Wide Receiver (4/5): Chicago made an aggressive move in free agency to acquire Muhsin Muhammad, which will help their porous receiving corps. In a less publicized move, they also signed free agent Eddie Berlin from the Titans. The Bears cut the disappointing David Terrell in the offseason, mercifully ending Terrell’s unsuccessful tenure with the team. Bernard Berrian is an exciting prospect in the slot, who flashed an ability to get deep in his rookie season, averaging 15.0 yards per reception. Bobby Wade caught 42 balls last season, but his average per catch was a very modest 11.5 yards and did not produce a single touchdown reception. As well, he is likely too small to start. Justin Gage only managed to catch 12 passes and did not produce any touchdowns, either. If Braylon Edwards is still on the board when the Bears pick, they should leap at the chance to keep him in the Midwest.
Quarterback (4/5): Rex Grossman has the arm and mobility to be the answer at this position, but injuries have dogged him since he came into the league. Last year, when Grossman went down, disaster struck. The rotation of Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson, and Jonathan Quinn averaged a mean completion percentage of 51.9, a mean quarterback rating of 59.3, threw only 8 touchdowns, and tossed 12 interceptions. None of them should be counted on as anything more than a third option at quarterback. The Bears need to draft some insurance in case Grossman is again sidelined by injuries. Moreover, they might want to evaluated whether or not Grossman is a sustainable long-term option at the position.
Strongside linebacker (4/5): Youngsters Marcus Reese and Joe Odom are slated to compete for starting time at this position. Backup MLB Hunter Hillenmeyer can also play here if called upon. Realistically, however, all three are better suited to provide depth and play in substitution packages than assume starters’ roles. The other two-thirds of the Bears linebacking corps is very solid. Urlacher is still one of the premier athletes at the MLB position, and WLB Lance Briggs emerged as a serious playmaker in 2004, posting 126 tackles and 8.5 tackles for loss. An upgrade at the SLB position would give the Bears one of the most explosive groups of linebackers in the NFC.
Other needs: Safety, tight end, guard.
Detroit Lions:
Right Tackle (4/5): Bringing in Marcus Pollard and Jeff Garcia will help to stimulate an anemic pass offence that averaged less than 183 yards per game last season. Finding a right tackle to replace the departed Stockar McDougle is also essential if the Lions want to build on the successes they had on the ground in Kevin Jones’ rookie season. Kelly Butler is positioned to replace McDougle, but Butler, a sixth-round selection in 2004 is a very raw prospect who likely isn’t ready to start. Behind him is unknown commodity Victor Rogers. Matt Joyce, a reserve guard, can move to the right tackle position in necessary. The Lions would be unwise to rely on Butler this early in his career. He needs time to develop, and you can expect him to struggle if a starting assignment is thrust upon him.
Free safety (3/5): Brock Marion is the starter here. Marion has always been more of a tackling machine than a pure pass defender, although he does have a knack for producing timely interceptions (3 last season). He is a player, however, who has been in the league for a decade and the Lions should certainly look to the future at this position in the upcoming draft. The Lions would have liked it if Terrence Holt had asserted himself and taken command of the starter’s role, but he has fallen short so far and remains a backup. Further down the depth chart is undrafted free agent Kentrell Curry out of Georgia. Another Bulldog, Thomas Davis is rumoured to be a target of the Lions in this season’s draft. Paired with new strong safety Kenoy Kennedy, this would give the Lions a quite intimidating duo.
Cornerback (3/5): The Lions corners were decent last season. RCB Dre Bly is a gambler. While his aggressive tendencies sometimes get him beat, he intercepted 4 passes last season and brought one back for a touchdown. On the other side, Fernando Bryant is solid but unspectacular. While he made 50 tackles last season, he did not produce any interceptions. A cornerback who makes a lot of tackles usually has a lot of balls coming towards him, and this is not a positive sign. Small-school product Keith Smith logged quality time in his rookie season, posting 1 interception and 4 passes defensed. Chris Cash and Andre Goodman were once very highly regarded, but injuries and inconsistency have left them buried down in the bottom half of the depth chart. While there is a great deal of youth at this position, much of it is unproven, and there is a dearth of playmakers.
Other needs: Linebacker, quarterback, defensive end.
Green Bay Packers:
Cornerback (5/5): The Packers most dire need is at corner. Minnesota has one of the most dynamic passing offenses in the NFL, Detroit has two exceptional young receivers, and even Chicago’s wide receiving corps has improved with the addition of Muhsin Muhammad. As things stand now, the Packers’ corners would be hard pressed to match up well with any of those teams. Last season, the Packers’ secondary featured blown assignments, big plays, and general confusion. The most telling examples of this were on the road against the Colts and in the playoffs against the Vikings. RCB Al Harris is by far the best of the bunch, a solid man-to-man defender capable of starting on about half the teams in the league. The real deficiency is at the at LCB position, where rookie Ahmad Carrol was frequently targeted and exposed as a rookie. Granted, the learning curve for a rookie corner is high, but Carrol needs to make significant strides this season to improve on a dismal first year. The Packers must stock depth behind the starters. The nickel and dime backs are second year corner Joey Thomas, who failed to yield much productivity in his rookie season, and Jason Horton, who was beaten frequently and mercilessly last season. Veteran Michael Hawthorne was a salary cap casualty.
Free safety (4/5): This was once one of the Packers’ proudest strengths. But erstwhile starter Darren Sharper was released in the offeason and has since joined division rival Minnesota. The Packers allowed almost 230 yards per game through the air last season, so perhaps Sharper’s release was justified. But who will replace his 70 tackles and 4 interceptions? Special-teamer Todd Franz is currently slated to assume that role, but Green Bay is likely to address the need in the draft. After being drafted in the 5th round in 2000 by Detroit, Franz is serving time with his 7th team, this being his second stint with the Packers. Rotational player Bhawoh Jue signed with San Diego in free agency. All that is left behind Franz is Julius Curry, a former undrafted free agent out of Michigan, who was claimed off waivers from the Lions.
Guard (3/5): The quandary facing the Packers’ offence coming into the draft is how best to replace two former All-Pros. Marco Rivera left to join the Cowboys in free agency, and Mike Wahle was cut and signed with the Panthers. Grey Ruegamer, a tough inline blocker who filled in at center last season, will likely assume one of the vacated guard positions. Veteran Matt O’Dwyer, a free agent import from Tampa Bay, will provide depth. The other position could be filled by free agent acquisition Adrian Klemm from New England, a former tackle who could slide inside. The Packers also have the option of using second-year reserve center Scott Wells, drafter last season out of Tennessee, as the guard position. Massive RT Kevin Barry could also slide inside, but that would wipe out the famous U-71 substitution package. Former CFLer Steven Morley, a mammoth 6’7 322 lbs. guard, might be more of a developmental option at this stage, but he does have intimidating size. There are certainly options for replacing the two All-Pros, but whether any of them are bona fide is unknown. Green Bay leans heavily on the ground game, and Ahman Green is not the most elusive runner and functions best when he can use his rare vision to discern well-opened holes in the defensive front.
Other needs: Strongside linebacker, defensive tackle, defensive end.
Minnesota Vikings:
Wide Receiver (4/5): The Vikings solved many of their most pressing needs in the offseason with the free agent additions of Pat Williams, Darren Sharper, Fred Smoot, and Brad Johnson, and the trades for Napoleon Harris and Sam Cowart. Obviously, the one glaring need that has been created is at wide receiver, where All-World receiver Randy Moss will not return. The Vikings will likely select a receiver with the pick they acquired from the Raiders. The name most frequently mentioned is Mike Williams, a tall, red-zone threat with superb hands. But Williams is very similar in style to Nate Burleson and Marcus Robinson, and it is uncertain that he can stretch secondaries the way Moss did. Burleson had an excellent season in 2004, gaining over 1000 yards through the air and hauling down 9 touchdown passes. Robinson contributed 8 touchdown passes, as well. Neither has the downfield speed and the ability to attract double and even triple coverage like Moss did, however. Kelly Campbell is a better deep threat, average 19.2 yards per catch in 2004. Campbell is a player who has major character question marks, however. It is unlikely that the acquisition of Travis Taylor from Baltimore will be significant, as Taylor has never been known for consistency or productivity. Keenan Howry, a good option as punt and kick returner, rounds out the depth chart.
Right defensive end (3/5): Darrion Scott in penciled in as the starter. Scott had a quiet rookie season, registering 23 tackles and 0 sacks, and the Vikings could draft an end to push him for playing time. Lance Johnstone posted a whopping 11 sacks last season, but he is a player who has always been best employed as a rush end on passing downs. The Vikings’ line has been revamped in the past 2 seasons, and looks to be a very dangerous unit on paper. If Scott is not the answer at right defensive end, the Vikings would be better served to draft a capable replacement and keep Johnstone for use as a situational rusher, a role he has been very effective in.
Guard (3/5): Aging free agent guard David Dixon is currently unsigned. If the regular season began today, Adam Goldberg, who logged considerable time at RT last season, would start in his place. Dixon was a mammoth, road-grading run-blocker. Goldberg certainly has the girth to line up at guard and open holes for the Vikings committee backfield, as he measures 6’6 and weighs 324 lbs. What he might lack is Dixon’s aggressiveness and nastiness. Backing up the position is untested Anthony Herrera, a second year undrafted free agent out of Tennessee.
Other needs: Right tackle, tight end, linebacker.