Roster building is normally high of thoughts twelve months a yr for each NFL entrance workplace. However no staff is constructed completely.
Forward of coaching camp in late July, Yardbarker NFL writers establish the weakest place room on each staff within the AFC.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Security | Buffalo went heavy on protection within the 2025 NFL Draft, drafting defenders with six of 9 picks (together with three cornerbacks), but it surely failed so as to add a security. That may very well be a mistake with starters Taylor Rapp (seventy fifth) and Damar Hamlin (eighty fifth) ranked among the many worst on the place by Pro Football Focus.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Secondary | Miami waited till the fifth spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft to handle its secondary (Florida’s Jason Marshall Jr.), which is considerably shocking for a staff actively making an attempt to commerce cornerback Jalen Ramsey after shedding security Jevon Holland to the Jets in free company. Miami’s move protection tied the Giants by permitting the eighth-fewest yards per sport in 2024 (210.6), but it surely has huge holes to fill.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Vast receiver | No staff handed for fewer yards per sport (176.1) than New England final season, and new Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs received’t assist if he’s not recovered from an ACL tear that ended his 2024 season after eight video games. His rehab apparently has gone well, however will the 31-year-old be prepared to hold a staff that didn’t have a participant catch greater than three touchdown passes last season?
NEW YORK JETS | Vast receiver | The Jets clearly hope to money in on the Ohio State reference to new QB Justin Fields and No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson, however other than the previous Buckeye, Fields’ passing choices are restricted. WR Davante Adams had 854 yards receiving and 7 landing catches final season, however he signed with the Rams within the offseason, making Allen Lazard New York’s No. 2 receiver. — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | Working again | The Broncos signed J.Ok. Dobbins (one yr, $2.745M) on Wednesday, however the RB is injury-prone. The 2020 second-round choose suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in 2021 and a torn proper Achilles tendon in 2023. Denver can be banking on rookie RB RJ Harvey (choose No. 60) to assist enhance its Seventeenth-ranked dashing assault (112.2 YPG)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Offensive line |
Regardless of permitting 41 sacks in the course of the common season, the Chiefs traded O-lineman Joe Thuney, a two-time first-team All-Professional, to the Chicago Bears in March. They signed offensive deal with Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30M deal in free company, however he allowed a career-high 10 pressures in 15 video games with the San Francisco 49ers final season, per Pro Football Focus.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Secondary | The Raiders ranked fifteenth within the league in passing yards allowed (216.2) final season and let beginning cornerback Nate Hobbs signal a four-year, $48M take care of the Inexperienced Bay Packers in free company. With choose No. 68 within the 2025 NFL Draft, Vegas chosen CB Darien Porter, however he had simply three interceptions in six seasons with the Iowa State Cyclones.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Tight finish | Rookie TE Oronde Gadsden II — a fifth-round select of Syracuse — higher be a steal for the Chargers. L.A. TE Will Dissly isn’t a risk within the vertical passing sport, as he had solely 481 receiving yards in 17 regular-season video games in 2024. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | Cornerback |
Marlon Humphrey makes plenty of huge performs, however Baltimore nonetheless wants extra depth and one other exterior nook to spherical out its protection. With Jaire Alexander (free agent, previously with Packers) and Miami’s Jalen Ramsey (obtainable by way of commerce), the Ravens have choices.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Edge-rusher | Protection has been an issue for the Bengals the previous two seasons, and issues are wanting even bleaker going into 2025. Their greatest pass-rusher, Trey Hendrickson, is caught in a contract dispute and will get traded, and first-round choose Shemar Stewart left obligatory minicamp this week as a result of he hasn’t finalized his rookie contract.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | Quarterback | They may have 5 quarterbacks on their roster, however amount doesn’t equal high quality. There may be long-term hope with rookie Shedeur Sanders, however he fell into the fifth spherical and wasn’t even the staff’s first alternative at QB within the draft. (Cleveland drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel within the third spherical.)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Vast receiver | Alalthough the Steelers traded for DK Metcalf this offseason (giving up a second-rounder to Seattle), they discover themselves in the identical place as final yr with a powerful No. 1 and important depth questions behind him. Calvin Austin III is No. 2 on the depth chart, however he is higher fitted to a No. 3 position within the slot. — Adam Gretz
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | Offensive line | The Texans traded Professional Bowl left deal with Laremy Tunsil to Washington and changed him with Cam Robinson, which is probably going a downgrade. Second-round rookie Aireontae Ersery may push for taking part in time at both deal with spot, as proper deal with Blake Fisher acquired a terrible Pro Football Focus evaluation as a rookie final season. On the inside, Houston has a set of veteran guards who may be higher as backups.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Offensive line | The Colts have a strong pair of tackles in Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith, however the latter battled knee points final season. Indy may use deal with depth, and it has a good greater downside on the inside of the offensive line. 4-time Professional Bowl middle Ryan Kelly and beginning guard Will Fries signed with the Vikings in free company, and they are going to be powerful to switch.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Security | The Jaguars ought to have a strong cornerback group led by rookie Travis Hunter and a now-healthy Tyson Campbell, however security is riddled with questions. Free-agent addition Eric Murray is ranked as average at best by Pro Football Focus in most classes, and projected fellow starter Darnell Savage Jr. graded even worse. Jacksonville could battle to defend the center of the sector this season.
TENNESSEE TITANS | Linebacker | The Titans have revamped their linebacker group, although they misplaced much more than they gained. Cody Barton was a pleasant free-agent addition (100 or extra whole tackles the previous three seasons with Seattle, Washington and Denver), however Tennessee’s linebacker room has virtually no expertise exterior of him. One other veteran addition this summer season feels crucial. — Steve DelVecchio
