Only one team comes out on top each season, leaving 31 other teams looking to upgrade their rosters to catch that 32nd squad. And, of course, the champs must reload as well if they want to stay on top. So heading into the 2017, here's a look at each NFL team's biggest offseason needs it can address via the draft, free agency or trade.
The Cardinals had a very disappointing season at 7-8-1, missing the playoffs for the second time in Bruce Arians' tenure. Despite significant defensive injuries, the unit still ranked well. Offensively, Carson Palmer was hit or miss, showing signs of age with his lowest completion percentage since joining the Cardinals, along with only 6.9 yards per attempt. Now entering his age 37 season, Arizona would be well-advised to at least find a successor.
Atlanta continues to make strides defensively, but there's plenty more room to grow. The Falcons ranked fifth worst in pass defense as teams played catch-up against their high-scoring offense, and the team was exposed after top corner Desmond Trufant was injured at midseason. Getting Trufant back will help, but the Falcons need to add more secondary depth.
Ravens ownership stated following the season that Joe Flacco needs to play better, and losing Steve Smith Sr. to retirement won't help that effort. Mike Wallace and Dennis Pitta made great contributions in 2016, but former first-round pick Breshad Perriman disappointed after missing an entire season to injury and Kamar Aiken took a step back. Finding a replacement for Smith won't be easy, but it's necessary if the Ravens really do demand better from Flacco.
Tyrod Taylor has apparently fallen out of favor in Buffalo, but can the team do better this offseason? For all his blemishes, Taylor does take care of the ball (six interceptions in 2016) and helps the running game, which averaged 5.3 yards per carry. A defensive scheme change is expected after adding new head coach Sean McDermott, but the team has the talent to make it work.
Anyone could see that Cam Newton was beat up by the end of the season, and the hits he took were likely the biggest reason for Carolina's decline from a 15-1 regular season in 2015. The Panthers ranked in the middle of the pack in sacks allowed, due in large part to Newton's mobility, but the mediocre line play bled into the running game, as the team ranked 20th in yards per carry. The Panthers need more changes on the offensive line to protect their biggest asset behind center.
The Jay Cutler-Bears marriage is likely over after eight seasons, with the team keeping him sidelined for much of the early season despite a relatively minor hand injury. Brian Hoyer played well in the short time he was on the field, but as the Texans found out last season, he's not a great option to build around. The Bears do have an offensive building block in running back Jordan Howard and could bring back pending free agent Alshon Jeffery, but the most important position is very much up in the air.
Veteran tackle Andrew Whitworth and guard Kevin Zeitler could depart this offseason, but regardless, the Bengals have issues to address on their line. They struggled to run outside the tackles, and Andy Dalton took 41 sacks, among the worst in the league. What happens with Whitworth and Zeitler will determine which area they address first.
Where do the Browns start? Offensive line would be a good place. The Browns let Alex Mack and Mitchell Schwartz walk last offseason, and they certainly felt the sting on their line. Cleveland allowed 66 sacks, easily the worst in football. Certainly, the team needs a quarterback of the future, but playing one behind this offensive line is a futile measure. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Joe Thomas can only do so much by himself.
The Cowboys were able to make due on defense in large part because of Rod Marinelli's scheme and some surprises on the defensive line like David Irving. Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne have been viable cornerbacks, but the team still allowed more than 4,100 yards passing. With Carr now in his 30s, the Cowboys would be well-advised to find a long-term replacement while also adding depth.
Denver had a nightmare at right tackle this season that it couldn't fix. Donald Stephenson couldn't pass protect, and quarterback Trevor Siemian struggled to stay healthy as a result. The team tried to go cheap to fix the issue last offseason, but John Elway can't afford to overlook the spot again.
The Detroit pass defense was inadequate, finishing with the second fewest sacks in football (26) and allowing a completion rate of 73 percent. Granted, Ziggy Ansah's effort to play through injury didn't help, but the Lions desperately need help rushing the passer.
Green Bay struggled to replace the injured Sam Shields, allowing a league-worst 8.1 yards per pass attempt. Shields' football future is still in doubt following a concussion, so the Packers need to address the secondary.
Houston, we have a problem. The Texans signed Brock Osweiler to a lucrative deal last offseason and owe him too much money in 2017 to cut bait. That said, he was horrendous in 2016 by almost every measure and benched late in the year. It could take some creativity to find a competitor under center for Osweiler, but the Texans almost have no choice if they want to truly compete for a Super Bowl.
Andrew Luck continues to take far too many shots. The Colts tried to address the offensive line last year by adding Ryan Kelly, but clearly more can be done after the team allowed 44 sacks in 2016.
There were plenty of issues in Jacksonville, but getting takeaways was one of the biggest. The Jaguars had only 13 takeaways in 2016, tied for second fewest in the NFL, even as the defense allowed a solid 3.8 yards per carry and 6.6 yards per pass attempt. Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers would be a perfect fit.
The deep Kansas City roster fared well in 2016, showing depth by filling in well after defensive injuries. The team has found a star in Tyreek Hill, making up for the loss of Jamaal Charles, but there were clear issues stopping the run after Derrick Johnson tore his Achilles late in the year. Ramik Wilson and Justin March-Lillard have shown flashes, but the team would probably be better served to find another high-upside talent as Johnson's career winds down.
The Chargers were killed by injuries again in 2016, which speaks to their lack of depth. The defense still ranked in the middle of the pack and is showing great upside after Joey Bosa's strong rookie season. Fixing some issues at the second level will be important, as fifth-round pick Jatavis Brown was often exposed and Denzel Perryman continues to develop. The team has small window with Philip Rivers in his mid-30s.
The quality of L.A.'s run blocking was alarming, as 2015 first-round pick Todd Gurley can attest. The lack of creativity and poor quarterback play didn't help, but the line needs to be addressed again for what seems like a revolving door. Former first-round pick Greg Robinson continues to look like a bust at left tackle.
Head coach Adam Gase has fixed many of Miami's offensive issues, but the team's inability to stop the run must be addressed. The Dolphins tied with San Francisco for worst opponent yards per carry average (4.8) and were really exposed after Koa Misi's injury. Kiko Alonso is a solid middle linebacker, but he needs help stopping the run.
Many consider Adrian Peterson a likely cut this offseason, and if that's the case, the Vikes desperately need to look outside the organization to replace him. The team ranked dead last in football with 3.2 yards per carry. Even if AP does return, he will head into his age 32 season.
LeGarrette Blount is headed toward free agency, and the Patriots haven't shown much of a willingness to pay for running backs recently. If they let him walk, they'll certainly be in the market for a power back to go along with Dion Lewis and James White. This year's draft is one of the deepest at running back that we've seen in many years.
Year after year, the Saints fail to stop teams from passing on them. That was the case again in 2016, when they allowed a league-worst 4,380 passing yards and had only nine interceptions. Playing in a division with Matt Ryan, Cam Newton and Jameis Winston, the Saints could use multiple corners.
It's not shocking that the Giants averaged only 3.5 yards per carry in 2016, third worst in football. Their stable of backs is simply inadequate, and the team felt the impact on offense with struggles late in the year. This is the year to address running back in the draft.
The Jets found that Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn't the answer at quarterback, and it's also clear that Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg aren't going to help anytime soon. New York goes into the offseason with a clear need to address the quarterback spot, though there aren't many great options beyond Tony Romo.
Oakland made headlines last offseason with several big defensive additions, including linebacker Bruce Irvin and cornerback Sean Smith. While Irvin helped the pass rush, he and Khalil Mack accounted for 18 of the team's 25 sacks on the year. That's simply not enough, and the result was 7.9 yards allowed per pass attempt. The team would do well to add another defensive end or interior rusher.
First-round quarterback Carson Wentz showed flashes in his rookie season, but he didn't have much help. Nelson Agholor continues to look like a massive bust, while Dorial Green-Beckham still has a lot to learn. Jordan Matthews and Zach Ertz are solid players but not the game changers Philly needs to help Wentz.
Pittsburgh made progress with its pass rush after a very slow start, but the Steelers still ranked in the middle of the pack in sacks and opponent yards per pass attempt. James Harrison could decide to retire this offseason, and no one else on the roster even had five sacks this past season.
San Francisco has arguably the least talented roster in the NFL, and there aren't many areas that can afford to be addressed later. Quarterback is just one area they could look to build with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
The poor pass protection in Seattle has been a popular criticism given Russell Wilson's early-season injuries, and it remains a major issue heading into the offseason. Right tackle was particularly a weak spot in 2016.
Defensive coordinator Mike Smith helped Tampa Bay make progress last season, but the Bucs were still blasted often in the secondary. They ranked fourth worst in pass yards allowed per attempt, allowing more than 4,000 passing yards. Starting safety Chris Conte could also leave via free agency.
The Titans are making a quick ascent with a punishing offensive line, but their pass defense left much to be desired in 2016. The team allowed more than 4,300 passing yards, near the bottom of the league, and didn't find much reliability behind Jason McCourty.
Washington had issues stopping the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry as teams abused the defense between the tackles. The team fired defensive coordinator Joe Barry and will likely add significant talent this offseason on the defensive line and linebacker after adding Josh Norman to the secondary last offseason.
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