A few more signings, a few more trades, a few more days to think about, talk about and mull over their impending decisions, and things certainly can change in the draft landscape.
Teams around the NFL are closing in on setting their draft boards, trying to tie up as many loose ends as they can before next week’s selection weekend.
So, with another week having passed and just one more to go before the first round, here’s another look at how the opening round will shake out after discussions with personnel executives around the league.
1. St. Louis Rams (1-15)
Needs: QB, WR, DL, T
Nothing’s changed. They have the No. 1 pick, which gives them the chance at the No. 1 quarterback on the board, so they will take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. (Last week’s pick: Bradford.)
2. Detroit Lions (2-14)
Needs: RB, DT, T, LB
They need most everything, and team officials may now be leaning defense here with the idea they can still get a productive offensive tackle at the top of the second round. With that in mind, they would take Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. (Last week: Russell Okung.)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-13)
Needs: DL, CB, G
There is still some thought they are looking to trade out of this spot, but if they have a chance at him, Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy will still be their man. (Last week: McCoy.)
4. Washington Redskins (4-12)
Needs: T, C, G, CB, DT
Protecting the quarterback is still their No. 1 need, and if the Lions give them their chance, Mike Shanahan can select Oklahoma State tackle Okung. (Last week: Trent Williams.)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (4-12)
Needs: T, NT, LB, S
They do need a tackle, and Suh and McCoy are both gone in this scenario. That leaves them with Tennessee safety Eric Berry. (Last week: Suh.)
6. Seattle Seahawks (5-11)
Needs: RB, T, DE, S, CB
Two first-round picks give them some flexibility. And if the Chiefs do not take an offensive lineman ahead of them, that leaves them with a chance at Oklahoma tackle Williams. (Last week: C.J. Spiller.)
7. Cleveland Browns (5-11)
Needs: QB, CB, LB, WR, RB
Desperately need a cornerback, but after trading Brady Quinn they also need a quarterback. They may trade down to take Colt McCoy, but with the quality of Jimmy Clausen’s workout last week, they take the Notre Dame quarterback. (Last week: Joe Haden.)
8. Oakland Raiders (5-11)
Needs: QB, CB, T, LB
They need plenty, especially in the offensive line. But Al Davis often leans for athletic impact, and right here that would mean Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan (Last week: Brian Bulaga.)
9. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
Needs: T, QB, LB, WR
If Clausen’s gone, they’ll have to reassess. The offense desperately needs a left tackle to protect whoever is behind center. That would make Iowa tackle Bulaga the pick. (Last week: Clausen.)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-9)
Needs: LB, G, C, LB
They’ll take a long look at grabbing a linebacker here, but as they talk about the board, they also know they had just 14 sacks as a defense last season, or three fewer than Elvis Dumervil had on his own. The pick is Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham. (Last week: Rolando McClain.)
11. Broncos (from Chicago) (8-8)
Needs: LB, C, G, WR, DL
It’s always good when need meets value on the board, and if things shake out this way, the Broncos should take Alabama linebacker McClain. (Last week: Maurkice Pouncey.)
12. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
Needs: WR, DL, LB, S
They would take a look at Dez Bryant in this spot as well as some secondary help, but they still need big guys up front on defense, so Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams is the fit. (Last week: Williams.)
13. San Francisco 49ers (8-8)
Needs: QB, S, T
They likely can’t take a quarterback in this spot without reaching some. With some thought to the offensive line, they instead look to Texas safety Earl Thomas. (Last week: Berry.)
14. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver) (5-11)
Needs: RB, T, DE, S, CB
If he’s there, they would certainly take Clemson running back Spiller. (Last week: Morgan.)
15. New York Giants (8-8)
Needs: T, LB, CB, DT
They could use some help in the defensive front, but the prudent move here is still to take Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis. (Last week: Davis.)
16. Tennessee Titans (8-8)
Needs: LB, DE, S, CB
With just two picks in the first 100, they may get out here in search of more selections. If they stay, they are looking to replace Kyle Vanden Bosch’s production up front and take a flyer on South Florida’s Jason Pierre-Paul. (Last week: Sergio Kindle.)
17. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina) (8-8)
Needs: QB, S, T
Still searching for help on offense and with the idea coach Mike Singletary can keep players on the straight and narrow, they’ll grab Oklahoma State wide receiver Bryant. (Last week: Bryant.)
18. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
Needs: CB, DE, T, RB
They’re going corner, it’s just a matter of who is available here. This time it would be Florida cornerback Haden. (Last week: Kyle Wilson.)
19. Atlanta Falcons (9-7)
Needs: LB, C, DT, DE
Too early to take a linebacker in this spot. But it’s not too early for them to grab Florida center Pouncey and watch him start from Day One. (Last week: Graham.)
20. Houston Texans (9-7)
Needs: RB, CB, S, DL
They need some pop in the backfield, but their secondary has a big gap with Dunta Robinson’s departure. Rutgers cornerback Devin McCourty is the value pick.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
Needs: S, DT, DE, TE
With the defensive players they want off the board at this point, they’ll look to a playmaker who can help now in Oklahoma tight end Jermaine Gresham. (Last week: Pierre-Paul.)
22. New England Patriots (10-6)
Needs: LB, DE, T, TE
They like Kindle plenty and need more production in the pass rush. But they also have four picks in the top 53 and need help in the defensive line as well. The pick is Penn State defensive end Jared Odrick. (Last week: Odrick.)
23. Green Bay Packers (11-5)
Needs: CB, S, T, RB
While they need a pass rusher, Al Harris had reconstructive knee surgery, and the Packers need help opposite Charles Woodson. That makes the pick Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson. (Last week: Thomas.)
24. Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
Needs: G, LB, CB, DE
The Eagles have always given a long look to linemen on both sides of the ball with their premium picks. The trend continues with Idaho guard Mike Iupati. (Last week: Iupati.)
25. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
Needs: DE, CB, S, TE
They’d like somebody to put into their defensive front, but Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson could be a walk-in starter. (Last week: Terrence Cody.)
26. Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
Needs: LB, T, TE, WR
They’ll give Cody some consideration for their nose tackle spot, but they lost LB Karlos Dansby and WR Anquan Boldin in free agency. The value of the board here is offense with Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. (Last week: Bruce Campbell.)
27. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
Needs: T, S, LB
It’s time for the Cowboys to draft some blockers, so the smart move here would be Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell. (Last week: Taylor Mays.)
28. San Diego Chargers (13-3)
Needs: RB, T, CB
They may not get this opportunity, but with their needs in the backfield, Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews would still be the best player available and fill their biggest need. (Last week: Mathews.)
29. New York Jets (9-7)
Needs: LB, T, DE
The trade for Santonio Holmes adjusts their thinking here some, so they have a shot at a pass rusher and take it with TCU’s outside linebacker Jerry Hughes. (Last week: Demaryius Thomas.)
30. Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
Needs: CB, RB, LB, DT
They would be disappointed to find all of the top cornerbacks gone when their turn came up. They like McCourty but may reach a bit to take Alabama’s Kareem Jackson. (Last week: Patrick Robinson.)
31. Indianapolis Colts (14-2)
Needs: T, CB, DT
They’d like a chance at a corner as well, but things are thin as far as first-round grades by this time. So they stick with USC tackle Charles Brown. (Last week: Brown.)
32. New Orleans Saints
Needs: RB, LB, S, DE
They need defense and should the board fall this way, they’ll take a long look at Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon in Gregg Williams’ attacking scheme. (Last week: Brian Price.)
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
