With the common season accomplished, the main target for many NFL groups has turned to the draft, scheduled for April 24-26 in Inexperienced Bay.
Earlier than the primary week of the NFL playoffs, Yardbarker NFL writers assess the best want for each group within the NFC. (Per NFL.com, right here is the present NFL Draft order. The rest of the order might be decided by playoff outcomes.)
NFC East
DALLAS COWBOYS (7-10) | Operating again | Wage-cap restrictions stored the Cowboys from including a top-tier working again to switch Tony Pollard in 2024, and $376M in new contracts for vast receiver CeeDee Lamb and QB Dak Prescott gained’t make issues any simpler in 2025. Rico Dowdle rushed for a career-high 1,079 yards this season, however he is an unrestricted free agent and can probably get higher presents from different groups.
NEW YORK GIANTS (3-14) | Quarterback | Neither QB Drew Lock nor Tommy DeVito is signed for subsequent season and Daniel Jones, New York’s former QB, now performs for Minnesota. Count on the Giants to land both Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders or Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 3 choose. Or maybe New York will make a play for Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, the tenth total choose in final yr’s draft.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3) | Go rush | Linebacker Josh Sweat helped the Eagles make up for the lack of Haason Reddick with a team-high eight sacks in 2024, however he might be an unrestricted free agent within the offseason. With defensive finish Brandon Graham anticipated to retire, Philadelphia’s top-ranked protection might quickly have two huge holes to fill.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (12-5) | Cornerback | Emmanuel Forbes Jr., the group’s first-round choose in 2023, was launched with 5 video games left within the 2024 common season, and Marshon Lattimore has appeared in simply two video games since coming over from the Saints in a Week 10 commerce. Washington’s secondary improved considerably over the unit that allowed a league-high 262.2 yards passing per sport final season, nevertheless it wants extra assist in a division with vast receivers A.J. Brown, CeeDee Lamb and Malik Nabers. — Bruce Ewing
NFC West
ARIZONA CARDINALS (8-9) | Defensive position | The Cardinals took an enormous step ahead in 2024 with eight wins, however they have to enhance on protection to get again into the playoffs. The most important space of weak spot stays on their defensive entrance seven, the place they’re common in opposition to the run (126.4 YPG, twentieth within the NFL). Arizona additionally wants a extra constant and disruptive cross rush, particularly from the inside.
LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7) | Cornerback | The secondary has been an enormous query in latest seasons. Los Angeles tried to handle it in free company final offseason after utilizing premium picks on the defensive position within the draft. However after permitting 223.1 yards per sport (twentieth within the NFL), the Rams should make a considerably bigger funding in cornerbacks.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-11) | Edge | Regardless of having one of many NFL’s greatest edge-rushers in Nick Bosa, the 49ers have been a disappointing twenty fourth within the NFL in sacks in 2024 (37). They desperately want to present Bosa assistance on the other facet of the protection.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (10-7) | Offensive line | The offensive line has been an enormous weak spot for much too lengthy. Seattle has chosen one offensive lineman (Charles Cross in 2022) within the first two rounds of the draft since 2018, and it can not preserve avoiding the place and making an attempt to get by with a patchwork group. — Adam Gretz
NFC North
CHICAGO BEARS (5-12) | Offensive line | 2024 first total choose Caleb Williams was sacked 68 instances throughout his rookie season, tied for the third most in a season and most since 2005. Exterior of 2023 tenth total choice OT Darnell Wright, the Bears want a wholly new offensive line — one thing they will tackle early with their three picks inside the highest 50.
DETROIT LIONS (15-2) | Edge-rusher | Due largely to accidents to key defensive gamers (together with DE Aidan Hutchinson), the cross rush has been lackluster this season, producing the ninth-fewest sacks as a unit (37). Detroit lacks an elite pass-rushing expertise reverse Hutchinson, and whereas it may well make a bid for Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby or one other veteran in free company, including a younger star as harm insurance coverage wouldn’t damage.
GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-6) | Linebacker | Since 2011, the Packers have spent 12 of their 14 first-round picks on defensive gamers, with QB Jordan Love (2020) and OT Jordan Morgan (2024) being the lone exceptions. Inexperienced Bay will probably keep on with its defensive-oriented methods within the draft once more, probably concentrating on Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell as a alternative for Quay Walker, who has struggled to seek out his footing since his choice twenty second total within the 2022 draft.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (14-3) | Cornerback | Minnesota’s cornerback room is headlined by Byron Murphy Jr., who allowed the third-most yards as the closest defender this season, in accordance with NFL Professional, and Stephon Gilmore, who will flip 35 in September. The Vikings gained’t choose within the prime half of the draft, however there might be loads of top-end cornerbacks out there on the finish of the primary spherical, probably together with East Carolina standout Shavon Revel. — Josh Eaton
NFC South
ATLANTA FALCONS (8-9) | Edge | The Falcons have drafted offensive gamers with their previous 4 consecutive top-10 first-round picks to the detriment of the protection, which ranks final within the league in sacks (112) throughout common supervisor Terry Fontenot’s tenure from 2021-24 (h/t Stathead). This yr, the Falcons should use their prime choose (No. 15) on an edge-rusher; Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart are names to look at.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (5-12) | Linebacker | The Panthers sorely missed inside defensive lineman Derrick Brown (season-ending knee harm in Week 1), ending with the league’s worst rush protection. Fixing the protection needs to be the precedence, and whereas Brown ought to assist the road, GM Dan Morgan should goal a prime linebacker — maybe Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman or Penn State’s Kobe King — with considered one of their three top-75 picks (Nos. 8, 54, 74).
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-12) | Defensive sort out | New Orleans ranked thirty first in yards per rush try allowed (4.9) in 2024, and its final six opponents gained greater than 100 yards speeding. The inside of the defensive position is a weak spot, making Michigan defensive sort out Mason Graham an ideal match … assuming he’s out there at No. 9.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-7) | Linebacker | Tampa Bay was compelled to lure Shaq Barrett out of retirement in late December to assist its linebacker depth. Lavonte David, who turns 35 on Jan. 23, performed a team-high 96.5 p.c of its defensive snaps, making it important for the Bucs, who gained’t know their first-round draft choose place till their playoff run ends, to start out enthusiastic about getting youthful at linebacker. — Eric Smithling
