Here this should answer the questions concerning draft needs. Courtesy of NFL Insider. On a side note I'm getting pretty pissed that everybody in the media is considering the possibility that the Skins' will play Carter at LB.
Dallas Cowboys
Free safety: Keith Davis is a physical run stuffer who plays with a mean streak, but he lacks ideal range and can't recover when he gets caught out of position, which happens far too much considering his experience. As a result, he is more of a situational run stuffer than he is an every-down player. Because
Roy Williams is at his best lining up close to the line of scrimmage, Dallas needs a ball-hawk who has the range to play a center fielder-role and the cover skills to match up with slot receivers.
Fabini
This might not appear to be a need with the signing
Jason Fabini to start opposite
Flozell Adams. However, Adams and Fabini are both on the wrong side of 30 and coming off season-ending injuries. In addition, the Jets released Fabini for good reason. He has had problems staying healthy and holding up in pass protection. Depth is also an issue.
Jacob Rogers was released,
Torrin Tucker was signed to an offer sheet by the Buccaneers and
Rob Petitti was a liability in pass protection. Dallas needs to improve the depth and add a tackle who can push Fabini for playing time.
Cornerback:Terence Newman and
Anthony Henry form a talented starting tandem. In addition, nickel back
Aaron Glenn has the ball skills to make some big plays. However, this remains a need. Newman and Henry are inconsistent, and the undersized Glenn is on the downside of his career. Dallas needs a corner who has the cover skills to compete with Glenn for the nickel back job and the size to eventually push the starters for playing time.
Ferguson
is strong and can hold his own working against double teams, but he lacks the size of a prototypical nose tackle. As a result, he fatigues when teams consistently pound the ball inside. That's reason for concern because there isn't great depth. Backup
Thomas Johnson is a developmental prospect who isn't expected to play a substantial role this year. It's also worth noting that Ferguson is 31. Keeping that in mind, adding a young situational run stuffer who can spell Ferguson makes sense.
Guard: Larry Allen is clearly on the downside of his career and it came as little surprise when the Cowboys made him a cap casualty.
Marco Rivera, who lined up opposite Allen last year, turns 34 this year and has had some problems staying healthy. Although Dallas signed
Kyle Kosier, he lacks ideal power for an interior offensive lineman. The Cowboys need to improve depth and add a guard who is capable of pushing Kosier for playing time.
Other possibilities: Quarterback and fullback
N.Y. Giants
Torbor
The jury is still out on whether
Reggie Torbor will ever realize his potential. Although he has played well at times, he is inconsistent. The bigger concern is on the strong side.
Carlos Emmons, who turns 33 this year, has lost a step and is coming off a season-ending pectoral injury. With unrestricted free agent
Nick Greisen wanting to play inside and likely signing with another team, there isn't much depth here either. The Giants need an outside linebacker who has the speed, athletic ability and power to supplant Emmons as the starter. That would allow him to move into a backup role where he would provide quality depth.
Wide receiver: Plaxico Burress' first season with the Giants was the second most productive of his career and he returns as
Eli Manning's go-to-receiver. There are concerns about the No. 2, however. Although
Amani Toomer runs good routes and doesn't drop many passes, he isn't as explosive as he was earlier in his career and has problems consistently separating from man coverage. There is good depth here but
Jamaar Taylor drops too many passes and
Tim Carter is too raw to replace Toomer at this point. As a result, the Giants need a receiver who has the size, burst and athletic ability to make an immediate impact.
Defensive tackle: Kendrick Clancy's decision to sign with Arizona makes this a far greater need. Clancy didn't make many big plays, but he was relentless and, more importantly, consistent. Although
William Joseph has far more natural ability, he doesn't always play with a mean streak and has yet to realize his potential. Exasperating the loss of Clancy is the fact that
Fred Robbins, who has had problems keeping his weight down, tends to wear down over the course of games. The Giants need a defensive tackle who can replace Robbins, allowing him to move into a situational run-stuffing role.
Petitgout
has avoided becoming a cap casualty, but he will have to compete for a starting job opposite
Kareem McKenzie. Although he is a technician who plays with good intensity, Petitgout has been slowed by back pain and is having problems holding up on an island in pass protection.
Bob Whitfield and
Lewis Kelly provide some depth. However, Whitfield isn't an every-down player at this point of his career and Kelly's lack of strength is reason for concern. The Giants need to add a tackle who can push Petitgout for playing time.
Running back: Few players do as much for a team as
Tiki Barber does for the Giants. He is a smart, between-the-tackles runner, has the burst to break long runs and catches the ball extremely well. However, he is undersized and 31 years old. That has to raise concerns about his durability, especially since he gets so many touches.
Brandon Jacobs is a powerful short-yardage runner, but he lacks the initial burst of an every-down back. The Giants need to start preparing for life after Barber and improve depth by adding a developmental back who has the tools to replace Barber when the time comes.
Other options: Interior offensive line and cornerback
Philadelphia Eagles
Strongside linebacker: Philadelphia did well to re-sign
Shawn Barber. Although Barber has sustained two season-ending knee injuries and there are concerns about his ability to stay healthy, he is a leader on the field and knows this scheme. Philadelphia also has an insurance policy in
Matt McCoy. The raw McCoy has the talent to push Barber for playing time if his technique progresses. However, neither is a good fit for the strong side because they have problems anchoring against the run. That's a concern because
Dhani Jones has been inconsistent and he isn't making many big plays.
Mark Simoneau provides some depth, but he too struggles when teams run at him. The Eagles need a strongside linebacker who has a nose for the ball, the power to control the point of attack and the burst to prevent backs from turning the corner.
Brown
is coming off a strong rookie season and there's no reason to believe that he won't continue to improve as he gains more experience. Of course, improved stability at quarterback would also help. In addition, Philadelphia signed
Jabar Gaffney. Gaffney improves depth but the Eagles still don't have a quality No. 2. Gaffney drops too many passes,
Greg Lewis is undersized and
Todd Pinkston ruptured his Achilles tendon last year. Philadelphia needs a receiver who has the burst and reliable hands to develop into a quality complement to Brown.
Offensive tackle: This might not appear to be a substantial need at this point, as the Eagles re-signed
Jon Runyan and haven't made
Tra Thomas a cap casualty. However, Thomas is 31 and is coming off major back surgery. His ability to bounce back and remain healthy remains to be seen. Though
Todd Herremans provides adequate depth, he is coming off a season-ending leg injury and lacks the natural ability of a quality starter. Philadelphia needs to improve depth and add a tackle capable of replacing Thomas should he sustain another injury or should his level of play drop substantially.
Moats
is one of the most dangerous backs in the league and
Ryan Moats averaged more than five yards per carry during is rookie season last year. In addition,
Bruce Perry is a big-play threat who provides good depth. The only problem is all three are undersized.
Correll Buckhalter is a powerful runner when he is healthy, but he has torn the patella tendon in his right knee the past two seasons, so there are obviously substantial concerns about his durability. The Eagles need a strong between-the-tackles runner who can pick up critical yards in short-yardage situations.
Free safety: There aren't many weaknesses in
Brian Dawkins' game. He is a stout run defender, shows good range in coverage and can get to the quarterback quickly when asked to blitz. However, he is 32 and there is no heir apparent on the roster.
J.R. Reed showed promise before sustaining a serious leg injury during the 2005 offseason and
Quintin Mikell is too small to develop into an every-down player. Philadelphia needs to improve depth while adding a safety who has the skills to eventually compete for a starting role.
Other options: Defensive tackle and fullback
Washington Redskins
Linebacker: Warrick Holdman is an unrestricted free agent and it came as no surprise when Washington made
LaVar Arrington a cap casualty. Although Holdman has yet to sign with another team, he turns 31 this year, has had some problems staying healthy and lost the starting job to Arrington last year. If he re-signs, he will have to compete for the starting job opposite
Marcus Washington. In addition, free-agent signing
Andre Carter lacks ideal cover skills and should see more playing time at defensive end than at linebacker. The good news is Washington can draft the best available linebacker when it goes to fill this need because
Lemar Marshall can play on the inside or the outside.
Thomas
is a powerful run blocker who can drive defenders off the ball and shows good range when asked to pull. He can also hold his own in pass protection, but the 30-year-old is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Though
Derrick Dockery plays with a mean streak and shows good power at the point of attack, he isn't fundamentally sound and shouldn't be an every-down player at this point. In addition, No. 3
Ray Brown has retired, free-agent signing
Tyson Walter failed to appear in a game last year and Washington is the third stop in three seasons for free-agent signing
Mike Pucillo. Signing Pucillo and Walter improves depth, but the Redskins need an offensive guard who has the tools to push Dockery for playing time.
Defensive tackle: Cornelius Griffin is explosive when he is fresh and
Joe Salave'a is a technician who plays hard on every down, but Griffin tends to wear down over the course of the game and Saleve'a lacks ideal natural ability. With Washington making
Brandon Noble a cap casualty, there isn't great depth here either. The Redskins need a defensive tackle who has the size, burst and athletic ability to take over as the starter opposite Griffin. That would allow Saleve'a to move into a reserve role where he would provide quality depth.
Carter
The hope is the addition of Carter, who has been a difference-maker in the past, jump starts the pass rush. However, this remains a need. Although
Phillip Daniels and
Renaldo Wynn are blue-collar players who are relentless in pursuit, both are on the downside of their careers. It's also unlikely either unrestricted free agent
Demetric Evans or
Nic Clemons ever develops into an every-down player. Washington needs to infuse some youth and add a developmental prospect who has the initial burst to push for immediate playing time on passing downs.
Offensive Tackle: The Redskins have two excellent starters in
Jon Jansen and
Chris Samuels. Jansen is one of the best drive blockers in the league and Samuels can hold his own working against the league's better pass rushers. Unfortunately, both have had problems staying healthy. While
Jim Molinaro provides some depth, he lacks ideal quickness and athletic ability. Washington needs a quality No. 3 who is versatile enough to provide depth at both tackle positions and has the potential to develop into a starter at some point.
Other options: Cornerback and place-kicker
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