While we’ve talked about NFL teams who could turn things around via free agency before, it’s equally important to do at least passably well in the NFL Draft every year. You can only do so much via free agency, and given how much quality players cost, if you aren’t building your team with pieces from the draft, you’re in trouble.
For example, while the Seattle Seahawks have added some pieces in free agency, they also excel at managing their money. A cheap contract for several years on quarterback Russell Wilson allows them to pay Richard Sherman what he’s worth—and Sherman is a great example of home-grown talent as well.
Another one is the Denver Broncos who got a great free agent in Peyton Manning but also managed to draft some tremendous players in wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, tight end Julius Thomas and defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.
That most of those players have since left the Broncos for other teams just goes to show you how you can never stop improving via the draft and free agency.
Counter that with teams that have gone heavy into free agency and either missed in the draft or traded away picks like Washington and you’ve got a good idea how critical that balance is.
There are also teams which desperately need a jump-start from the draft as well. Teams who, whether because of a lack of money, an ineptitude in free agency or being a team which isn’t in a desirable position or location for free agents, really needs to get its foundation in the draft.
We’ve got some from ‘Column A’ and some from ‘Column B’ on this list as well as some that combine it all. Hey, some teams can’t do anything right!
And of course, we won’t immediately know in most cases whether a draft class was good or bad—that takes years to figure out, no matter how many times everyone in media has to write ‘winners and losers’ or ‘draft grades’ as soon as the draft is done.
We all know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. We just like talking about the sprint instead.
For now though, it seems as if the following five teams are the ones who need to nail this upcoming draft.
Next: Cleveland Browns