The 2015 NFL Draft is a few weeks away and while you will be hoping your team gets the player that can help your team get to and win a Superbowl, 1st you have to realize the weaknesses and holes you may have to fill before you can reach the Promised Land. Today, I’ll be going over the biggest needs for the four teams in the AFC South. In the AFC South, it is widely known that the road must lead through the Indianapolis Colts, but all four teams (Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars), have needs if they want to be successful, so without further ado, let’s get to the AFC South Team Needs.
Houston Texans – The Texans had a team that could compete every week, but their biggest issue was their most important issue, the quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick did have a good year by most terms with 17 TDs and 8 INTs in 12 starts for the Texans, but he was more of a game manager than a difference maker. Ryan Mallett got two starts at the end of the year and while the young QB showed potential, his season was ended early due to injury. They don’t have too many needs, but they are very obvious:
Quarterback – They will have a competition between Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer, but it’s a big question as to if either of them is the real answer.
Wide Receiver – The Texans lost the face of their franchise this offseason with Andre Johnson being released. DeAndre Hopkins is good and they signed Cecil Shorts, but he would do better as a 3rd WR. They need another game breaker.
Defensive End – Jared Crick is currently slated to be the starter opposite the great JJ Watt, but they will need an upgrade at that spot.
Center – The Texans cut long-time Center Chris Myers due to financial reasons, so you can expect a replacement to be selected in the draft.
Indianapolis Colts – The Colts offense is deadly with the recent signings of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. The Colts need to put all their eggs in the defensive bucket during the NFL Draft. They have a championship type team, but if they don’t improve the middle of the defense, they may find themselves in the same spot they have the last couple years, watching the Superbowl. These should be their main priority needs this offseason:
Inside Linebacker – Jerrell Freeman will be back, but D’Qwell Jackson needs to be let go. He was atrocious in coverage and even though they signed Nate Irving, they may still need to spend a draft pick on this position.
Center – This is the biggest whole on their offensive line. Usually this position could be addressed later in the draft, but the Left Tackle and Center are the two most important parts of an offensive line and they need to keep their prized possession, Andrew Luck, upright.
Jacksonville Jaguars – I think the Jags have had a great offseason so far. I would have pushed harder to get DeMarco Murray, but other than that, they filled a lot of holes that you would expect from a team that went 3-13. I think they still need a lot of work, but they have signed players that will at least make their team respectable. If their young players can progress and they hit on 2-3 picks this year, they could be a good team in a year or two. These are some of the spots they still need to fill:
Center – This is becoming a common theme in this division. The offensive line needs a captain and that is usually the center. This is something that should be address by round three and I can easily see the Jags selecting one of the top three centers in the draft.
Defensive End – Jared Odrick may currently be listed as the defensive end, but he played defensive end in a 3-4 only. In this offense he will be the defensive tackle with Sen’Derrick Marks. They desperately need a pass rusher and I think they will be address with the 1st pick, someone like Dante Fowler.
Running Back – As I said earlier, I would have liked if they tried harder to get DeMarco Murray, but they can take a running back in round three and still end up okay. Someone like a TJ Yeldon would fit in their offense nicely.
Tennessee Titans – The Titans finished would the worst record in the league. With that being known, they obviously had numerous holes to fill, 8-10 on my personal needs list for them. However, they have done well with filling a lot of their needs this offseason. Unfortunately, they seem to be ignoring what maybe their two biggest remaining holes. It may be a smokescreen, but if they don’t upgrade the middle of their offensive and defensive lines, they could be in for another long year. Here is my list for their remaining biggest needs:
Nose Tackle – From what I am hearing, they are content with Sammie Lee Hill, bad move. Hill was horrible against the run and fits a 4-3 DT rather than a 3-4 NT. If I was their GM, I’d target one of 3 players in the draft, Danny Shelton, Jordan Phillips, or Carl Davis. As a late draft pick they can consider Ellis McCarthy.
Outside Linebacker – The Titans did a great job of signing Brian Orakpo and re-signing Derrick Morgan, but the cupboard is bare behind them. Because of the known history of injuries to Orakpo, it is imperative that the Titans select a young pass rushing LB. Luckily that may be the deepest position in this draft.
Center – The Titans drafted Brian Schwenke in the 4th round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In my opinion, he is a below average run and pass blocker and as I said earlier, you need your Center to be the captain of your offensive line. The ideal player would be Cameron Irving, but he may go 2nd half of round one. If not, 3rd or 4th round pick is necessary
Right Tackle – With long-time LT, Michael Roos, retiring last year, 1st round pick Taylor Lewan will be the LT, but they need to fill the right side. They have shown interest in Joe Barksdale, who’s a FA from the Rams. It would be in their best interest to do whatever they have to do to get him in Titan blue. He is an average pass blocker, but a good run blocker.
Defensive End – Ropati Pitoitua is a good run stuffing defensive end, but offers no pass rush. I like DaQuan Jones, drafted last year, as a backup, but they need a starting defensive end. People in Tennessee want Leonard Williams. He’s the safest pick, but that doesn’t mean he’s the best pick, especially with the 2nd overall pick.
When all is said and done, like all teams, the teams in this division have some work to do. Can it be solved all within the draft, if they hit on the right picks yes. The NFL has shown that 1-2 years can turn a losing franchise into a winning one. A big onus is on the right players for the right systems and how they develop. In the 2015 NFL Draft there’s a lot of talented players, now it’s the job of the GMs and coaches to utilize them to the fullest.
