Seven NFL teams that have major needs after first wave of free agency
Seven NFL teams that have major needs after first wave of free agency
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA TODAYTue, March 17, 2026 at 11:01 AM UTC
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NFL free agency seldom leaves teams completely at ease after the first wave of signings.
The league's open market allows organizations to address their most pressing deficiencies in an expeditious – albeit costly – manner, with proven veterans able to come in and resolve areas of need right away. Still, even with an ever-expanding salary cap, franchises typically don't emerge from mid-March without at least one or two remaining areas of concern. And splurges from the competition can occasionally create additional depth chart deficiencies that either will need to be patched up in the coming months or simply worked around during the season.
With the action throughout free agency considerably quieter with the first week of moves complete, here's a look at seven teams that still have at least one major hole and how each one might address it before the season:
1 / 02026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades
OT Tytus Howard: Traded to Cleveland Browns (previous team: Houston Texans)
Seattle Seahawks: Running back
When the defending Super Bowl champions opted not to use the franchise tag this offseason, they were essentially bidding farewell to the Super Bowl 60 MVP. Sure enough, Kenneth Walker signed a three-year, $43.05 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving a gaping hole in Seattle's backfield. And while Seahawks general manager John Schneider says he has been "very encouraged" by backup Zach Charbonnet's recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January, it stands to reason that the team needs at least another solid option as a contingency plan or part of another time share.
The Seahawks on Friday added Emanuel Wilson for depth, but all signs point to a more substantial investment via the draft. USA TODAY Sports' latest mock draft projected the team to take Notre Dame's Jadarian Price with the final pick in the first round. Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr., a potential Day 2 option, also suits Mike Macdonald's vision for a hard-charging yet explosive ground attack. Washington's Jonah Coleman and Nebraska's Emmett Johnson could also be mid-round options, though Seattle currently has just four picks.
Baltimore Ravens: Center
The Ravens became the main character of the NFL offseason when they nixed the Maxx Crosby deal and then pivoted to signing Trey Hendrickson. But with that matter settled, there's still a pressing concern for Baltimore up front.
Three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum's exit has left an uneven offensive line in flux. And while bringing back offensive guard John Simpson after his two-year stint provides some needed reinforcements, the interior as a whole looks to be on somewhat shaky ground. But general manager Eric DeCosta knows the route he'll need to go to replace Linderbaum.
"I have a lot of confidence in (offensive line coach Dwayne) Ledford and our offensive staff to develop guys," DeCosta said last week. "We've done it before. We have a pretty good history of drafting centers."
The interior could be a focus early on, with Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane and Utah's Spencer Fano – who played right tackle in college – standing out as potential options at No. 14. But there should be potential solutions at center later in the draft. Auburn's Connor Lew or Kansas State's Sam Hecht stand out as polished potential starters, while Duke's Brian Parker II or Texas A&M's Trey Zuhn III have the tools to convert from tackle.
Detroit Lions: Left tackle
Both lines loom as problem areas for the Lions, with Detroit still operating with a sizable void at the edge rusher spot opposite Aidan Hutchinson. But the uncertainty in protecting Jared Goff's blind side looks even more troublesome, and it might require a greater sense of urgency to address.
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With longtime left tackle Taylor Decker out after negotiations hitting a breaking point, Detroit might have some significant reshuffling to do with a remade line. The move that affords the Lions the most flexibility could be flipping All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell to the other side. That could allow veteran free-agent signing Larry Borom to take over at the vacant spot, at least on an interim basis. No matter what path Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell pursue with their existing pieces, it seems likely that the team will need to use its top pick on an offensive tackle if it hopes to acquire another starting-caliber talent in the next two months. Utah's Caleb Lomu or Alabama's Kadyn Proctor figure to be the top options in Detroit's range at No. 17, though Fano or Georgia's Monroe Freeling might be the most attractive considerations if either slides.
Philadelphia Eagles: Edge rusher
A lack of intentionality wasn't responsible for Philadelphia's crumbling outlook on the edge. The Eagles not only tried to re-sign Jaelan Phillips before he netted a $30 million-per-year deal from the Carolina Panthers, but they also tried to reel in Hendrickson, per reports. Still, Howie Roseman finds himself a little more than a month out from the draft having settled for Arnold Ebiketie as a depth option behind Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt.
Maybe that's enough to scrape by, but it seems unlikely that Roseman would simply relent after striking out. The draft could be an option to add at least another asset to the rotation, but there appears to be a relatively steep drop-off from the elite tier of prospects at the position to the second rung. Ultimately, the most attractive option could be returning to the trade block over the summer, either in a renewed push for Crosby or Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Dallas Cowboys: Linebacker
Upon his hiring, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker spoke at length about the importance of catering his scheme to the talent on hand. Doing so would be a lot easier, however, if Dallas had more to offer at the second level.
Dallas made at least minor upgrades along the front with Rashan Gary and on the back end with Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant. But linebacker remains unresolved, with 2025 fifth-round pick Shemar James essentially the only option to work inside next to injury-plagued DeMarvion Overshown.
With two first-round picks, the Cowboys should be in prime position to address the spot. But Ohio State's Sonny Styles should be long gone by the time the team comes on the clock at No. 12, and there's not a natural fit either there or at No. 20. Jerry Jones might take a shine to CJ Allen and his savvy work in stopping opposing run games, but the undersized Georgia standout might be a reach at the second first-round slot. And while Texas' Anthony Hill Jr., Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez and Missouri's Josiah Trotter each could fit the bill, Dallas' plans beyond Day 1 are complicated by the team's current lack of a second-round pick.
Kansas City Chiefs: Defensive end
Some might see cornerback as the defense's vulnerability with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson off to the Los Angeles Rams, but a defensive scheme that has weathered the loss of previous top cover men might be able to press on with Kristian Fulton and 2025 third-round pick Nohl Williams on the outside. The same optimism, however, can't be funneled to the pass rush.
With only defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga added to the front four, Kansas City remains disproportionately reliant on Chris Jones and George Karlaftis to create havoc against opposing quarterbacks. Ashton Gilotte showed some promise as a rookie with his signature bull rush, but this is a far cry from the loaded rotations that have keyed Steve Spagnuolo defenses. With the No. 9 pick, the Chiefs could be an intriguing possible landing spot for Rueben Bain Jr., one of this year's most accomplished pass-rushing prospects. If Kansas City goes in a different direction, it likely needs to use its second-round pick on an edge rusher or risk the edge rush remaining stale.
Cincinnati Bengals: Linebacker
A franchise typically skeptical of dipping its toe into free agency made a relatively big splash last week by signing edge rusher Boye Mafe, safety Bryan Cook and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. Yet for all Cincinnati accomplished to reconfigure its defense ahead of the second year under defensive coordinator Al Golden, the front office didn't touch the area responsible for many of the unit's biggest headaches, including stopping the run and matching up with tight ends in the pass game.
Linebackers Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter both struggled mightily as rookie starters, and the Bengals didn't add a single veteran presence to help the two grow more comfortable in 2026. Maybe there's still a move to be made on the cheap, but going back to the draft would do little to alleviate the growing pains of the ongoing youth movement. This could be an area for Cincinnati to monitor the trade market throughout the summer and leading into the season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL free agency 2026: Seven teams that still have major needs
Source: “AOL Sports”
