Positional needs for four teams looking to get into playoff contention
The NFL has undergone its annual shake-up following the 2023 draft, with many teams now restocked with talent and ready for a playoff push in the new season. There are however still some glaring holes in some rosters which if addressed, could take these teams from playoff hopefuls to title contenders.
New England Patriots – Wide receiver
The Patriots waited until the sixth round of the draft to add any weapons on offense for Mac Jones. Kayshon Boutte may seem like a steal if he can put his injuries behind him and achieve the potential that he once held, but there are huge question marks surrounding the LSU rookie.
JuJu Smith-Schuster had a decent year with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, though he failed to break 1000 yards in the regular season. He has yet to establish himself as a dominant WR1 and his monster 1400+ yard season in 2018 is currently an outlier in his career.
Bill Belichick is a known admirer of DeAndre Hopkins and with the Arizona Cardinals in full rebuild in 2023, there is potential for a trade to give New England their first dominant pass-catcher since Gronk was at the peak of his powers.
Seattle Seahawks – Interior defensive line
The Seahawks will feel good about their chances in the NFC West in 2023, with the Rams and Cardinals rebuilding and serious questions hanging over the quarterback situation in San Francisco.
Seattle got some help on the edge of the defensive line in their selection of OLB Derick Hall in the second round of the draft, though they still lack depth in the interior. Starting lineman Poona Ford has joined the Buffalo Bills as a free agent, leaving fourth-round rookie Cameron Young to be the starting nose tackle in Seattle in 2023.
Shelby Harris remains a free agent after he was released by the Seahawks in March and is likely the best option available if they were open to re-signing him.
Cleveland Browns – Linebacker
With no picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns prioritised drafting an offensive playmaker in Cedric Tillman with their first pick at 74th overall, before going on to shore up the trenches with their remaining picks in the third and fourth rounds.
Fortunately for Cleveland, the free agent pool of linebackers remains deep for the time of year. Veteran Leonard Floyd is likely the best remaining OLB after being released by the Rams as they look to reset after their dismal defence of the Super Bowl title.
Myles Jack could be an option to bring in on the inside, a player the Browns will be familiar with from his stint in Pittsburgh in 2022.
New York Giants – Cornerback
The Giants improved greatly in 2022, earning their first playoff berth for six years. The team moved up one spot in the first round to ensure that they secured the services of Maryland’s Deonte Banks, the fourth cornerback taken in the draft.
While he may not be as highly rated as Devon Witherspoon or Christian Gonzalez, Banks will slot right in and improve the Giants’ secondary.
The Giants could benefit from adding a veteran CB to the locker room to play opposite Deonte Banks as he hones his craft in the NFL. The top names remaining in the position include Marcus Peters, Byron Jones and Shaquill Griffin. Any of these players would make a great mentor for Banks in New York.
The Patriots, Seahawks, Browns and Giants will all see themselves as teams that can go on a deep playoff run in the 2023 season. Addressing some of the gaps remaining on their rosters may well push these teams over the edge to becoming serious Super Bowl contenders.
