2023 NFL Draft: Which team will leave with some new WRs?
Huge need
Atlanta Falcons
Drake London is awesome. He’s going to a true No. 1 wideout in this league and brings so much to the table. He wins downfield in tight coverage and is one of the most underrated underneath separators out there right now. He’s a complete receiver.
As much as I like London, I so strongly dislike the rest of the Atlanta room. Mack Hollins was signed but you saw how limited the Raiders' passing game was with him as the No. 2 receiver last year. The Falcons don’t have anyone after London who can separate and certainly no one who can rip you deep to stretch the defense for the run game. A player of that mold should be a top target in the draft.
Buffalo Bills
I feel a little weird having the Bills this high when they employ one of my favorite elite receivers in Stefon Diggs. However, last year showed the guys around him just weren’t good enough. Gabe Davis is a big-time vertical receiver but doesn’t separate well enough across the route tree to be a legitimate No. 2. He can stay in the rotation but shouldn’t be a 90-target player again. The Bills signed Deonte Harty to give them what they thought they would get from Isaiah McKenzie as a speed slot.
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They also have another guy I like in Khalil Shakir who could be a breakout candidate as a full-time target-earner in the slot.
You can talk yourself into the Bills' receiver corps being fine after Diggs but this is a team with Super Bowl aspirations that ran out of gas with its current build last season. Aim higher than fine. There are a handful of separation-based wide receivers who could go late-Round-1 and could really complete this room as a true WR2.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers signed Adam Thielen and DJ Chark in free agency but they can’t possibly be done at the position. Thielen can be a solid veteran presence but is a declining player and Chark doesn’t separate well enough after myriad injuries the last few years. He overlaps a lot with disappointing 2021 second rounder, Terrace Marshall Jr. Only one is going to see the field. The Panthers still have the 39th overall pick despite trading up to the No. 1 slot to get a quarterback. They should bookmark that pick for a wide receiver to grow with their young, first-overall passer, much like the Bengals did with Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins in 2020.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers make this section annually. Christian Watson was a breakout player to end 2022 but I still have questions about his long-term ceiling. Right now, Watson is a limited route runner who can make big plays but might top out as a Martavis Bryant-type, not a true No. 1 receiver. However, if he develops a little further, he can be that guy. Either way, the rest of the room needs work. Romeo Doubs showed he can be a rotational player as a rookie but I’m not sure if the Packers want to just walk into the season with him as the unquestioned starter across from Watson.
The only other receivers on the roster are Samori Toure, Bo Melton and Jeff Cotton. You don’t want any of those guys as a starting slot receiver. Now that the Packers won’t have Aaron Rodgers — whom they trusted to just figure it out with anyone — they will take a more aggressive approach to stacking the deck with wideouts to make sure Jordan Love works out.
Houston Texans
You can squint at the Texans' room and see a three-receiver set. Nico Collins at X-receiver, Robert Woods at flanker and 2022 Day 2 draft pick John Metchie III at slot. While I still have a lot of hope Collins can be a solid starter at X, Woods was in decline before he tore an ACL with the Rams and Metchie missed his entire rookie year battling cancer. I can see the Texans attacking other areas and hoping the latter two guys work out. But I’d want to insure my receiver room a bit more. Maybe it doesn’t come in Round 1 but a few receivers should hit this roster over Days 2 and 3.
Kansas City Chiefs
It’s pretty tempting to just say the receiver room doesn’t matter in Kansas City because they have Patrick Mahomes, as he just dragged a subpar room to a Super Bowl win. I can buy it but on paper, it looks like they’re about to ask him to work even more magic. The starting three-wide set right now would be Marquez Valdes-Scantling at X and some combination of Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore at slot and flanker. MVS is a competent rotational player but is streaky. Toney is a gadget player who is still a bit of a mess technically and can’t stay healthy. I liked Moore as a Round 2 prospect last year but he never seemed to push for playing time. Maybe the Chiefs and Andy Reid are just supremely confident Moore takes the next step and another sleeper on the roster chips in.
If I’m Kansas City, I’m just taking shots on wide receivers on Day 1 and especially Day 2 of the draft on a near-annual basis. Right now, this is one of the lightest receiver rooms in the league. Mahomes can make it work no matter what but at some point they do have to consider life without Travis Kelce.
New England Patriots
The Patriots signed JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency but he essentially just replaces Jakobi Meyers at the slot position. So, in no way can you argue they are better off at receiver today than they were to end last year; I personally think Meyers is better at this point. Right now, you’d expect DeVante Parker to start at X-receiver and Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne to compete at flanker. That is not good enough. Parker is an average starter at best and Thornton was a mess as a route runner in Year 1. Bourne has struggled to stay in the good graces of the coaching staff. New England will need to roll the dice again at receiver in the NFL Draft, something that’s plagued them throughout Bill Belichick’s stewardship of the team.
New York Giants
The Giants have made a ton of transactions at receiver but it’s still a need. Right now they’re stuffed to the brim with slot receivers who carry injury questions: Sterling Shepard, Wan'Dale Robinson (late-season torn ACL), Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder. One of those guys has to hit and stay healthy, right? The Giants also brought back Darius Slayton for reasonable money and late-season surprise Isaiah Hodgins on an exclusive rights deal but they should still target an outside receiver early in the draft to push one of those guys out of a high target share.
Tennessee Titans
You can argue the Titans have the worst receiver room in the league. Last year’s first-round pick Treylon Burks had flashes but is still figuring out how to play as an outside No. 1 receiver after mostly running Mickey Mouse routes in a weird collegiate role. Outside of Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Chris Conley are back on the roster but … we’ve seen that story before. Their 2022 Day 3 pick, Kyle Philips, has some promise as a short-area slot receiver but we didn’t see him much as a rookie. The Titans need to give this room a full makeover and could basically justify drafting any type of wideout.
Moderate need
Arizona Cardinals
At some point — likely on draft day — DeAndre Hopkins will be moved off this roster. When that happens, the Cardinals will feature the smallest receiver room perhaps in NFL history. Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore would be penciled in as starters. Brown can be a high-volume target but Moore is a gadget player, and the reserve receivers like Greg Dortch and Zach Pascal also profile as interior threats.
Arizona has a laundry list of needs. Once Hopkins is gone, receiver will shoot up the list.
Baltimore Ravens
The entire Ravens offense seems to have a giant “if he can stay healthy” asterisk. That’s certainly true in the receiver room. Health permitting, I love the duo of Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman. The last time we saw Beckham he was quite good, and that’s including some of his Cleveland days, despite his quarterback’s best efforts to thwart him. I remain a huge fan of Bateman’s game and it’s no coincidence that Lamar Jackson’s passing stats started to fall off the moment Bateman began to deal with injuries (Week 4). These two guys can be difference-makers as starting receivers and both are fantastic route runners.
Again, if they can stay healthy.
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I don’t mind Nelson Agholor as your vertical WR3 but he can’t end up being a mainstay starter. So expect Baltimore to continue to stock the receiver cupboard in the draft.
Denver Broncos
Courtland Sutton is an average starting X-receiver and while I still have some faith in Jerry Jeudy’s breakout, you have to admit he’s a mercurial player. Hopefully the days of projecting this duo as one of the league’s best have come and gone. No. 3 receiver KJ Hamler is injured again and while Tim Patrick is back this year, we typically expect receivers to be shy of their best selves in Year 1 off an ACL tear. Patrick is also more of a useful role player than No. 1 wideout, despite the consistent local media hype. I think Sean Payton is going to want to get some of “his guys” in this room.
Detroit Lions
Amon-Ra St. Brown is an emerging star-caliber power slot but this all comes down to Jameson Williams. Is the 2022 first-round burner really ready to be a full-time starter after a near-full-redshirt rookie season? You basically have to just return to your college evaluation of the player, since we saw so little of him last year. Now, after a gambling suspension, we aren't going to see Williams for the first six games of the season. What could have been a promising story is now a small disaster and makes the receiver position a priority. Even if Williams was available and going to hit the ground running, the Lions were likely adding a big-body outside receiver on Day 2. Marvin Jones is on Hole 18 of his career and Josh Reynolds is a nice WR4, but that’s it.
Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman can be a No. 1 receiver for the Colts. He has the fluid movements for his size, separation ability and contested-catch prowess to bring it all together. He’s just operated with woefully incomplete quarterbacks the last two seasons. I also have some hopes for Alec Pierce to emerge as a starting-level X-receiver. He’s a limited player but can win deep and contested. After that, there isn’t much on the roster. The team badly needs a reliable slot receiver and could use some outside players to push Pierce in case he doesn’t work out.
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Los Angeles Rams
I think the Rams receiver room will be better off this year than it was last. Cooper Kupp is back healthy and remains a dominant slot receiver. Van Jefferson has shown real promise in flashes and can play multiple positions. Beyond those two guys, there isn't much in the way of proven bodies after the Allen Robinson trade. Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek are the only other guys who have seen relevant playing time. The Rams need receivers. The problem is, they need many other things right now and they still have Kupp. They might not go crazy adding pass-catchers.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have a lot of names at the receiver position but the game is lacking. Keenan Allen is coming off an injury-plagued season and while he’s still a great route runner, it’s worth wondering if he’s the same No. 1 receiver we knew. Mike Williams is a good vertical No. 2 but he doesn’t separate well enough to be a big-time target hog. Josh Palmer also doesn’t offer much speed or juice in the receiver room and is more of a short-area possession player.
The Chargers need more players who can separate — and they desperately require an injection of speed. This team needs to focus on adding players to outscore Kansas City in their own division. This receiver room as currently constructed isn’t good enough.
Minnesota Vikings
It’s weird to call receiver a “need” when the Vikings have one of the premier players at the position. Justin Jefferson is elite but there are question marks outside of him. The Vikings moved on from Adam Thielen and while he was on the decline, he leaves a huge gap in the target pecking order. K.J. Osborn is a useful player but not a true No. 2 receiver. The rest of the guys on the roster are not players you want to see a ton of snaps on offense. Don’t be surprised if the Vikings use their first-round pick on a complementary wideout to grow alongside Jefferson.
New Orleans Saints
Chris Olave proved himself to be an alpha receiver in Year 1. He’s a fantastic route runner who thrives on deep and intermediate routes. You can run a highly functional passing game through him. The rest of the roster is a little shakier. Michael Thomas is back but his health remains a significant question mark. I think Rashid Shaheed showed promise as a starting speed-slot receiver but the Saints should add some more competition to the room.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers seemingly always take a receiver on Day 2 and they could do it again this year. Diontae Johnson and George Pickens have the makings of a strong duo but Pickens is still a bit of an inconsistent player and there isn’t much depth behind them. If electric 2022 fourth-rounder Calvin Austin has a nice summer, he could end up being the answer at slot receiver. But he missed his entire rookie season, so that’s no given. The Steelers need to add another possible contributor to the mix.
Fine, but could add a body or two
Chicago Bears
The Bears would have been in the “huge need” category if not for getting DJ Moore back in the No. 1 overall pick trade package. A one-two-three of Moore, Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool isn’t elite but it’s no longer a weakness. With Moore, a real No. 1 wideout, in place, everyone has slid back to their natural role. I don’t have a ton of faith in 2022 third-rounder Velus Jones turning into a true starter but he could be useful in a gadget role.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas added Brandin Cooks to the mix and filled their need for a speed flanker receiver to stretch out the defense. CeeDee Lamb is coming off an All-Pro caliber season and can win from every receiver position. He’ll likely man the slot on the majority of his snaps with Michael Gallup operating at the X-receiver spot.
Gallup is the key here. He struggled in his first year off an ACL tear but most receivers do. If he’s back closer to his old form, the Cowboys have a great trio on their hands.
Jacksonville Jaguars
By swinging the trade for Calvin Ridley at the deadline, the Jaguars got themselves a true No. 1 receiver candidate. Now, there is an obvious risk with Ridley, who has been away from football for almost two years. However, the last time we saw him play, there weren’t many superior press- and man coverage-beaters. Christian Kirk turned out to be a tremendous add as a volume-sponge, vertical slot receiver. Zay Jones is a nice No. 3 receiver who had some big moments last year. The Jags could explore adding a big body in the draft but they don’t need a true starter.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is electric and one of the most dangerous speed combos we’ve ever seen. They’re vertical receivers with A+ YAC ability and also happen to be complete route runners. That’s tough for any defense to deal with. Miami added Cedrick Wilson in 2022 free agency and Braxton Berrios this past year. One of those guys can end up being the third receiver.
New York Jets
I found the Jets' receiver room far more interesting prior to them trading Elijah Moore but it’s still a solid group. Garrett Wilson looks like a legitimate superstar type of young talent and could handle 140 to 150 targets in a season. Allen Lazard was brought over in free agency. He’s passable as a No. 2 in a run-heavy offense and brings a rugged style of play at the catch point and in the blocking game. Mecole Hardman is a gadget/slot option.
I can’t quite figure out if Corey Davis is going to be on this roster come Week 1 but the longer he sticks around, the more likely it gets, I suppose. New York could use a little more juice in this equation but no more major tweaks.
Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are one of the true 1A-1B duos in the NFL right now. With strength at tight end and an overall run-heavy philosophy, they’re more than set at the WR position. The problem is depth. They’d be in trouble if there was ever an injury. Quez Watkins sees the field a decent amount but he's a bit over his skies as a true No. 3 receiver and could be upgraded upon.
Philly does view receiver as a premium position. If they spend an early-ish pick on a speed slot receiver, don’t be stunned. But it’s far from a “need.”
Seattle Seahawks
A pretty similar equation to Philly. Seattle has one of the best receiver duos in the league. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are awesome. They just have next to nothing behind them. The Seahawks spent a second-round pick on Dee Eskridge a few years ago but he has not shown much to this point. No one else on the roster has seen much NFL action. I could even see them spending a first-round pick on the position to make a strength stronger but I could just as easily envision them adding a few bodies in the later rounds before calling it a day.
Little to no need
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have a wide receiver trio every team in the league should envy. Ja’Marr Chase is a superstar with no holes in his game. He’s dangerous after the catch, tough at the catch point and is an extremely underrated technical route-runner. Tee Higgins is one of the best X-receivers in the game right now and could be the No. 1 target for a handful of teams in the league. Tyler Boyd is a reliable slot man and a nice third target. You could nitpick and say they ought to explore adding more depth at WR4 or 5 but it wouldn’t require a premium resource.
Cleveland Browns
After trading for Elijah Moore, the Browns boast a strong receiver trio. Moore had a rocky second season but is an uber-talented player who can separate outside and inside while winning at all three levels. Top receiver Amari Cooper had one of the best seasons of his career with the Browns in 2022. Donovan Peoples-Jones is far from flashy but he’s a nice No. 3 receiver. The Browns have a pair of former third-rounders in David Bell and Anthony Schwartz who could be decent depth pieces.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have the best receiver in football on the roster. Davante Adams is a fantastic starting point. They signed Jakobi Meyers in free agency to bring legitimate separation ability to their flanker position. This staff doesn’t appear to be as high on Hunter Renfrow as the group they replaced but he’s still a quality slot receiver. Phillip Dorsett was signed to function as the fourth receiver and bring some speed to the table.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have an awesome pair of wideouts. Deebo Samuel remains one of the most versatile and explosive playmakers in the game, even if he was never going to repeat his wild 2021 per-touch efficiency results. More importantly, real football-knowers are aware that Brandon Aiyuk has fully blossomed into one of the premier wideouts in the league.
He has all the skills of a legitimate No. 1 receiver and is a borderline-elite outside separator. Big slot reserve Jauan Jennings brings a different dimension to the table and is known for clutch catches. The 49ers took speedster Danny Gray on Day 2 of the draft last year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs roster looks different in some key areas but for now, the receiver room is still good. Mike Evans might be heading into the decline phase of his career but is still a solid No. 1 X-receiver. Chris Godwin played better as the year went on in 2022, putting distance between himself and the ACL tear. Russell Gage was constantly banged up in his first season with the Bucs but is a quality No. 3 receiver. The Bucs are fine here unless they trade one of the veterans for minor salary relief.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders have one of the best wide receiver trios in the game. Terry McLaurin is so underrated, a true No. 1 receiver and is capable of both making spectacular catches in tight coverage and dominating as a route runner. Jahan Dotson is rock solid with excellent hands. Curtis Samuel is a versatile slot receiver who can win against man coverage. Even Dyami Brown is not the worst fourth receiver in the world. The Commanders just need to hope their quarterbacks play well enough to show off the talents of this group.
