by In theory, the NFL draft is a level playing field. Unlike the Super Bowl, having Patrick Mahomes on your roster doesn’t automatically win you the draft. Teams are allowed to take up draft capital or give it away instead of building the missing parts of their roster through trades and free agency.
But the fact of the matter in 2024 is that while a team like the Houston Texans can hang around for a while after hoarding last year’s draft, the pressure on most other teams is on the sky. The teams below range from terrible to ones that need a little help to get to the next level.
Buffalo Bills
Position requirements: Wide receiver, defensive end, safety.
The Bills have their quarterback. What they don’t have is worth it any A Super Bowl appearance in the Josh Allen-Sean McDermott era, despite being very successful. But close isn’t good enough anymore.
Now they’ve traded Stefon Diggs and are stuck with the biggest non-QB dead money in NFL history. They also released impact players like Jordan Poyer and Tre’Davious White.
Clearly, Buffalo needs to draft a stud. The options are huge, though they may have to trade up to get their guy (although the Bills have 10 picks in 2024, only two of those are before the fourth round.) Need help at safety from them too after saying goodbye to Poyer and Micah. of 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’ dead money and Allen’s mega deal, that has to change or Buffalo risks taking a big step back.
Chicago Bears
Position requirements: quarterback, defensive line, edge.
There are two lenses through which to look at the upcoming nuptials in Chicago with Caleb Williams, the presumptive No. 1 pick. 1. The first is that Williams is being brought to Chicago on a platter. Williams has earned the label “genius talent” for his insane playmaking ability and mental precision. There’s no question about picking Williams, so Pick No. 9 is really when the pressure on GM Ryan Poles gets up. The Poles will likely select a defender, perhaps a pass rushing threat to go along with Montez Sweat. Whether he wins or loses on to player, or trades down to collect more picks, the real question is because Williams is such an obvious choice. Even if he doesn’t succeed, Chicago won’t feel the heat as almost every other team in the NFL would have gone for him.
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Except … the layers surrounding the decision to hand Williams the keys run deep. Chicago sent Justin Fields who looked like a legitimate franchise quarterback at times, and the Bears got almost nothing in return. They added weapons to Williams in the form of Keenan Allen and D’Andre Swift, and they have a serviceable offensive line. But for the most part, Chicago can not miss again under the middle, especially with a swirling draft class with other quarterbacks that could be great. The wounds from the Mitch Trubisky era and how the Bears could have picked Mahomes instead that year still run deep. If in a few years we’re mocking Chicago for taking Williams when they could have chosen future Hall of Famers Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye, maybe the team will take offense.
Denver Broncos
Position requirements: Quarterback, cornerback, wide receiver, edge.
Denver needs a lot of pieces but they need direction more. Russell Wilson is gone, though Denver is saddled with $53m in dead money for 2024. Right now, the Broncos’ top quarterback is Jarrett Stidham, a guy who has thrown eight career touchdown passes. Will Sean Payton be able to accomplish things John Elway couldn’t and find a franchise QB? It will require pulling a rabbit out of a helmet. Pick No. After No. 12, Denver doesn’t pick again until the third round, and they only have eight total picks, so they’re not exactly working with a ton of draft capital. GM George Paton filled a few holes in free agency, most notably signing Brandon Jones to replace Justin Simmons at safety.
But by virtue of playing in the same division as the Kansas City Chiefs and a Los Angeles Chargers team that could improve greatly under John Harbaugh, the clock is ticking on the Payton era.
Drivers for Los Angeles
Position needs: Offensive set, edge, running back.
We wouldn’t even think the Chargers were a serious contender for first if they hadn’t landed this year’s biggest free agent, Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh and Justin Herbert are a great nucleus, but the Chargers more than any other team will be packed with new players in 2024. The team lost four defensive starters, along with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler on the other side of the ball.
What Los Angeles does with the No. 1 overall pick 5 is one of the most interesting dilemmas in this year’s draft. They could have their choice of any quarter back. Do they draft a tackle to pair with Rashawn Slater? Will they get a new weapon for Herbert? Or maybe they trade down and expand the roster building.
No one believes Harbaugh will turn the Chargers into a Super Bowl contender in his first year but that doesn’t mean the expectations aren’t huge. The draft decisions Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz make in 2024 will set the tone for their leadership. Remember that the fight between Harbaugh and GM Trent Baalke had a lot to do with Harbaugh’s departure from San Francisco.
Minnesota Vikings
Position requirements: Quarterback, cornerback.
It’s no secret that the Vikings will be targeting a franchise quarterback after letting Kirk Cousins go. This draft will be the team’s most important in recent memory. With the 11th and 23rd picks, not to mention seven more picks in the later rounds, Minnesota has plenty of draft capital to work with. Anything and everything is on the table, except Caleb Williams. We still don’t know if the Vikings have anointed any of the other QBs as the second coming. Perhaps they are comfortable waiting to see who is available and letting their whispering head coach Kevin O’Connell do his thing. The trade up seems more plausible, however.
Minnesota will also need to build around its new quarterback. Another offensive weapon would be great as would be more offensive line depth. They could also use an upgrade at cornerback.
But let’s be real, the Vikings will decide the direction of the Vikings who the Vikings will choose as their quarterbacks. If they trade their present and future and find the next Josh Allen, that’s great. If they stay put, get their man and it’s a bust, yikes. Third-year GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure hasn’t been long enough for us to make firm predictions about who he’ll go for. But if he gets this wrong, he and O’Connell may not be around to fix it.
New York Jets
Position Requirements: Offensive line, wide receiver, safety, quarterback.
GM Joe Douglas was busy last season. He solidified the offensive line as promised, bringing in three new starters, including one of the best left tackles of late, Tyron Smith. But he still needs to add another impact player or two since this new lineup isn’t overflowing with spring chickens and some of them, including Smith, have an injury history.
Choice No. 10 by New York overall so many teams could go in different directions. That includes snagging one of these stud wideouts to add to a receiver room featuring Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams, and Xavier Gipson.
The Jets also need to start thinking about a successor to Aaron Rodgers, who will be 41 in December, deeper in the draft. It should be noted that New York has the Mr. Irrelevant option this season. But it should also be noted that things like the Brock Purdy Miracle don’t happen for the Jets.
Mostly, the pressure is on Douglas and Robert Saleh – who gave up a 2024 second-round pick in the Rodgers trade – to not only hit on some young impact players in this draft for the future, but to build their roster keeping healthy in the present. . Rodgers is returning from the achilles injury he suffered in Week 1 last season. Williams, coming off ACL surgery, may not even be ready for training camp. And as the offensive line improves, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is coming off Achilles surgery and OT Morgan Moses had surgery on a torn pectoral.
