he will earn the equivalent of the franchise tag for the position. His cap hit this season will be roughly $23 million, which ranks ninth among quarterbacks in the NFL. That’s fairly affordable for a player who has already won an MVP award in his career.

Then there are guys like Daniel Jones. He has struggled with consistency, fumbles and injuries in his first three seasons. He also has had a horrendous offensive line and injuries to most of his key skill players as well. In short, it’s a bit unclear what to make of Jones.

If New York decides it wants to hang onto Jones for an extra season without giving him a true extension, they have until May 2 this year to exercise his fifth year option and lock him in for 2023. Based on his playtime in his career, Over The Cap projects Jones to have a cap hit of $22.3 million for that season. That would rank 13th in the league right now. Probably a slight overpay for Jones, but not if he turns it around this upcoming season. For the record, it would be about $8 million less than Jared Goff’s cap hit. That stems from the monster deal he signed with the Rams after his third season. Sometimes it pays to be patient when evaluating your quarterback.

With such a high priority placed on finding quarterbacks and the appeal of the fifth-year option, we are always going to see at least one quarterback taken in the first round, whether they are truly a first-round talent or not. It’s going to happen this year, where it is debatable if there are really any first-round quarterbacks. Weak quarterback class or not, the league will find a way to make at least one of them into a first-round selection.

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NFL Draft Daily: The case for Evan Neal at No. 1

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NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 31 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

For the second straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick in the NFL draft. In 2021, they used it to select their quarterback of the future and one of the most anticipated prospects in the past decade, Trevor Lawrence.

My message to the Jaguars: don’t pass up the opportunity to give Lawrence the support system he needs. Doug Pederson arriving is already a good start. Jacksonville spent big in free agency, but the upgrades they’ve made feel pretty marginal. Brandon Scherff is a really good addition on the offensive line, but the Jags overpaid for Christian Kirk and probably Foyesade Oluokun as well. They really need to crush it in the draft.

After franchise tagging Cam Robinson, the assumption has been that Jacksonville will now select Aidan Hutchinson No. 1 overall. Pairing the edge rusher from Michigan with Josh Allen would give the Jaguars a talented duo off the edge. However, I’m here to advocate for Evan Neal going first overall.

Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke says extension talks with Robinson are ongoing. (Wikimedia Commons)

I talked about this idea a bit this week on my podcast. This has less to do with Hutchinson and more to with both Neal and the Jaguars future at offensive tackle. Lawrence’s rookie season was nothing shy of a train wreck. He threw 12 touchdowns and a league-high 17 interceptions while completing fewer than 60 percent of his passes. That included an eight-week stretch where he only had one touchdown. However, Lawrence was rarely the subject of scrutiny when it came to the Jaguars. Urban Meyer racked up controversy after controversy to keep the spotlight off the former Clemson star. By all accounts, it was a very toxic environment and Jacksonville did not allow Meyer to even finish his first season.

On top of that, his supporting cast was underwhelming at best. Fellow first-round pick and former Clemson teammate Travis Etienne suffered a Lisfranc injury that cost him the whole year. The receiving corps was often banged up and lacked a go-to playmaker. The offensive line left a lot to be desired as well.

The case for Neal requires a bit of projecting into the future. This is the second straight year the Jaguars tagged Robinson. I can’t see them doing it a third time and clearly they have some reservations about handing him a long-term extension. On the right side, Jacksonville also has a question mark. Jawaan Taylor is in the final year of his rookie deal and has done little to indicate he deserves an extension. According to PFF, he led the league in penalties for offensive tackles last season on top of allowing six sacks. So both of the Jaguars starting tackles could be gone next season and neither one is truly deserving of being the long-term starter.

That’s why I think Neal should be the pick. He measured in at 6’7.5″ and 337 pounds with 34-inch arms at the combine. In addition to being a massive human being capable of moving like a man 100 pounds lighter, he has experience at both tackle spots from his time at Alabama. He could easily play right tackle this season before sliding over to the left side in 2023 when Robinson’s deal is up. Jacksonville also has 2021 2nd-round pick Walker Little in the fold. If he can continue to develop. He could be in line to be the team’s starting right tackle with Neal on the left in 2023.

Put on Neal’s tape and you can see why he is special. He is rock solid in pass protection and can get to the second level as a run blocker. There is definitely room for him to improve his pad level and balance. If you want to see what he looks like going up against NFL talent, here is his film from the SEC Championship game against Georgia.

I have long been an advocate for building in the trenches, especially on the offensive side. Jacksonville has already invested some resources there this offseason, but they shouldn’t stop. Especially after Brandon Linder announced his retirement on Sunday, this unit still has room to grow.

There is one last piece to this that I think is important to consider. The depth at edge rusher in this draft class is impressive. Players like Arnold Ebiketie, Nick Bonitto, Drake Jackson, David Ojabo, Kingsley Enagbare, Cam Thomas, Josh Pascal and Myjai Sanders will all likely come off the board on Day 2. Jacksonville will absolutely be able to find a quality edge rusher to pair with Josh Allen with the 33rd pick in the draft.

I don’t think the same can be said for offensive tackle. The drop off from Neal to players like Darian Kinnard, Abraham Lucas, Nicolas Petit-Frere and Tyler Smith is much larger than the drop off from Hutchinson to the group I mentioned before. As great a player as Hutchinson may be, the strength of this class is at edge rusher.

If and when Jacksonville ultimately drafts Hutchinson No. 1 overall a month from now, I won’t crush them for making the safe and obvious pick. I will wonder a bit about Lawrence’s long-term protection and if passing on Neal will hurt his long-term development.

Follow the Aftermath via email to get every article delivered right to your inbox. Enter your email in the text box to subscribe. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out our weekly podcast Draft Season Never Ends with new episodes every Friday, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

NFL Draft Daily: Is the Rams’ “all-in” method possible to replicate?

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NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 34 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in Monday for another entry.

The Rams laid the blueprint. Now everyone is trying it. Los Angeles general manager famously rocked a NSFW t-shirt at the team’s championship parade this year that summed up his feelings on draft picks. Let’s just say he doesn’t regret his aggressive approach to roster building.

As the old saying goes: it’s a copycat league. A whopping eight teams currently do not have a first-round pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft. There are a few outliers in the group, as Chicago and San Francisco both parted with their 2022 picks in 2021 to trade up to draft a quarterback. However, the rest, which includes Denver, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Miami and, or course, the LA Rams, all did so in a win-now move in pursuit of a Super Bowl.

The Rams already had a championship core featuring players like Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey and more. (Wikimedia Commons)

For the Rams, we’ve already seen the tact work. They brought in Matthew Stafford and sent Jared Goff packing. Continued aggression saw them acquire Von Miller from the Broncos for a second-round pick. It all paid off in the form of a Lombardi trophy won in February. Even if the Rams are terrible in two years, which is possible with an aging core and fewer draft picks to replace them, it will have been worth it because they won a title.

The important thing to remember when it comes to trying to emulate Los Angeles is that this was already a championship contender. The Rams featured in the Super Bowl three years prior against Tom Brady and the Patriots. That group ultimately came up short, but L.A. was very clearly within reach of a title. They just made the move to put them over the top.

I can’t say the same thing for any of the teams that have attempted to follow in their footsteps this offseason. We obviously saw the Colts fall well short of expectations last year and ultimately ship Carson Wentz to D.C. after just one season. They brought in Matt Ryan, but as I’ve talked about, they have some holes they still need to fill at corner, left tackle and wide receiver.

Then you have the Browns, who mortgaged their future to acquire Deshaun Watson. Cleveland is probably closer than most to competing for a title, but they need another receiver to complement Amari Cooper, possibly a new center and tight end and an edge rusher. It’s also far from a guarantee Watson will be available for much of this upcoming season given that he is facing civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and harassment. The Browns also compete in the same division as the reigning AFC champions and the 2019 MVP in Lamar Jackson. Plus, you can never count out Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.

Miami might be the exception to all of this with two first-round picks in 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

Miami has fewer clear holes on the roster after spending big in free agency and adding Tyreek Hill via trade. That being said, they have maybe the 10th best quarterback in the conference. We simply have not seen enough from Tua Tagovailoa to believe he is capable of leading the Dolphins to a Super Bowl, or even to stay healthy for a full season. Perhaps he will take the next step in his development with a new, offensive-minded head coach in Mike McDaniel. Still, the Dolphins haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. Not exactly a contender putting in the final piece of the puzzle. While Miami is unquestionably better, it’s hard to say they are even the best team in their own division with Buffalo coming off an impressive year and adding Von Miller.

Then there are the Raiders and Broncos. Many are describing the AFC West as the best division we’ve ever seen in football with Russell Wilson joining the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr. Denver had a good defense last year, but some abysmal quarterback play, which led to a 7-10 record and the end of Vic Fangio’s tenure with the team. Las Vegas snuck into the playoffs after beating the Chargers in Week 18. Rich Bisaccia righted the ship after a season full of controversy and hardship.

There is no question both teams are better, but given the moves made by the Chargers (re-signing Mike Williams, signing J.C. Jackson and trading for Khalil Mack) and the continued presence of Patrick Mahomes, I’m hard pressed to say either Raiders or Broncos are a lock to make the playoffs, much less a true championship contender. All four teams are talented enough to make it, but the likelihood is someone will miss out because of how brutal those divisional games will be.

The all-in approach is one that I can respect. If you think you have a championship window, you should be doing everything possible to maximize it. The problem is, if you fall short after going all in, you wind up staring down a long rebuild without the resources necessary to do so. My prediction, none of the teams that went all in will win the Super Bowl this year. I think we are much more likely to see a team like the Chiefs, Packers or Buccaneers hoist the Lombardi trophy than a team like the Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins or Browns. What the Rams did is much harder to imitate than it might seem.

Follow the Aftermath via email to get every article delivered right to your inbox. Enter your email in the text box to subscribe. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out our weekly podcast Draft Season Never Ends with new episodes every Friday, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.