Pro Football Articles Opinion & Fantasy – Football Diner

The Rams are not as set on taking an offensive tackle as people think. They are in need of a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. With Torry Holt likely heading out of town, they will need to find a replacement. Michael Crabtree is the one “special” player in this year’s draft, as I’ve been told by a source, and he is a player that team’s cannot afford to pass on. With that said, offensive tackle could be an option with Eugene Monroe depending on what happens with Orlando Pace.

Historically, Scott Pioli has gone with key defensive players in the first round (Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Meriweather) and recently signed Adalius Thomas, a similar player to that of Wake Forest’s Aaron Curry. This make makes too much sense for it not to happen. Curry is one of the safest picks in this year’s draft.

Seattle’s offensive line isn’t it’s biggest need, however with Crabtree and Curry off the board, the Seahawks would be forced to go with the best player available here. With the future in question regarding left tackle Walter Jones, it’d be in Seattle’s best interest to find his future replacement here in the draft. B.J. Raji and Malcolm Jenkins are two other options, however it might be a bit high for them here.

New head coach Eric Mangini has said that the Browns will remain in a 3-4 defense under his watch. He’s also mentioned that outside linebacker is one position that needs to be upgraded. One of Cleveland’s key players on defense is former Florida State defensive end Kamerion Wimbley. It’d be a smart move for the Browns to select another Florida State end to upgrade a pass rush that badly needs the help. Malcolm Jenkins is another option to help upgrade the secondary.

The Bengals offensive line has gone downhill in recent months. Willie Anderson is gone, Stacy Andrews is coming off of injury and is a free agent, and Levi Jones struggled with injuries all last season. If Cincinnati wants to have any chance of competing without their two wide receivers T.J Houshmanzadeh and Chad Johnson, they’re going to need a formidable offensive line, which is where Andre Smith comes in. He’d be a reliable blocker in the passing game and would open up wide running lanes for Cedric Benson. Smith may drop a few spots due to concerns regarding his weight. B.J. Raji could be another option here.

The Raiders offensive line has continued to be among the worst in football the last few seasons. Adding Darren McFadden to play alongside JaMarcus Russell was a nice move, however they are going to need a lineman to open holes and protect Russell’s blindside. Jason Smith has quietly seen his draft stock rise as of late and is a lock to go in the Top 15.

The Jaguars had the opportunity to coach Michael Oher at the Senior Bowl this year and I they seemed to be impressed with him. Jacksonville needs to upgrade their offensive line, specifically at left tackle, which is why this pick makes a lot of sense. I could also see them going with a wide receiver in Jeremy Maclin to add a playmaker to their offense.

The Packers are officially making the move to the 3-4 defense. You can expect to see them look for players that will fit into that defense. Their nose tackle position is one that needs to be addressed early in this year’s draft. The only in-house option to play the position is Ryan Pickett, but he has no experience every playing the nose. Adding a stud in Raji would not only be a safe pick, but it would bring a force to the middle of the Packers front seven.

There’s talk that the 49ers are prepared to pass on quarterback Mark Sanchez if he is available at No. 10. Instead, they could use an upgrade at safety, as well as a stud pass rusher and an explosive playmaker on offense. Maclin’s stock is rising and is looking like he could be a Top 10 pick come April. He’d be a nice fit in the team’s offense. Brian Orakpo is another option as a future 3-4 outside linebacker.

The Bills’ pass rush was among the worst in football last season. They desperately need to add a defensive end who is capable of getting to the quarterback. Orakpo had an outstanding senior season and really saw his stock rise. He’s a lock to be a Top 20 pick and could enter into the mix for the Top 10. Brandon Pettigrew is another option here to give the team an added threat at the tight end position.

The Broncos defense was among the worst in the league this season. They suffered from more injuries than any other team in the league. They need to add a leader to the defense, someone who you can count on to get the job done. That’s exactly what Maualuga is. There’s a chance that Maualuga could go higher than this, however I think that he’d be a nice fit with Denver. They could also go with Peria Jerry to solidify their defensive line.

The Redskins are in the position to draft the best lineman on the board when their pick comes up. They could use depth at both offensive and defensive tackle and at defensive end. Thanks to his great performance at the Senior Bowl, Peria Jerry has really seen his stock rise and is now likely to be a Top 20 pick. He’s also one of the safer picks in this year’s draft. Eben Britton could be another option at offensive tackle for Washington.

While it has gotten better, the Saints defense could still use some upgrades. Their cornerback spot has found a future starter in Tracy Porter, however the other side could still stand to be upgraded. Malcolm Jenkins is the top cornerback available this year and would be a steal if he lasted this long. Vontae Davis, James Laurinaitis, and Brian Cushing are three other options with this pick.

The Texans offenwse has started to pick up steam this year. They found a key player at running back in Steve Slaton, and already have the other pieces around him to make a solid offensive unit. Houston could use a defensive end to play opposite Pro Bowler Mario Williams. Taking pressure off of Williams would make him even more of a dangerous player on the field. Maybin is an excellent pass rusher and could see his stock rise with a good Combine workout.

The Chargers running back position is one of plenty of intrigue this offseason. LaDanian Tomlinson’s age has caught up to him and he clearly isn’t the same player that he was just a few years ago. Darren Sproles had an excellent end to the season, however he’s a free agent and isn’t guaranteed to be brought back. Knowshon Moreno is a player who I think would fit well into San Diego’s plans offensively. He’s similar to that of LaDanian Tomlinson and would be capable of splitting carries with the future Hall of Famer.

The Jets 2008 season could best be described as a collapse. They went from being 8-3, to not making the playoffs. New York is entering the 2009 season with Kellen Clemens as their starting quarterback and Brett Ratliff as his backup. If Sanchez falls, it’d be in the best interest of the Jets to take him with this pick. He’d be able to sit the bench for a year as he gains experience before taking over the reins in 2010. They could also go with a cornerback in Vontae Davis or D.J. Moore.

There’s been talk that the Bears have their eye on Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis. With Chicago’s history of injuries in the secondary, it’d make the most sense to add a future starter at the cornerback position. Coming from Illinois, he’d also be a fan-favorite, which is a plus for the Bears marketing department. There’s also talk that the team has been looking at Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, so he could be another option.

With a whole new staff in place this season, it’s a bit hard to predict which way Tampa Bay will go this offseason. From what I’ve been hearing, there are two likely options: Freeman and Ohio State running back Chris Wells. Freeman is a very talented player in the mold of Daunte Culpepper. The Buccaneers staff reportedly would like to get younger at the quarterback position and bring in a future franchise quarterback, which is what Freeman would be capable of being. With new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, the former tutor of Matt Ryan, the team could be more inclined to take a quarterback and let him learn from Jags. Wells is another option, as he’d help to solidify the team’s running game.

The Lions received this pick as a result of the trade that sent wide receiver Roy Williams to the Cowboys. After going 0-16, the Lions need a leader on the defensive side of the ball, which is exactly what James Laurinaitis is. It may be a bit high for him, but I think that the intangibles that Laurinaitis would bring to Detroit, in addition to his stellar play at linebacker, would be a major plus for a team that needs to nail every pick.

Brian Westbrook has battled injuries the past few seasons and will hit the dreaded age of 30 by the start of the 2009 season. This age is usually when running backs tend to break down. Considering that Westbrook has already started to break down, it’d be best if the Eagles find his replacement soon. I think that it’d be ideal for Philadelphia to use one of their first round picks on a running back. Chris Wells is a very talented junior who could potentially end up being the top running back drafted.

The Vikings appear ready to upgrade their quarterback position in free agency or through trade. Offensive tackle and wide receiver are two other options, however I think that the playmaking ability of Alphonso Smith is too great to pass up here. Smith would be capable of coming in and being a great nickel back before taking over for Cedric Griffin or the aging Antoine Winfield. Smith is one of my favorite players in the draft this year and would be an excellent selection for Minnesota who is just a few pieces away from being an elite team. Eben Britton is another option if they were to go with an offensive tackle.

New England is a team that could use help at the linebacker position. If you look back in history, you’d note that one of head coach Bill Belichick’s assistants from his days in Cleveland was Al Groh, now the head coach at Virginia. You can bet that Belichick will call up his former assistant and get the word on the Cavaliers star linebacker Clint Sintim, who would fit perfectly into the Patriots system as an outside linebacker. Rashad Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew are two other options for New England.

The Falcons have not been quiet about their hopes of landing a tight end in this year’s draft who would be capable of coming in and being a reliable target in the passing game for quarterback Matt Ryan. Brandon Pettigrew is a complete option at the tight end position and would be a nice fit in Atlanta. Brian Cushing could be another option to help fill a hole at linebacker.

Bill Parcells recently has taken several linebackers in the first round (DeMarcus Ware, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer) and has had a nice history of coaching linebackers (Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson). You can assume that Parcells will once again be looking at the linebacker position for a team that could use an upgrade there. Brian Cushing fits the mold of a Bill Parcells-type of player and would be a nice fit in Miami’s 3-4 defense.

Chris McCallister has been released and Samari Rolle’s best days are clearly behind him. With that said, it would make the most sense for Baltimore to upgrade their secondary. D.J. Moore is a very talented cornerback who would be capable of immediately coming in and starting. Wide receiver is another option for the team as Derrick Mason is nearing the end of his career.

There’s been plenty of talk that the Colts could use the upcoming draft to find Marvin Harrison’s replacement. Hakeem Nicks is a very nice prospect at the receiver position and would be a perfect candidate to replace the potential Hall of Fame receiver. Nicks is a tall possession receiver, similar to that of Harrison. Darrius Heyward-Bey and Percy Harvin are two other options that Indianapolis could consider.

With Jon Runyan coming off of surgery and being a free agent, and Tra Thomas also being a free agent, it’s pretty clear that offensive tackle is one of the Eagles biggest needs and is sure to be addressed early in this year’s draft. Britton is a very solid prospect at the tackle position and should be capable of coming in and starting right away. William Beatty could be another option for Philadelphia.

The Titans had a disappointing end to their 2008 season. Their defense has played outstanding this year, and their rushing game was by far one of the best in the NFL. One position that they need to address next offseason is wide receiver. It seems like we say this every year, but it still needs to be said. Percy Harvin is an explosive playmaker who is a specialty player and would add another dimension to the Titans offense, similar to what Chris Johnson did last year. He should be taken in the late-first round.

The Cardinals run game was inconsistent, and at times non-existent this season. Edgerrin James appears to be gone, and their backup Tim Hightower profiles best as a short-yardage back. Adding an elite talent at the running back position, who is capable of carrying the ball 20+ times per game would really help out the Cardinals offense and would make the team even that much more dangerous than they already are. McCoy is a very talented back and could end up going higher than this.

What used to be one of the strongest units on the team, the Steelers offensive line has now become one of the weaker units. The loss of guard Alan Faneca and center Jeff Hartings over the past two offseasons has really left the team with a big hole on the interior of the offensive line. With the potential of tackles Willie Colon and Max Starks also heading out the door, it’s now become a question of which position the Steelers will look at on the line. William Beatty is a talented player who really saw his stock rise at the Senior Bowl and could be a nice starter at the next level. 

Shawn Zobel is a nationally recognized expert on ranking college football players. Every year he has proven to be one of the most accurate and reliable sources for player selection in the draft. Shawn has consistently graded higher than both Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN over the past two years. His 2009 Draft Preview can be pre-ordered today at www.draftheadquarters.com