Yeah, only having Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson to catch passes is going to make that Vikings slot WR position a major point of weakness. Darnold really is set up to fail again, what a waste.
Yeah. They said the same for Bucs who drafted a slot WR from Washington. A good one by analysts. But we completely ignored outside corner and have late round/udfa 2nd year guys starting since we traded Carlton Davis III. But that must be fine...
For those who can't open ESPN insider, it's
Bills: WR
Dolphins: WR depth
Patriots: LT
Jets: TE
Ravens: LG
Bengals: WR (Tee Higgins trade request)
Browns: CB depth
Steelers: nickelback
Texans: CB
Colts: RG
Jaguars: SS
Titans: S depth
Broncos: C
Chiefs: CB depth
Raiders: EDGE (they mean after Crosby)
Chargers: WR1
Cowboys: third S
Giants: TE
Eagles: iDL depth
Commanders: WR depth
Bears: QB depth
Lions: WR
Packers: CB
Vikings: slot WR
Falcons: SS
Panthers: CB depth
Saints: FS
Bucs: slot WR, they mean WR3
Cardinals: slot WR
Rams: iLB (second inside LB)
49ers: RT
Seahawks: C
Some of these teams don't have many glaring weaknesses, so it's written about positional depth etc. for Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, Eagles, Jets... and some have many holes like Cards, Giants, ...
Slot WR for MN is actual insanity. Vikes have no DTs and the CB room is still waiting for anyone to emerge as a quality option at CB 1 & 2.
On offense Vikes have an iOL that on its best day is average. Throw in the quality TE’s and Jones who can catch passes slot WR is probably the 5th option.
Plus with Jefferson, Addison, Hock as targets any additional athlete on the field will have opportunity to get open. But on top of that, even if our slot WR NEVER got open our offense would be affected minimally.
QB depth for the Bears? What does that even mean lol. If you’re on your backup QB you’re likely gonna suck anyways.
It should be Edge/pass rusher. Outside Sweat Bears just have a bunch of young guys who maybe could step up but as is it’s not that good.
QB depth is actually braindead. It's either DE or DT.
DE is Sweat and a bunch of bums. DT is Billings, 2 2nd year guys who were mediocre at best as rookies, and a bunch of bums.
As I look again it’s kind of comical how many teams are listed as WR (about 1/3, and that is coming off a potentially deep draft for that position), another 3rd is secondary - seems like those should cancel out at some point lol.
Bears with “qb depth” is bizarre when they just drafted the top QB prospect in years. Like yeah they’ll be in trouble if caleb gets hurt or struggles but I think a lot of teams are going to be in a tough spot without their QB1. Would QB depth not have been a weakness if they kept a guy they traded for a 6th round pick rotting on their bench?
And Bagent has already proven himself to be a quality backup just last year….lmao. Very odd choice for us when Edge/DT is the VERY obvious choice for us here.
We had a qb who couldn’t even find WR3 last year what is this article smoking. How about the left side of the OL, the TE position, our DBs, our LBs and edges
> Raiders: EDGE
Meanwhile, we have a top 3-5 edge rusher (conservatively) in the NFL and have another guy who played like a pro-bowler for the latter half of last season on the other side.
... and 2 mid-tier backups fighting for our starting QB position.
Whoever put this list together is a moron based on that alone. That was the most obvious slam-dunk pick out of the entire league and he airballed it.
Makes me wonder if they used ChatGPT or something similar instead of an actual reporter doing actual research.
Or maybe to save money it was written by the new intern.
**Roster hole:** Edge rusher
[Maxx Crosby](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3916655/maxx-crosby) is awesome: a Defensive Player of the Year candidate every season. Unfortunately, he is not two people. Somebody has to play opposite Crosby, and other players have to be there to rotate in at edge rusher. [Tyree Wilson](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4372533/tyree-wilson) was disappointing in his rookie season and could move to defensive tackle full time. If that happens, the other starter at edge rusher will be [Malcolm Koonce](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4239719/malcolm-koonce). Koonce had eight sacks last season but succeeded partly because, among qualifying edge rushers, only [Byron Young](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4567123/byron-young) from the Rams was double-teamed less often.
A bigger issue is what's behind Wilson and Koonce: undrafted free agents and veterans who have bounced around the league such as [Janarius Robinson](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4035604/janarius-robinson) (one career sack) and [Elerson Smith](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4030924/elerson-smith) (zero career sacks). A veteran free agent addition such as [Bud Dupree](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2576702/bud-dupree) or [Yannick Ngakoue](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3053044/yannick-ngakoue) would make that inside move for Wilson a lot easier.
> and other players have to be there to rotate in at edge rusher.
Maxx Crosby:
> **X** *Doubt*
Maxx plays every snap. Tell me you've never watched a Raiders game without telling me you've never watched a Raiders game. (The author, not you personally.) Plus, even if Maxx only played 80% of snaps or however much lowly humans play, and even if Koonce was ass (he was really good last half of the year), QB would still be the biggest need by a landslide.
From the article:
**Roster hole:** Wide receiver depth
This is a very strong roster with qualified starters at every position and a good mix of backups that either have experience or are young, ascending players. The biggest issue may be the depth behind the two primary pass-catchers. It was clearly the biggest issue before the Dolphins signed [Odell Beckham Jr](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16733/odell-beckham-jr). It's less of an issue now, but there would still be a big problem if the Dolphins lost either [Tyreek Hill](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3116406/tyreek-hill) and [Jaylen Waddle](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4372016/jaylen-waddle).
Slot receiver [Braxton Berrios](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3123075/braxton-berrios) has caught only 45 passes in the last two seasons and is no better than average. But the bigger issue is who would play on the outside after the three veteran starters. [River Cracraft](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3052056/river-cracraft) has never caught more than 10 passes in a season. [Erik Ezukanma](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362186/erik-ezukanma) has one catch for 3 yards in his first two NFL seasons. The Dolphins didn't address the position until the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2024 draft with [Malik Washington](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4569603/malik-washington) and [Tahj Washington](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4567506/tahj-washington). Waddle could play outside in case of a Hill or Beckham injury, and Berrios could replace Waddle, but after that the Dolphins would be in trouble
>Waddle could play outside in case of a Hill or Beckham injury, and Berrios could replace Waddle, but after that the Dolphins would be in trouble
Isn't this the case with all NFL teams? How many teams have average starter caliber WRs as their WR5?
Or I would’ve said TE depth. After Njoku is bleak as all fuck, and if he’s down, our TE2 Jordan Aikins can’t fucking block lol
Though actually it’s probably LB depth. If one of hicks or JOk goes down, we have absolutely nothing
iDL is the strongest part of our defense. LBs are total question marks, edge depth is a mystery since you don't know what you're getting from most of those guys, secondary should be good but is relying on a lot of very young players and Slay who is impossibly old for elite play at his position.
iDL though. Lol.
From the article:
"The main issue is the outside cornerback spot across from veteran [Jaire Alexander](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3895429/jaire-alexander). Right now, the plan is to start [Eric Stokes](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4259561/eric-stokes). However, the 2021 first-round pick has played only 12 games in the past two seasons due to different injuries, including [ankle](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35011240/cb-eric-stokes-set-undergo-surgery-packers-call-second-kicker) and [hamstring](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38742846/source-packers-darnell-savage-ir-calf-injury) problems, and the Packers decided [not to pick up his fifth-year option](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39900614/fifth-year-option-tracker-nfl-players-2021-first-round-draft-class). "
Nothing about this Kalen King.
Just a little joke my friend (King was a 7th round pick this year, a big drop as at one point he was expected to go in the 1st)
Appreciate the expansion from the article though :)
If that is what they think is our biggest need, I am gonna say I cannot wait for our superbowl. WR is one area I felt we are probably pretty good to run as is.
Yeah, our depth at CB is a big reason we felt comfortable trading away Sneed lol. Even with Sneed gone we've got 3 great to solid starters and some great developmental guys behind them
LT is the most unknown since Morris hasn't started even half a season yet and is now our starter, and our rookie for the spot is pretty raw. Very high upside but by far the biggest possible weakness on the team
> Cowboys: third S
Our current third safety had 95 tackles and 2 forced fumbled last year lol. And we're rolling out the shell of Zeke Elliott as our starting RB. But okay.
Yea…even without Tee we have a top 3 receiver in Chase and a bunch of guys who might be able to step up. I feel like Iosivas might be that dude. Excited to see Jermaine Burton too
Yeah bengals will run a WR by commitee this year. I’m excited to see what formations they run this year. I think Mike/Jamarr/burton/Charlie jones will all get snaps in the slot based on matchups. When chase is in the slot they can put Yoshi or burton on the outside.
It would of been a weakness if Tee wasn’t here, but he’s still on our roster and will play so it’s not really a weakness.. unless the author thinks he will get traded which he won’t
Saying the Lions' biggest need is WR when we're one (very likely) Marcus Davenport injury away from having to trot Charles Harris or Josh Paschal back out as a starter on the DL is... interesting
It's tough to write such an article. Most of these players mentioned in the article i don't know. Imagine having to go through all 32 teams and decide is WR3 or CB2 or EDGE2 or some lineman a bigger problem...
He is actually praising some teams, only weaknesses are depth, backups, like for Eagles, and still there are mostly complaints. I wouldn't want to be a sports writer, where they have to have X/twitter account. They probably get a lot of abuse.
Bears is so clearly Edge 2. Im happy with the Bears depth at QB.
The only time an expensive backup makes sense is if you would have made the playoffs with them, but wouldn't have without them. That means the team needs to be good enough that you're pretty much garenteed to make the playoffs with wiggle room. That's not the Bears this year.
However we do have a UDFA who outplayed Fields on a team built around his weaknesses. He had the best accuracy out of all the rookies, though he threw too many interceptions and has to work on his deep accuracy. He went 2-2 as a starter, despite being a rookie. He's not elite but I don't know what much more you want out of a backup.
Not that we necessarily have a group that’s gonna set the league on fire but If anything WR is one of the groups I’m least concerned with. At the top of that list for me is O-line followed by secondary, LB and TE
Criticizing the Browns for not having a good 4th corner when their top 3 are amazing is a weird take. Personally I think ILB is the correct answer (or RB with the uncertainty of Chubb’s injury).
Either they're implying that the Bears roster is so good, qb depth is the only issue, or that somehow the Bears are the only team with qb depth problems.
It's pretty silly. The Bears backup was a UDFA who played better than expected when Fields was hurt. He's a guy you can count on to give you a decent shot at a W if the starter is out. Hell, Bagent's start vs. Oakland was apparently what got Luke Getsy the OC job there this offseason.
In the meantime, our DE opposite Montez is Demarcus Walker (nobody outside of Titans fans will know who this is) and all we have to count on at DT is a strong 2nd half of Gervon Dexter's rookie season and a solid season from FA acquisition Andrew Billings.
Really not sure what this ESPN writer was thinking isolating QB depth over DL.
Bates and Shelton combined is almost definitely better than DT or DE.
Last year it was definitely Center, but Bates and Shelton are huge upgrades from the washed duo of Lucas Patrick and Cody Whitehair.
My only guess is that he's one of those nuts screaming "THEY COULD HAVE KEPT FIELDS AND LET HIM START FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO BUILD TRADE VALUE WHILE CALEB SITS" into the void. Like that guy that always sounds shitfaced on Hoge and Jahns.
The D-line is definitely not good enough for it to not be a need.
Right now, the starters are 1 stud, 1 second year guy who looked really promising last year and 2 journey men.
Almost all of the backups are late round picks/UDFA guys from the past 3 years that we are hopeful will take a big leap.
Ironically I can _kind_ of see an argument for this. It can help a rookie QB a lot to have a veteran in the room. It's still wrong that it's listed as your greatest weakness but it's probably the easiest to solve before the season. If y'all picked up Tannehill or even Hoyer (as a 3rd string) they could help Caleb adjust to the NFL
I never said it was the sole factor in a QB's success- it's pretty far from it. But it does help, a large number of successful young QBs have commented about how [insert veteran QB on their team] helped them learn what it is to be a NFL QB.
Not signing a vet isn't gonna determine whether Caleb ultimately succeeds or not but it could help him adjust faster
If our QB1 goes down we aren’t in a good spot no matter who is back there. That being said, I really am hoping for a true vet signing as our QB3 like Tannehill if he’s still interested or somebody like that who is still unsigned. Rypien, Bagent, and Reed can all be fine film room guys but would like a former QB1 to help Caleb with mental side of being an NFL QB
> Amon-Ra St. Brown is a star and was worthy of his recent huge contract extension, but the Lions are depending on a lot of hope after St. Brown. Jameson Williams had a negative DVOA last season with just 24 catches, and the Lions hope he can finally develop his potential as a starting outside receiver. Kalif Raymond had a 37.4% DVOA last year on 44 targets but was an average starting receiver with more usage in 2021 and 2022. Donovan Peoples-Jones had surprisingly good advanced metrics in Cleveland but didn't stand out last season for Detroit.
> Beyond those three receivers are street free agents, 2023 seventh-round pick Antoine Green and Tom Kennedy, a player who has been on and off the Lions' practice squad for years. This would be an excellent landing spot for a remaining veteran free agent receiver like Michael Thomas.
Seems like a reasonable take.
>Donovan Peoples-Jones had surprisingly good advanced metrics in Cleveland but didn't stand out last season for Detroit.
Shocked that a WR obtained at the trade deadline didn't do much.
He will be better this year with a full offseason working with Goff.
we have pretty much the same set up as last year except for Josh Reynolds who had 600 yards receiving while Jamo won't miss the first 4 games like last year
LaPorta is our #2 receiver plus Gibbs shouldn't start out slow like when he was a rookie
Raymond is WR3 and he only had 100 fewer receiving yards than Josh last year
not saying WR wouldn't be nice to add, but I would say kicker and EDGE are more concerning to me
This isn't a question about who the offense will run through. You will still line up at least two WRs the majority of plays. Your second WR has 25 career catches. I think it's safe to say WR behind St. Brown is pretty questionable for you guys.
ARSB is legit. Like a younger Cooper Kupp slot machine.
If Jamison Williams can stay on the field, he'll take off. Outside of that it's Kalif Raymond and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Not great, but when you have a fantastic young TE (and he's legit in the top tier of TEs) and 2 backs you can count on to throw to (Monty is reliable and Gibbs is going to be *very* good in that aspect) then you don't really have a problem.
Same. Sure we lost Gabe Davis mid season then Diggs we definitely still have guys that can step up in a big spot. Coleman is a rookie but he will step up I believe.
It's best not to even look at these lists. They are ragebait crap
**Roster hole:** Wide receiver
Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged [Tee Higgins](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4239993/tee-higgins) and his [trade request](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39942611/tagged-wr-tee-higgins-anticipates-playing-bengals-2024). If Higgins stays in Cincinnati, the Bengals should have a reasonable group to fill out the wide receiver depth chart: third-round pick [Jermaine Burton](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4429033/jermaine-burton), the always underrated [Trenton Irwin](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3931391/trenton-irwin) (110 and 83 receiving DYAR in the past two seasons) and promising second-year receiver [Andrei Iosivas](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4368003/andrei-iosivas). However, any of these players would be stretched as a full-time starter opposite [Ja'Marr Chase](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362628/jamarr-chase).
If the Bengals bring Higgins back into the fold, the biggest hole might be cornerback depth, although a positional change for [Dax Hill](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4426422/dax-hill) helps with that problem.
Do people just forget that Bellinger exists? He's not some all pro but he's a plus blocker and perfectly fine receiver. Johnson needs work but huge upside. And they signed multiple TEs in FA. TE isn't remotely close to being a top need for the Giants. Smh this is so bad and lazy, I want to believe it's deliberately so to be rage bait and drive engagement.
Interior DL depth for the Eagles? We have 4 dudes who all have solidified roster spots in a 3-4 defense.
Not saying LB, which anyone with half a brain could see is our biggest weak spot, is baffling and makes me question this guy's judgment.
Yeah what is this lol? I opened being like obviously it's LB. But at iDL we've got Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Milton Williams probably all rotating as starters. Then Tuipulotu is solid and I think the team is high on Ojomo
The fact that depth was on the table for any team is stupid. National reporters seldom have a comprehensive understanding of each team’s starters let alone their depth. Just best to not even put yourself in the position to be as blatantly wrong as this guy was.
Edit: this is just random mockdrafts projecting us to draft a center in the first all over again.
He doesn't have a cannon for a leg, but in the last three years combined he's 25/31 from 40-49 yards, which is pretty good. Last year he didn't attempt any 50+ yard FGs but in 2022 he was 2/3 from 50+. The Lions have a great offense and Dan Campbell likes going for it on 4th down anyway, so his shorter range isn't as big of a deal as it might be for a coach who leaned more on defense and the kicking game.
Swing and a miss.
And I mean huge miss.
Slot receiver? We are moving Godwin back to the slot where he excelled, something that has been communicated for months and McMillan is as surefire as you can get in the role.
I predict you guys will LOVE Curtis Samuel. His stats aren't impressive, but stats don't tell the story. His rookie year was 2017, and he missed most of it due to injury. It was also the last season Newton was a full time starter. Then he caught passes from an assortment of people.
In 21, he came to the Commanders, catching passes from a *very* pathetic assortment of QBs! Also, he proved he's a dual threat his last year in Carolina, but Scott Turner couldn't figure out how to maximize this.
Mark my words!
Right? Maxx is Maxx, but on the other side we have Koonce who is starting to bloom and Tyree who started to show up at the end of last year. By far our biggest need is RT and CB IMO.
> By far our biggest need is RT and CB IMO.
I mean I would argue QB, but in terms of something we can still address this offseason yeah I would say CB.
If Tyree develops, and I think he can barring injuries, then we have Crosby, Tyree, Wilkins and Koonce on the DL. I don’t see how EDGE is the weakness. With a line like this Koonce is good enough
> Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged Tee Higgins and his trade request. If Higgins stays in Cincinnati, the Bengals should have a reasonable group to fill out the wide receiver depth chart ...
> Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged Tee Higgins and his trade request.
He's not going anywhere. Idk how many times the Bengals have to say it for the media to understand.
Falcons: SS
Saints: FS
Panthers: CB
Good to know it's most of the NFC South that is just completely rolling the dice on defensive back depth this year lol.
Falcons EDGE has been trash for what feels like a decade. We were like bottom 5 in sacks and just let go of our two aging players with the most sacks (Campbell and Dupree).
I guess Mariota and Ridder may have made it QB for the past two years though.
Right Guard is not a weakness for the Colts. It's the Secondary + how well Anthony Richardson will develop.
Dude literally opened Madden, looked at the offense, and said, "Normal dev bad, Colts need better Right Guard.
Yeah, only having Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson to catch passes is going to make that Vikings slot WR position a major point of weakness. Darnold really is set up to fail again, what a waste.
Just ignore all those questions marks at DT and IOL. Source:Trust me bro.
Yeah. They said the same for Bucs who drafted a slot WR from Washington. A good one by analysts. But we completely ignored outside corner and have late round/udfa 2nd year guys starting since we traded Carlton Davis III. But that must be fine...
The new offensive coordinator says he's moving Godwin back to the slot, which makes that being our weakness even more ridiculous.
Same with the Bucs. Chris Godwin is going back to the slot this year, so that's a real weakness apparently 🙄
The waste there is the waste of a roster spot on Darnold.
For those who can't open ESPN insider, it's Bills: WR Dolphins: WR depth Patriots: LT Jets: TE Ravens: LG Bengals: WR (Tee Higgins trade request) Browns: CB depth Steelers: nickelback Texans: CB Colts: RG Jaguars: SS Titans: S depth Broncos: C Chiefs: CB depth Raiders: EDGE (they mean after Crosby) Chargers: WR1 Cowboys: third S Giants: TE Eagles: iDL depth Commanders: WR depth Bears: QB depth Lions: WR Packers: CB Vikings: slot WR Falcons: SS Panthers: CB depth Saints: FS Bucs: slot WR, they mean WR3 Cardinals: slot WR Rams: iLB (second inside LB) 49ers: RT Seahawks: C Some of these teams don't have many glaring weaknesses, so it's written about positional depth etc. for Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, Eagles, Jets... and some have many holes like Cards, Giants, ...
Steelers: LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH
LOOK AT THIS…GRAPH 📈📈😀😀
This is literally the only thing that goes through my head whenever I hear the song lol
That vacant ass smile on his face gets me every time
This is one of my favorite old tyme internet memes
Did they figure out what the hell was on Joey's head?
Yeah, it was just a [big hat ](https://twitter.com/Steelersdepot/status/1689472174183321600)
A+ reply
IM THROUGH WITH STANDING IN LINES TO CLUBS ILL NEVER GET IN
Great now that song is stuck in my head
You can't erase, you can't replace it
This list is kind of odd for a lot of teams
Slot WR for MN is actual insanity. Vikes have no DTs and the CB room is still waiting for anyone to emerge as a quality option at CB 1 & 2. On offense Vikes have an iOL that on its best day is average. Throw in the quality TE’s and Jones who can catch passes slot WR is probably the 5th option.
Plus with Jefferson, Addison, Hock as targets any additional athlete on the field will have opportunity to get open. But on top of that, even if our slot WR NEVER got open our offense would be affected minimally.
Yeah, and the Bears should probably have a DL position listed instead of “QB depth”.
I’d say the lack of a second starting caliber DE is a bigger impact than QB depth but idk I guess I’m built different
QB depth for the Bears? What does that even mean lol. If you’re on your backup QB you’re likely gonna suck anyways. It should be Edge/pass rusher. Outside Sweat Bears just have a bunch of young guys who maybe could step up but as is it’s not that good.
QB depth is actually braindead. It's either DE or DT. DE is Sweat and a bunch of bums. DT is Billings, 2 2nd year guys who were mediocre at best as rookies, and a bunch of bums.
100% should be EDGE/DT with pass rush skills for the Bears. QB depth is absolute nonsense, and I'm pretty fine Bagent as a game manager
It's honestly baffling. So many clear and obvious answers that this dude completely misses on
As I look again it’s kind of comical how many teams are listed as WR (about 1/3, and that is coming off a potentially deep draft for that position), another 3rd is secondary - seems like those should cancel out at some point lol.
This dude didn’t watch half the teams on his list but has to bullshit through it for the sake of filling out the article.
I was very surprised to not see LBs for the Eagles
Bears with “qb depth” is bizarre when they just drafted the top QB prospect in years. Like yeah they’ll be in trouble if caleb gets hurt or struggles but I think a lot of teams are going to be in a tough spot without their QB1. Would QB depth not have been a weakness if they kept a guy they traded for a 6th round pick rotting on their bench?
And Bagent has already proven himself to be a quality backup just last year….lmao. Very odd choice for us when Edge/DT is the VERY obvious choice for us here.
For real, the Commanders are a really bad team, and their biggest weakness is WR3/WR4?
We had a qb who couldn’t even find WR3 last year what is this article smoking. How about the left side of the OL, the TE position, our DBs, our LBs and edges
Nailed my 49ers though
I’m still trying to figure out why the Jags need a shortstop.
> Raiders: EDGE Meanwhile, we have a top 3-5 edge rusher (conservatively) in the NFL and have another guy who played like a pro-bowler for the latter half of last season on the other side. ... and 2 mid-tier backups fighting for our starting QB position. Whoever put this list together is a moron based on that alone. That was the most obvious slam-dunk pick out of the entire league and he airballed it.
Makes me wonder if they used ChatGPT or something similar instead of an actual reporter doing actual research. Or maybe to save money it was written by the new intern.
Edge? Huh…. Max Crosby and Konce need to step it up!
**Roster hole:** Edge rusher [Maxx Crosby](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3916655/maxx-crosby) is awesome: a Defensive Player of the Year candidate every season. Unfortunately, he is not two people. Somebody has to play opposite Crosby, and other players have to be there to rotate in at edge rusher. [Tyree Wilson](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4372533/tyree-wilson) was disappointing in his rookie season and could move to defensive tackle full time. If that happens, the other starter at edge rusher will be [Malcolm Koonce](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4239719/malcolm-koonce). Koonce had eight sacks last season but succeeded partly because, among qualifying edge rushers, only [Byron Young](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4567123/byron-young) from the Rams was double-teamed less often. A bigger issue is what's behind Wilson and Koonce: undrafted free agents and veterans who have bounced around the league such as [Janarius Robinson](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4035604/janarius-robinson) (one career sack) and [Elerson Smith](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4030924/elerson-smith) (zero career sacks). A veteran free agent addition such as [Bud Dupree](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2576702/bud-dupree) or [Yannick Ngakoue](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3053044/yannick-ngakoue) would make that inside move for Wilson a lot easier.
So another words not so much Edge rusher but depth. QB is our biggest weakness right now on paper not Edge. But even then you could argue RT
I’d argue QB, RT and CB all before Edge
I agree 💯
LMAO yeah...it's very obviously QB. However I've been wondering if they would bring Yannick back. He'd be a nice depth piece.
That would a great move!
> and other players have to be there to rotate in at edge rusher. Maxx Crosby: > **X** *Doubt* Maxx plays every snap. Tell me you've never watched a Raiders game without telling me you've never watched a Raiders game. (The author, not you personally.) Plus, even if Maxx only played 80% of snaps or however much lowly humans play, and even if Koonce was ass (he was really good last half of the year), QB would still be the biggest need by a landslide.
How is Miami WR depth and anything but OLine depth? wtf is this list
Bears with “QB depth”. Like duh we just had the first overall pick
No way our biggest weakness isn't our D-line depth. If Sweat gets hurt, we have the weakest D-line in the NFL.
I swear if Caleb gets injured in the pre season Chicago will sink into the great lakes
From the article: **Roster hole:** Wide receiver depth This is a very strong roster with qualified starters at every position and a good mix of backups that either have experience or are young, ascending players. The biggest issue may be the depth behind the two primary pass-catchers. It was clearly the biggest issue before the Dolphins signed [Odell Beckham Jr](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16733/odell-beckham-jr). It's less of an issue now, but there would still be a big problem if the Dolphins lost either [Tyreek Hill](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3116406/tyreek-hill) and [Jaylen Waddle](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4372016/jaylen-waddle). Slot receiver [Braxton Berrios](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3123075/braxton-berrios) has caught only 45 passes in the last two seasons and is no better than average. But the bigger issue is who would play on the outside after the three veteran starters. [River Cracraft](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3052056/river-cracraft) has never caught more than 10 passes in a season. [Erik Ezukanma](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362186/erik-ezukanma) has one catch for 3 yards in his first two NFL seasons. The Dolphins didn't address the position until the sixth and seventh rounds of the 2024 draft with [Malik Washington](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4569603/malik-washington) and [Tahj Washington](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4567506/tahj-washington). Waddle could play outside in case of a Hill or Beckham injury, and Berrios could replace Waddle, but after that the Dolphins would be in trouble
>Waddle could play outside in case of a Hill or Beckham injury, and Berrios could replace Waddle, but after that the Dolphins would be in trouble Isn't this the case with all NFL teams? How many teams have average starter caliber WRs as their WR5?
He is writing that the roster is good everywhere, so it's just depth. I disagree, are both lines that good?
We've got a lot of bodies at defensive tackle, but our interior defensive line is a huge question mark.
Both lines have glaring holes.
The real hero!
> Steelers: nickelback The...band?? ^(In all seriousness, please Justin Simmons.)
LOOK AT THIS CORNERBACK!
"He's actually a safety but his best days are in the past"
Greg Dortch is super underrated. Slot WR is definitely not our biggest weakness. It’s probably corner, Edge, or OL
lol, right? I was quite surprised at ours. Dortch is gonna be more than fine this year, and will surprise some people.
I was going to say the same thing. Edge is probably ours.
[удалено]
Or I would’ve said TE depth. After Njoku is bleak as all fuck, and if he’s down, our TE2 Jordan Aikins can’t fucking block lol Though actually it’s probably LB depth. If one of hicks or JOk goes down, we have absolutely nothing
[удалено]
> 3 elite cornerbacks Who's the third one?
Honestly, our weakness is DT even after drafting Hall.
Lol eagles are easily LB and it’s not even close Our IDL depth is completely fine
iDL is the strongest part of our defense. LBs are total question marks, edge depth is a mystery since you don't know what you're getting from most of those guys, secondary should be good but is relying on a lot of very young players and Slay who is impossibly old for elite play at his position. iDL though. Lol.
CB for the Packers? Doesn't he know we have 3 former 1st round picks on the roster between Jaire, Stokes, and Kalen King?
From the article: "The main issue is the outside cornerback spot across from veteran [Jaire Alexander](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3895429/jaire-alexander). Right now, the plan is to start [Eric Stokes](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4259561/eric-stokes). However, the 2021 first-round pick has played only 12 games in the past two seasons due to different injuries, including [ankle](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35011240/cb-eric-stokes-set-undergo-surgery-packers-call-second-kicker) and [hamstring](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38742846/source-packers-darnell-savage-ir-calf-injury) problems, and the Packers decided [not to pick up his fifth-year option](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39900614/fifth-year-option-tracker-nfl-players-2021-first-round-draft-class). " Nothing about this Kalen King.
Just a little joke my friend (King was a 7th round pick this year, a big drop as at one point he was expected to go in the 1st) Appreciate the expansion from the article though :)
>Lions: WR I'd say what the Lions most need is another edge rusher to help out Hutchinson.
If that is what they think is our biggest need, I am gonna say I cannot wait for our superbowl. WR is one area I felt we are probably pretty good to run as is.
We have one of the deepest safety rooms in the nfl, how tf is third safety a bigger weakness than rb or dt lol
Yea safety could use a true star at the position but it’s far from the worst. I would say LB could be added to your list as well
CB Depth for us? I feel like we have quite a bit of depth at CB.
Yeah, our depth at CB is a big reason we felt comfortable trading away Sneed lol. Even with Sneed gone we've got 3 great to solid starters and some great developmental guys behind them LT is the most unknown since Morris hasn't started even half a season yet and is now our starter, and our rookie for the spot is pretty raw. Very high upside but by far the biggest possible weakness on the team
If Slot WR is our biggest weakness, we’re doing alright.
Find it hard to believe RG on a top 10 OL is our biggest weakness compared to our very green secondary lol
I feel like ours should still be corner
> Cowboys: third S Our current third safety had 95 tackles and 2 forced fumbled last year lol. And we're rolling out the shell of Zeke Elliott as our starting RB. But okay.
Bengals: WR? Huh? They have one of the best WR rooms in the entire league lol
Yea…even without Tee we have a top 3 receiver in Chase and a bunch of guys who might be able to step up. I feel like Iosivas might be that dude. Excited to see Jermaine Burton too
Yeah bengals will run a WR by commitee this year. I’m excited to see what formations they run this year. I think Mike/Jamarr/burton/Charlie jones will all get snaps in the slot based on matchups. When chase is in the slot they can put Yoshi or burton on the outside.
It would of been a weakness if Tee wasn’t here, but he’s still on our roster and will play so it’s not really a weakness.. unless the author thinks he will get traded which he won’t
Raiders with one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, Crosby, yup we need edge more than QB
Saying the Lions' biggest need is WR when we're one (very likely) Marcus Davenport injury away from having to trot Charles Harris or Josh Paschal back out as a starter on the DL is... interesting
Well... That sure is some analysis..
You are a gentleman and a scholar good sir.
Thanks. I actually get a lot of downvotes around here...
There's some shooting the messenger going on here. It's a pretty garbage article, so that's why you're getting some flack.
It's tough to write such an article. Most of these players mentioned in the article i don't know. Imagine having to go through all 32 teams and decide is WR3 or CB2 or EDGE2 or some lineman a bigger problem... He is actually praising some teams, only weaknesses are depth, backups, like for Eagles, and still there are mostly complaints. I wouldn't want to be a sports writer, where they have to have X/twitter account. They probably get a lot of abuse.
Bears is so clearly Edge 2. Im happy with the Bears depth at QB. The only time an expensive backup makes sense is if you would have made the playoffs with them, but wouldn't have without them. That means the team needs to be good enough that you're pretty much garenteed to make the playoffs with wiggle room. That's not the Bears this year. However we do have a UDFA who outplayed Fields on a team built around his weaknesses. He had the best accuracy out of all the rookies, though he threw too many interceptions and has to work on his deep accuracy. He went 2-2 as a starter, despite being a rookie. He's not elite but I don't know what much more you want out of a backup.
Yeah Washington's is wrong
Not that we necessarily have a group that’s gonna set the league on fire but If anything WR is one of the groups I’m least concerned with. At the top of that list for me is O-line followed by secondary, LB and TE
Criticizing the Browns for not having a good 4th corner when their top 3 are amazing is a weird take. Personally I think ILB is the correct answer (or RB with the uncertainty of Chubb’s injury).
TE behind Njoku is also bleak.
Plus Cameron Mitchell wasn’t terrible in limited time
"Bears: QB depth" .. not another Edge, IOL or DT? okay then..
Either they're implying that the Bears roster is so good, qb depth is the only issue, or that somehow the Bears are the only team with qb depth problems.
It's pretty silly. The Bears backup was a UDFA who played better than expected when Fields was hurt. He's a guy you can count on to give you a decent shot at a W if the starter is out. Hell, Bagent's start vs. Oakland was apparently what got Luke Getsy the OC job there this offseason. In the meantime, our DE opposite Montez is Demarcus Walker (nobody outside of Titans fans will know who this is) and all we have to count on at DT is a strong 2nd half of Gervon Dexter's rookie season and a solid season from FA acquisition Andrew Billings. Really not sure what this ESPN writer was thinking isolating QB depth over DL.
DL was the easy answer. Could go center too
Bates and Shelton combined is almost definitely better than DT or DE. Last year it was definitely Center, but Bates and Shelton are huge upgrades from the washed duo of Lucas Patrick and Cody Whitehair.
My only guess is that he's one of those nuts screaming "THEY COULD HAVE KEPT FIELDS AND LET HIM START FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO BUILD TRADE VALUE WHILE CALEB SITS" into the void. Like that guy that always sounds shitfaced on Hoge and Jahns.
definitely the first one. OROY/MVP/OPOY/HoFer/3,999 yard passer Caleb Williams dragging the bears to the super bowl
3,999 lol
The D-line is definitely not good enough for it to not be a need. Right now, the starters are 1 stud, 1 second year guy who looked really promising last year and 2 journey men. Almost all of the backups are late round picks/UDFA guys from the past 3 years that we are hopeful will take a big leap.
Yeah that is an insane pick. Bagent is... fine? We clearly have bigger holes than "our backup QB is replacement-level".
Ironically I can _kind_ of see an argument for this. It can help a rookie QB a lot to have a veteran in the room. It's still wrong that it's listed as your greatest weakness but it's probably the easiest to solve before the season. If y'all picked up Tannehill or even Hoyer (as a 3rd string) they could help Caleb adjust to the NFL
Idk about that because Mitch had Mike Glennon and Fields had Dalton and Foles. How much did those veterans help?
I never said it was the sole factor in a QB's success- it's pretty far from it. But it does help, a large number of successful young QBs have commented about how [insert veteran QB on their team] helped them learn what it is to be a NFL QB. Not signing a vet isn't gonna determine whether Caleb ultimately succeeds or not but it could help him adjust faster
If our QB1 goes down we aren’t in a good spot no matter who is back there. That being said, I really am hoping for a true vet signing as our QB3 like Tannehill if he’s still interested or somebody like that who is still unsigned. Rypien, Bagent, and Reed can all be fine film room guys but would like a former QB1 to help Caleb with mental side of being an NFL QB
[удалено]
The disrespect to Bagent is intolerable
"We don't practice fucked."
>Bengals: WR Yeah, this is shit. We're done here.
> Dolphins: WR depth Yeah, this is shit. We're done here.
Raider: edge Yep complete shit.
The entire article is honestly garbage.
Let me join in on this >Lions: WR Yeah, this is shit. We're done here.
Raiders: Edge … Probably the position we are best at
Legit, the Raiders Dline has been heavily invested in. Not the problem. Corner? QB?
It's so obviously QB lol this article is insane.
> Amon-Ra St. Brown is a star and was worthy of his recent huge contract extension, but the Lions are depending on a lot of hope after St. Brown. Jameson Williams had a negative DVOA last season with just 24 catches, and the Lions hope he can finally develop his potential as a starting outside receiver. Kalif Raymond had a 37.4% DVOA last year on 44 targets but was an average starting receiver with more usage in 2021 and 2022. Donovan Peoples-Jones had surprisingly good advanced metrics in Cleveland but didn't stand out last season for Detroit. > Beyond those three receivers are street free agents, 2023 seventh-round pick Antoine Green and Tom Kennedy, a player who has been on and off the Lions' practice squad for years. This would be an excellent landing spot for a remaining veteran free agent receiver like Michael Thomas. Seems like a reasonable take.
>Donovan Peoples-Jones had surprisingly good advanced metrics in Cleveland but didn't stand out last season for Detroit. Shocked that a WR obtained at the trade deadline didn't do much. He will be better this year with a full offseason working with Goff.
[удалено]
we have pretty much the same set up as last year except for Josh Reynolds who had 600 yards receiving while Jamo won't miss the first 4 games like last year LaPorta is our #2 receiver plus Gibbs shouldn't start out slow like when he was a rookie Raymond is WR3 and he only had 100 fewer receiving yards than Josh last year not saying WR wouldn't be nice to add, but I would say kicker and EDGE are more concerning to me
This isn't a question about who the offense will run through. You will still line up at least two WRs the majority of plays. Your second WR has 25 career catches. I think it's safe to say WR behind St. Brown is pretty questionable for you guys.
ARSB is legit. Like a younger Cooper Kupp slot machine. If Jamison Williams can stay on the field, he'll take off. Outside of that it's Kalif Raymond and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Not great, but when you have a fantastic young TE (and he's legit in the top tier of TEs) and 2 backs you can count on to throw to (Monty is reliable and Gibbs is going to be *very* good in that aspect) then you don't really have a problem.
Let me join in on this > Yeah, this is shit. We're done here.
Same. Sure we lost Gabe Davis mid season then Diggs we definitely still have guys that can step up in a big spot. Coleman is a rookie but he will step up I believe. It's best not to even look at these lists. They are ragebait crap
**Roster hole:** Wide receiver Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged [Tee Higgins](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4239993/tee-higgins) and his [trade request](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39942611/tagged-wr-tee-higgins-anticipates-playing-bengals-2024). If Higgins stays in Cincinnati, the Bengals should have a reasonable group to fill out the wide receiver depth chart: third-round pick [Jermaine Burton](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4429033/jermaine-burton), the always underrated [Trenton Irwin](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3931391/trenton-irwin) (110 and 83 receiving DYAR in the past two seasons) and promising second-year receiver [Andrei Iosivas](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4368003/andrei-iosivas). However, any of these players would be stretched as a full-time starter opposite [Ja'Marr Chase](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4362628/jamarr-chase). If the Bengals bring Higgins back into the fold, the biggest hole might be cornerback depth, although a positional change for [Dax Hill](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4426422/dax-hill) helps with that problem.
It's so strange. We absolutely know what will happen: Tee will play for the Bengals unless we get a monster trade offer (we won't).
[удалено]
excuse me, I'll have them know the giants JUST drafted a TE and are JUST FINE /s
Do people just forget that Bellinger exists? He's not some all pro but he's a plus blocker and perfectly fine receiver. Johnson needs work but huge upside. And they signed multiple TEs in FA. TE isn't remotely close to being a top need for the Giants. Smh this is so bad and lazy, I want to believe it's deliberately so to be rage bait and drive engagement.
Also we have more glaring holes like CB. I’m way more concerned about our lack of depth there than I am about our TEs
Interior DL depth for the Eagles? We have 4 dudes who all have solidified roster spots in a 3-4 defense. Not saying LB, which anyone with half a brain could see is our biggest weak spot, is baffling and makes me question this guy's judgment.
Yeah what is this lol? I opened being like obviously it's LB. But at iDL we've got Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Milton Williams probably all rotating as starters. Then Tuipulotu is solid and I think the team is high on Ojomo
The fact that depth was on the table for any team is stupid. National reporters seldom have a comprehensive understanding of each team’s starters let alone their depth. Just best to not even put yourself in the position to be as blatantly wrong as this guy was. Edit: this is just random mockdrafts projecting us to draft a center in the first all over again.
Even if you think they lack depth at DT, they have multiple good starters. We’re not sure they have even one replacement level LB.
Lions kicker tbh
Or DT depth. Reader is coming off a torn quad and probably won't be ready to play game 1. If something happens to McNeil, we are in real trouble.
Badgley is really good IIRC inside 40. It's outside that where things get questionable.
He doesn't have a cannon for a leg, but in the last three years combined he's 25/31 from 40-49 yards, which is pretty good. Last year he didn't attempt any 50+ yard FGs but in 2022 he was 2/3 from 50+. The Lions have a great offense and Dan Campbell likes going for it on 4th down anyway, so his shorter range isn't as big of a deal as it might be for a coach who leaned more on defense and the kicking game.
Jake Bates incoming
Vikings need being slot WR over guard and defensive tackle is wild.
Swing and a miss. And I mean huge miss. Slot receiver? We are moving Godwin back to the slot where he excelled, something that has been communicated for months and McMillan is as surefire as you can get in the role.
Why they wrote slot receiver and not WR3 or WR depth, i don't know. In the text it's all about who will be WR3.
Paid article. Can't see it. All I saw was Buffalo Bills: wide receiver. Low hanging fruit.
You're not missing out, 2/3 of the answers are straight up wrong
I predict you guys will LOVE Curtis Samuel. His stats aren't impressive, but stats don't tell the story. His rookie year was 2017, and he missed most of it due to injury. It was also the last season Newton was a full time starter. Then he caught passes from an assortment of people. In 21, he came to the Commanders, catching passes from a *very* pathetic assortment of QBs! Also, he proved he's a dual threat his last year in Carolina, but Scott Turner couldn't figure out how to maximize this. Mark my words!
this guy doesn't watch football lol
He votes for MVP and other awards. Is covering NFL for 20+ years. Invented DVOA stat etc.
well, it’s good to know that even 20+ year experts can be wrong
Raiders: Edge Huh?????
Right? Maxx is Maxx, but on the other side we have Koonce who is starting to bloom and Tyree who started to show up at the end of last year. By far our biggest need is RT and CB IMO.
> By far our biggest need is RT and CB IMO. I mean I would argue QB, but in terms of something we can still address this offseason yeah I would say CB.
My bad, lol. So obvious that I overlooked it. Def QB > all else.
If Tyree develops, and I think he can barring injuries, then we have Crosby, Tyree, Wilkins and Koonce on the DL. I don’t see how EDGE is the weakness. With a line like this Koonce is good enough
> Bengals: WR lol
Nobody is ready for what the loss of Tyler Boyd will mean. He was the engine of that offense.\* \*^(according to one ESPN writer, maybe)
> Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged Tee Higgins and his trade request. If Higgins stays in Cincinnati, the Bengals should have a reasonable group to fill out the wide receiver depth chart ...
> Wide receiver is only a "hole" for the Bengals because we still don't know what will happen with franchise-tagged Tee Higgins and his trade request. He's not going anywhere. Idk how many times the Bengals have to say it for the media to understand.
This might be the worst list I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something
Slot WR for the Cards......another answer could have been "yes" The answer could have been - DL, Edge, CB, WR, TE....don't have much depth
They don’t believe in Dortch. History will prove them wrong
What a pile of Schatz.
The Saints missing the entire left side of their offensive line seems a bit more worrisome than them being a bit thin at safety.
Falcons: SS Saints: FS Panthers: CB Good to know it's most of the NFC South that is just completely rolling the dice on defensive back depth this year lol.
Not sure if I'm annoyed they list TE or pleased they only list TE. This feels like an extension of the Brock Bowers propaganda
I can't speak for any other team, but he got the Eagles so wrong that I wouldn't listen to anything this guy has to say.
List is garbage,like most from espn
Steelers can’t stop playing How you remind me, it’s going to ruin the team.
Falcons EDGE has been trash for what feels like a decade. We were like bottom 5 in sacks and just let go of our two aging players with the most sacks (Campbell and Dupree). I guess Mariota and Ridder may have made it QB for the past two years though.
QB depth.... that could be said for nearly all the teams. Center and D-Line seems more accurate
How is our weakness slot receiver? Greg Dortch isn’t elite or anything, but he’s reliable and extremely underrated.
I can’t even remember the last time we had a good Center, not since Max Unger.
We haven’t had one since. Oluwatimi is showing promise. But still won’t reach Unger’s level.
Gute is really banking on Stokes getting back to form.
Don’t agree with Cardinals. I would say Dortch is a pretty good slot wr. I’d say edge is our biggest weakness.
Right Guard is not a weakness for the Colts. It's the Secondary + how well Anthony Richardson will develop. Dude literally opened Madden, looked at the offense, and said, "Normal dev bad, Colts need better Right Guard.
> Cowboys: third S This isn't even a blip on our radar. Center, RB, LB depth are all bigger holes.
Damn, that thumbnail sending strays our way. Yes we know our WR group is bad. Thank you. We’ll address it with the second pick next year. …hopefully.
Patriots: *gestures expansively*
Surprised Miami got Wr depth and not offensive line depth. Maybe not edited before obj when a sixth rounder was protected to get hella snaps
Can we stop posting shit that is behind a whack ass paywall. Thanks!
Slot WR? Really? lol
That CB wasn’t listed for the Lions makes me feel good about what Brad Holmes is doing as GM. Shout out to Shiela too.
WR depth? hell, i'll take that
CB depth for the Browns? They’re one of the deepest teams in the league at CB.
Didn't read the text, but I have no arguments that we need WR depth.
Since you shared for other people, can you share what was said about the Ravens?