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• Giants should turn to WR in the 2024 NFL Draft: After spending big on Brian Burns and the offensive line, New York should look at adding Malik Nabers at No. 6.
• With an elite offense in place, the Falcons have work to do on defense: Alabama’s Dallas Turner is one option after stealing the show with combine testing numbers in the 94th percentile or better in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump.
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With splash signings in the early weeks of NFL free agency, a few teams may have shown us what they’re thinking about the current state of their rosters headed into 2024, and some have made their plans even clearer for the 2024 NFL Draft, which kicks off on April 25.
Six teams spent a ton of money in the first few waves of free agency, and where they allocated those resources could indicate how they plan to approach their first selection in the draft, addressing certain positional needs but leaving others open for now. We dive into our favorite fits for some of the most aggressive teams this offseason.
New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
New York made the blockbuster trade of the offseason to date with their move for edge defender Brian Burns, agreeing to terms on a five-year extension as a part of the trade to create a pass-rushing tandem with Kayvon Thibodeaux. They also spent on guard Jon Runyan Jr. and tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, shoring up the offensive line. Especially now with rumors swirling about a potential retirement for tight end Darren Waller, a premier pass catcher remains the biggest need in New York.
The Giants have some exciting young weapons in wide receivers Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt but need a true X receiver who can win against physicality at the line and be the go-to target at all levels of the field. Nabers’ 19 receptions and 624 receiving yards on passes 20-plus yards downfield in 2023 were both top-five marks in college football. He was also extremely effective kicking inside as a big slot, and he was sure-handed with just five drops on 128 targets. Nabers forced 30 missed tackles, the fourth most in the country, and his acceleration in the open field was second to none, with afterburners that would make the NOS in Fast and Furious look slow.
Tennessee Titans: T Joe Alt, Notre Dame
The Titans made the surprise move of free agency, stepping up and signing wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a four-year, $92 million contract with $50 million guaranteed. They also signed Lloyd Cushenberry to the biggest free-agent center deal of the offseason, making him one of the five highest-paid players at the position on his four-year, $50 million contract. There is a clear buy-in with quarterback Will Levis, but he still desperately needs help with blocking on his blind side.
Enter Joe Alt, a gargantuan 6-foot-8 and 322-pound tackle who just recently turned 21 years old after two elite seasons of earning overall grades above 90.0 at Notre Dame. Alt allowed just eight total quarterback pressures and one sack over the past two seasons on nearly 800 pass-blocking reps. In addition, Alt is an incredibly smooth mover for his size, earning a zone run-blocking grade above 90.0 in 2023 to boot.
The left-side combination of Alt and 2023 first-round left guard Peter Skoronski could develop into one of the more formidable sides of an offensive line in the NFL. Levis needs to get his pressure-to-sack rate down and not look for the home run on every single throw, but he can stand more confidently in the pocket with this final addition to an offensive line quickly turning around.
Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
The Falcons won the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes and quickly added wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Rondale Moore, with the two joining a trio of recent top-10 picks in wideout Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson. This offense may have a case as the most well-rounded of any in the NFL, with basically no weaknesses at any spot and with quality depth.
The defense, while improved in 2023, is certainly a different story. Over the past three seasons, Atlanta’s edge defender group ranks 32nd in pressure rate, 31st in pass-rush win rate and 32nd in sacks. Currently slated to select at No. 8 overall, the Falcons will very likely have their pick of the first defensive player off the board in this year’s draft.
Turner was a slender, wiry-framed underclassman but also a budding star edge defender who continued to draw attention on film last season when scouts were studying Will Anderson Jr. And sure enough, he took his game to new heights in 2023 after adding on some muscle. Turner earned a 90.7 pass-rush grade on true pass sets with a 19.6% pass-rush win rate and 11 sacks — a big number in college. Then came the NFL scouting combine, where Turner stole the show with testing numbers in the 94th percentile or better in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split, vertical jump and broad jump. Still just 21 years old, Turner profiles as a player who will only get better with NFL seasoning.
Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
The Jaguars elected to release cornerback Darious Williams and, for now, signed a solid veteran option in Ronald Darby to serve as their No. 2 outside cornerback, but Arnold could step in and win that job outright with a good camp. Arnold has the size you want in today’s NFL at 6-foot and 190 pounds with nearly 32-inch arms, and he put up a 10-foot-9 broad jump at the combine that lands him in the 87th percentile among cornerbacks in PFF’s database.
Arnold forced 14 incompletions in 2023, a top-15 mark in college football, with great recovery and closing speed on film. Arnold also now has experience both out wide and in the slot, which could lead to Jacksonville mix-and-matching cornerback Tyson Campbell, newly signed safety/slot Darnell Savage and Arnold.
This Jacksonville defensive front should go to another level in 2024 with the addition of interior defender Arik Armstead, the return to health for run stuffer Davon Hamilton and the continued ascent of edge rusher Travon Walker and off-ball linebacker Devin Lloyd. Adding another dynamic piece to the secondary could make this a formidable unit at all three levels.
Carolina Panthers (No. 33 overall): WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
Carolina made a sharp trade for wideout Diontae Johnson, who is one of the league’s quickest separators off the line and will present a great target to quarterback Bryce Young early in plays. Veteran Adam Thielen had a remarkable 2023 campaign and will still be a reliable target on third downs and in the red zone. Last, but certainly not least, Carolina needs a big-bodied target with deep speed along the likes of Adonai Mitchell.
Mitchell dropped just one of his 86 targets for the Longhorns in 2023, and over the past two years, his quarterback took away some potential production with poor throws deep. Mitchell’s 16-yard average depth of target illustrates the kind of role he can take on in this offense, and he’s a great athlete for his size, at 6-foot-2.
Mitchell was one of the highlights of the NFL scouting combine, running a blazing 4.34 40-yard dash (97th percentile) while also jumping out of the gym with an absurd 40-inch vertical (92nd percentile) and 11-foot-4 broad jump (99th percentile). Improved down-to-down consistency and continued development of the nuances of Mitchell’s game could make him a stud at the next level.
Houston Texans (No. 42 overall): WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
Wilson would join the dynamic duo of wideouts Nico Collins and Tank Dell in Houston, with the former a fellow Michigan Wolverine alum. Wilson can be a flanker/slot who brings legitimate track speed to the Texans’ corps, with his 12 receptions on passes 20-plus yards downfield in 2023 a top-25 mark in college football. This is despite playing in a run-first offense that often didn’t need to push the ball downfield thanks to early leads and a tenacious defense closing out games.
An element of Wilson’s game that offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik will love is his clear emphasis on run blocking, never taking a rep off and making it a point of pride to clear rushing lanes for his running backs. Houston loaded up on defense this offseason after loading up on the offensive line last offseason, and while they could still stand to add talent to the secondary, another pass catcher to complement their current group wouldn’t hurt.
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