Team Needs 2026 NFL Draft

Originally posted by ritz126:
Here is how i see it

1) LG: This feels like the weakest spot on the OL. The unit has played well overall, but LG could really use a plug-and-play starter.

2) DT: With several upcoming FAs, this is an area to address. Collins and West have looked solid, but adding a disruptive interior DT would help the pass rush

3) WR: I expect Jennings to be re-signed and we have Pearsall, but we still need another difference-maker. I could see a WR in the 1st round—adding another weapon would be huge, especially someone with a similar skillset to Aiyuk.

4) S: Solid group overall, but no true standout. They're good against the run, struggle a bit in coverage, and a true ball-hawk would elevate the defense.

Other notes:

EDGE: The pass rush looks rough right now, but getting Bosa and Williams back changes that fast. Ferrell, Huff, and Okuayinonu are solid depth. A mid-round speed rusher wouldn't hurt, but I don't see this as a top need.

OT: McKivitz has played well, and if Trent comes back for another year, spending high draft capital here doesn't make much sense given other needs.

Although i dont have these in order i think we can remove LG Burford has looked solid and i am totally ok with "reaching" for a S. We need a better coverage S pretty badly

Edge rushers needed.

Originally posted by ritz126:
Although i dont have these in order i think we can remove LG Burford has looked solid and i am totally ok with "reaching" for a S. We need a better coverage S pretty badly

It's the biggest need on the team. Gotta stop doing the bargain basement shopping at safety.

Originally posted by 9ers4eva:

Originally posted by ritz126:
Although i dont have these in order i think we can remove LG Burford has looked solid and i am totally ok with "reaching" for a S. We need a better coverage S pretty badly

It's the biggest need on the team. Gotta stop doing the bargain basement shopping at safety.

I don't think its so much bargain basement as it is getting guys who can truly play the position. We had Gipson who was pretty good for several years. It would be great to have a player with play recognition skills, a high football IQ, speed/quickness, and can play that centerfielder role. It could help out with the pass rush some in that the deep plays are completely erased.

Team Needs 2026

1. OL - Need to be looking for potential replacements for Trent Williams and competition for Colton McKivitz. Also, need completion for C/G positions. Need competition for Jake Brendel. He gets it done, but is nothing special. Potential Target: Bryce Foster OG/C Kansas

2. DL - Like pitching in baseball, you can never have enough good ones to stop the run and get after the QB. Our coaches like a strong rotation to keep everyone fresh. Potential Target: Lee Hunter DT Texas Tech

3. WR - More competition and speed needed. Aiyuk is gone this off season. They proved this year they don't need him and his high salary. Potential Target: Chase Roberts WR BYU

4. CB - Similar to DL, you can never have enough good CBs. Potential Target: Keith Abney II CB Arizona St.

5. FB - Will see how Brayden Willis continues to develop. Not sure he is the blocker that Juszczyk is or ever will be, because if he was he would be playing more already. Potential Target: Jackson Acker FB Wisconsin

6. RS - Still think we could use a more dangerous punt returner or kick returner. Think we can do better than either Moore or Cowing. We have not had a scary return specialist since Ted Ginn Jr. in my opinion. Potential Target: Damon Bankston RB/RS New Mexico

7. QB - Only if they trade Mac Jones for a high draft pick this off-season. Potential Target: Sawyer Robertson QB Baylor

McKivitz has been one of the best right tackles this year overall. He doesn't need competition.

in some order

OL, Pass rushers, LBs, FS, WR

Assuming Bosa and Mykel Williams are healthy at or near the draft and Trent Williams comes back.

1A- WR. Jennings is a UFA. Pearsall can't stay healthy. Even if Jennings comes back a true alpha is needed.

1B- DT. A disruptive 3T to pair with Alfred Collins is a huge need

No particular order:

LG. UPGRADE on Burford has played well but is probably better suited to be a backup

C. UPGRADE on Brendel. We get zero push in the run game

LB. UPGRADE on Winters. He is serviceable but if Warner doesn't play this D falls apart. Bethune is decent depth. Robinson and Gifford have no buisness starting.

FS. UPGRADE on Brown. A true center fielder with range who can cover TE's and not miss half the tackles is badly needed. Ja'iyr Brown is not that guy

*When do we start to plan for life without CMC and Trent Williams? CMC has lost his burst as a RB and is probably best suited as a 3rd down back at this point.

Originally posted by Sask49erFan:
Assuming Bosa and Mykel Williams are healthy at or near the draft and Trent Williams comes back.

1A- WR. Jennings is a UFA. Pearsall can't stay healthy. Even if Jennings comes back a true alpha is needed.

1B- DT. A disruptive 3T to pair with Alfred Collins is a huge need

No particular order:

LG. UPGRADE on Burford has played well but is probably better suited to be a backup

C. UPGRADE on Brendel. We get zero push in the run game

LB. UPGRADE on Winters. He is serviceable but if Warner doesn't play this D falls apart. Bethune is decent depth. Robinson and Gifford have no buisness starting.

FS. UPGRADE on Brown. A true center fielder with range who can cover TE's and not miss half the tackles is badly needed. Ja'iyr Brown is not that guy

*When do we start to plan for life without CMC and Trent Williams? CMC has lost his burst as a RB and is probably best suited as a 3rd down back at this point.

This is far too much to tackle in a single offseason.

Based on who has declared so far, this is shaping up to be one of the deepest classes in years for interior OL. Not much great but a whole lot of pretty good and able to start right away.

There is no excuse for not making some serious upgrades there.

I haven't dove into the draft yet but I think I'd rank them like this. And I'm rating them on what I think are the biggest issues for us with who is in the building already.

1. Safety - I don't think we have a single starter on the squad right now. Now the position tends to not be highly sought out so you can get guys to drop. Unfortunately this means we need 2 guys…

2. WR - Ricky has to be WR2 and we need a legit X who can be relied upon….basically pre crazy Aiyuk type 🤦‍♂?

3. Edge - we need a legit rusher on the other side of Bosa and we probably need 2 of them for a proper rotation.

4. C - I still believe we need a long term replacement for Brendel

5. LG - need a guy who can stick around and secure the middle.

6. 3T DT - I'd have this higher but I believe Mykel's ability to move inside on pass rush downs pushes this need down a bit. Definitely would be nice to get a consistent guy there tho.

7. LT - hoping Trent can keep playing at a high level but we need to get a guy in to replace him eventually.

Lots of needs, not a ton of picks this year. We really got our work cut out for us. I expect us to add some of these via FA though.

Originally posted by genus49:
I haven't dove into the draft yet but I think I'd rank them like this. And I'm rating them on what I think are the biggest issues for us with who is in the building already.

1. Safety - I don't think we have a single starter on the squad right now. Now the position tends to not be highly sought out so you can get guys to drop. Unfortunately this means we need 2 guys…

2. WR - Ricky has to be WR2 and we need a legit X who can be relied upon….basically pre crazy Aiyuk type 🤦‍♂?

3. Edge - we need a legit rusher on the other side of Bosa and we probably need 2 of them for a proper rotation.

4. C - I still believe we need a long term replacement for Brendel

5. LG - need a guy who can stick around and secure the middle.

6. 3T DT - I'd have this higher but I believe Mykel's ability to move inside on pass rush downs pushes this need down a bit. Definitely would be nice to get a consistent guy there tho.

7. LT - hoping Trent can keep playing at a high level but we need to get a guy in to replace him eventually.

Lots of needs, not a ton of picks this year. We really got our work cut out for us. I expect us to add some of these via FA though.

Edge would be my #1 but safety is definitely a close second. I have been on a soap box the last couple years about needing a true ball hawking safety.
I completely disagree with a few on this site who claim a safety does not affect the outcome enough to justify the high draft capital.

Is linebacker moving up the needs list? Granted after years of Smith, Willis, Bowman, Brooks and then later Warner, Greenlaw, and Al-Shaair, the bar is pretty high. But it seems we have one starting linebacker, and he is hurt. I think the primary problem with D line is lack of pass rushers after Bosa. But the guys we do have, if played how they should be- Huff as a 3rd down edge rusher, Sam O in spot duty, a guy like Ferrell in spot duty on base downs, all three are far more effective. YGM is in that bunch as well, although he is more of a 3 down guy (edge on base downs and moves inside on 3rd down). It's kind of wild that after going 3 for 3, we've been getting guys who are only back ups at linebacker. It certainly has nothing to do with where we are drafting them. Fred was a 3rd rounder, Dre a 5th, and Azeez an UDFA. It's kind of similar to running back where we found one player after another (Breida, Wilson, Mostert, Mitchell), and then it just went cold.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
Is linebacker moving up the needs list? Granted after years of Smith, Willis, Bowman, Brooks and then later Warner, Greenlaw, and Al-Shaair, the bar is pretty high. But it seems we have one starting linebacker, and he is hurt. I think the primary problem with D line is lack of pass rushers after Bosa. But the guys we do have, if played how they should be- Huff as a 3rd down edge rusher, Sam O in spot duty, a guy like Ferrell in spot duty on base downs, all three are far more effective. YGM is in that bunch as well, although he is more of a 3 down guy (edge on base downs and moves inside on 3rd down). It's kind of wild that after going 3 for 3, we've been getting guys who are only back ups at linebacker. It certainly has nothing to do with where we are drafting them. Fred was a 3rd rounder, Dre a 5th, and Azeez an UDFA. It's kind of similar to running back where we found one player after another (Breida, Wilson, Mostert, Mitchell), and then it just went cold.

Honestly that is why I didn't like the Martin pick in the 3rd. No way he was in Fred's class coming out in my opinion. There were better options there and we could've got an off the ball linebacker to develop later.

1. DE
Bosa and Williams will both be recovering from serious injuries and Huff kinda sucks. Sam OK and Keion White are good in rotation, but not starters. We still need that speed rusher that Ford was, that we thought Huff was going to be. If David Bailey makes it past 15, we should trade up.

2. WR
Aiyuk is gone. Jennings is maybe gone. Pearsall is always hurt. Watkins and Cowing have done nothing. We might need to add 2 WRs.

3. DT
Collins and West have had their moments, but we're still getting ran over and no inside rush either. I would've liked to have seen Valdez and Anderson this season, but whatever. I would add at least two more DTs, maybe with those 4th round comps.

4. LG
Bartch is always hurt. Burford is Burford, but I'd actually re-sign him for depth/ competition because he's still only 25 and has now played three positions on the OL.

5. C
Brendel has actually improved this year, but he's 33 with 1 year left on his contract, so we're gonna need franchise Center soon, it'd be nice to have them redshirt a year.

6. LT
This goes to #1 need in my rankings if Trent retires. Pleasants can play in a pinch. A project LT in Rd3/4 might be a good investment (if TW stays).

7. RB
I'd like see Robinson get re-signed but it also looks like a good draft for RBs.

other positions:

QB -- sign Zach Wilson as the next reclamation project
TE -- Jake Tonges filled this need
LB -- Warner should be full health, the unit as a whole is better with him on the field. Martin is basically a rookie next year.
DB -- I like the group we have, they're all young, so they should be get better, and having a new pass rush would help
ST -- re-sign all three specialists and re-sign Skyy Moore