The NFL is a fast-paced league, that constantly goes through changes, week by week, whether it’s in the regular season, playoffs, or the offseason. Each team shifts, regroups, and refreshes its rosters with new talent, whether it’s through free agency or the NFL Draft. Despite an NFL team’s free-agent acquisitions, each NFL team needs to draft that certain someone to perfect their rosters for the upcoming regular season.
Here are all 32 NFL team’s Biggest Needs in the Upcoming 2024 Draft:
What is your favorite team’s biggest need in this year’s NFL Draft?
Arizona Cardinals: Wide Receivers
The Arizona Cardinals finished the 2023 season with a woeful 4-13 record, even with Kyler Murray returning from the ACL injury he suffered in 2022. The Cardinals’ best offensive playmaker, outside of Murray, was James Conner, who had a 1,000-yard season on the ground. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who caught 51 receptions for 574 yards in 2023, left the desert and joined forces with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cardinals need a new superstar wide receiver, or two, for Murray to work with. Possibly drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. would help get the Cardinals’ offense back on track. If the Cardinals don’t draft Harrison Jr., they could also draft Malik Nabers from LSU or Rome Odunze from the University of Washington. It’s your call Cardinals, if you want to return to relevance in the NFC West.
Atlanta Falcons: Edge rusher
The Atlanta Falcons secured a major win this offseason by signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year $180 million deal. However, the Falcons do need an edge rusher on defense to complement safety Jessie Bates, who earned his first Pro Bowl with the Falcons in 2023. The Falcons doubled their sacks totals from 21 sacks in 2022, with 42 sacks, but finished 21st in sacks by team in 2023.
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Even though the Falcons drafted guys like Vic Beasley, who ended up being a one-hit wonder, and Takkarist McKinley, doesn’t mean the Falcons should give up on edge rushers. They can potentially draft Dallas Turner from Alabama or Jared Verse from Florida State and develop them into Pro Bowl-like defensive edge rushers who can truly go after the quarterback in the 2024 regular season.
Baltimore Ravens: Offensive Line
The 2024 Baltimore Ravens entered the draft with a need for offensive linemen, as they lost guard Kevin Zeitler, guard John Simpson, and center Sam Mustipher in free agency. Zeitler was named to the 2023 Pro Bowl, and that is a significant loss for the Ravens. The Ravens could move down and trade picks and possibly draft OT Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma, OT Jordan Morgan from Arizona, or center Jackson Powers-Johnson from Oregon, who can play both center and guard.
Options are a beautiful thing, and the Ravens need to keep their offensive line fresh at all times for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry to possibly lead them back to the playoffs and potentially Super Bowl 59.
Buffalo Bills: Wide Receiver
The Bills lost Stefon Diggs via trade to the Houston Texans, and Gabe Davis signed a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 offseason. The Bills did sign Curtis Samuel, K. J. Hamler, and Mack Hollins during the 2024 offseason. However, it’s not going to be enough, as the Bills need a new number-one wideout for Josh Allen to work with. The Bills’ first pick in the 2024 Draft is the 28th spot, for now, and Marvin Harrison Jr. will be long gone by then.
The Bills could potentially trade up and try to select Adoni Mitchell from Texas, Malik Nabers from LSU, Brian Thomas Jr. from LSU, or Xavier Worthy from Texas. Whoever the Bills draft at wide receiver should work very nicely with Josh Allen when the 2024 regular season kicks off.
Also Read: 10 Defensive College Players to Keep an Eye on in the 2024 NFL Draft
Carolina Panthers: Offensive playmakers (mainly wide receiver and tight end)
The 2023 Carolina Panthers were miserable to watch as Bryce Young struggled in his rookie year without any reliable playmaker outside of Chuba Hubbard and Adam Thielen. Unlike the 2023 NFL Draft, the Panthers will be without a first-round pick, as they traded it to the Chicago Bears, to draft Young in 2023. The Panthers won’t draft anyone until the second round with the 33rd and 39th picks, for now.
If the Panthers want to find their guy, they need to potentially trade up and find a new and flashy wideout for Young to work with for the 2024 season, as Thielen is no longer the Pro Bowler he was back in Minnesota. The Panthers could draft Ladd McConkey from Georgia, as well as tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders from Texas or Theo Johnson from Penn State. Either way, the Panthers need all the help they can get when the regular season kicks off in 2024.
Chicago Bears: Quarterback
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Bears are very likely going to draft Caleb Williams, with the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft, which will fill their need at quarterback since they traded away Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, rumors have swirled about Williams not wanting to play for the Bears and force a trade out of the organization, similar to what Eli Manning did in 2004 when the then-San Diego Chargers drafted him. Williams did say he would be excited to play for the Bears, or if he got traded to another team, he would still be excited.
The Bears have bolstered their offense by adding Kenan Allen, D’Andre Swift, Gerald Everett, and Coleman Shelton for Williams to work with possibly. Regardless of the rumors, the Bears should draft a backup quarterback, just in case Williams chooses not to play for them. Either way, it should be a very exciting time in the Windy City!
Cincinnati Bengals: Defensive Tackle
The 2023 Cincinnati Bengals may have finished with a 9-8 record, but they lost Joe Burrow to a season-ending wrist injury and were awful at stopping the run that season as they went 1-5 in the AFC North. The Bengals lost defensive nose tackle D. J. Reader, who signed with the Detroit Lions in the 2024 offseason.
However, the 2024 Draft class doesn’t have that many defensive tackles to take. The Bengals could potentially draft Byron Murphy II from Texas, Kris Jenkins Jr. from Michigan, or Darius Robinson from Missouri, to name a few guys who can help the Bengals on the defensive side of the ball, as well as complement newly acquired Sheldon Rankins, Geno Stone, and Vonn Bell. Hopefully, the Bengals make a smart draft choice when they’re up on the board.
Cleveland Browns: Offensive tackles
With Deshaun Watson coming back from injury to the starting lineup, as well as Joe Flacco long gone, the Browns are going to need more offensive line protection. The 2023 Browns offensive line was a mixed bag, as they were ranked 21st in run-blocking and 18th in pass-blocking, per Pro Football Focus. The Browns also had nine different guys play over 100 snaps in pass protection in 2023, as well. The Browns have solid offensive linemen in Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and Ethan Pocic.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin did suffer a torn ACL and MCL in week one of the 2023 season and needed to find other offensive tackle prospects for the 2024 season. Notre Dame OT Joe Alt will very likely be drafted by another team, which leaves the Browns to possibly draft guys like Taliese Fuaga, Amarius Mims, or Kingsley Suamataia, to name a few offensive tackle prospects, on the board.
Dallas Cowboys: Offensive Line
The Cowboys’ most important draft need for 2024 is the offensive line to protect Dak Prescott from sacks and allow him to make incredible passes to CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. The Cowboys could potentially draft Jordan Morgan from Arizona, Kinsley Suamataia from BYU, Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma, or Graham Barton from Duke.
When an NFL team has a strong offensive line that prevents their quarterback from getting sacked, they can truly create a winning formula on the field, offensively. With an offensive lineman possibly taken in the first round by the Cowboys, they can find another wide receiver and Tony Pollard’s replacement at running back in the later rounds.
Denver Broncos: Quarterback
After releasing Russell Wilson in the 2024 offseason, the Broncos currently have Jared Stidham, Ben DiNucci, and newly acquired Zach Wilson via trade from the New York Jets. The 2024 Broncos need a new signal caller they can draft and develop as their future starter for 2024 and beyond. The 2024 Draft class has a lot of quarterbacks to choose from, but the Broncos’ first pick is the 12th spot of the 2024 Draft.
Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jaylen Daniels, and J. J. McCarthy will likely be off the board by the time the Broncos are on the clock. The Broncos could draft Bo Nix from Oregon, Michael Penix Jr. from Washington, or Spencer Rattler from South Carolina. The Broncos did acquire Josh Reynolds and re-signed Lil’Jordan Humphrey during the 2024 off-season for the new rookie signal caller to work with. We’ll wait and see who the Broncos will select with the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions: Offensive Line
The 2023 Detroit Lions dominated the NFC North, won playoff games for the first time since 1991, and made it to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991. Much of the success can be credited to Jared Goff’s improved play and Dan Campbell’s great coaching in the regular season. Like a lot of teams on this list, the Lions need some new offensive linemen to protect Goff, which will increase passing and rushing plays for a better 2024 season.
The Lions lost Jonah Jackson, Matt Nelson, Michael Schofield, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the offseason and will need to draft new offensive linemen right away if they want to possibly return to the NFC Championship game. The Lions could draft Christian Hayes from UConn, Graham Barton from Duke (if anyone doesn’t draft him before the Lions do), or Cooper Beebe from Kansas State University. Anything can happen on draft night, and the Lions need to make the right pick for an even stronger 2024 regular season.
Green Bay Packers: Defensive Backs
The 2023 Packers surprised many with their 9-8 record, as they became the first seventh seed to win a playoff game and play a very close matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. The Packers’ defense ranked 21st in Pro Football Focus’ final defensive grades as the defense unraveled and released defensive coordinator Joe Barry. The Packers need a new shutdown defensive back to restore order against opposing offenses.
The Packers could potentially draft Cooper DeJean from Iowa, Terrion Rogers from Alabama, or Kool-Aid McKinstry from Alabama. Either way, Packer fans should be very satisfied with whoever the Packers end up drafting in 2024, as the team looks to improve even more with Jordan Love entering his second season as a starter.
Houston Texans: Defensive Tackle
The 2023 Houston Texans dominated the AFC South, won the division, and made it to the Divisional Round of the playoffs before losing 10-34 to the Baltimore Ravens with C. J. Stroud and head coach DeMeco Ryans leading the way. The 2024 Texans look to potentially repeat as AFC South champs and get over the hump of the AFC playoffs and reach the AFC Championship game. The Texans do need new defensive linemen to stop the run, which was part of their demise in the AFC Divisional Round in 2023-24.
Defensive tackles they may consider selecting with the 42nd pick of the second round include Braden Fiske from Florida State, Darius Robinson from Missouri, Michael Hall Jr. from Ohio State, or Kris Jenkins Jr. from Michigan. Either way, one of these defensive linemen would do wonders in DeMeco Ryans’ defense.
Indianapolis Colts: Secondary
The 2024 Indianapolis Colts have most of their 2023 roster returning to action including Anthony Richardson (who is returning from season-ending shoulder surgery), Michael Pittman Jr., and Ashton Dulin. The Colts can use the 15th pick on Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo, Terrion Arnold from Alabama, or Tayler Nubian from Minnesota.
If the Colts bolster their secondary with a strong and reliable cornerback or safety, they can potentially play spoiler against the Houston Texans for control of the AFC South.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Cornerback
The 2023 Jaguars started the season hot, with an 8-3 record, but ended up finishing the season with a 9-8 record and missing the playoffs. The Jaguars saw Christian Braswell on injured reserve in 2023. but they did add Ronald Darby, in free agency. However, Darby is 30 and a lot of cornerbacks lose their speed in their 30s.
Drafting a new cornerback to complement the defense makes a lot of sense. The Jaguars could potentially draft Cooper DeJean, Terrion Arnold, Nate Wiggins, or Terrion Arnold with the 17th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. With the right corner in the lineup, they could dominate opposing wide receivers and put them on ice in 2024.
Kansas City Chiefs: Defensive back
The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs may have an incredible roster, but they’re going to need a new defensive back in the secondary. The Chiefs traded away L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans and safety Mike Edwards signed with the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs may not draft a cornerback or safety with the 32nd pick of the draft, but general manager Brett Veach knows how to find diamonds in the ruff. The Chiefs can draft Mike Sarinristel, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., or T. J. Tampa to address their defensive back needs in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Also Read: REPORT: Surprise NFC Team Is Now Making Calls To Trade Up In The NFL Draft
Las Vegas Raiders: Quarterback
The 2023 Raiders started poorly under Josh McDaniels but became respectable with Antonio Pierce as head coach. The Raiders need to draft a new quarterback with the 13th pick of the 2024 NFL draft. The problem is a lot of the most talented quarterbacks, like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J. J. McCarthy, will likely be selected. Michael Penix Jr., Spencer Rattler, or Michael Pratt may be viable options for the Raiders to draft, who can learn from Gardner Minshew and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy for a very productive 2024 regular season.
Los Angeles Chargers: Wide Receiver
The LA Chargers traded away Kenan Allen and released Mike Williams in the offseason. Second-year wide receiver Quentin Johnston needs to step up after having a very quiet rookie season. The Chargers have the fifth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and need to add a strong and reliable game-changing receiver to the roster. Unfortunately, Marvin Harrison Jr. might get drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, with the fourth pick.
The Chargers will potentially have to draft Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, or Adonai Mitchell or trade up with the Cardinals, just to try and secure Harrison Jr., depending upon what happens at the draft. Either way, a new receiver for Justin Herbert will greatly help the Chargers improve in the 2024 regular season.
Los Angeles Rams: Defensive Tackle
The LA Rams had a very good rebound 2023 season, that saw them reach the playoffs before they lost 23-24 to the Detroit Lions. The 2024 Rams will be without Aaron Donald, who retired in the offseason. With Donald gone and getting prepared for enshrinement in Canton, the Rams are going to have to draft someone who can replace Donald’s aggressive presence on defense.
With the 19th pick of the NFL draft, the Rams could draft Jer’Zhan Newton or Byron Murphy II to patch the hole Donald left. Both Newton and Murphy II have the potential to cause havoc against opposing offenses at the professional level. It’s just a question of who the Rams will take, and how they’ll perform in the 2024 regular season.
Miami Dolphins: Cornerback
The Dolphins parted ways with Xavien Howard, Eli Apple, and Justin Bethel during the 2024 offseason. The loss of Howard is going to affect the Dolphins in the 2024 regular season, as the team needs to draft his replacement with the 21st pick or the other five picks they have. The Dolphins could snag Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Mike Sainristal, or Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to fill the void Howard left behind. If the Dolphins nail their cornerback pick, they could take the AFC East in 2024.
Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback
With Kirk Cousins gone, despite the Vikings having a very talented wide receiver room, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the Vikings are going to need a new quarterback on their roster. Sam Darnold is not going to provide enough as a starter but can mentor whoever the Vikings will select in the draft. The Vikings have the 11th pick in the draft so far but can trade and move up and possibly select J. J. McCarthy or Bo Nix as the team’s next signal-caller. The 2024 regular season should be an interesting one for the Vikings as they look to bounce back from their 7-10 record in 2023 without Kirk Cousins.
New England Patriots: Quarterback
If the Patriots are going to start their rebuild off on the right foot, they’re going to need a new quarterback in Foxborough, MA. They shipped Mac Jones off to Jacksonville where he’ll back up Trevor Lawrence but still have Bailey Zappe on the roster. There are plenty of quarterbacks ready to roll for the 2024 season, as the Patriots are very likely going to draft Drake Maye or Jaylen Daniels as the team’s replacement for Jones. No matter who the Patriots get at quarterback, he’ll be a great signal-caller to revitalize the New England faithful when the 2024 regular season begins.
New Orleans Saints: Offensive Tackle
The 2023 Saints were a hit-or-miss team, as Derek Carr had his good days and had his questionable days on the field. Carr was sacked 31 times during his first season in the “Big Easy”, as the Saints needed to draft a new offensive tackle to protect Carr from opposing defenses. The Saints have the 14th pick of the 2024 draft and could select Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, or Olumuyiwa Fashanu to fix the Saints’ offensive line, which was a disaster in 2023. Hopefully, Carr won’t get sacked as much in the upcoming 2024 season with a new offensive lineman protecting him.
New York Giants: Offensive line
The Giants have quite a few needs to address in the 2024 season. The offensive line is one of those needs for the Giants if they want to have a successful 2024 season. The Giants ranked 30th in the offensive line, just ahead of the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets per Pro Football Focus, and need a strong unit to protect Daniel Jones or whoever else is under center for the G-Men. The Giants could take Joe Alt but there’s a very high probability the Titans could move up and snag him.
If the Titans don’t, Alt would be a great fit to protect Jones and any other quarterback moving forward. Other offensive line prospects the Giants could draft are Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, or Jackson Powers-Johnson depending on how the 2024 draft plays out.
New York Jets: Offensive Tackle
Similar to their NFC East counterpart (the New York Giants), the Jets also need a new offensive line to protect Aaron Rodgers (who is 40), as well as anyone else under center for the team. The Jets did add Tyron Smith in free agency, but he’s 33 years old and could be a liability. The Jets could move up to secure Joe Alt, but the Giants or Titans may end up taking him. That leaves the Jets possibly taking Talise Fuaga or Troy Fautanu with the 10th pick if they go that route. At the end of the day, any new offensive line prospect will help the Jets move forward.
Philadelphia Eagles: Secondary
The Eagles’ secondary took a bit of a hit in the 2024 offseason, with Bradley Roby, Justin Evans, and Kevin Byard leaving. The Eagles are going to have to find a new cornerback or safety in the 2024 NFL Draft who can be a game-changer in the secondary. The Eagles could select someone like Tyler Nubin, Javon Bullard, or Nate Wiggins to bolster the secondary for a stronger 2024 season and reclaim the NFC East from the Dallas Cowboys. It should be a very exciting time in Philadelphia, as their championship window is still currently open and ready for 2024.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver
The Pittsburgh Steelers upgraded their quarterback room with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the offseason but need to draft young and talented wide receivers for Wilson or Fields to throw to. George Pickens had a great 2023 season with 1,140 receiving yards, but the Steelers are going to need another strong Pro Bowl-like pass catcher. However, history has shown the Steelers find diamonds in the ruff, as they found talented wide receivers in the later rounds of the NFL Draft.
John Stallworth, Hines Ward, and Antonio Brown come to mind as previous late-round steals for the Steelers. The Steelers could take Roman Wilson or Ricky Pearsall would be great late-round receivers the Steelers could add to their roster, for a chance to retake the AFC North in the 2024 regular season.
San Francisco 49ers: Defensive Line
The 49ers parted ways with Randy Gregory, Chase Young, Javon Kinlaw, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Arik Armstead during the 2024 offseason. The 49ers added Leonard Floyd, Jordan Elliott, and Yetur Gross-Matos during the offseason. However, the 49ers are going to need to draft a younger defensive line prospect to join Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave. Braden Fiske, Kris Jenkins Jr., or Brandon Dorlus would work very nicely under defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen’s system when the 2024 regular season kicks off.
Seattle Seahawks: Defensive Line
The 2024 Seahawks are under new leadership, with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald as head coach. The Seahawks nailed it when they re-signed Leonard Williams, but also need to draft a new and young offensive lineman to join the team in their quest to return to the playoffs in 2024. Mario Edwards Jr. is gone, and the Seahawks could replace him with Jared Verse, Adisa Isaac, or Chop Robinson come draft night. The Seahawks have made their identity known on defense, and that is their winning formula moving forward in 2024.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Linebacker
The Buccaneers don’t have a lot of needs in the draft, but drafting a new and young linebacker wouldn’t hurt. Even though the Bucs re-signed Lavonte David, he’s currently 34, and having a younger prospect learn from him would be excellent help long term. Payton Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper, or Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would be an excellent addition for David to mentor. David is just the type of fierce linebacker to show a rookie how it is done in the NFL, as well as set a rookie up for success on a strong Bucs’ defense for future seasons.
Tennessee Titans: Offensive line
The Titans’ offensive line ranked at 32 per Pro Football Focus, as the team needs new offensive linemen to protect second-year quarterback Will Levis. The Titans could land Joe Alt, but there’s a very strong possibility, the New York Giants could draft him first. The Titans’ next option would be Taliese Fuaga, who visited Nashville 30 times. The Titans could also grab JC Latham, Armairus Mims, or Olumuyiwa Fashanu depending on how the first night of the draft goes. A better offensive line sometimes begins by finding the correct talent on draft night.
Washington Commanders: Quarterback
The 2024 Commanders added a lot of veteran talent on both sides of the ball, during the offseason. The final piece the Commanders need is a new signal caller. Drake Mayes or Jayden Daniels would be great quarterbacks to play under Dan Quinn, depending on who gets drafted, as the New England Patriots are also in the market for a new quarterback. The bottom line is any of those two quarterbacks would be a massive upgrade from Sam Howell, who was shipped off to the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason.
Unlike the Patriots, the Commanders have veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota for Maye or Daniels to learn from during the 2024 regular season as the Commanders look to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season.
Also Read: 10 Top Prospects In The 2024 NFL Draft That Will Be Busts
