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PHDram
i kinda agree that there are no "strong" needs which is how snead always wants to approach a draft in order to promote flexibility. That being said....i think the 3 biggest needs are (in order) edge, oline, and rb. all three positions have guys who CAN step up, but they are unknown quantities (to us anyway). moreover, that being said, im not at all sure thats how the draft will go. im still perplexed with the oline needs. do you draft a tackle to replace AW or do you draft an interior guy to play now. resigning blythe confused me. i also think with the strength of the wr spot in this draft they can get a really good player in the second.
sorry. that was kind of a longwinded answer. what do you think is the biggest need?
I agree that there are no strong needs because, as you stated, Snead likes to enter a draft with no acute needs. That's why resigning Blythe was expected IMO. They didn't want to be forced to draft a center in the 2nd.
I see the same degree of need at ILB as I do at Edge and OL and a greater need than the one at RB. All of our LBs on the roster are unproven and unknown quantities. And the position could use a serious infusion of talent.
I can't project what they'll do at OT because I don't know how they view Noteboom. If they're still high on him being the future LOT, then we won't see a tackle drafted. But I feel it's clear that IOL can use reinforcements. Blythe was signed to a 1 year contract which is very telling. Obviously they don't see him as the long term solution. Corbett is still an unknown as he hasn't had enough snaps to know what we have in Kromer's blocking scheme.
Edge has plenty of bodies but no real outstanding talent. The same could be said for the OL though - the only difference being that they have recent draftees on the OL that they're developing. So I see edge as a definite need if the opportunity presents itself.
At RB, they need someone to pair with Henderson. I don't think they'll go for one too early because they are super high on Henderson as evidenced by them moving up for him last year. They already don't give up on players after year 1; they're certainly not going to start on a player that they paid premium capital to move up for.
WR is a need because there is no deep threat on the roster. And since WR is one of the strengths of the draft, I expect them to go there early.
FS is a need because they don't have a 3rd one on the roster and because JJ is a free agent next year. The Snead/McVay head has been drafting for needs a year early.
I rate the needs in this order:
Tier 1: ILB, Edge, WR, and IOL
Tier 2: RB, FS
(this is assuming that they still see NB as worthy of being the future LOT. If not, bump LOT up to a Tier 1 need.)
I think they find a way to hit at least 5 of these positions by round 4.
