National Football League

Five teams that must 'win the draft' this weekend

Published Apr. 27, 2023 9:09 a.m. ET

The NFL Draft allows every team to close the gap on or surpass its competition. With a few shrewd moves, teams can improve their odds of winning each week by acquiring blue-chip talents with big-play potential at a few marquee spots. Although it is challenging to identify, acquire and develop elite players, the team builders who can "win the draft" routinely play in the postseason tournament each season.

With the goal of building an eventual playoff contender in mind, here are five teams that must knock it out of the park on draft weekend:

Houston Texans

GM Nick Cesario and new coach DeMeco Ryans have a chance to rebuild the Texans from the ground up. The duo could select a quarterback of the future with the No. 2 overall pick or completely restock the talent on the roster before dropping in a premier QB1 down the road. While bypassing a quarterback at No. 2 would draw the ire of Texans' fans and draft experts worldwide, the team needs more blue-chip talent to compete in an AFC loaded with elite quarterbacks and playmakers.

Ryans can close the gap on the competition if he can recreate the disruptive and destructive defenses that he directed in San Francisco, but he needs some "dawgs" at the line of scrimmage to get the job done. Whether it is a premier pass rusher on the edges or a dominant interior defender at the point of attack, the Texans must walk away from the 2023 draft with some foundational pieces on the defensive front.

If Cesario and Ryan can fix the defense while acquiring a franchise quarterback to develop in a QB-friendly scheme, the Texans can begin their climb back to respectability in the AFC.

Indianapolis Colts

After attempting to solve their QB1 woes with a succession of veterans in the twilight of their careers, the Colts are poised to usher in a new era with a young franchise quarterback at the helm. Holding the No. 4 overall pick in a draft loaded with intriguing quarterback class, the Colts can give new head coach Shane Steichen the dynamic QB he prefers to direct his system.

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Although the quarterback selection will dominate the headlines, the follow-up picks could significantly impact the team's success in 2023 and beyond. With glaring needs at wide receiver and offensive tackle, the Colts must hit on the pass catchers and pass protectors to maximize their investment in a new quarterback. Though Steichen can come up with a creative scheme that moves around the X's and O's, the Jimmies and Joes will ultimately determine if the Colts can rejoin the ranks of playoff contenders.

Chicago Bears

General manager Ryan Poles traded down from the No. 1 spot to acquire a ton of draft assets, but now he must transform those picks into blue-chip players. As the team commits to building around Justin Fields, the Bears must secure a franchise tackle as part of an offensive line makeover that will help their QB1 flourish as an electric dual-threat playmaker.

Defensively, the Bears need a couple of disruptive frontline defenders (inside and outside pass rushers) to help Matt Eberflus bring his scheme to life.

If the Bears fail to add multiple blue-chip players to the roster in this draft with 10 total picks, including four within the draft's first 64 selections, the team would have wasted some of the valuable draft capital acquired in the blockbuster trade for the rights to the No. 1 overall pick.

Green Bay Packers

After trading away a four-time MVP quarterback, the Packers need to kick off the Jordan Love era with a successful draft that produces several starters and key contributors. While the Packers have generally avoided drafting a pass catcher in the first round, upgrading the firepower around the team's new QB1 could prompt general manager Brian Gutekunst to add a tight end or wide receiver to the lineup with a top pick. In addition, the Packers could address a leaky offensive line that could spearhead a makeover that results in a more balanced offense under Love's direction.

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With the defense needing a few reinforcements on the edges (designated pass rusher) and in the deep middle (safety) to reemerge as an elite unit, the pressure is on the Packers to pull in an A-plus draft class and remain in play as a perennial playoff contender.

Detroit Lions

Dan Campbell has this team believing in its ability to emerge as a Super Bowl contender, but the Lions need a few more blue-chip pieces to complete their championship puzzle. With a pair of first-round picks, the Lions must cash their lottery tickets for a couple of blue-chip players with All-Pro-caliber potential at marquee spots. Whether the team elects to utilize a pick on an interior pass rusher, lock-down corner or future franchise quarterback, the Lions must come away with a pair of blue-chippers to separate from the pack of aspiring playoff contenders in the NFC.

If the Lions seize their opportunity over draft weekend, this scrappy, feel-good squad could quickly join the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles as frontrunners in the NFC title chase.

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself" and also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.

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