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For the Packers, it was a painful reminder of their\u00a0biggest defensive weakness<\/a>: cornerback, specifically a true No. 1. Keisean Nixon is currently their top option and was in coverage on Moore\u2019s catch, a low moment in an up-and-down season for the two-time All-Pro.<\/p>\n Inside: The critical offseason needs for playoff and non-playoff teams, and where the latter\u00a0rank in bounce-back potential<\/a>.<\/p>\n This article is from Scoop City, The Athletic\u2019s NFL newsletter. Sign up here<\/a> to receive it directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n Playoff team needs<\/p>\n Our Packers beat reporter Matt Schneidman is skeptical about Green Bay\u2019s Super Bowl chances with Nixon as its top corner, and lists that role in today\u2019s story on the biggest needs for all 32 teams<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n We\u2019ll dig into a few of the non-playoff teams below. Here\u2019s what the 14 playoff team are searching for:<\/p>\n It\u2019s interesting how similar much of that list looked\u00a0last\u00a0offseason, especially for teams like the Bears, Bills, Chargers and Steelers.<\/p>\n But enough about the playoff teams.\u00a0Mike Jones\u00a0ranked the 18 non-playoff teams<\/a>\u00a0based on the likelihood of a rebound in 2026. It feels like the top five are shoo-ins, especially my Bengals. Right?!?<\/p>\n 1. Ravens: First-year coach Jesse Minter inherits a talented roster that underachieved in 2025. Lamar Jackson missed time, sure, but Baltimore was still just 6-7 when he played. Expect Minter to quickly get its defense back to the standards of Mike Macdonald\u2019s 2023 unit, which was the league\u2019s No. 1 scoring defense two years ago. (In Minter\u2019s first year as Chargers DC, they went from 24th in points to first).<\/p>\n 2. Lions: I met with running back Jahmyr Gibbs last week in San Francisco and asked him what needs to change to get Detroit back into the playoffs: \u201cDetails and health\u201d were the crux of his answer, though a revamped offensive line is\u00a0its biggest need<\/a>.<\/p>\n 3. Bengals:\u00a0The path to a Super Bowl for this win-now roster should either be a big swing for a quality pass rusher or an emphasis on quantity. Improving the defense and protecting Joe Burrow, as usual, are the keys to a\u00a0perfect offseason for Cincy<\/a>. I\u2019m not optimistic.<\/p>\n 4. Buccaneers:\u00a0What happened during their Week 9 bye? Tampa Bay was 6-2 prior, with wins over the Seahawks, Texans and 49ers, yet finished 2-7 after the bye. Injuries were a factor, with quarterback Baker Mayfield wearing a sling at one point<\/a>\u00a0while receiver Mike Evans was out until Week 15. Coach Todd Bowles is back, armed with a new offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson, formerly of the Falcons.<\/p>\n 5. Chiefs:\u00a0Patrick Mahomes is expected to be back for Week 1, but that\u2019s not the only fix needed here; the Chiefs (6-11) lost five of their final six games with Mahomes. Their rushing game was non-existent, and they need help along the defensive line and at receiver. Jesse Newell\u2019s\u00a0Chiefs mock draft<\/a>\u00a0has them taking a tackle at No. 9, however, before later addressing those other positions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a tough question:\u00a0Which of those five teams do you think is most likely to be back in the playoffs next season? You can only pick one.\u00a0Make your choice here<\/a>.<\/p>\n As for\u00a0all 32 teams\u2019 needs<\/a>, some will be addressed by this time next month, via free agency. Others will turn to the draft. Let\u2019s go there now.<\/p>\n Draft SZN: Who might help?<\/p>\n We primed you yesterday on\u00a0eight burning offseason questions<\/a>, but after our draft guru Dane Brugler dropped his\u00a0top 100 prospects<\/a>, it\u2019s time to quickly set the table for this draft class.<\/p>\n The 2024 class was defined by its first-round quarterbacks, and 2025 by the uncertainty at No. 2 (and the fall of a famous fifth-round QB). What might we remember about this 2026 class?<\/p>\n Three things\u00a0Dane\u2019s rankings<\/a>\u00a0and notes taught me:<\/p>\n It\u2019s a good year to need a receiver.\u00a0There are 17 in the top 100, most of any position. North Dakota State\u2019s Bryce Lance, younger brother to Chargers backup QB Trey, is an intriguing prospect and the last at his position in the rankings (No. 99). Ohio State\u2019s Carnell Tate is the top-ranked wideout (No. 10).<\/p>\n Pass rusher, too.\u00a0Sixteen edge players are among the top prospects, with Ohio State\u2019s Arvell Reese (so long as he takes that position and not linebacker) as Dane\u2019s top overall guy: \u201cHe falls somewhere between Micah Parsons and Jalon Walker in terms of his pro projection.\u201d High praise.\u00a0Consensus rankings agree<\/a>.<\/p>\n Good news, Packers:\u00a0Plenty of corners.\u00a0Top name to watch is LSU\u2019s Mansoor Delane, the No. 7 prospect. Green Bay is without its first-round pick due to the Micah Parsons deal, but five of the 13 corners in Dane\u2019s top 100 are ranked No. 59 or lower. The Packers\u2019 first pick is No. 58, so they\u2019ll get a shot.<\/p>\n The full list is here<\/a>.\u00a0We\u2019ll be at the combine to see some of them in less than two weeks. Draft season is nearly here.<\/p>\n Extra Points<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfc6\u00a0Victory!\u00a0The Seahawks enjoyed cigars and several kegs of beer during a\u00a0rowdy celebration in Seattle<\/a> for the franchise\u2019s second Super Bowl.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfa4\u00a0Luke Kuechly exclusive.\u00a0Our Panthers beat reporter, Joe Person, spoke with the Hall of Famer about Cam Newton\u2019s candidacy, and the time Kuechly was nervous to approach a kicker.\u00a0Full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcbc Fallout?\u00a0We\u2019re still waiting to see how the NFL responds to Giants co-owner Steve Tisch\u2019s name being mentioned throughout the Epstein files. My colleagues looked\u00a0inside the transactional friendship<\/a>. The league said it will \u201clook at all the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83d\udea8 James Pearce Jr. update.\u00a0WNBA star Rickea Jackson is \u201cwilling to testify<\/a>\u201d against the\u00a0Falcons\u2019 2025 first-round pick. Pearce was arrested Saturday and is facing five felony charges after a domestic dispute with Jackson.<\/p>\n \u25b6\ufe0f Yesterday\u2019s most-clicked:\u00a0What the Vikings can learn from\u00a0how Seattle supported Sam Darnold<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udceb Enjoyed this read? Sign up here<\/a> to receive The Athletic\u2019s free NFL newsletter in your inbox.\u00a0<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/001490df5b584cdf816a620d3261242f-needs2026.jpg\"\/)
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