NFL Team Draft Needs: NFC North
The NFL draft is scheduled to go from April 23-25. The first round will go off on Thursday at 8pmET, while rounds 2-3 will take place on Friday, April 24 at 7pmET. The draft will end on Saturday, April 25 with rounds 4-7.
The draft was originally supposed to be held in Las Vegas, but that is off due to effects of COVID-19. That means NFL general managers will have to rely mainly on scouting from the college football season and the NFL Combine instead of working out players individually. But these are difficult times so teams will need to adjust to the circumstances. We'll take a look at the NFL Draft over the next couple of weeks, starting with the needs of each NFL team, adjusted through NFL free agency. For handicappers out there, we are going to keep you informed about all the moves made before the draft, the top picks each team has and what their Super Bowl odds are. Let's take a look at the NFC North, led by Green Bay
NFC North
Chicago Bears:
2019: 8-8
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 33-1
First pick: No. 43
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: QB Nick Foles (Trade-Jaguars), TE Jimmy Graham (Packers), DE Robert Quinn (Cowboys), CB Artie Burns (Steelers).
Key Losses: QB Chase Daniel (Lions), OG Kyle Long (retired), DT Nick Williams (Lions), LB Nick Kwiatkowski (Raiders), OLB Leonard Floyd (Rams), OLB Kevin Pierre-Louis (Redskins), S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (Cowboys).
Needs: G, S, CB, OT, QB, WR
Outlook:
Chicago was a mediocre team last season and has no first-round pick. So finding a franchise quarterback in the second round is not likely, unless they trade up for a top-10 pick. That's not likely to happen, but the Bears did deal for Nick Foles, a Super Bowl champ from the Eagles. Foles has never thrown for over 3,000 yards in a season and has started over 10 games just once in eight seasons. He has usually been the backup but when giving the reigns in Jacksonville, he injured his shoulder and played in just four games. He'll compete with Mitch Trubisky for the starting spot. Trubisky completed 63.2% of his passes for 3,138 yards with 17 TDs and 10 INTs with an 83 passer rating. He also ranked last with 6.1 yards per pass attempt.
Offensively, the Bears showed very little last season. They averaged just 17.5 points per game (29th), 206 passing yards (25th) and 91 rushing yards (27th). So, they weren't very explosive and they will need to address that in the draft. They did pick up Jimmy Graham from Green Bay, who caught 38 passes for 447 yards with three TDs. While Graham isn't as dynamic as he once was, he should be an upgrade over Trey Burton, who had an injury-plagued season.
The offensive line needs some upgrades as well. They lose guard Kyle Long to retirement and he struggled in 2019. Rashaad Coward filled in for Long last season when he was injured and was one of the worst guards in the NFL.
Defensively, the Bears should be very good again. They ranked fourth in the NFL in points allowed per game at 18.6, 8th in total yards allowed per game (324.1ypg), ninth in passing yards allowed (222.1ypg) and ninth in rushing yards per game allowed (102ypg). Khalil Mack led the with Bears with 8.5 sacks, though that was a disappointment. He could see less attention now that Chicago has added OLB/DE Robert Quinn, who is coming off one of his best seasons (11.5 sacks), after playing with Dallas.
The Bears could use help at safety with Ha Ha Clinton-Dixon gone in free agency. They had to pay a lot of money to free safety Eddie Jackson, one of the best in the game. So adding a rookie here and playing him behind Deon Bush at strong safety would make sense.
Detroit Lions
2019: 3-12-1
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 66-1
First pick: 3
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: DT Danny Shelton (Patriots), OLB Jamie Collins (Patriots), LB Reggie Ragland (Chiefs), S Duron Harmon (trade-Patriots), S Jayron Kearse (Vikings), CB Darryl Roberts (Jets), CB Desmond Trufant (Falcons), WR Geronimo Allison (Packers), DT Nick Williams (Bears), QB Chase Daniel (Bears), OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai (Eagles).
Key Losses: QB Jeff Driskel (Broncos), RB J.D. McKissic (Redskins), OT Rick Wagner (Packers), OL Graham Glasgow (Broncos), DT A'Shawn Robinson (Rams), OLB Devon Kennard (Cardinals), CB Darius Slay (Eagles), CB Rashaan Melvin (Jaguars), P Sam Martin (Broncos).
Needs: CB, OG, Edge, WR, S
Outlook:
Matt Patricia should be on the hot seat considering he's gone 9-22-1 in his two seasons. As a former defensive coordinator, you would think that the Lions would at least have a quality defense. That wasn't the case last season, as the squad finished last in the league in air yards, which is receiving yards minus yards after the catch. They also intercepted just 1.1 percent of pass attempts, which was lowest in the NFL. Boundary corner Rashaan Melvin (gone in FA) and slot corner Justin Coleman allowed passer ratings over 100 when targeted last season. Coleman is back, but Melvin and top corner Darius Slay are both gone. This is pretty much a no-brainer for the Lions in the draft. They desperately need a corner and Jeff Okudah from Ohio State at 6-1, 205 should be the pick. That's assuming Chase Young goes to Washington at No. 2.
The good news is that Detroit did add a lot of key defensive players in free agency with many of them coming from Patricia's old team the Patriots. They did pick up potential No. 2 corners in Darryl Roberts from the Jets and Desmond Trufant from Atlanta. Both are coming off down seasons, but Trufant at least has the experience and has been a No. 1 corner. He had four picks last season and would be a nice complement to Okudah, if they draft him. Duron Harmon, another ex-Patriot, was added as a potential starter at safety with Tavon Wilson expected to leave as a free agent.
On the defensive line, Detroit desperately needs to find a way to get to the quarterback. They had just 28 sacks last season to rank 31st in the league and for whatever reason, they rushed the fewest players on average in the NFL last year. Adding veteran linebacker Jamie Collins (7.0 sacks, 81 tackles) won't hurt, though he does turn 31 in late October. Reggie Ragland, a 26-year old veteran from Kansas City, was added as a run-stuffer at middle linebacker. He's more of a rotation guy who started seven games last season for a bad run defense.
Up front, the Lions added another strong run-stuffer in Danny Shelton (6-2, 345), who of course, played for New England and is still in his prime at 26. They also picked up Nick Williams from the Bears, a 30-year old rotation tackle at 6-4, 310, who had six sacks in five starts last season.
Detroit should improve on defense dramatically if they go defense early in the draft and with all these additions. The offense was average last season. They added Geronimo Allison, a third receiver at best from Green Bay, but the passing game should be fine as long as Matthew Stafford is around. He has quality weapons in Danny Amendola (62 catches for 678 yards), Marvin Jones Jr. (62 catches for 779 yards) and Kenny Golladay (65 catches for 1,190 yds).
The Lions could use help at offensive tackle. Ricky Wagner was a bust at right tackle and was gone in free agency. Tyrell Crosby started four games last season but doesn't appear to be a long-term solution.
Green Bay Packers:
2019: 13-3
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 22-1
First pick: No. 30
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: LB Christian Kirksey (Browns), OT Rick Wagner (Lions), WR Devin Funchess (Colts).
Key Losses: TE Jimmy Graham (Bears), OT Bryan Bulaga (Chargers), LB Blake Martinez (Giants), WR Geronimo Allison (Lions), OLB Kyler Fackrell (Giants).
Needs: WR, TE, CB, OG/C, LB
Outlook:
The Packers are not known for their busy off-seasons. They aren't normally going to replicate what the Lions did in terms of signing a ton of free agents. Last season, they added to their defense, specifically bringing in Za'Darius Smith from Baltimore, who had a career-high 13.5 sacks. They brought in OLB Christian Kirksey from the Browns, who is the only defensive addition thus far and won't replace MLB Blake Martinez. That's a big loss for the Packers, though Martinez struggled in pass coverage. That's a spot that will certainly need to be addressed in the draft. At 30, the Packers will probably look for the best player available.
On offense, the window is closing for Aaron Rodgers, who is 36. Rodgers can still spin the ball, but doesn't take as many chances as he used to. He threw for 4,002 yards with 26 TDs and just four picks last season for a 95.4 passer rating. The Packers, relying more on the running game last season, ranked just 17th in passing (233ypg) and 15th in rushing (112ypg). The averaged 23.5 points per game, so the offense was not as dynamic as it's been in year's past. At 30, they are not expected to select a quarterback, but it would make sense to pick one in the middle rounds to groom behind Rodgers, who probably won't be thrilled. After the top four, Jake Fromm from Georgia, Jalen Hurts from Oklahoma, Jacob Eason from Washington, and Anthony Gordon from Washington State could go from rounds 2-4.
Part of the problem has always been at receiver, especially since Jordy Nelson left the team. They don't have that consistent number one receiver. Davante Adams was supposed to be that guy and did have 83 catches for 997 yards with five TDs last season, but was limited to 12 games due to injury. After Adams, there is not a number two receiver. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was expected to be a big target who can go vertical, but he caught just 46% of his targets (lowest amongst players with 40+ targets). The hope is that Devin Funchess (6-4, 225), a big receiver who is just 25, can stay healthy and return to his 2017 form with Carolina, when he had 63 catches for 840 yards and eight TDs. He played in just one game for the Colts last season.
With Jimmy Graham gone, the Packers could also use another tight end. Marcedes Lewis is back, but taking a tight end in the second or third round makes sense since this is not a deep draft for TEs. Devin Asiasi from UCLA, Adam Trautman from Dayton, Cole Kmet from Notre Dame and Harrison Bryant from Florida Atlantic are options in the second and third round.
Minnesota Vikings
2019: 10-6
Super Bowl Odds (via Vegas Insider): 28-1
First pick: 22, 25
Key Free Agent pickups and trades: DT Michael Pierce (Ravens), WR Tajae Sharpe (Titans).
Key Losses: WR Stefon Diggs (Trade Bills), WR Laquon Treadwell (Falcons), DE Stephen Weatherly (Panthers), CB Mackenzie Alexander (Bengals), CB Xavier Rhodes (Colts), CB Trae Waynes (Bengals), DT Linval Joseph (Chargers), S Jayron Kearse (Lions), S Andrew Sendejo (Browns).
Needs: CB, WR, Edge, S, OT, DL
Outlook:
The Vikings head into this draft with several needs. One of them is at wide receiver because they decided to trade disgruntled receiver Stefon Diggs to Buffalo for a first, fifth and sixth-round pick this year and a fourth-round pick in 2021. That's a lot in return for a 26-year old number one receiver who has 23 touchdowns over the last three seasons and had 1,130 yards receiver last year. That means Adam Thielen is the main target returning and is coming off an injury-plagued season that saw him catch just 30 passes for 318 yards. The number two receiver would be second-year player Bisi Johnson, who caught 31 passes for 294 yards last season.
Fortunately, Minnesota has a great running back in Dalvin Cook and a quality tight end in Kyle Rudolph. They just need to get Kirk Cousins a few more weapons. Finding a receiver at 22 and 25 is certainly possible. Denzel Mims from Baylor, Tee Higgins from Clemson and Justin Jefferson from LSU all could be available.
Another need for the Vikes is at cornerback now that Xavier Rhodes and Tray Waynes are gone in free agency. Rhodes was an elite corner for several seasons until last year. Last year's first-round pick Mike Hughes was a bust, but he'll likely get another chance. They allowed 233.6 passing yards per game (15th) and ranked third in interceptions at 1.06 per game. They also ranked fifth in sacks per game with 3.00.
They never really addressed cornerback in free agency so expect one of their first-round picks to be a corner. Jeff Gadney from TCU, Jaylon Johnson from Utah and A.J. Terrell from Clemson are options late in the first round.
The Vikes were decent against the run last season, ranking 13th at 108 yards per game allowed. They should improve that some now that they add Michael Pierce (6-0, 350), a huge run-stuffing nose guard from the Ravens. He replaces Linval Joseph, who signed with the Chargers.
