Roster construction is usually top of mind 365 days a year for every NFL front office. But no team is built perfectly.
Ahead of training camp in late July, Yardbarker NFL writers identify the weakest position room on every team in the AFC.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Safety | Buffalo went heavy on defense in the 2025 NFL Draft, drafting defenders with six of nine picks (including three cornerbacks), but it failed to add a safety. That could be a mistake with starters Taylor Rapp (75th) and Damar Hamlin (85th) ranked among the worst at the position by Pro Football Focus.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Secondary | Miami waited until the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft to address its secondary (Florida’s Jason Marshall Jr.), which is somewhat surprising for a team actively trying to trade cornerback Jalen Ramsey after losing safety Jevon Holland to the Jets in free agency. Miami’s pass defense tied the Giants by allowing the eighth-fewest yards per game in 2024 (210.6), but it has big holes to fill.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Wide receiver | No team passed for fewer yards per game (176.1) than New England last season, and new Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs won’t help if he’s not recovered from an ACL tear that ended his 2024 season after eight games. His rehab apparently has gone well, but will the 31-year-old be ready to carry a team that didn’t have a player catch more than three touchdown passes last season?
NEW YORK JETS | Wide receiver | The Jets clearly hope to cash in on the Ohio State connection with new QB Justin Fields and No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson, but aside from the former Buckeye, Fields’ passing options are limited. WR Davante Adams had 854 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches last season, but he signed with the Rams in the offseason, making Allen Lazard New York’s No. 2 receiver. — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | Running back | The Broncos signed J.K. Dobbins (one year, $2.745M) on Wednesday, but the RB is injury-prone. The 2020 second-round pick suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in 2021 and a torn right Achilles tendon in 2023. Denver is also banking on rookie RB RJ Harvey (pick No. 60) to help improve its 17th-ranked rushing attack (112.2 YPG)
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Offensive line |
Despite allowing 41 sacks during the regular season, the Chiefs traded O-lineman Joe Thuney, a two-time first-team All-Pro, to the Chicago Bears in March. They signed offensive tackle Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30M deal in free agency, but he allowed a career-high 10 pressures in 15 games with the San Francisco 49ers last season, per Pro Football Focus.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Secondary | The Raiders ranked 15th in the league in passing yards allowed (216.2) last season and let starting cornerback Nate Hobbs sign a four-year, $48M deal with the Green Bay Packers in free agency. With pick No. 68 in the 2025 NFL Draft, Vegas selected CB Darien Porter, but he had just three interceptions in six seasons with the Iowa State Cyclones.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Tight end | Rookie TE Oronde Gadsden II — a fifth-round pick out of Syracuse — better be a steal for the Chargers. L.A. TE Will Dissly isn’t a threat in the vertical passing game, as he had only 481 receiving yards in 17 regular-season games in 2024. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | Cornerback |
Marlon Humphrey makes a lot of big plays, but Baltimore still needs more depth and another outside corner to round out its defense. With Jaire Alexander (free agent, formerly with Packers) and Miami’s Jalen Ramsey (available via trade), the Ravens have options.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Edge-rusher | Defense has been a problem for the Bengals the past two seasons, and things are looking even bleaker going into 2025. Their best pass-rusher, Trey Hendrickson, is stuck in a contract dispute and may get traded, and first-round pick Shemar Stewart left mandatory minicamp this week because he hasn’t finalized his rookie contract.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | Quarterback | They might have five quarterbacks on their roster, but quantity does not equal quality. There is long-term hope with rookie Shedeur Sanders, but he fell into the fifth round and wasn’t even the team’s first choice at QB in the draft. (Cleveland drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round.)
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Wide receiver | Although the Steelers traded for DK Metcalf this offseason (giving up a second-rounder to Seattle), they find themselves in the same position as last year with a strong No. 1 and significant depth questions behind him. Calvin Austin III is No. 2 on the depth chart, but he’s better suited for a No. 3 role in the slot. — Adam Gretz
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | Offensive line | The Texans traded Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Washington and replaced him with Cam Robinson, which is likely a downgrade. Second-round rookie Aireontae Ersery could push for playing time at either tackle spot, as right tackle Blake Fisher received a terrible Pro Football Focus assessment as a rookie last season. On the interior, Houston has a collection of veteran guards who might be better as backups.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Offensive line | The Colts have a solid pair of tackles in Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith, but the latter battled knee issues last season. Indy could use tackle depth, and it has an even bigger problem on the interior of the offensive line. Four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and starting guard Will Fries signed with the Vikings in free agency, and they will be tough to replace.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Safety | The Jaguars should have a solid cornerback group led by rookie Travis Hunter and a now-healthy Tyson Campbell, but safety is riddled with questions. Free-agent addition Eric Murray is ranked as average at best by Pro Football Focus in most categories, and projected fellow starter Darnell Savage Jr. graded even worse. Jacksonville may struggle to defend the middle of the field this season.
TENNESSEE TITANS | Linebacker | The Titans have revamped their linebacker group, though they lost a lot more than they gained. Cody Barton was a nice free-agent addition (100 or more total tackles the past three seasons with Seattle, Washington and Denver), but Tennessee’s linebacker room has almost no experience outside of him. Another veteran addition this summer feels imperative. — Steve DelVecchio
