Oakland Raiders:
Cornerback (4/5): On name value alone, the Raiders should have one of the best sets of corners in the league. Charles Woodson has rare talent and Phillip Buchanon’s natural athletic ability is unquestionable. However, the two have not translated ability into productivity very consistently. Because of this, Woodson has been the subject of many trade rumours this offseason, and Buchanon’s name is also frequently mentioned in the same manner. Oakland allowed an average almost 250 passing yards per game last season. Not all of this can be attributed to the corners, but a large amount certainly can. If the Raiders feel that Woodson and Buchanon are not the long-term answers, they need to act quickly to draft replacements. And it is time for third-year man Nnambi Asomugha to step up and deliver on his promise. Despite appearing in 31 games over his first two seasons, Asomugha has yet to record an interception. Providing depth is Denard Walker, an adequate reserve who is on the downside of his career.
Defensive Tackle (4/5): Oakland permitted an average of 126 yards per game on the ground last season, in part because they did not have the correct personnel to run a 3-4 scheme. If they reconvert to the 4-3 this season, Warren Sapp can assume his familiar 3-technique defensive tackle position. If he is to be effective at this stage of his career, he needs to play the one-gap technique, and not the two-gap technique, as he did in the 3-man front most of last season. Ted Washington plays on the nose. Washington’s ability to control the interior is legendary, but age and wear are taking their toll on his 37 year old body. He is a player who is best used for a limited amount of snaps per game. The Raiders recently added veteran Kenny King from New Orleans to provide depth, but King missed the entire 2004 campaign with a rotator cuff injury. Tommy Kelly, a second year player out of Mississippi State, is a player with some upside who might make a push to start this season. A combination end-tackle, the 6’5, 300 lbs. Kelly recorded 4 sacks in 10 games last season. He should increase that contribution this season.
Center (4/5): A need ever since Barrett Robbins broke down on the eve of the Super Bowl three years ago. Adam Treu has held the starting role since then. At this stage of his career, Treu is best suited as a back-up. The Raiders currently have Jake Grove, a center at Virginia Tech, slated to play left guard, but he could be moved to the center position if necessary. And backup left guard Brad Badger is also capable of filling in for Treu. The Raiders should extend the youth movement, which they began in last season’s draft, to the center position.
Other needs: Outside linebacker, strong safety, guard.
Kansas City Chiefs:
Cornerback (5/5): This is a need that has gone without being addressed for too long. Drastic action should have been taken after the Chiefs defense failed to stop the Colts offense even once in the playoffs two years ago. Now the need is beyond drastic. The club has a standing trade offer to Miami for Patrick Surtain and has a known interest in Ty Law; one of the two deals may get done before draft day. Eric Warfield and the aging Dexter McCleon are not quality starters. Warfield commands a large salary, but is a regular target for opponents’ passing attacks. Nickel back William Bartee is unspectacular, and Julian Battle is a hybrid corner-safety who has not had much of a chance to develop. Youngster Benny Sapp should spunk in his rookie campaign, but is a long way from starting. An instant upgrade is required, given the fact that division rival Oakland figures to field one of the most dangerous receiving corps in the league.
Defensive Tackle (4/5): Ryan Sims and Lionel Dalton are the starting pair. Sims has been a significant underachiever since being taken in the top 10 overall three years ago. He needs a breakthrough season. If not, the Chiefs should think of jettisoning him. Dalton is a veteran run-stuffer, built powerfully and low to the ground. Massive 6’4 344 lbs. Junior Siavii will be counted on to spell Dalton and ultimately assume the starting role. Siavii played sparingly last season, but has the physical tools to be an imposing force in the interior. John Browning, a former starter, and Montique Sharpe provide depth. Both are adequate role players, but should not see more than 5-10 snaps per game. Ryan Sims needs to be pushed hard if he is to achieve his potential. The Chiefs would be wise to draft some competition in the hopes that it will light a fire underneath him.
Wide Receiver (4/5): Although the Chiefs offense is among the most dynamic in the league, the wide receiving corps requires an upgrade. Johnnie Morton has battled inconsistency his entire career, and is prone to dropping balls. Eddie Kennison is still a deep threat, but at this point in his career, he may be best suited for use in three and four receiver sets. Samie Parker, a smallish speedster sidelined by injuries last season, will be expected to contribute this season. Marc Boerigter, the ex-Calgary Stampeder, looked like he was on his way to a promising career three seasons ago, but inconsistency followed by injury have stunted his prospects. The Chiefs have the luxury of using the dynamic Dante Hall here. Hall is a lethal weapon every time he touches the ball, and the Chiefs will attempt to get him as many touches as possible. Chris Horn rounds out the receiving corps. A definite injection of size and strength is required. With the exception of Boerigter, the Chiefs receivers all are diminutive and are not red zone threats.
Other needs: Safety, backup quarterback, guard (much more pressing if Shields retires).
San Diego Chargers:
Wide receiver (5/5): Rumours circulate that the Chargers might make a move up the draft board to be in position to take Braylon Edwards. Even if this does not happen, look for the Chargers to use one of their two 1st round picks on a wide receiver, perhaps Troy Williamson from South Carolina or Mark Clayton from Oklahoma. Reche Caldwell returns from a season tarnished by injury. Keenan McCardell was clutch for the Chargers last season, but is primarily a possession receiver. Eric Parker, an excellent route runner, delivered timely receptions in the latter parts of 2004, but is undersized. Kassim Osgood has excellent size, but is an unknown commodity. Keep in mind that Tim Dwight was cut in the offseason and has since joined New England. Look for the Chargers to add speed and explosiveness to this unit. Currently, it is by no means a weak unit, but one that could benefit greatly from an injection of big-time, playmaking ability.
Safety (4/5): A position with considerable depth but a lack of proven playmaking ability. Terrence Kiel is the starter at strong safety, but has a long way to go before he can be called consistent. Career back-up Bhawoh Jue was brought in as a free agent to assume the starting free safety job. Realistically, both players should be nickel and dime contributors, not starters. Likewise, reserve safeties Jerry Wilson, Clinton Hart, and Hanik Milligan are special teams contributors, who are at their best when their time on the field is restricted. The weak starting safety pairing will place a premium on good cornerback play; however, this is a position where the Chargers are still very young and in need of considerable maturation.
Linebacker (3/5): The four starters are solid players. Sack-threat Steve Foley and Ben Leber man the outside linebacker positions, while Randall Godfrey and All-Pro Donnie Edwards occupy the inside positions. Depth needs to be addressed, however, especially on the interior. Zeke Moreno, a free agent, is currently unsigned. Stephen Cooper and Carlos Polk, a heavy run plugger, are slated to backup the inside. The outside linebacker situation is in better shape, with serviceable Matt Wilhelm and converted DE Shaun Phillips waiting in the wings. Wade Phillips’ 3-4 places a premium on linebacker play, so the Chargers can only benefit by bringing in young, athletic, multi-dimensional backers to push for playing time.
Other needs: Guard, center, defensive end.
Defensive Line (5/5): For a discussion of this position, please see any 2004 Cleveland Browns team preview. Former Bronco sack-threat Reggie Hayward departed in free agency to Jacksonville, and DE/DT Trevor Pryce no longer seems to be in the Broncos’ defensive plans. To counteract this, the Broncos’ replacement strategy was essentially to import the entire Cleveland defensive line from last season, a unit Len Pasquarelli has referred to as “the Four Flops.” DT Gerard Warren was acquired for a 4th round selection; DE Courtney Brown was signed as a free agent; and DE Ebenezer Ekuban and DE/DT Michael Myers were acquired from Cleveland in the deal for Reuben Droughns. Given the fact that this unit helped the Browns to a measly 4 wins last season, and also give the fact that Brown and Ekuban have very serious injury question marks attached to them, the wisdom of these moves should be rigorously questioned. Brown and Warren can be labelled, without equivocation, two of the biggest draft busts in the last twenty years. Myers is a player best used as part of a rotation, and Ekuban, another draft bust, will be seeing action with his third team if he is healthy enough to play. The Broncos will very likely employ some 3-4 looks this season, and none of the four is an especially capable two-gap defender. As far as Bronco defensive linemen who are not ex-Browns go, Mario Fatafehi and Monsanto Pope are the most consistent contributors. Trevor Pryce would be by far the more accomplished, versatile, and consistent Bronco defensive lineman, but no one is quite certain where he will end up between now and September. The rest of the unit is comprised of a small army of retreads, journeymen, and draft busts, and includes: end Raylee Johnson, tackle Luther Ellis, tackle Demetrin Veal, tackle Dorsett Davis, end Anton Palepoi, end Chukie Nwokorie, and end Aaron Hunt. Indeed, the Broncos depth chart now contains 16 players, including Pryce. The team would be wise to eschew quantity in favour of drafting quality.
Corner (4/5): Champ Bailey, the much-heralded prototype of the shutdown corner, was very badly burnt in several games last season (see the Broncos contests @ Cincinnati and vs. Oakland). But this might be the best thing that could have happened to Bailey, who can now settle down to playing football and can stop worrying about damaging the halo of invincibility that once hung above his helmet. Where the Broncos need to worry is at the other cornerback position. Kelly Herndon departed as a restricted free agent and now Lenny Walls has his job. Walls is one of the tallest cornerbacks ever to play in the NFL. But injury and inconsistency have haunted him, as they have haunted so many other pretenders to greatness. Willie Middlebrooks is a high profile draft bust, and should lose his nickel job to highly touted Jeremy LeSueur. LeSueur could eventually become the permanent answer opposite Bailey. Nevertheless, the Broncos should think seriously about spending an early selection on a potential shutdown corner. The memories of two straight playoff massacres at the hands of Peyton Manning’s Colts (reserve corner Roc Alexander probably still sees last year’s in his nightmares) should be enough to instill in the Broncos the importance of having great athletes when matching up against wickedly quick receivers.
Running back (3/5): After dealing Reuben Droughs to the Browns, the Broncos have cleared the way for Tatum Bell to start in 2005, with Quentin Griffin likely relieving him periodically. Ron Dayne was added very recently, but he will likely only find work as a short yardage back. Mike Anderson is a powerful, hard running threat with a 1000-yard season under his belt. But his carries will be limited in this crowded backfield. Young and unproven Cecil Sapp and Santonio eard round out the unit. There are options here, and a 1000-yard rusher will almost certainly emerge. But the team might have been unwise in considering Droughs so easily replaceable. While it is true that he wanted a trade, and likely put himself in a better position to start for the long term in Cleveland, Droughs runs with an authority that is rarely seen. Indeed, Sports Illustrated columnist Paul Zimmerman has compared his running style to “the hammer of hell.” The Broncos could easily pass on adding another player to the mix at running back, but doing so would mean that they would be placing the keys to their ground game in the hands of runners (Bell and Griffin) with a combined 3 seasons’ experience.
Other needs: Safety, wide receiver, developmental quarterback