Draft or Free Agency: How each NFL team should attack their biggest need

Estimated Reading Time: 23minutes

With Super Bowl 60 just over a week away, it’s almost time to look ahead to free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft.

This article looks at all 32 teams and their biggest needs heading into the offseason. We'll explore one potential player fit (either through the draft or free agency) after analyzing current rosters, cap space, draft slot selection and other factors.

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Arizona Cardinals

• Biggest Need: Offensive tackle
• Target: T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

The Cardinals have some questions at quarterback heading into 2026, but there isn’t a clear path to drafting one at No. 3 overall. Instead, they could choose to upgrade their offensive line, which was among the worst pass-blocking groups in the NFL this season, ranking 29th in PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating (82.3).

Mauigoa is a natural fit at right tackle after starting there for the past three seasons at Miami. Former first-round pick Jonah Williams is coming off the lowest-graded season of his career (55.6) and is set to hit free agency, making this a logical swap at the position.

Atlanta Falcons

• Biggest Need: Pass catcher
• Target: TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

There is very little behind stud wide receiver Drake London that strikes fear into opposing defenses. Darnell Mooney (52.4 PFF receiving grade) is coming off a career-worst season, and Kyle Pitts Sr. is set to cash in during free agency after his best statistical season as a pro, catching 88 passes for 928 yards and five touchdowns.

With no first-round pick this year, Atlanta may look to the second round for another offensive weapon to pair with London. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers is an intriguing prospect as a four-star quarterback recruit turned tight end.

Stowers’ elite athleticism was on full display this season, as he led all FBS tight ends with 769 receiving yards. The jury is still out on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. as he enters his third NFL season, but adding a weapon like Stowers would surely help his development in Atlanta’s offense.

Baltimore Ravens

• Biggest Need: Interior OL
• Target: G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

The Ravens’ interior offensive line would be among the league’s worst if the front office doesn't re-sign center Tyler Linderbaum, who has ranked among the top seven centers in all four years of his NFL career. Even if the team does bring him back, Baltimore will be looking to improve at guard, where its blockers earned a cumulative 52.1 PFF run-blocking grade (27th) and recorded below-average numbers in pass-protection.

Ioane has experience at both guard spots and allowed no sacks at Penn State over the past two seasons. His presence would help stabilize the unit right away as the Ravens begin the post-John Harbaugh era in 2026.

Buffalo Bills

• Biggest Need: Wide receiver
• Target: WR Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bills’ glaring weakness at wide receiver was on full display once again in 2025 as the team struggled to stretch the field vertically, recording the sixth-fewest receptions on throws of 20-plus yards. Khalil Shakir has been a consistently productive threat from the slot, earning a PFF overall grade of at least 74.3 in each of the past three years, but the team needs more help outside.

Mike Evans missed time with multiple injuries in 2025 but is just one year removed from ranking third among all wideouts with an elite 90.4 PFF overall grade. While the 32-year-old's best days may be behind him, he can still be a valuable piece on a contending team in the short term.

Carolina Panthers

• Biggest Need: Defensive line
• Target: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The Panthers fielded the league’s lowest-graded pass rush in 2024 and responded by targeting defensive linemen with two of their first three 2025 draft picks. Despite the investments, this season didn’t go much better. They ranked 31st in PFF pass-rushing grade (60.5).

With no other real glaring need, the Panthers would be wise to continue stockpiling talent along the defensive line and see how the young players develop. Keldric Faulk remains a work in progress as a pass rusher (66.0 PFF pass-rush grade in 2025) but is stout against the run (85.5) and would make an immediate impact on early downs in the NFL.

Chicago Bears

• Biggest Need: Defensive line
• Target: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson

The Bears were one of the pleasant surprises of the 2025 season, winning the NFC North and a playoff game in the wild-card round against the Packers. For Chicago to take the next step and compete for a Super Bowl, addressing the defensive line is a must.

The Bears’ defensive line struggled versus the run (31st-ranked 42.2 PFF run-defense grade) and failed to generate much pressure (25th-ranked 65.4 PFF pass-rush grade). T.J. Parker could make a difference in both areas, as he graded above 78.0 as both a pass rusher and a run defender this season. He would be a natural plug-and-play fit in Dennis Allen’s defense.

Cincinnati Bengals

• Biggest Need: Defensive line
• Target: DI Peter Woods, Clemson

The Bengals have some major concerns in the trenches, but particularly on defense. They were gashed all year on the ground, with opposing teams averaging nearly 150 rushing yards per game, which resulted in a 45.3 PFF run-defense grade (30th in the NFL).

While his production dipped in 2025 (72.2 PFF overall grade), Peter Woods has the potential to be a difference-maker from day one. The standout defensive tackle out of Clemson earned PFF overall grades of 83.7 in 2024 and 87.6 in 2023, defending the run and rushing the passer at a high level from the interior.

Cleveland Browns

• Biggest Need: Offensive line
• Target: T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Cleveland was home to the NFL's worst pass-blocking offensive line in 2025 (49.7 PFF pass-blocking grade). Three Browns starters (Wyatt Teller, Ethan Pocic and Joel Bitonio) and six offensive linemen in total are set to enter free agency, making the offensive line a top priority for the team.

Cleveland holds two picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, stemming from their trade last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars involving Travis Hunter. Alabama's Kadyn Proctor would be an ideal start to an offensive line rebuild as one of just seven players at his position to earn 80.0-plus PFF grades as both a pass protector and a run blocker. He could slot in at guard or tackle in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys

• Biggest Need: Running back
• Target: RB Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Javonte Williams earned a career-best 81.7 PFF rushing grade and ranked fourth in yards after contact per attempt (3.56) in his first season with the Cowboys. The 25-year-old now enters free agency on a high note, and there’s a possibility Dallas could look at alternative options at the position for 2026 and beyond.

Tyler Allgeier rushed for 1,035 yards as a rookie in 2022 but has since backed up arguably the league’s best running back, Bijan Robinson. Despite the reduced role, Allgeier has remained one of the league’s most productive runners on a per-touch basis, averaging 3.27 yards after contact per attempt with zero fumbles across 676 carries. 

Now a free agent, Allgeier will have the opportunity to land with a team that will make him a lead back once again. He would transition nicely to Dallas’ inside-zone-heavy scheme behind an offensive line that ranked in the top 10 in PFF run-blocking grade in 2025.

Denver Broncos

• Biggest Need: Running back
• Target: RB Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers

JK Dobbins is a pending free agent, and the Broncos struggled to run the ball at times this season despite having a top offensive line. Adding Rico Dowdle would allow RJ Harvey to stay fresh for third downs and allow the team to best utilize his skill set in a two-headed committee. 

Dowdle has been one of the better running backs in the NFL over the last two seasons, forcing 79 missed tackles and averaging 3.21 yards after contact per attempt over that span. The duo of Harvey and Dowdle would be an attempt to replicate Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara from head coach Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints days.

Detroit Lions

• Biggest Need: Offensive line
• Target: T Spencer Fano, Utah

The Lions have been on the short list for the NFL's top offensive lines over the past few years but took a step back in 2025. All-Pro center Frank Ragnow retired shortly before the season, and left tackle Taylor Decker’s future is uncertain, as he has publicly considered retirement.

Fano has experience at both tackle positions and was the highest-graded FBS tackle in 2024 (92.6). He allowed just five pressures (zero sacks) across 382 pass-blocking snaps this season and was a difference-maker in the run game.

Green Bay Packers

• Biggest Need: Interior DL
• Target: DI David Onyemata, Atlanta Falcons

Before All-Pro edge defender Micah Parsons went down with a torn ACL, the Packers boasted a top defensive line. The team struggled down the stretch, losing its last four games of the regular season before falling short in the wild-card round of the playoffs against the Bears.

The biggest concern with the Packers’ defense was its inability to stop the run, particularly the interior defenders. As a unit, Green Bay’s defensive tackles ranked 31st in PFF run-defense grade (30.6).

Veteran defensive tackle David Onyemata has defended the run at a high level during his career and is coming off a season in which he ranked eighth among 130 interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (74.2). This is the type of under-the-radar move that makes sense for a Packers team that won’t be on the clock until 52nd overall in the 2026 NFL Draft and won’t be looking to spend big in free agency.

Houston Texans

• Biggest Need: Interior OL
• Target: G Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

The Texans completely revamped their offensive line this season, and although the unit played better down the stretch, the interior's long-term outlook is a concern. The team may be looking to draft the best offensive lineman available with the 27th overall pick, which may be Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon.

Pregnon was one of the most improved players in college football this season, regardless of position. He led all Power Four guards in PFF overall grade (86.5) and allowed just one sack over 1,536 pass-blocking snaps for his college career. 

Indianapolis Colts

• Biggest Need: Linebacker
• Target: LB Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Colts were one of the league’s biggest surprises in the first half of the season, jumping out to a 7-1 record before losing eight of their last nine games and missing the postseason. To make matters worse, the team went all in and traded for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, leaving them without a 2026 draft pick until No. 47 overall in the second round.

The Colts may look to address their biggest needs through free agency with limited draft ammo. The team's linebacker unit struggled this season, particularly Zaire Franklin, who finished the year with a career-low 38.4 PFF overall grade (87th among 88 qualifying linebackers). 

Lloyd is coming off a great year in which he earned second-team All-Pro honors. He is a complete player at the position, ranking in the top 12 in PFF run-defense grade (85.2), PFF pass-rush grade (81.8) and PFF coverage grade (78.9).

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Biggest Need: Interior OL
• Target: G Greg Van Roten, New York Giants

The Jaguars were one of the league’s biggest surprises this season, winning their final eight games on their way to the AFC South division crown at 13-4. One weakness the team will look to address this offseason is the interior offensive line.

Right guard Patrick Mekari (52.9 PFF pass-blocking grade) and center Robert Hainsey (55.8 PFF pass-blocking grade) struggled to hold up in protection for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Greg Van Roten, 35, is not the flashiest free-agent signing, but he won’t break the bank and is coming off a year with the Giants in which he ranked 20th out of 77 qualifying guards with a 70.1 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Van Roten’s versatility is another plus. He has played left and right guard and center in his career. For a team with limited cap space and no draft pick until 56th overall this year, this is one of those under-the-radar signings that could pay dividends.

Kansas City Chiefs

• Biggest Need: Running back
• Target: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Love ranked second in the FBS in PFF rushing grade (93.7) and fourth in explosive runs of 10-plus yards (39) in 2025. He is a complete three-down running back and one of the best players in this year’s draft class. 

The Chiefs were one of the league’s most feared offenses just a few years ago, but they find themselves in desperate need of playmakers, especially after star quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL late in the season. With Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt both scheduled to hit free agency, running back becomes a position of need. Getting a player of Love’s ability will help take pressure off Mahomes and the passing game, providing the balance the Chiefs have been seeking in recent years.

Las Vegas Raiders

• Biggest Need: Quarterback
• Target: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

There is a lot to be determined as far as the 2026 NFL Draft goes, but we can anticipate that the Raiders will select Heisman Trophy and national championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick.

Mendoza earned elite PFF passing grades on both intermediate and deep throws and was poised under pressure (70.0-plus PFF passing grade under pressure). Geno Smith is still under contract but is coming off his lowest-graded season (60.9) in more than a decade and will be 36 years old at the end of next season, making Mendoza the easy choice to be the franchise player moving forward.

Los Angeles Chargers

• Biggest Need: Interior OL
• Target: G Kevin Zeitler, Tennessee Titans

No team was hit harder by offensive line injuries this season than the Chargers. Without stud tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, the team allowed pressure on 37% of dropbacks (the highest rate in the league) and garnered the NFL’s lowest PFF pass-blocking grade (47.6).

Things weren’t much better along the interior, as no team gave up more interior pressures during the regular season. Kevin Zeitler is older (36 in March), but age has not slowed him down. He is coming off another strong year with the Tennessee Titans, logging a 74.5 PFF overall grade. The former first-round pick out of Wisconsin has graded out as a top-15 guard in each of the past five seasons and would provide an immediate boost for an offense now led by play-calling guru Mike McDaniel.

Los Angeles Rams

• Biggest Need: Cornerback
• Target: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Rams came up just short in the NFC Championship game against the Seahawks and now turn to the offseason. They have the luxury of owning two first-round picks to address needs and make another run at it again in 2026. Ideally, at least one of those picks will be spent on a cornerback, given the team’s struggles in coverage this season.

Delane shut down opposing wide receivers all year in a competitive SEC, allowing just 14 receptions on 35 targets for 165 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. That culminated in a stellar 31.3 passer rating allowed. He was excellent in man coverage, specifically, ranking third in the FBS with an 89.1 PFF coverage grade.

Miami Dolphins

• Biggest Need: Defensive playmakers
• Target: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The Dolphins have holes across their roster and should be looking to take the best player available in the 2026 NFL Draft. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs would be a dream scenario for new head coach Jeff Hafley, as the organization would enter the new regime with arguably the best and safest prospect in this year’s class.

Some teams may pause at the idea of drafting Downs in the top 10 due to positional value, but Downs is far from a traditional safety. He was one of college football’s most versatile players this past season, recording 241 snaps in the box, 240 at deep safety, 146 in the slot and 44 on the edge. He was incredibly productive over his college career, grading out no lower than 85.6 in any of his three years.

Minnesota Vikings

• Biggest Need: Cornerback
• Target: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

The Vikings have the league’s most aggressive defense under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, blitzing at a league-high 52.2% rate in 2025. His scheme is most effective when it can rely on playmaking cornerbacks, something Avieon Terrell has done over his college career.

Terrell has totaled eight forced fumbles, four sacks, two interceptions and 15 pass breakups over the past two seasons and fits the mold of an aggressive Flores defensive back. His production has earned him PFF overall grades of 77.0 (2023), 82.3 (2024) and 83.5 (2025) across his three seasons at Clemson. 

New England Patriots

• Biggest Need: EDGE
• Target: EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Philadelphia Eagles

K'Lavon Chaisson has served as the Patriots' top pass rusher, pacing the team with 58 pressures in the regular season and leading the way with 18 playoff pressures ahead of their Super Bowl matchup with the Seahawks. Despite Chaisson’s breakout season, the Patriots rank 18th in team PFF pass-rush grade (68.9) and 21st in sack rate (5.8%).

Chaisson will test free agency, which could leave the Patriots with an even bigger hole at edge defender. Jaelan Phillips is a splash possibility for a team with a win-now mentality and the necessary cap space.

Phillips enjoyed a strong 2025 season between Miami and Philadelphia, generating 73 pressures and ranking 22nd out of 110 qualifying edge defenders with a 76.2 PFF pass-rush grade. It was an encouraging showing for a player whose season was cut short both in 2023 and 2024 due to devastating injuries. He would immediately boost Mike Vrabel’s defense.

New Orleans Saints

• Biggest Need: Guard
• Target: G David Edwards, Buffalo Bills

Tyler Shough impressed as a rookie, finishing the year with a 73.1 PFF passing grade — 16th best among 40 qualifying quarterbacks. Protecting a young quarterback is crucial for their development, and the Saints are set up well for the future at the tackle positions with first-round picks Taliese Fuaga (2023) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (2024). Still, they could use an upgrade at guard this offseason.

Dillon Radunz (48.5 PFF overall grade) and Cesar Ruiz (55.1) struggled this season, while David Edwards earned a strong 70.3 PFF overall grade in Buffalo, grading out well as both a pass protector and in the run game while playing more than 1,000 snaps for the second year in a row. Edwards will be 29 years old at the start of next season and figures to be in the prime of his career as he enters free agency.

New York Giants

• Biggest Need: Wide receiver 
• Target: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Malik Nabers flashed star potential as a rookie in 2024, ranking eighth out of 133 qualifying wide receivers in PFF overall grade (86.7). He appeared in just four games this season before suffering a torn ACL, so we didn’t get an opportunity to see how he would develop with quarterback Jaxson Dart. 

Beyond Nabers, the Giants' wide receiver unit looks thin, especially since slot specialist Wan'Dale Robinson is heading into free agency and may not be back with the team. Sometimes overshadowed by Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State, Tate is a polished prospect in his own right after finishing fifth in the FBS with an 89.0 PFF receiving grade. He also did not drop a single pass across 66 targets this season.

New York Jets

• Biggest Need: Defensive playmakers
• Target: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)

Trading away cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in-season made it clear that the Jets are in full rebuild mode heading into 2026. Not surprisingly, they were one of the league’s worst defenses following those deals, ranking 31st in EPA allowed per play (0.139), and were the only team in NFL history to finish a season without an interception.

New York likely finds itself in a “best player available” situation with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, which could lead them to Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. Bain’s 83 pressures in 2025 were tied for the most ever in a season in the PFF college era (since 2014).

Philadelphia Eagles

• Biggest Need: Tight end
• Target: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Dallas Goedert is a free agent, which could cause the Eagles to turn to the draft for their tight end of the future. Sadiq is one of the most athletic tight ends to come out in recent memory. He projects to be a matchup nightmare at the next level with his skill set and versatility.

Sadiq led all FBS tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns in 2025 and ranked in the top 10 in deep receptions of 20-plus yards (nine) and contested catches (seven).

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Biggest Need: Wide receiver
• Target: WR Makai Lemon, USC

While there is lingering uncertainty about the Steelers' quarterback room, the front office must address the wide receiver corps in 2026. Beyond D.K. Metcalf (73.1 PFF receiving grade), Pittsburgh's roster lacks any true consistent threat in the passing game.

Makai Lemon is an ideal complement to Metcalf, as someone who wins quickly with separation. Over the past two seasons, his 81.1% open-target rate ranks in the 87th percentile at the position. Lemon led the FBS in PFF receiving grade (91.4) this season and showed elite hands, dropping just two passes on 108 targets.

San Francisco 49ers

• Biggest Need: Defensive line
• Target: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)

The 49ers lost All-Pro Nick Bosa and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams to torn ACLs this season, leaving the team with some concerns at edge defender heading into 2026. They will be forced to add quality depth at the position, whether through the draft or free agency, to allow Bosa and Williams enough time to return from their injuries without being rushed back.

Akheem Mesidor’s stock is rising after a dominant 2025 campaign in which he helped lead the Miami Hurricanes to the national championship game. His metrics as a pass rusher (92.5 PFF pass-rush grade, 20.8% win rate) and a run defender (88.3 PFF run-defense grade) will make him an intriguing prospect in the first round for a team like San Francisco.

Seattle Seahawks

• Biggest Need: Interior OL
• Target: C Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens

The Seahawks arguably have the league’s most complete roster, which is no surprise, given they produced a league-best point differential (+191) in the regular season and are representing the NFC in this year’s Super Bowl. One weakness the team will look to address is the interior offensive line, which ranked 28th in PFF overall grade (57.3) during the regular season.

If a bidding war ensues for free-agent center Tyler Linderbaum, the Seahawks are well positioned to make a move with their ample cap space. Linderbaum’s 89.5 PFF run-blocking grade over the past two seasons ranks fourth among centers, making him an ideal fit for an offense that ran the ball at the second-highest rate in the NFL this season (47.0%).

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Biggest Need: Linebacker
• Target: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Lavonte David is a future Hall of Famer but is on the downswing of his career, finishing 2025 with a career-worst 52.6 PFF overall grade. His 85.1 mark in 2022 ranked third among 81 qualifying linebackers but has steadily declined in the three years since. While retirement may be in consideration, David is heading toward free agency should he opt to continue playing.

Tampa Bay’s linebacker unit finished the year ranked 28th in PFF overall grade, so the issues at the position go well beyond David. Possessing a rare combination of size, speed and physicality, Styles would provide an immediate boost to the unit. He is one of the best pure tacklers in this year’s draft, missing just two of his attempts in 2025. 

Tennessee Titans

• Biggest Need: EDGE
• Target: EDGE Odafe Oweh, Los Angeles Chargers

The Titans boast elite talent on the interior defensive line in All-Pro Jeffery Simmons (88.3 PFF overall grade) and T'Vondre Sweat (83.4), but they desperately need some help on the edge. Arden Key (56.7 PFF pass-rush grade) and Jihad Ward (56.4) ranked 93rd and 95th, respectively, out of 110 qualifying edge defenders in PFF pass-rush grade in 2025. As a team, the Titans ranked 28th in pressure rate (19%).

Tennessee may look to the free-agent market to address the hole, as no team has more cap space in the NFL. Oweh split his 2025 season between the Ravens and Chargers and had his best season as a pro rushing the passer, earning a cumulative 81.0 PFF pass-rush grade, 15th best among qualifying edge defenders. 

With Oweh in the mix, the Titans would have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL for new head coach Robert Saleh.

Washington Commanders

• Biggest Need: Defensive playmakers
• Target: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals

Hendrickson missed 10 games in 2025 with a core injury that ultimately required surgery but was his usual dominant self when on the field, earning a 90.0 PFF pass-rush grade. He is just one year removed from a first-team All-Pro selection in 2024, a season in which his 83 pressures were tied for the most in the NFL and his 20.0% pass-rush win rate was tied for third best.

The Commanders’ defense needs help at all levels to reduce explosive gains. Washington ranked near the bottom in EPA allowed per dropback (0.186) and explosive pass rate allowed (16.6%). 

Adding a player of Hendrickson’s caliber would go a long way toward preventing big plays in the passing game and help take the pressure off the secondary.