The completion of the NFL draft typically marks the end of the offseason period during which teams can easily transform themselves.
From cuts and trades to signings and picks, the preceding months have provided a sizable window for all 32 franchises to reconfigure their outlooks for both the short and long term. But with the seven rounds and 257 selections from this year’s draft now in the books, teams are now settling into clearer visions of how they’ll look next season.
Or at least they should be.
The action never truly ends in the NFL, and some front offices can’t just yet switch their phones off as they mull ways to address lingering needs.
With that in mind, here are five NFL teams that still have major roster holes after the draft.
Dallas Cowboys: Wide receiver
When Jerry Jones passed on a wideout with his first draft choice, it put fans on wait for a selection that never came. Nine picks came and went, and not a single wideout was scooped up by Dallas.
Is it time to sound the alarm on a passing attack that already has been ridiculed after the hiring of first-time head coach and new playcaller Brian Schottenheimer?
Jones, naturally, appears rather unbothered by the current landscape. In addressing where the team goes from here with the vacancy for a No. 2 target to take heat off CeeDee Lamb, the owner and general manager declared ‘the train has not left the station’ regarding an additional acquisition. Jones said ahead of the draft that he had been working on ‘pretty substantive trades,’ and several notable free agent pass catchers – including Keenan Allen, Diontae Johnson and, yes, former Cowboys standout Amari Cooper – remain unsigned.
But Jones’ refusal to be boxed in by external pressures matters here, especially after defying expectations last year by not taking a running back in the draft amid widespread uncertainty about the ground game. Despite multiple reports indicating that the Cowboys would have taken Tetairoa McMillan had the Carolina Panthers’ choice at No. 8 been available four picks later, Jones simply might not have believed the issue with the aerial attack to be pressing enough to deviate from his strategy. And with Jones reasserting his faith in Jonathan Mingo, for whom he surrendered a fourth-round pick in a trade last November, Dallas could always simply stand pat.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Quarterback
Well, of course. As the wait for Aaron Rodgers’ decision drags on, many assumed Pittsburgh would feel the impetus to pull the trigger on an early quarterback pick despite Pittsburgh saying its draft plans weren’t linked to the four-time MVP’s process. Instead, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan again stayed the course, which led it to first-round defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and third-round running back Kaleb Johnson. The team eventually took Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round, but that likely represents a stab at a long-term developmental option and additional depth, with Khan having said that two more passers were required heading into training camp.
Now, the resolution on Rodgers’ future carries even more weight.
Seldom has a post-draft move ever held such importance for a team, with the Steelers still looking for a triggerman capable of taking advantage of new weapon DK Metcalf. Team president and owner Art Rooney II is remaining optimistic, saying Friday on Steelers Nation Radio that Rodgers ‘does want to come here.’ If the 41-year-old signal-caller decides otherwise, however, it would prove calamitous for an organization intent on scoring its first playoff win since the 2016 season. Should that emergency scenario arise, turning their attention to Kirk Cousins – so long as both the veteran passer and the Atlanta Falcons are willing to budge in a deal – would at least give the Steelers a somewhat reasonable alternative to entrusting its campaign to Mason Rudolph.
Cincinnati Bengals: Defensive tackle
It should come as no surprise that the Bengals zeroed in on their edge rush with their first-round pick. Even if Cincinnati doesn’t blink in its standoff with NFL sack king Trey Hendrickson, a defense that struggled to generate pressure from any other source was due for another presence who could close in on quarterbacks. And while defensive tackle Derrick Harmon could have been a consideration for the front, Duke Tobin opted for traits and upside ahead of a firmer track record of disruption.
Still, with the Bengals plugging other holes at linebacker and offensive guard at Day 2, the team turned down the opportunity to take advantage of a deep class at defensive tackle. Cincinnati is clearly expecting 2024 second-rounder Kris Jenkins Jr. and third-rounder McKinnley Jackson to step up, but neither one can be counted on to chase quarterbacks off their spot with any regularity. If the Bengals want to ramp up interior pressure, it might be incumbent on new defensive coordinator Al Golden to scheme it up.
Washington Commanders: Edge rusher
With trades for left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. in March, Washington bolstered the supporting cast for Jayden Daniels with an aggressiveness befitting a team flush with cap space. That approach led many to believe another splash was coming in some form at defensive end. But with most of the draft’s premier edge threats already accounted for by the time the Commanders came on the clock at No. 29 on Thursday, general manager Adam Peters stuck with his offseason theme by taking offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. ahead of several pass rushers who fell in the middle or late second round.
Short of the Bengals reaching a breaking point with Hendrickson and shipping him off – which wouldn’t make much sense at this point in the calendar for a team committed to reasserting its contender status right away – it’s difficult to envision Washington dramatically reshaping its pass rush anytime soon. With Dan Quinn’s crew likely needing to again cobble together pressures and sacks from a variety of contributors, the Commanders still could make a veteran depth addition or two sometime before the start of the season. But this could be a team to watch as a potential buyer near the trade deadline if some more promising options emerge from teams on the downswing.
Miami Dolphins: Cornerback
With neither one of his lines looking prepared to pack much of a punch, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier zeroed in on Miami’s fronts early in the draft. First-round defensive tackle and second-round offensive guard Jonah Savaiinaea each make their respective position groups a good deal more forceful.
Yet even though Grier acknowledged before the draft that the team was looking to trade Jalen Ramsey, the team passed on several promising cornerbacks in the first two days before finally addressing the position by taking Jason Marshall Jr. in the fifth round. That doesn’t indicate Ramsey is a good bet to return, however, as Grier said after the draft, ‘When it happens, whatever it is, we’ll make the deal at the appropriate time.’
No matter how it all shakes out, it’s clear Miami’s secondary is in a shaky spot. With standout safety Jevon Holland off to the New York Giants and free agents Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis stepping in, nickel Kader Kahou might end up the only stable entity on the back end if the Ramsey split materializes. Grier is demanding more of oft-injured former second-round cornerback Cam Smith, saying before the draft that the team ‘can’t hold his hand and wait for him anymore.’ Miami returned both Grier and coach Mike McDaniel in hopes of ending the league’s longest active win postseason win drought (24 seasons), but a collapse of the once-promising pass defense could prompt a re-evaluation of just how competitive this high-priced roster can be.