As the 2014 NFL Draft approaches and we are now more than halfway through the 2013 NFL season, we start to get a clear picture of areas of need for every NFL team. Every team has a few holes on their current roster or that will open up in the offseason and the draft is the time where teams look to fill those needs. Today we take a look at the most western division in football, a division filled with classic, hard-hitting games that take you back to the good times.
Seattle Seahawks
Offensive Tackle
You could make a case for the Seahawks being the best team in all of football. They have an elite defense with the best cornerback in the game in Richard Sherman, a great running back in Marshawn Lynch and quarterback Russell Wilson who is making his case to be amongst the best in the game. But their offensive line is far from great or even good, the group ranks near the bottom in sacks allowed with 27. This group has dealt with injuries including to their stud left tackle Russell Okung but this line needs an upgrade. Breno Giacomini has been hurt and will return soon, but the Seahawks need to keep their franchise quarterback healthy and help him avoid big hits. The 2014 class is full of starting-caliber tackle prospects and the Seahawks will have their chance to sort through and find the right one for them.
Offensive Guard
The entire Seahawks offensive line really is in need of work and it will be a serious priority for their front office when the draft rolls around. While this draft may not be very deep at offensive guard there are some big maulers who fit perfectly for this team including Baylor guard Cyril Richardson who could start immediately for the Seahawks. Richardson can excel in both pass-protection and creating lanes for Lynch to run through and helping this offense really get rolling and put up bigger numbers consistently. He has the versatility to start at right guard or left guard and if the Seahawks were to be hit by the injury bug again Richardson could flip outside to tackle and fill in quite well. The Seahawks need to invest early picks in their offensive line and it will pay off very well if they do.
Defensive Tackle
The Seahawks have invested a lot of money into their defensive line but more specifically at defensive end and with their pass rush. Chris Clemons, Cliff Avril and Red Bryant all give Seattle excellent options but they need help inside. A perfect fit for them would be Will Sutton out of Arizona State, while he doesn’t have ideal size he is tenacious and excels creating interior pressure.
They could also look at LSU’s Anthony Johnson who would have a chance to work against a single blocker and dominate off the snap. Seattle is a Super Bowl contender but by building their defense even more, they could become a perennial contender for the Super Bowl.
San Francisco 49ers
Wide Receiver
Trent Baalke has done an excellent job finding talent in the draft and making things happen with a stockpile of picks, but he hasn’t been as sharp when it comes to wide receivers. The 49ers 2012 first-round pick A.J. Jenkins isn’t even on the team anymore and the only real successful wide receiver is Michael Crabtree. When Crabtree went down with a torn Achilles, we saw a lack of depth at wide receiver and Colin Kaepernick never seemed to develop a real chemistry with Anquan Boldin. This year’s wide receiver is the deepest it has been in years, which can only mean good things for one of the most successful teams. Baalke will have plenty of opportunities to move up, move down or stay put and he will end up with a starting wide receiver.
Cornerback
Once again the 49ers defense remains near the top of the league in passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed. San Francisco is eight in the NFL giving up just 220.5 passing yards per game and all of this despite some questions at cornerback. Carlos Rogers will turn 33 next July, the Nnamdi Asomugha experiment failed and this team will have plenty of players to bring back in free agency. Baalke will have plenty of options in the first round for the next 49ers’ cornerback with two Virginia Tech cornerbacks both presenting options.
Strong Safety
The 49ers will face plenty of difficult situations with key starters nearing the end of their contracts, they will have to prioritize who is worth it and who can be replaced with cheaper, younger options. They did the same thing this past offseason letting Dashon Goldson go elsewhere for big bucks and drafting Eric Reid to fill the void. Now they must decide what to do at strong safety with Donte Whitner looking to get a pay raise, they could again let their safety go and save money. With Crabtree and Kaepernick being the bigger priority, Whitner is likely to be let go. So expect San Francisco to address that need in the draft and they could decide to pair Reid with his former LSU teammate Craig Loston. Together they would give the 49ers one of the best secondaries in the league.
St. Louis Rams:
Free Safety
St. Louis has done a very nice job building their defense via the draft and through free agency and it’s a talented group, but they desperately need a free safety if they want to become a great defense. The Rams have been very good against the pass this year allowing just 220 yards per game but they have been horrendous against the run allowing 125 yards per game. They need to bring in a safety who isn’t afraid to come flying down into the box and absolutely destroy the running back. They have built a strong defensive line to open up holes, now they need a safety to come down through them and bring down the running back. St. Louis could fall in love with Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix and he could be just the piece they need to build their defense of the future.
Wide Receiver
St. Louis traded up to take Tavon Austin this past year but he still isn’t enough to help this offense. When Sam Bradford returns for the 2014 season he will need a true top level wide receiver who can beat specific game plans against him and establish himself as a Pro Bowl-caliber player. Fortunately for the Rams, they are still benefiting from the Robert Griffin III deal and could have two top-15 selections. They can use the earlier selection on Sammy Watkins, the best wide receiver prospect to come out since A.J. Green. He is the type of dynamic weapon who would become Bradford’s favorite immediately and also create open space for Austin and the other wide receivers.
Offensive Tackle
St. Louis forked out the big bucks for Jake Long and while he has dealt with inconsistency this year He struggled earlier in the season but really has settled down and looks healthy, but even if he remains at this level the Rams still need to address right tackle. Rodger Saffold has always had talent but he just can’t stay healthy and there isn’t anyone behind him worthy of starting long-term. St. Louis doesn’t have to use an early pick to find a right tackle but if they believe Bradford is their long-term quarterback, they need to give him more protection.
Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Seriously, the Carson Palmer experiment has failed miserably for the Cardinals. It’s time for the team to face it, Palmer’s career is over and he shouldn’t be on the roster beyond this season. The Cardinals have built a playoff-caliber defense and on offense now have a running back in Andre Ellington who gives them a balanced attack, but this team needs a quarterback. Yes, there offensive line is still in shambles but there has been some improvement this year and signs of life for the future. But quarterback has to be the top priority for the Cardinals in the draft, and Bruce Arians will want a quarterback with a big arm who can go vertical. You give this team a quarterback paired with this defense, running game and of course Larry Fitzgerald and you are looking at a playoff team.
Offensive Tackle
Once the Cardinals land their quarterback of the future they can get back to work on solidifying an offensive line to protect him. Their offensive line actually has shown improvement from last season, after giving up over 50 sacks last season the Cardinals have given up 23 sacks this season. There has been a lot of pressure on Palmer, which in part has contributed to his ineffectiveness, so this will be a major priority when the draft comes around. Arizona needs to find a left tackle in the second round and there are plenty available. The team could also look into Ja’Wuan James an underrated tackle out of Tennessee who has impressed in pass-protection. It all starts at quarterback for the Cardinals but protection will help the future of the franchise.
Defensive End
If there is one thing the Cardinals defense still needs to improve is bringing pressure on the quarterback. They have built a solid secondary and linebacker core but this team needs that edge pressure to help force some bad throws and give the young Cardinals’ secondary more chances to make plays. Darnell Dockett will turn 33 next season and Arizona needs to find a pass rusher who can put his hand in the dirt and create havoc. The Cardinals will need to address the need for a quarterback and left tackle before they look to the defensive side of the ball, but there will be plenty of them available.