2020 NFL Draft: Biggest Needs For Packers’ Opponents
GREEN BAY, Wis. – With free agency mostly behind us and the draft fast approaching, here are team needs for every team on the Green Bay Packers’ schedule. Beyond these quick-hit looks, SI.com’s Andy Benoit goes much, much deeper on all 32 teams and Gary Gramling provides potential draft targets.
Chicago: GM Ryan Pace may want to dip into this draft’s uncommonly deep wide receiver pool and jolt his offense with a dynamic target opposite Allen Robinson, but it will be hard for Pace not to address the defensive backfield with his first two picks (No. 43 and No. 50).
Detroit: When Darius Slay was shipped to Philadelphia, many penciled in Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah to the Lions at pick No. 3. And that’s probably valid. No defense plays more man coverage than Detroit and for that to work, you must have three quality corners.
Minnesota: Defensively, Xavier Rhodes’s decline and release, and Trae Waynes’s and slot man Mackensie Alexander’s defections to Cincinnati leave the Vikings without their top three corners from past years.
Atlanta: Urgent needs on defense must be address. The dismissal of cornerback Desmond Trufant leaves 2019 fourth-rounder Kendall Sheffield and 2018 second-rounder Isaiah Oliver as the starters outside.
Carolina: New defensive coordinator Phil Snow is facing a tall order. His D-line needs more depth, both outside and especially inside. In Shaq Thompson and Tahir Whitehead he’ll at least have fast linebackers, but that doesn’t mean the sudden absence of Luke Kuechly won’t be felt. The secondary has just one clear-cut starting corner: boom or bust 2018 second-rounder Donte Jackson
New Orleans: This is the NFC’s most complete offense, affording New Orleans the luxury of drafting for the long-term. The defense is in equally great shape for 2020, with no major weak spots and athleticism at all three levels. Overall, the draft plan is clear: Get the best developmental defensive projects available.
Tampa Bay: One of the most interesting story lines in 2020 is whether Bruce Arians will alter his aggressive, deep-dropback passing game to help get the ball out of Tom Brady’s hand quickly (and safely). Even if the 67-year-old coach makes this change, it’d still be wise to draft big on the offensive line. (Think of it as taking out a premium insurance policy.)
San Francisco: When you reach the Super Bowl, your “needs” are usually more about handling logistics than correcting prior weaknesses. They need a wide receiver since successful rental starter Emmanuel Sanders is now in New Orleans. Kyle Shanahan values wideouts who have the change-of-direction quickness to run routes precisely and to separate.
Philadelphia: When DeSean Jackson went down last season, so did Philadelphia’s vertical passing game. The 33-year-old veteran is back in 2020 and there’s no reason to think he can’t still run. But given the concerns about Jackson’s durability, the myriad questions swirling around expensive veteran Alshon Jeffery (including how will he recover from last December’s Lisfranc foot injury?) and 2019 second-rounder J.J. Arcega-Whiteside’s disappointing rookie season, finding another downfield weapon is paramount.
Houston: The immediate task is restocking the defensive front. Losing nose tackle D.J. Reader hurts, especially for a team whose best linebacker (Zach Cunningham) is the type of lithe run-and-chase tackler who must be kept clean.
Indianapolis: The four-man rush could use a little more juice off the edges. Indy’s second-best pass rusher is either Justin Houston or 2018 second-rounder Kemoko Turay, depending on your outlook. Both are sound, but neither is quite a pure speed-bender.
Jacksonville: The Jags have an NFL-quality roster, but with salary cap woes forcing them into a significant rebuilding effort, it’d be quicker to state the needs they don’t have: offensive line and linebacker. Everything else is in play.
Tennessee: The closest thing the Titans have to a glaring need on offense is at right tackle, where a replacement must be found for departed free agent Jack Conklin. There is need for additional D-line depth now that they’ve said goodbye to Jurrell Casey, Austin Johnson and Brent Urban.
