{"id":19,"date":"2025-07-09T12:39:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T12:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/?p=19"},"modified":"2025-07-09T12:40:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T12:40:20","slug":"afc-needs-watch-from-edge-rushers-to-locker-room-gamble-calls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/?p=19","title":{"rendered":"AFC Needs Watch: From Edge Rushers to Locker Room Gamble Calls"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year again\u2014when NFL rosters start looking like chessboards and front offices play 4D chess trying to piece together a championship puzzle. While most blockbuster moves have come and gone, don\u2019t count out the late-game heroics just yet. Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Za\u2019Darius Smith, Jadeveon Clowney\u2014they\u2019re still on the market, waiting for that one team to make a splash and say, \u201cWe\u2019re coming for the Lombardi.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The preseason kicks off July 31 with the Chargers and Lions squaring off in Canton at the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. Rookies report first (July 12 for L.A.), while Steelers and Falcons vets bring up the rear (July 23). So, what are the biggest needs shaping up across the AFC as training camp looms?<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Let\u2019s break it down by division.<\/p>\n

AFC North: Battle of the Boards <\/strong><\/div>\n

Cincinnati Bengals \u2013 Edge Rusher <\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Bengals used a first-rounder on Shemar Stewart, thinking they\u2019d checked this box. But holdouts from Stewart and Trey Hendrickson have left the locker room guessing. If both show up, problem solved. If not? Cincinnati could be shopping for another pass-rush magician before kickoff.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

And hey, don\u2019t sleep on that defensive tackle situation either\u2014it\u2019s simmering quietly in the background.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Cleveland Browns \u2013 Wide Receiver <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Five top-100 picks, and somehow\u2026 the WR room is still shaky. Jerry Jeudy\u2019s the clear No. 1, but after him? Cedric Tillman and Jamari Thrash are stepping into big roles, and Diontae Johnson\u2019s already on his fifth team in two years. That\u2019s not exactly stability.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Baltimore Ravens \u2013 Defensive Line <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Even the near-perfect Ravens aren\u2019t immune to cracks in the armor. Nnamdi Madubuike is the rock, but depth? Not so much. Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh are back, and second-round pick Mike Green could be a diamond in the rough\u2014but there\u2019s no guarantee this group hits its ceiling.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Pittsburgh Steelers \u2013 Safety <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Minkah Fitzpatrick\u2019s exit stung, and Jalen Ramsey\u2019s arrival didn\u2019t quite balance the scales. The safeties? Thornhill and Elliott are solid, but if Pittsburgh thought Fitzpatrick was a weak link last year, maybe this isn\u2019t as bad as it looks. Still, the offensive line\u2019s injury history and the loss of Dan Moore Jr. could bite them when the lights get bright.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

AFC South: Youth Movement or Gamble Time? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Indianapolis Colts \u2013 Linebacker <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Zaire Franklin led the league in tackles last year, but behind him? A question mark. Jaylon Carlies showed flashes as a rookie, but if he stalls or Franklin goes down, Indy could be scrambling fast.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

They also lost Ryan Kelly and Will Fries up front, and while rookies Dalton Tucker and Tanor Bortolini got their feet wet, the O-line still feels two deep at best.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Jacksonville Jaguars \u2013 Defensive Tackle <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Jags are hoping DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead bounce back\u2014and that Maason Smith builds on Year 1. But right now, it\u2019s a lot of hope and prayer candles lit in the DT room.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Widely, they\u2019ve got talent in Travis Hunter and Brian Thomas Jr., but beyond that? Parker Washington\u2019s redemption arc might be their only shot.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Houston Texans \u2013 Interior Offensive Line <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Texans created their own mess by trading away Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green. They brought in some veterans, but don\u2019t expect miracles. Aireontae Ersery\u2019s their first-round hope, but he\u2019ll need time to grow. For now, it\u2019s replacement-level land in the trenches.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Tennessee Titans \u2013 Wide Receiver <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Cam Ward\u2019s got Calvin Ridley to lean on, but after that? Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett? Yeah, not that Tyler Lockett. The O-line investment should help buy Ward time, but Callahan\u2019s going to have to scheme open a group that doesn\u2019t exactly scream firepower.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
AFC East: Rebuilds, Reloads & Risky Business <\/strong><\/div>\n

Buffalo Bills \u2013 Safety <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Jordan Hancock\u2019s in the mix, but Buffalo\u2019s safety battle between him, Cole Bishop, and Taylor Rapp is wide open. And with Maxwell Hairston in legal limbo, corner might not be far behind.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Miami Dolphins \u2013 Cornerback <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Corner\u2019s been a concern since Day One. Kader Kohou\u2019s locked in the slot, but Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner, Jason Marshall Jr., and Artie Burns? That\u2019s not exactly a shutdown trio. And let\u2019s not forget about Cam Smith. With injuries and depth thin, Miami\u2019s DB room is a ticking clock.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

New York Jets \u2013 Wide Receiver <\/strong><\/h4>\n

After Aaron Rodgers came aboard, the Jets stocked up on receivers\u2026 only to watch them fade away one by one. Now it\u2019s Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Josh Reynolds. That\u2019s solid, sure\u2014but where\u2019s the depth?<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

And don\u2019t forget the defensive tackle spot\u2014Quinnen Williams is elite, but who else?<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

New England Patriots \u2013 Edge Rusher <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Edge rusher and linebacker are neck-and-neck here. Free agents and draft picks have filled the gaps, but the ceiling\u2019s low. As for the WR room? Stefon Diggs has questions, and Mack Hollins and Kendrick Bourne aren\u2019t exactly game-changers.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

AFC West: Star Power and Slight Cracks <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Denver Broncos \u2013 Wide Receiver <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Sean Payton\u2019s magic touch has helped reshape Denver\u2019s roster, but the WR room is young and unproven. There\u2019s upside, but not a ton of names that\u2019ll make opposing DBs flinch. Safety could use a boost too, especially with Talanoa Hufanga\u2019s injury history.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Los Angeles Chargers \u2013 Tight End <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Jim Harbaugh\u2019s defense is stacked, but corners remain a concern. And while Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree are still stars, age waits for no man. Offensively, Harbaugh loves his tight ends stretching the field\u2014and right now, Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly are competing with rookie Oronde Gadsden for that role.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Kansas City Chiefs \u2013 Offensive Guard <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Joe Thuney\u2019s gone, but KC\u2019s added competition at guard with Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons. Kingsley Suamataia\u2019s holding down the fort for now, but more competition wouldn\u2019t hurt. Running back? Not a priority unless they suddenly decide CEH wasn\u2019t the answer.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Las Vegas Raiders \u2013 Linebacker <\/strong><\/h4>\n

LB is the glaring weakness in Vegas, where Germaine Pratt, Elandon Roberts, and Devin White hold down spots that lack youth and upside. Rookie WRs could spark something, but corners, safeties, and DTs are also trouble zones waiting to happen.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
Final Word: Needs Aren\u2019t Just Weaknesses \u2014 They\u2019re Opportunities <\/strong><\/div>\n

Every team has holes. Some are manageable. Others? Potential season-breakers. Whether it\u2019s landing that final edge rusher, fixing the leaky secondary, or finding the next hidden gem, the AFC is a chessboard. And the teams that solve their biggest needs before Week 1 will be the ones raising confetti in February.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Let the games begin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year again\u2014when NFL rosters start looking like chessboards and front offices play 4D chess trying to piece together a championship puzzle. While most blockbuster moves have come and gone, don\u2019t count out the late-game heroics just yet. Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, Za\u2019Darius Smith, Jadeveon Clowney\u2014they\u2019re still on the market, waiting for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions\/20"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfg.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}