• Cornerback depth will be key for the Chargers: Two of the Chargers' top three cornerback spots look set to be filled by Kristian Fulton and Ja’Sir Taylor, both of whom earned sub-60.0 PFF grades in 2023.
• The Chiefs could still add to their receiver room: A veteran would make sense for the team amid Rashee Rice's uncertain status, among other reasons.
• Check out PFF's fantasy football rankings: PFF’s fantasy football rankings include ranks from our experts, projections and our strength of schedule metric.
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
With the 2024 NFL Draft out of the way and the majority of the meaningful free agents already signed, most NFL teams won't be making significant roster additions over the next few months. However, there is always work to be done to build out depth and promote competition.
With that in mind, we are taking a look at one move every AFC team should make, after already examining the NFC.
JUMP TO A TEAM:
BLT | BUF | CIN | CLE | DEN | HOU | IND | JAX
KC | LVR | LAC | MIA | NE | NYJ | PIT | TEN
BALTIMORE RAVENS: Add a veteran safety
The Ravens lost Geno Stone in free agency, and while his high snap count in 2023 was mainly a product of Marcus Williams‘ injury, he was still a vital part of the team's safety rotation. With how Baltimore likes to use Kyle Hamilton as a defensive weapon, the team would benefit from some additional help at safety.
After waiting until the seventh round to address the position with the selection of Purdue’s Sanoussi Kane, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens add a veteran before training camp.
BUFFALO BILLS: Add cornerback help
Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas are both good starters, earning PFF coverage grades of 83.3 and 75.0, respectively, in 2023, but the Bills are light at outside cornerback after releasing Tre’Davious White earlier this offseason and losing Dane Jackson in free agency.
2022 first-round draft pick Kaiir Elam hasn’t lived up to expectations yet, totaling just 780 snaps in his two-year career. Adding a veteran on the outside would make a lot of sense for Buffalo.
CINCINNATI BENGALS: Add cornerback depth
The Bengals did well to address their biggest needs early in free agency before backing those additions up in the draft. The team is now without many glaring roster holes.
Cincinnati lost veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie in free agency and will now rely on the continued emergence of Cam Taylor-Britt, who earned a 70.3 PFF coverage grade in 2023, and DJ Turner, who earned a 48.4 PFF coverage grade last season. A veteran addition at outside cornerback would be wise.
CLEVELAND BROWNS: Add a veteran linebacker
Among the notable Browns defenders to depart this offseason were linebackers Sione Takitaki and Anthony Walker Jr., with both earning PFF grades of 70.0 or better and ranking among the top three linebackers on Cleveland’s roster last season.
Their replacements are Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush. Hicks earned a 74.6 PFF grade last season and should fit in perfectly, but Bush failed to top 60.0 in any of the past four seasons. With that in mind, bringing in some training camp competition for Bush wouldn’t be a bad idea.
DENVER BRONCOS: Sign kicker Jake Bates when the UFL season ends
Wil Lutz struggled in his first season in Denver, missing two extra points and connecting on just 7-of-10 field goals beyond 40 yards in 2023.
Meanwhile, Bates' 90.3 field goal grade through six weeks of the UFL season leads all kickers. He has the leg to make kicks from 60-plus yards with ease. An NFL team will bring him in at least as competition during training camp, and Denver is as realistic a destination as any.
HOUSTON TEXANS: Add another outside cornerback
C.J. Stroud is a franchise quarterback, and the Texans have built an impressive roster around him this offseason. If there’s one area of concern, though, it’s their reliance on the improvement of former first-round picks at outside cornerback.
Derek Stingley Jr. looked every bit a top-five pick in 2023, earning an 85.3 PFF coverage grade, but on the other side, the competition is currently between Jeff Okudah, who has yet to have a season with a PFF coverage grade above 55.0, and C.J. Henderson, whose PFF coverage grade hasn’t topped 50.0 in any of the past three seasons.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Sign another running back
Jonathan Taylor signed a multi-year contract extension with the Colts last season, keeping him in Indianapolis through the end of the 2026 season. Beyond him, the Colts have just 92 NFL carries on their roster, with 78 of those coming from Trey Sermon.
An expanded role for Evan Hull, whom Indianapolis drafted in the fifth round in 2023, seems likely, but another veteran addition wouldn’t be a surprise.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Add a veteran outside cornerback
Cornerback Ronald Darby was a good addition for the Jaguars, coming off a season where he earned a 72.9 PFF coverage grade with the Ravens, but the departures of Darious Williams and Tre Herndon leave the team without another cornerback who earned a PFF coverage grade above 70.0.
Tyson Campbell getting back to the 2022 form that helped him rank fifth among cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade (80.7) would give Jacksonville a good pair of starters, but there’s still a need for more depth.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Add another wide receiver
The Chiefs' biggest problem area throughout the 2023 season was the wide receiver position, and they attacked that deficiency this offseason, adding Marquise Brown as a free agent and spending their first-round draft pick on wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
2023 second-round draft pick Rashee Rice could be suspended after offseason legal issues, and considering Brown has missed games throughout his career, a veteran addition would prevent the Chiefs from having to be overly reliant on a rookie at the position.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: Add another running back
The NFL backfield with one of the biggest question marks for fantasy football purposes is in Las Vegas. The Raiders are now through the main part of free agency and the draft, and the only competition they have added for Zamir White, who forced 15 missed tackles on 104 carries in 2023, is Alexander Mattison.
It’s entirely plausible that the Raiders staff has faith in White replacing Josh Jacobs after how well he performed in the final four games of the 2023 season, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team make another addition at the position.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: Add cornerback depth
Two of the Chargers' top three cornerback spots look set to be filled by Kristian Fulton and Ja’Sir Taylor. Fulton, a second-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2020, earned just a 46.9 PFF coverage grade in 2023, while Taylor recorded a 58.0 mark.
As such, Los Angeles will likely rely on fifth-round draft picks Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still to make an immediate contribution unless the team adds more cornerback depth.
MIAMI DOLPHINS: Add another quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa started every game at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins in 2023, so this isn’t a remark on his health. Rather, it's a note that, for as good as the Dolphins' roster is, they lack a true backup signal-caller.
Skylar Thompson earned a 55.4 PFF grade on 167 dropbacks in 2022, and Mike White’s career-high PFF grade of 61.3 came in the same year. In a tough AFC, upgrading at the backup quarterback spot could be the difference between making or missing the playoffs.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Add another safety
Jabrill Peppers was the Patriots' highest-graded defender in 2023, earning an 87.3 PFF grade. Kyle Dugger had a down year but earned PFF coverage grades of 73.7 and 78.3 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. New England doesn't need another starting safety, but the team is thin at the position outside of those two, with offseason addition Jaylinn Hawkins earning a 50.7 PFF coverage grade with the Falcons and Chargers last year.
NEW YORK JETS: Add a pass-catching tight end
There were two key themes to the Jets' offseason: protect Aaron Rodgers, and add more pass-catching talent for Aaron Rodgers. In signing Mike Williams in free agency and drafting Malachi Corley, New York has upgraded its wide receiver room.
At tight end, Tyler Conklin is coming off a career-high 1.32 yards per route run in 2023. He is fine as the starter, but Jeremy Ruckert and Kenny Yeboah behind him both earned sub-60.0 PFF grades last season. The Jets could use more depth there.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Add another wide receiver
The Steelers traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason, and despite the additions of Van Jefferson and Scott Miller in free agency and Roman Wilson in the third round of the draft, their receiving corps is on track to lean heavily on George Pickens in 2024.
Pickens has impressed in two NFL seasons, ranking 20th at the position with an average of 2.05 yards per route run in 2023. Still, the Steelers have been rumored to be a trade candidate for a veteran wideout.
TENNESSEE TITANS: Add interior defensive line help
T'Vondre Sweat was viewed as a bit of a reach early in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he was impressive at Texas in 2023, earning a 91.7 PFF grade. It was the type of addition the Titans needed on the defensive interior to pair with Jeffery Simmons, but it was a surprise to see them not make any other selections at that spot.
Outside of Simmons, this roster returns just 301 defensive snaps on the defensive interior from a year ago and could still use another depth signing.
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