2021 NFL Draft order: Eagles No. 6; Lions slip into top 10

Biggest needs: QB, edge rusher, CB

This week's game: vs. Raiders

It's not reflective of the quarterbacks' overall talent right now, but the Jets' offense has performed better with Joe Flacco than it has with Sam Darnold. Yet another curveball from 2020!

Biggest needs: QB, CB, OT

This week's game: at Vikings

Dave Caldwell's successor will inherit an embarrassment of draft riches, with seven picks in the first four rounds, including two in both of the first two rounds. That first selection, though, will go a long way toward determining whether the next GM has a more successful tenure than the last one.

Biggest needs: OL, edge rusher, CB

This week's game: at Dolphins

Daniel Jones had been sacked at least once in every game this season until he encountered the Bengals on Sunday. Cincinnati didn't get to Colt McCoy, either, after he replaced Jones. The Bengals mustered just five QB pressures on 38 dropbacks against what PFF ranks as the worst pass-blocking team in the league.

Biggest needs: OL, TE, CB

This week's game: vs. Patriots

Unless the Bengals find a way to win a game down the stretch, the Chargers are highly unlikely to get a chance to select the top offensive lineman available next year. Would they trade down with a QB-needy team to collect draft capital and build around Justin Herbert?

Biggest needs: CB, OL, LB

This week's game: at Ravens

There are holes all over a defense that allowed Washington to score a season-high 41 points (its previous season high was 27), but we're giving linebacker a spin in the top three this week. Joe Thomas and Sean Lee are pending free agents. Running it back with Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch as the top players at the position looks like it would be a questionable strategy, at best.

Biggest needs: OG, LB, CB

This week's game: at Packers

Philly's fall from the top of the NFC East standings results in a 13-spot jump. While we're not ready to suggest a team that spent three draft picks on wide receivers this year, including in Round 1, must go back to the well at the position next year, we did see the Eagles' young linebackers make some nice plays on Monday night. Can't say the same for that receiving corps. Why isn't Travis Fulgham, the NFL leader in receiving yards from Weeks 5-8, getting more opportunities?

Biggest needs: OL, CB, WR

This week's game: On bye

The closer the Panthers, losers in six of their last seven games, get to the top five in the draft order, the more the intrigue builds around their plans at quarterback. While the position isn't the team’s weakest spot, the opportunity to land one of the top few QBs available doesn't come around often.

Biggest needs: QB, WR, OL

This week's game: at Steelers

Washington's Terry McLaurin accounts for a league-high 45.6 percent of the team's air yardage (no other NFL player has a share higher than 41.9%), per Next Gen Stats. And while McLaurin has been targeted 102 times, no other Football Team WR has more than 28 targets. The corps could use some balance.

Biggest needs: WR, DL, LB

This week's game: at Bears

The next GM and coach are likely to inherit a top-10 pick. That said, the Lions' chances of landing one of the top three quarterback prospects available still appear to be low given the teams ahead of them in the draft order, which figures to make moving on from Matthew Stafford a less-than-enticing option for the next regime.

Biggest needs: Edge rusher, DB, RB

This week's game: vs. Saints

Before any Falcons fans start to worry about their team drifting down the draft board, let me point out that Atlanta's remaining schedule doubles as nightmare fuel. Interim coach Raheem Morris gets the Saints, the Bucs (twice) and the Chiefs in four of the last five games.

PICK ACQUIRED FROM THE HOUSTON TEXANS

Texans' record: 4-7 (.554)

This week's Texans game: vs. Colts

See the playoff teams section for analysis of the Dolphins' needs and the bottom of this article for analysis of the Texans' needs.

Biggest needs: CB, edge rusher, QB

This week's game: at Chiefs

Offensive tackle moves off the needs list now that Garett Bolles has signed an extension. It's replaced by edge rusher with Von Miller a potential cap casualty in 2021.

Biggest needs: OL, DT, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Jaguars

After focusing on the perimeter with their two first-round picks this year, the Vikings will need to put an early emphasis on the trenches in the 2021 draft.

Biggest needs: Interior OL, DL, WR

This week's game: at Chargers

Bill Belichick has invested in pass catchers in the past two drafts, and there will be cries for him to do so again in 2021 because those picks have disappointed to this point. Wide receiver N'Keal Harry, the 2019 first-round pick with the size to be a weapon in the red zone, has three TD catches in 16 career games. He ranks second to last in yards per target (5.0) among WRs with 40 or more targets this season.

Biggest needs: CB, OL, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Bills

Pending free agent defensive end Kerry Hyder is having a career year. It would be painful for the 49ers to lose him given how he's stepped up in the absence of Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, but with a team-high 7.5 sacks (tied for ninth-most in the league), he could price himself out of town.

Biggest needs: QB, OL, WR

This week's game: vs. Lions

Stat of the week to sum up the Bears' quarterback woes, via NFL Media Research: Among 38 QBs with 300-plus attempts since 2019, Nick Foles (6.0) and Mitchell Trubisky (6.1) are the bottom two in pass yards per attempt.

Biggest needs: DT, OL, edge rusher

This week's game: at Jets

The Raiders' pass rush is a one-man show. Only the Jaguars have fewer sacks than Las Vegas (12), and Maxx Crosby accounts for half of those.

Biggest needs: WR, OL, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Cowboys

Marquise Brown awoke from his slumber late in Baltimore’s Week 12 loss, but aside from him, the Ravens haven’t had a wide receiver break 28 yards or score a TD in either of their last two games. This passing game would certainly benefit from having another player at the position who can provide a jolt.

Biggest needs: Edge rusher, CB, OT

This week's game: at Seahawks

The NFC East-leading Giants' move out of the top 10 in the draft order could be short-lived. They might have to turn to Colt McCoy at quarterback and their next four games are against squads that have a winning record entering Week 13. Every team the G-Men have defeated in 2020 is at least three games below .500 right now.

Biggest needs: CB, edge rusher, interior OL

This week's game: vs. Rams

The offense was the bigger concern in Week 12, but long-term, Kliff Kingsbury could have a hard time getting his team over the hump if his defense isn't more respectable. The Cardinals have allowed 29.2 points per game since Week 7 (30th in the NFL).

Biggest needs: Edge rusher, DT, WR

This week's game: On bye

There could be a significant void on the interior D-line depending on how free agency shakes out with Ndamukong Suh, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Steve McLendon playing on deals that expire in 2021.

Biggest needs: WR, ILB, interior OL

This week's game: vs. Bengals

Miami's lack of quality depth at receiver is even more obvious with Preston Williams sidelined. The Dolphins don't have enough guys who can get open, as evidenced by their average separation of 2.3 yards (ranks last in the league) and 59.8 percent expected completion rate (29th in the league) since Week 10, per Next Gen Stats. 

Biggest needs: QB, CB, edge rusher

This week's game: at Texans

The Colts know they have stability on the interior D-line with DeForest Buckner and now Grover Stewart signed long-term. It's quite the opposite situation at defensive end with Justin Houston, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Denico Autry due to become free agents this offseason.

PICK ACQUIRED FROM THE LOS ANGELES RAMS

Rams' record: 7-4 (.488)

This week's Rams game: at Cardinals

See Pick No. 2 for analysis of the Jaguars' needs and the bottom of this article for analysis of the Rams' needs.

Biggest needs: LB, CB, edge rusher

This week's game: at Titans

On a day when it was without its top two players, the Browns' defense allowed Mike Glennon to have one of the better starts of his career. He wasn't sacked and got hit just twice all game (by pending free agent Olivier Vernon). 

Biggest needs: WR, CB, interior OL

This week's game: vs. Eagles

With center Corey Linsley expected to miss 3-6 weeks, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Packers are getting a good chance to evaluate how high of a priority the interior O-line should be this offseason. Rookie sixth-round pick Jon Runyan is auditioning for a long-term starting job. He took over at left guard and Elgton Jenkins slid inside to center after Linsley, a free agent in 2021, suffered a knee injury vs. the Bears.

PICK ACQUIRED FROM THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Seahawks' record: 8-3 (.492)

This week's Seahawks game: vs. Giants

See Pick No. 1 for analysis of the Jets' needs and the bottom of this article for analysis of the Seahawks' needs.

Biggest needs: Edge rusher, OL, CB

This week's game: at 49ers

Buffalo's O-line moves up a spot on the needs list given its state of flux, with three different starting combinations in each of the past three games. Plus, three of the five Week 12 starters up front are ticketed for free agency in 2021.

Biggest needs: Edge rusher, TE, WR

This week's game: vs. Browns

Finding a complement to Harold Landry has to be on the to-do list. He's the only Titans edge rusher with a sack this season.

Biggest needs: DL, DB, QB

This week's game: at Falcons

There will be a hole at safety if Marcus Williams departs in free agency, but corner is another spot to watch. Janoris Jenkins carries a $14.2 million cap figure in 2021 for a team that needs to clear space.

Biggest needs: Interior OL, WR, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Broncos

The Chiefs keep rolling, but the pass rush is one area of concern. Only the Bengals and Ravens have averaged fewer sacks per game than Kansas City (1.0) since Week 9.

Biggest needs: OT, edge rusher, CB

This week's game: vs. Washington Football Team

The Steelers' offensive line held up well in Week 12 despite the absence of center Maurkice Pouncey, but there's a chance this group gets blown up in 2021. Week 1 starters Alejandro Villanueva (LT), Matt Feiler (LG) and Zach Banner (RT) are headed for the open market next year. Keep in mind that Pittsburgh will have to cut to get under the salary cap.

TRADED FIRST-ROUND PICK TO THE MIAMI DOLPHINS

Biggest needs: WR, CB, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Colts

Cornerback could end up being the top priority come draft time with little to lean on at the position other than Bradley Roby, who was just hit with a six-game suspension.

TRADED FIRST-ROUND PICK TO THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Biggest needs: OL, edge rusher, LB

This week's game: at Cardinals

Both of the Rams’ starting outside linebackers -- Leonard Floyd and Samson Ebukam -- are set to reach free agency this offseason. Floyd likely won't come cheap with seven sacks (second-most on the team) this season, and the Rams have a difficult salary cap situation to navigate.

TRADED FIRST-ROUND PICK TO THE NEW YORK JETS

Biggest needs: OL, CB, edge rusher

This week's game: vs. Giants

Three of the Seahawks' five offensive line starters on Monday night are in the final year of their deals, and 35-year-old left tackle Duane Brown has only one year left on his contract.