2016 NFL Draft team needs: Ranking position units of all 32 teams

What is each NFL team's biggest deficiency heading into the draft?

There are a whole lot of "team needs" lists floating around this time of year, but we wanted to figure out how serious those needs are compared to the rest of the league. To do that, we recently asked the Eye on Football staffers (myself, Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson, John Breech, and Sean Wagner-McGough) to rank each of the league's 32 teams in the following position groups: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, and defensive backs. By averaging out the rankings from all five voters, we arrived at consensus position rankings for every team to help us zero in on which areas teams should address in next week's NFL Draft.

A few things to note before we get started:

• Backups were taken into heavy consideration for the quarterback and running back rankings. It is not a ranking of merely starting quarterbacks and running backs.
• Who teams are expected to pick in the draft was not taken into consideration. The Rams and Eagles don't get credit for having Jared Goff or Carson Wentz.
• Yes, the reason your favorite team is ranked so low in [insert position group here] is because we are all personally biased against them. (Just kidding.)

Quarterback

Quarterback Rankings
RANK	TEAM	PLAYERS	EOF AVERAGE
1	New England Patriots	Tom Brady Jimmy Garoppolo	1.2
2	Green Bay Packers	Aaron Rodgers Brett Hundley	3.4
3	Arizona Cardinals	Carson Palmer Drew Stanton	4.2
4	Pittsburgh Steelers	Ben Roethlisberger Landry Jones	4.8
5	Carolina Panthers	Cam Newton Derek Anderson	5.2
6	Seattle Seahawks	Russell Wilson Phillip Sims	5.8
7	New Orleans Saints	Drew Brees Luke McCown	7.4
8	Cincinnati Bengals	Andy Dalton AJ McCarron	8.0
9	San Diego Chargers	Philip Rivers Kellen Clemens	8.4
10	Indianapolis Colts	Andrew Luck Scott Tolzien	10.8
11	New York Giants	Eli Manning Ryan Nassib	12.8
12	Dallas Cowboys	Tony Romo Kellen Moore	13.0
13	Oakland Raiders	Derek Carr Garrett Gilbert	14.4
14	Atlanta Falcons	Matt Ryan Matt Schaub	16.8
15	Chicago Bears	Jay Cutler David Fales	16.8
16	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jameis Winston Mike Glennon	17.0
17	Washington	Kirk Cousins Colt McCoy	17.6
18	Baltimore Ravens	Joe Flacco Ryan Mallett	17.6
19	Kansas City Chiefs	Alex Smith Aaron Murray	17.8
20	Tennessee Titans	Marcus Mariota Zach Mettenberger	19.2
21	Detroit Lions	Matthew Stafford Dan Orlovsky	19.2
22	Buffalo Bills	Tyrod Taylor EJ Manuel	19.2
23	Jacksonville Jaguars	Blake Bortles Chad Henne	21.2
24	Minnesota Vikings	Teddy Bridgewater Shaun Hill	22.0
25	Miami Dolphins	Ryan Tannehill Matt Moore	24.2
26	Philadelphia Eagles	Sam Bradford Chase Daniel	25.2
27	New York Jets	Geno Smith Bryce Petty	27.6
28	Houston Texans	Brock Osweiler Brandon Weeden	27.8
29	San Francisco 49ers	Colin Kaepernick Blaine Gabbert	28.4
30	Los Angeles Rams	Case Keenum Nick Foles	30.0
31	Cleveland Browns	Robert Griffin III Josh McCown	30.2
32	Denver Broncos	Mark Sanchez Trevor Siemian	30.8

Some notes:

• The Rams and Eagles, two of the bottom seven here, are expected to take Goff and Wentz at 1-2, in some order.
• The Browns, who are the second-neediest team on our list, traded out of the second pick in the draft. Symmetry!
• The Texans made a big splash by signing Brock Osweiler away from the Broncos in free agency, but still wound up 28th in these rankings.
• The Cowboys had four top-10 votes but were pushed down to No. 13 overall because their fifth vote was a No. 30 ranking.
• Four voters had the Patriots and Packers 1-2 in their rankings. The fifth voter had Cardinals-Patriots 1-2, with the Packers down at No. 9.

Running backs

Running Back Rankings
RANK	TEAM	PLAYERS	EOF AVERAGE
1	Pittsburgh Steelers	Le'Veon Bell DeAngelo Williams	1.2
2	Los Angeles Rams	Todd Gurley Tre Mason Benny Cunningham	2.8
3	Minnesota Vikings	Adrian Peterson Jerick McKinnon Matt Asiata	3.2
4	Cincinnati Bengals	Jeremy Hill Giovani Bernard	5.2
5	Kansas City Chiefs	Jamaal Charles Charcandrick West Spencer Ware	5.4
6	Seattle Seahawks	Thomas Rawls Christine Michael	7.4
7	Buffalo Bills	LeSean McCoy Karlos Williams	7.6
8	Arizona Cardinals	David Johnson Chris Johnson Andre Ellington	7.8
9	Carolina Panthers	Jonathan Stewart Mike Tolbert Cameron Artis-Payne	9.0
10	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Doug Martin Charles Sims	9.8
11	Green Bay Packers	Eddie Lacy James Starks	9.8
12	Atlanta Falcons	Devonta Freeman Tevin Coleman	13.6
13	New England Patriots	LeGarrette Blount Dion Lewis James White	14.4
14	Houston Texans	Lamar Miller Alfred Blue	17.0
15	Dallas Cowboys	Alfred Morris Darren McFadden Lance Dunbar	17.4
16	Philadelphia Eagles	Ryan Mathews Darren Sproles	17.8
17	Denver Broncos	C.J. Anderson Ronnie Hillman	18.6
18	Oakland Raiders	Latavius Murray Roy Helu	18.8
19	New Orleans Saints	Mark Ingram C.J. Spiller	19.2
20	New York Jets	Matt Forte Bilal Powell Khiry Robinson	19.4
21	Chicago Bears	Jeremy Langford Ka'Deem Carey	20.4
22	Tennessee Titans	DeMarco Murray David Cobb Dexter McCluster	20.4
23	San Francisco 49ers	Carlos Hyde Shaun Draughn	21.8
24	Jacksonville Jaguars	Chris Ivory T.J. Yeldon	22.2
25	Baltimore Ravens	Justin Forsett Javorius Allen	22.2
26	New York Giants	Rashad Jennings Andre Williams Shane Vereen	23.2
27	Detroit Lions	Ameer Abdullah Theo Riddick Zach Zenner Stevan Ridley	24.8
28	Cleveland Browns	Duke Johnson Isaiah Crowell	26.6
29	Miami Dolphins	Jay Ajayi Daniel Thomas	28.0
30	Indianapolis Colts	Frank Gore Robert Turbin	28.8
31	Washington	Matt Jones Chris Thompson	29.4
32	San Diego Chargers	Melvin Gordon Danny Woodhead Branden Oliver	30.0

Some notes:

• The Steelers received four of five No. 1 votes; the other went to the Vikings.
• The Steelers, Rams, Vikings, Bengals, Chiefs and Bills got top-10 rankings from everyone.
• San Diego had the lowest average despite not being voted No. 32 by any voter.
• The Bears were ranked as high as No. 7 and as low as No. 28, while the Patriots were ranked as high as No. 8 and as low as No. 25.
• Despite trading DeMarco Murray to the Titans, the Eagles finished up with a ranking 2.6 spots better, on average.

Wide receivers and tight ends

WR/TE Rankings
RANK	TEAM	EOF AVERAGE
1	Pittsburgh Steelers	2.0
2	Arizona Cardinals	2.2
3	New England Patriots	2.8
4	New York Jets	5.4
5	San Diego Chargers	6.0
6	Seattle Seahawks	6.5
7	Green Bay Packers	10.8
8	Cincinnati Bengals	10.8
9	New York Giants	12.0
10	Washington	12.3
11	Carolina Panthers	12.4
12	Jacksonville Jaguars	13.5
13	Oakland Raiders	14.3
14	Chicago Bears	14.8
15	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	15.3
16	Denver Broncos	15.3
17	New Orleans Saints	15.8
18	Dallas Cowboys	15.8
19	Buffalo Bills	18.3
20	Houston Texans	19.0
21	Indianapolis Colts	20.0
22	Kansas City Chiefs	20.3
23	Atlanta Falcons	20.8
24	Detroit Lions	22.8
25	Minnesota Vikings	23.5
26	Philadelphia Eagles	24.3
27	Miami Dolphins	26.3
28	Baltimore Ravens	26.8
29	Tennessee Titans	28.0
30	San Francisco 49ers	30.0
31	Cleveland Browns	30.0
32	Los Angeles Rams	31.0

Some notes:

• The Rams were ranked No. 31 by every voter.
• The Steelers, Cardinals, and Patriots were voted in the top four by every voter.
• The Seahawks finished with a No. 6 ranking in quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers/tight ends.
• The Bears ranked as high as No. 6 and as low as No. 24, while the Jaguars also ranked as high as No. 6 and as low as No. 21. The Cowboys, meanwile had three top-12 votes but also were ranked No. 32 by one voter.
• The Bengals snuck in the top 10 despite losing both Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency, while the Chargers earned a top-five ranking partly on the strength of the Travis Benjamin signing.

Offensive line

Offensive Line Rankings
RANK	TEAM	EOF AVERAGE
1	Cincinnati Bengals	2.0
2	Dallas Cowboys	2.3
3	Arizona Cardinals	4.3
4	New England Patriots	5.0
5	Pittsburgh Steelers	5.3
6	Kansas City Chiefs	8.0
7	Oakland Raiders	8.0
8	Carolina Panthers	8.3
9	Denver Broncos	12.0
10	Chicago Bears	12.7
11	Atlanta Falcons	13.0
12	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	13.3
13	New Orleans Saints	14.3
14	Green Bay Packers	14.7
15	New York Giants	15.0
16	Minnesota Vikings	15.7
17	Buffalo Bills	16.7
18	Seattle Seahawks	17.0
19	New York Jets	17.0
20	Washington	19.3
21	Baltimore Ravens	19.3
22	Houston Texans	19.7
23	Jacksonville Jaguars	20.3
24	Detroit Lions	25.0
25	Los Angeles Rams	25.0
26	Philadelphia Eagles	25.3
27	Miami Dolphins	26.0
28	Tennessee Titans	26.7
29	Indianapolis Colts	28.3
30	Cleveland Browns	29.7
31	San Diego Chargers	30.0
32	San Francisco 49ers	31.3

Some notes:

• Unsurprisingly, the bottom five teams on this list have been heavily connected to offensive linemen in the draft process, with four of the five (Titans, Colts, Chargers, 49ers) rumored to be targeting tackles as soon as the first round.
• Dallas finished second in the overall rankings despite receiving three No. 1 votes. 
• Oakland would have been much higher were it not for a sole No. 19 vote.
• This is the only offensive category in which the Seahawks were not ranked No. 6.
• It appears the EOF crew bought into the improvement shown by the Panthers' offensive line last season, giving them a No. 8 overall ranking.

Defensive line

Defensive Line Rankings
RANK	TEAM	EOF AVERAGE
1	New York Jets	1.0
2	Denver Broncos	2.3
3	Carolina Panthers	4.3
4	Los Angeles Rams	4.3
5	Arizona Cardinals	6.0
6	Seattle Seahawks	7.0
7	Houston Texans	7.0
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	8.7
9	Cincinnati Bengals	9.7
10	Kansas City Chiefs	12.3
11	Oakland Raiders	12.3
12	Miami Dolphins	12.7
13	New York Giants	15.0
14	Phiadelphia Eagles	15.0
15	Green Bay Packers	15.7
16	Detroit Lions	16.0
17	Minnesota Vikings	16.7
18	Pittsburgh Steelers	17.3
19	New England Patriots	18.0
20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	18.7
21	Baltimore Ravens	19.3
22	Atlanta Falcons	20.7
23	Buffalo Bills	23.7
24	Tennessee Titans	24.7
25	Chicago Bears	25.0
26	Dallas Cowboys	26.0
27	Washington	26.0
28	Indianapolis Colts	26.7
29	San Diego Chargers	27.3
30	New Orleans Saints	29.0
31	San Francisco 49ers	29.0
32	Cleveland Browns	30.7

Some notes:

• As you can see, the Jets were unanimously ranked No. 1.
• The Broncos retained a high ranking despite losing Malik Jackson, while the Jaguars jumped into the top 10 with his signing and the return of Dante Fowler Jr.
• The Mario Williams signing seemed to offset the loss of Olivier Vernon for the Dolphins, while not everyone bought into the free agency splash of the Giants, who ranked in the No. 13 spot.
• Personal opinion: The Eagles are at least a few spots too low here. Same with the Vikings.
• San Francisco and Cleveland sure do rank at or near the bottom of a lot of these lists, huh?

Linebackers

Linebacker Rankings
RANK	TEAM	EOF AVERAGE
1	Carolina Panthers	1.0
2	Seattle Seahawks	3.3
3	Denver Broncos	3.3
4	Kansas City Chiefs	4.7
5	Arizona Cardinals	6.3
6	New England Patriots	6.3
7	Cincinnati Bengals	8.0
8	Pittsburgh Steelers	9.3
9	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	10.0
10	Baltimore Ravens	10.3
11	Minnesota Vikings	10.7
12	Detroit Lions	12.0
13	Los Angeles Rams	12.3
14	Green Bay Packers	15.3
15	Houston Texans	15.3
16	New York Jets	16.7
17	Oakland Raiders	16.7
18	Chicago Bears	17.3
19	Buffalo Bills	17.7
20	Jacksonville Jaguars	18.7
21	Phildelphia Eagles	22.7
22	Washington	23.0
23	New York Giants	23.7
24	San Francisco 49ers	24.0
25	Atlanta Falcons	24.0
26	Miami Dolphins	25.0
27	Dallas Cowboys	25.0
28	Tennessee Titans	26.3
29	San Diego Chargers	27.7
30	Cleveland Browns	29.0
31	New Orleans Saints	29.3
32	Indianapolis Colts	31.0

Some notes:

• The Panthers, on the strength of Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, were a unanimous No. 1 selection.
• You have to think the Packers would be higher on this list if we knew Clay Matthews was going to be rushing the passer from his outside linebacker spot rather than playing inside.
• The Bears were ranked as high as No. 5 and as low as No. 31. They were a very volatile team at pretty much every position.
• The Colts received only votes as No. 30, 31, or 32.
• Cleveland, which finished 30th, is in pretty decent position to take someone like Myles Jack after trading down to No. 8.

Defensive backs

Defensive Back Rankings
RANK	TEAM	EOF AVERAGE
1	Seattle Seahawks	1.7
2	Denver Broncos	1.7
3	Arizona Cardinals	3.7
4	Kansas City Chiefs	4.0
5	Green Bay Packers	6.0
6	New York Jets	6.7
7	Cincinnati Bengals	7.7
8	Houston Texans	7.7
9	Carolina Panthers	11.7
10	New England Patriots	12.3
11	Oakland Raiders	12.7
12	Minnesota Vikings	13.0
13	Philadelphia Eagles	13.3
14	Atlanta Falcons	13.7
15	Los Angeles Rams	14.0
16	Buffalo Bills	15.3
17	Washington	16.3
18	Indianapolis Colts	17.0
19	Detroit Lions	18.3
20	Dallas Cowboys	20.0
21	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	20.7
22	New York Giants	21.3
23	Tennessee Titans	23.0
24	Chicago Bears	24.0
25	Miami Dolphins	25.3
26	San Francisco 49ers	26.3
27	Baltimore Ravens	26.7
28	San Diego Chargers	27.0
29	Cleveland Browns	28.0
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	28.3
31	Jacksonville Jaguars	29.0
32	New Orleans Saints	32.0

Some notes:

• Despite jettisoning Brandon Browner, the Saints unanimously finished last in the DB rankings.
• How the Cowboys are up at No. 20 is beyond my personal comprehension.
• The Seahawks, Broncos, Cardinals, and Chiefs were all in the top five of every ranking.
• San Diego, at No. 28, can address the secondary early by taking Florida State's Jalen Ramsey.
• These rankings were compiled before Carolina rescinded its franchise tag offer to Josh Norman and before Norman signed with Washington. I'd slot Washington near the top 10 with Norman aboard and place Carolina in the 18-22 range.

After all that, we can identify which position group is the biggest area of need for each team by taking their lowest ranking, as well as the "strength" of that need by showing you their average ranking in that specific category. Here's the full list:

Team Needs (Alphabetical Order)
RANK	TEAM	Biggest Need
1	Arizona Cardinals	RB (7.8)
2	Atlanta Falcons	LB (25.0)
3	Baltimore Ravens	WR/TE (26.8)
4	Buffalo Bills	DL (23.7)
5	Carolina Panthers	WR/TE (12.3)
6	Chicago Bears	DL (25.0)
7	Cincinnati Bengals	WR/TE (10.8)
8	Cleveland Browns	DL (30.7)
9	Dallas Cowboys	DL/LB (26.0)
10	Denver Broncos	QB (30.8)
11	Detroit Lions	OL (25.0)
12	Green Bay Packers	DL (15.7)
13	Houston Texans	QB (27.8)
14	Indianapolis Colts	LB (31.0)
15	Jacksonville Jaguars	DB (29.0)
16	Kansas City Chiefs	WR/TE (20.3)
17	Los Angeles Rams	WR/TE (31.0)
18	Miami Dolphins	RB (28.0)
19	Minnesota Vikings	WR/TE (23.5)
20	New England Patriots	DL (18.0)
21	New Orleans Saints	DB (32.0)
22	New York Giants	LB (23.7)
23	New York Jets	QB (27.6)
24	Oakland Raiders	RB (18.8)
25	Philadelphia Eagles	OL (25.3)
26	Pittsburgh Steelers	DB (28.3)
27	San Diego Chargers	RB/OL (30.0)
28	Seattle Seahawks	OL (17.0)
29	San Francisco 49ers	WR/TE (31.3)
30	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	DB (20.7)
31	Tennessee Titans	WR/TE (28.0)
32	Washington	RB (29.4)

Some notes:

• Some of these "needs" are things that aren't really needs at all, just the position group that teams happened to rank lowest in. Nobody thinkts the Cardinals are in need of a running back, for example.
• The Cardinals, Panthers, Bengals, Packers, Patriots, Raiders, and Seahawks did not rank in the 20s or 30s in any of the position groups. The Cardinals ranked in the top 10 in every single position group.
• The Cowboys (DL/LB) and Chargers (RB/OL) each had two position groups qualify as their biggest need, but the Chargers just drafted a running back (Melvin Gordon) in the first round last year, so they seem more likely to address the offensive line early in the draft. Dallas could be in position to address either of its biggest needs early on, especially if the Chargers opt for Laremy Tunsil at No. 3.
• Comparing these needs to the mock drafts on CBSSports.com can be useful as well. The Bucs are unanimously taking a defensive back (Vernon Hargeaves III) in all five mocks, which matches up with their biggest need here. The Vikings are unanimously expected to take a wide receiver, as are the Bengals. The Packers select a defensive lineman in all five. The Chargers grab an offensive lineman (Tunsil) in four of five mocks, and so do the Seahawks. The Falcons take a linebacker in three of five, while the same is true of the Bills with a defensive lineman and the Broncos with a quarterback.