The NFL free-agency frenzy has passed, and while there are still notable names on the market, teams will begin shifting their focus to filling needs through the NFL draft. As such, it's time to reassess the remaining needs for every AFC team with the draft just over a month away.
Baltimore Ravens: IOL, WR, EDGE
The loss of center Tyler Linderbaum will be felt in Baltimore’s offense this season. The Ravens will need to find a new center, as well as continue to comb the free-agent market and draft class for starting-caliber guards. Current projected starters John Simpson and Andrew Vorhees both earned sub-60.0 PFF overall grades in 2025.
Baltimore also needs to find more pass-catching help. Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are the only players on the roster who tallied at least 300 receiving yards in 2025. The Ravens did make headway in improving their pass rush with the signing of ex-Bengals star Trey Hendrickson, but look for them to continue to add talent to that unit in the middle rounds of the draft.
Buffalo Bills: S, LB, OG
Buffalo should be primarily focused on improving the middle of its defense. The Bills' safety and linebacker units both ranked 22nd in PFF grade this past season. The only surefire starters across either unit are Cole Bishop and Terrel Bernard. Luckily, the Bills will have the opportunity to scour deep draft classes at both safety and linebacker.
On the offensive side, left guard David Edwards’ departure leaves Buffalo with a potential void on the interior. Right guard O'Cyrus Torrence has also earned sub-60.0 PFF overall grades in each of his first three NFL seasons. The Bills may try to find value on the interior offensive line via veteran free agents or in the middle rounds of the draft.
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The Bengals have yet to add to a linebacker unit that ranked last in the NFL in PFF grade in 2025. Second-year players Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter will likely get plenty of reps to prove themselves, but Cincinnati needs to be on the lookout for additional talent by any means necessary.
Defensive tackle and safety will also be areas of focus in Cincinnati. The front office signed interior defender Jonathan Allen, who has managed 30 or more quarterback pressures in seven of his nine NFL seasons, but the team could still opt to search for run-defense help in the draft. And while Bryan Cook is locked into one starting safety spot, we could see competition brought in alongside Jordan Battle.
Cleveland Browns: OT, WR, QB
The Browns have a prime opportunity to alleviate their issues on the offensive line and at wide receiver in this year’s draft. They’ve used ample resources to add starters up front in Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins. Expect one of their two first-round selections to be used on a left tackle.
Cleveland’s passing game is also in need of rejuvenation. Jerry Jeudy was the Browns' only wide receiver to accrue at least 400 receiving yards last season, yet he was also among the team's five wide receivers to earn a sub-60.0 PFF receiving grade. Part of that is due to the team’s moribund quarterback situation, which currently features Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. The Browns are unlikely to select a quarterback in the first round, but they should be examining their options at all times.
Denver Broncos: TE, DI, CB
Broncos tight ends ranked last in the NFL in PFF receiving grade in 2025. None of the players in last year’s unit, including the recently re-signed Adam Trautman, earned at least a 60.0 PFF receiving grade. The free-agent market wasn’t flush with prime receiving options, but the draft should provide Denver with the chance to improve its tight end unit.
The Broncos' defensive tackle unit is solid, but they lost veteran John Franklin-Myers in free agency, which hurts their interior pass rush. The team could also strive to add more depth at cornerback, potentially bringing in competition on the outside for Riley Moss, who earned a mediocre 61.2 PFF coverage grade in 2025 (64th among cornerbacks).
Houston Texans: IOL, DI, LB
The Texans' championship hopes rest on their ability to improve in the trenches. That starts with the interior offensive line, where they ranked 24th in the NFL in PFF pass-blocking grade this past season. Ed Ingram will be locked in as the starting right guard, but improvements at left guard and center should be the goal heading into the draft.
Defensively, the Texans could add depth to their defensive tackle and linebacker units. An interior run stuffer up front and a coverage specialist at linebacker could make an elite defense even better. Both of those needs could likely be satisfied on the second or even third day of the draft.
Indianapolis Colts: LB, S, WR
The Colts don’t currently employ a linebacker with at least 250 career snaps played. Even with veterans Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt in the fold, Indianapolis linebackers ranked 30th in the NFL in PFF grade last season. The team is without a first-round pick in this year’s draft, so adding a starting-caliber linebacker on day two is all the more important.
Safety isn’t quite as dire a need for Indianapolis, but losing safety Nick Cross, who played more than 1,100 snaps last season, doesn’t help the team's cause. The Colts will need to address that position in the middle rounds of the draft, as well. Despite the Colts' re-signing of Alec Pierce, wide receiver is also a need, as he is their only returning player at the position who tallied at least 600 yards in 2025.
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Josh Hines-Allen is still one of the league’s best pass rushers, but the Jaguars did not have another defensive lineman who played at least 200 snaps with a 68.0-plus PFF overall grade. Help on the interior could be on the way, considering Arik Armstead was the team's only defensive tackle to earn at least a 60.0 PFF overall grade in 2025.
One of the biggest questions for Jacksonville will be how it replaces Devin Lloyd’s production at linebacker. Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser could offer solutions, but neither is a proven coverage defender. Perhaps the Jaguars can bring in a complementary option on day two of the draft who could play on passing downs.
Kansas City Chiefs: CB, DL, WR
The Chiefs have endured an exodus in their secondary, particularly at cornerback, where Kristian Fulton, Nohl Williams and Kader Kohou appear to be their top three options. Armed with two first-round picks, ninth and 29th overall, the Chiefs will be a popular candidate to select at least one cornerback on the first night of the draft.
Kansas City could use additional pass-rush help, as well. Chris Jones and George Karlaftis are the only returning players on the team who tallied at least 25 pressures last season. And at wide receiver, the Chiefs didn’t have a single player eclipse 600 yards in 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders: DI, CB, G
The Raiders spent a ton of money to improve their defense in free agency. Their defensive interior now appears to be their weakest unit on that side of the ball. They don’t currently employ any defensive tackle who earned at least a 55.0 PFF overall grade this past season. Cornerback should also be an area of focus, although they did retain Eric Stokes and add veteran Taron Johnson.
If protecting presumed quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the goal, then the Raiders should continue to improve their offensive line. Left guard and right tackle are occupied, for now, by Jordan Meredith and DJ Glaze, respectively. Both of those players earned PFF overall grades in the low 60s in 2025, so competition could still be brought in.
Los Angeles Chargers: G, EDGE, WR
The Chargers did well to fill their starting center position with former Commander Tyler Biadasz. However, their current projected starting guards are Trevor Penning and Cole Strange, both of whom earned sub-55.0 PFF overall grades last season, though Strange is familiar with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Los Angeles needs to do anything it can to continue to improve the offensive line.
The Chargers also need to improve their defensive line after ranking 21st in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade in 2025. Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack remain solid contributors, but we should expect the team to scour a deep edge defender class for additional help.
Miami Dolphins: DB, DL, OL
New head coach Jeff Hafley will oversee a defensive overhaul that will require a complete reconstruction of Miami’s secondary. The highest-graded starters from that unit, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Rasul Douglas, are both gone, and there isn’t much premium talent on the roster. Expect the Dolphins to draft multiple defensive backs.
Miami could also use help on the defensive line after ranking last in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade in 2025. They’re certainly hoping for a bounce-back from edge rusher Chop Robinson but need to add more starting-caliber players, regardless of his production. The team’s offensive line could also improve, particularly at the guard spots, where second-year man Jonah Savaiinaea (85th out of 85 guards in PFF overall grade in 2025) and veteran Jamaree Salyer (69th out of 94 tackles in 2025) are the projected starters.
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The Patriots added veteran edge defender Dre'Mont Jones in free agency, but they should continue to search for talent in a deep defensive line class. Their edge rusher unit ranked in the bottom four in PFF pass-rush grade, pressure rate and pass-rush win rate in 2025. While their defensive tackles made up for that difference, the unit ranked 24th in the NFL in PFF run-defense grade this past season.
Improvement on offense likely comes with additional depth. Finding a receiving complement at tight end could be an option in the draft after New England lost Austin Hooper in free agency. An heir to right tackle Morgan Moses could also be a possibility for the team early in the draft.
New York Jets: QB, WR, EDGE
The Jets have spent their offseason improving the bulk of their roster, particularly on defense. While they added quarterback Geno Smith via trade, he shouldn’t be seen as the long-term answer at the position. There seems to be a good chance that the Jets will kick their quarterback need down the road for one more offseason as they address other needs, though.
New York carries a star wide receiver in Garrett Wilson but could stand to add more talent to that position, in turn alleviating the pressure on him to carry the passing game. Despite a flurry of defensive line additions in free agency, the Jets also seem overwhelmingly likely to select an edge rusher with the second overall pick in the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB, OT, WR
For the moment, Pittsburgh is still awaiting Aaron Rodgers’ decision about whether he will play in 2025. Whether the Steelers’ starter is Rodgers, Kirk Cousins or somebody else, they need to find a long-term answer at quarterback, which potentially brings somebody like Alabama’s Ty Simpson into play within the first two rounds of the draft.
Pittsburgh also could stand to add more help at offensive tackle and wide receiver. Left tackle Broderick Jones’ job security could be under the microscope after he posted a sub-60.0 PFF overall grade in each of his first three seasons. The addition of Michael Pittman Jr. certainly helps at wide receiver, but the Steelers could use one more perimeter threat who is dynamic with the ball in his hands.
Tennessee Titans: IOL, EDGE, RB
As it stands, Tennessee has a potential opening at center and right guard. Veteran center Austin Schlottmann played reasonably well under offensive coordinator Brian Daboll in New York last season, but he will soon be 31 years old and has never logged 400 snaps in a given season. The Titans' projected right guard is Cordell Volson, who missed all of the 2025 season with a shoulder injury.
The Titans could also use a premier pass rusher, despite adding some nice pieces at edge defender in free agency. Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin and Oluwafemi Oladejo all produced sub-65.0 PFF pass-rush grades last season. Keep an eye out for the potential selection of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the fourth overall pick, as well.