NFL Teams Biggest Needs by Draft Order
A brand-new article series! NFL writer Logan Lepiscopo brings a series that will entitle every NFL team’s biggest offseason need heading into free agency and the NFL draft. Each article will consist of two teams going in draft order. This article will be about the Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints. Free agency is well under way, expect team needs to change often. If a team has multiple first round picks, the team that originally owned that pick will be covered, to avoid repetitiveness and ensure all 32 teams are covered. In order to provide more accuracy with these mock drafts, any mock drafts done pre free agency will be thrown out the window.
Los Angeles Chargers: Defensive Line
The Chargers have already done some big work for free agency; re-signing Mike Williams, trading for Khalil Mack, and signing J.C. Jackson are the biggest moves made by the team. L.A. has done an excellent job so far in free agency addressing their needs, but one hole that I think is quite obvious still is the defensive tackle position. The Chargers have Joey Bosa coming off the edge with Khalil Mack now but as having the third worst run defense in the league there needs to be a big man in the trenches to stop the run. Linval Joseph is a free agent, and though the Chargers have signed Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, and Christian Covington they are still in need of an established talent in the league. The next position to be addressed is the linebacker position, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack are both rostered as linebackers, but any NFL fan knows that these two will be the guys coming off the edge to rush the passer. With Kenneth Murray still developing, it will be crucial that the Chargers add some more talent around him. Lastly the Chargers need to add more depth to the cornerback position. Adding J.C. Jackson is a good start, and Asante Samuel Jr. has established himself as a quality starter for the team, but the depth at the position is still missing and expect the Chargers to address this come draft day. (Mock draft done 3/25/22 12:00pm EST)
RD-1-Pick 17- DT-Devonte Wyatt- Georgia
RD-3-Pick 79- WR-Khalil Shakir- Boise State
RD-4-Pick 123- LB- Terrel Bernard- Baylor
RD-5-Pick 160- RB- Rachaad White- Arizona State
RD-6-Pick 195- OT-Matt Waletzko- North Dakota State
RD-6-Pick 214- LB-Jack Sanborn- Wisconsin
RD-7-Pick 236- CB-Chase Lucas- Arizona State
RD-7-Pick 254- ED-Zach VanValkenburg- Iowa
RD-7-Pick 255- S-Joey Blount- Virginia
RD-7-Pick 260- TE- Connor Heyward- Michigan State
Top player hitting free agency: Linval Joseph (Still a free agent)
Cap space: $18.89M
New Orleans Saints: Wide Receiver
Bringing back Jameis Winston was the best move that the Saints could have made at the quarterback position this offseason being the timing of deciding on a quarterback. Though the Saints lost Marcus Williams, the safety position was addressed immediately with the addition of former Jets safety Marcus Maye. What may be the biggest need for the New Orleans Saints is depth at the wide receiver position. Michael Thomas will (hopefully) be back for this season and Marquez Callaway has shown he is capable of taking on the number two WR role, but after that the depth is slim. Getting a wide receiver with Michael Thomas will be crucial, especially with Winston back at QB adding another weapon will help this team succeed. Left tackle, with Armstead signing a contract with the Dolphins, it is in the Saints’ best interest to get this hole filled. When it comes draft time, it is going to depend on who is on the board whether the Saints address the left tackle or wide receiver position first. The third need I see for the Saints is the defensive tackle position, while the Saints have been a force stopping the run over the past few years, the defensive tackle position lacks top talent and depth. Mock Draft done (3/25/22 6:20 pm EST)
RD-1-Pick 18- WR-Chris Olave- Ohio State
RD-2-Pick 49- OT-Nicholas Petit-Frere- Ohio State
RD-3-Pick 98- QB-Sam Howell- North Carolina
RD-3-Pick 101- DT-Neil Farrell- LSU
RD-4-Pick 120- WR-Bo Melton- Rutgers
RD-5-Pick 161- LB-Malcolm Rodriguez- Oklahoma State
RD-7-Pick 237- DT-Jonathan Ford- Miami
Top player hitting free agency: Terron Armstead (Signed with Miami Dolphins)
Cap space: $22.68M