The 2026 NFL Draft is in the rearview mirror, and all 32 teams had the chance to upgrade their roster and address their glaring holes with young talent. Unfortunately, for some teams, it’s very hard to fix every single one of your needs in one offseason.
Even for some of the best teams in the NFL, there are positions that stand out as clear weaknesses as we prepare for the summer. In some cases, the need is an immediate hole that could hold the team back when the regular season starts. In other cases, it’s a long-term issue that may not be addressed now but will need to be before it’s too late.
Using PFSN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator to establish the biggest needs, let’s break down each team’s weakness, whether short-term or long-term, going into the 2026 season.
Arizona Cardinals: QB
The Arizona Cardinals made headlines by selecting Miami quarterback Carson Beck with the first pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He provides them a young backup to develop under veteran stopgap options Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew, but Beck didn’t display the arm talent or athleticism to warrant a high ceiling at the next level. Odds trend towards the Cardinals still needing a quarterback when the 2027 draft rolls around.
Other Needs: OT, EDGE, LB
Atlanta Falcons: LB
Divine Deablo graded fairly well with a No. 21 ranking by PFSN LB Impact Scoring in 2025, but the Atlanta Falcons didn’t properly replace Kaden Elliss after he left in free agency. The current projected starter alongside is Christian Harris, who was a backup for Houston last year. The hope should be that fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels can be the answer for the Falcons, otherwise they’ll need to spend significant capital at linebacker in 2027.
Other Needs: DT, WR, QB
Baltimore Ravens: DT
Travis Jones is a high-quality starter at defensive tackle, and the Baltimore Ravens are paying him accordingly right now. That said, the rest of their interior defensive line is a concern. Both Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington Jr. missed a majority of 2025 due to injury, and they’ll be 29 and 30 years old by year’s end, respectively. The Ravens could use a long-term upgrade in the defensive trenches.
Other Needs: C, CB, OG
Buffalo Bills: WR
Is the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver room any better than it was in 2025? It’s certainly different. They traded for DJ Moore, but he’s coming off the worst statistical season of his career last year with the Bears. They drafted Skyler Bell in the fourth round and while that was good value to get him where they did, they still have a desperate need for a real WR1 to get their offense over the hump.
Other Needs: S, LB, OG
Carolina Panthers: S
Zakee Wheatley was an intriguing fifth-round pick, but the Carolina Panthers still have a questionable starting safety tandem heading into 2026. They return both of their starting safeties from last year, neither of whom finishing in the top 45 in PFSN’s Safety Impact Score. Having two below-average starters at safety could come back to bite them this season.
Other Needs: LB, CB, C
Chicago Bears: EDGE
The Chicago Bears struggled mightily rushing the passer in 2025, and they didn’t make any notable additions to their defensive end room. The hope is that Austin Booker and Shemar Turner develop in 2026, but neither are proven as full-time, three-down starters yet. It doesn’t help being tied down to Dayo Odeyingbo’s bad contract, but their lack of additions to a weak edge rusher room is a big concern.
Other Needs: DT, S, RB
Cincinnati Bengals: S
Bryan Cook should prove to be an upgrade at safety for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2026, but Jordan Battle is still a question mark going into the new season. Heading into the final year of his rookie deal, he hasn’t had a single finish inside the top 45 in PFSN’s Safety Impact Scoring. I like how aggressive the Bengals were in addressing their defense this offseason, but you can’t fix everything in one year, and safety figures to still be a concern.
Other Needs: CB, LB, DT
Cleveland Browns: QB
Do the Cleveland Browns go with Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson as their starting quarterback this season? The former ranked No. 42 in the NFL in PFSN’s QB Impact Scoring last year, and the latter had a historically bad QBi score in 2024. Unless Sanders takes a big leap in his second season, the Browns should pull the trigger on a quarterback early in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Other Needs: C, OG, LB
Dallas Cowboys: CB
DaRon Bland has dealt with injuries and regression in play since his All-Pro campaign in 2023. Cobie Durant gives the Dallas Cowboys a new face in the secondary, but he’s only had one season where he ranked in the top 64 in PFSN’s CB Impact Scoring across his four years in the league. The Cowboys had a lot of needs on defense, so you can’t fix them all in one year, but cornerback figures to be a weakness heading into 2026.
Other Needs: LB, WR, S
Denver Broncos: LB
With Dre Greenlaw gone, the Denver Broncos are hoping that Justin Strnad can step in and provide quality starting play opposite Alex Singleton. However, in five seasons with the team, Strnad has only started in a combined 21 games. As a full-time starting option, he’s pretty unproven for somebody who turns 30 years old in August.
Other Needs: OT, OG, TE
Detroit Lions: OG
There’s upside with the Detroit Lions’ starting guard tandem, especially with Tate Ratledge putting together a strong rookie season in 2025. Christian Mahogany also graded as an average starter among NFL guards last season, having sat the bench as a rookie before stepping into the starting lineup in Year 2. Now, the focus will be on Mahogany to build off of his performance and prove he can be more than that.
Other Needs: LB, DT, S
Green Bay Packers: OT
Zach Tom is one of the best right tackles in the NFL, but the Green Bay Packers’ left tackle situation is a major concern heading into the 2026 season. Rasheed Walker departed in free agency, sliding Jordan Morgan out from guard to tackle this year. Considering Morgan had a D grade in PFSN’s OL Impact Scoring at guard and has just tenth-percentile arm length for a tackle, that’s a very risky projection.
Other Needs: EDGE, DT, CB
Houston Texans: OC
Going into 2026, the Houston Texans are projected to start first-round pick Keylan Rutledge at center. He’s a natural guard, however, and with Wyatt Teller only being a short-term answer at left guard, it would make sense to kick Rutledge back to guard when the time comes. As a result, Houston would likely need to invest at center for a long-term answer, either in the 2027 or 2028 NFL offseasons.
Other Needs: LB, RB, DT
Indianapolis Colts: EDGE
Laiatu Latu quietly started coming into his own in 2025, tallying 8.5 sacks in an improvement over his 4.0 sacks from his rookie year. Though Arden Key is a slight short-term upgrade over Kwity Paye, he’s much more of a rotational player than a true three-down star. If JT Tuimoloau doesn’t take a step forward this season, the Indianapolis Colts could spend significant capital on an edge rusher in the 2027 NFL offseason.
Other Needs: OT, WR, LB
Jacksonville Jaguars: LB
Losing All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd is sure to affect the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense this year, but they’re sticking in-house for their replacement with fourth-year veteran Ventrell Miller. He’s shown flashes but is heavily unproven as a full-time starter, leaving room for question marks about whether he’ll be a worthy complement to Foyesade Oluokun in the starting lineup in 2026.
Other Needs: RB, DT, OG
Kansas City Chiefs: OT
With left tackle Josh Simmons having been a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs should be patient with the rocky first year he had in the NFL. That said, he ranked No. 58 among all tackles in OL Impact Scoring, and right tackle Jaylon Moore fared much worse with a No. 98 ranking and a pure F grade. For a team that’s pushing to contend, having such a concerning tackle tandem could really hold them back.
Other Needs: WR, CB, TE
Las Vegas Raiders: OG
Among their many free-agency signings, the Las Vegas Raiders replaced Dylan Parham at guard with Spencer Burford, who finished eight spots lower in OL Impact Scoring behind the former in 2025. Jackson Powers-Johnson has had his ups and downs early in his NFL career, but if he doesn’t stabilize in Year 3, the Raiders could be in the market for a new starting guard or two next offseason.
Other Needs: WR, DT, OT
Los Angeles Chargers: OG
Jake Slaughter and Tyler Biadasz should be two upgrades to a Los Angeles Chargers interior offensive line that struggled significantly in 2026. However, at right guard they have Cole Strange, a first-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft who’s graded above a D+ just once in his previous four years in the NFL. That spot could still be a weakness for the Chargers this season, though playing alongside Joe Alt on the right side could help.
Other Needs: DT, LB, WR
Los Angeles Rams: WR
In the short term, wide receiver isn’t really a need for the Los Angeles Rams. Truth be told, they don’t really have too many needs currently. The position could become a weakness in the long run, however. Davante Adams is a free agent next year, and with several key players needing extensions in the 2027 offseason (Puka Nacua included), he’s likely on the way out, opening up a big need for a WR2 once the Rams inevitably extend Nacua.
Other Needs: LB, C, OT
Miami Dolphins: OG
In the first year of their hard reset, the Miami Dolphins still have several needs heading into the 2026 NFL regular season. Chief among them might be guard, which is currently being headlined by Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea. Proctor is starting at guard but figures to be an eventual replacement at tackle if Patrick Paul or Austin Jackson don’t step up, while Savaiinaea ranked No. 71 out of 75 guards in the NFL last year.
Other Needs: EDGE, S, WR
Minnesota Vikings: CB
The Minnesota Vikings’ addition of James Pierre to their cornerback room is a sneaky good one, but they otherwise still have a very similar group to the unit that disappointed heavily in 2025. They didn’t draft a cornerback until Round 5 in the 2026 NFL Draft, and their two returning starters, Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, both failed to crack the top 50 in PFSN’s CB Impact Scoring last season.
Other Needs: C, LB, OT
New England Patriots: WR
Switching out Stefon Diggs for Romeo Doubs should give the New England Patriots fewer off-field concerns to worry about, but it projects as a downgrade in terms of production at the wide receiver position. Kayshon Boutte is a solid enough starter, but the Patriots desperately lack a true WR1 on their offense. There could be hope Kyle Williams breaks out in Year 2, but with only 10 catches as a rookie, that’s a major projection.
Other Needs: LB, S, EDGE
New Orleans Saints: EDGE
As of this writing, Cameron Jordan is still a free agent. There’s always a chance the New Orleans Saints bring him back for Year 16 of his illustrious NFL career, but even if they do, their sack leader in 2025 would only be a short-term bandaid solution. Chase Young is coming off a solid year, but Carl Granderson regressed last season, and Young’s injury history makes it tough to rely heavily on him in the long haul.
Other Needs: CB, WR, OG
New York Giants: DT
After trading Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals, the New York Giants have been active in signing defensive tackles, bringing in DJ Reader, Shelby Harris, and Leki Fotu. However, they’ll need a long-term investment at the position in a future offseason, especially when it comes to finding someone who can replicate Lawrence’s pass-rushing chops. None of the free agents the Giants brought in this year seem likely to do so.
Other Needs: LB, OG, S
New York Jets: QB
The New York Jets brought in Cade Klubnik as a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is a fun swing to take at the quarterback position. Realistically, though, he projects more as a long-term backup, and Geno Smith certainly isn’t a franchise quarterback at his age and coming off the stinker of a 2025 season he had. At this point, it would be a surprise if they didn’t take a quarterback early in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Other Needs: LB, RB, OG
Philadelphia Eagles: DT
PFSN’s NFL Mock Draft Simulator has defensive tackle as the Philadelphia Eagles’ biggest need, which may surprise some people. However, after extending Jordan Davis, they still have the decision on whether to extend Jalen Carter, an All-Pro who’s coming off a down year statistically in 2025 and has some long-term concerns. Moro Ojomo, who plays a solid role in the Eagles’ defensive rotation, is slated to hit free agency next year, too.
Other Needs: S, OT, EDGE
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB
Assuming Aaron Rodgers re-signs with the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’ll have their answer at quarterback for 2026. However, Rodgers isn’t going to play in the NFL forever, and at some point, the Steelers will need more stability than the drawn-out “will he or won’t he retire” game that seems to surround him every offseason. The need for a long-term answer at QB is obvious, and it’s one they haven’t been able to fix since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Other Needs: LB, S, CB
San Francisco 49ers: OT
In the short term, the San Francisco 49ers have one of the best tackle duos in the NFL with Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz. With Williams turning 38 in July, though, the time will eventually come where the 49ers will need to find his replacement. They haven’t invested in Williams’ successor at left tackle through the NFL Draft just yet, but as each year passes by, that inevitable move comes closer every offseason.
Other Needs: OG, S, LB
Seattle Seahawks: EDGE
Having lost Boye Mafe to Cincinnati in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks are down one key contributor from their loaded defensive line that helped lead them to a Super Bowl victory last year. Their pass rush should remain strong in 2026, but Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall will both be free agents in the 2027 NFL offseason. DeMarcus Lawrence is also 34 years old, so the Seahawks will need multiple investments off the edge going forward.
Other Needs: OG, S, RB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT
I’m intrigued by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafting Clemson’s DeMonte Capehart in Round 5 of the 2026 NFL Draft, but their defensive tackles alongside Vita Vea still brings plenty of questions. A’Shawn Robinson is a short-term addition at this stage of his NFL career, and Calijah Kancey played in just three games last year due to injury. The hope should be that Kancey can stay healthy and continue to shine, but if he doesn’t, the need will be huge.
Other Needs: CB, TE, LB
Tennessee Titans: OG
With Kevin Zeitler still a free agent, the Tennessee Titans’ right guard spot currently comes down to either Cordell Volson or Jackson Slater. Do they go with Volson, who got benched in Cincinnati and had two below-average starting seasons in 2023 and 2024? Do they roll with Slater, an intriguing young lineman they got in the fifth round last year but one who hasn’t started a game yet in the NFL? There’s risk either way.
Other Needs: EDGE, RB, S
Washington Commanders: S
The Washington Commanders were one of the most active spenders in the NFL this offseason, and one of their biggest moves was signing safety Nick Cross. However, their other starting safety spot remains a slight concern. Will Harris is the projected starter, but his contract is up after this year, and neither he, Jeremy Reaves, nor Quan Martin have stood out as particularly strong starting options in the long run.
Other Needs: EDGE, C, OT
