As we inch closer to the 2022 NFL Draft, let’s take a spin around the wide receiver position to see which teams have the greatest need. With so much movement this offseason at the position, a variety of new holes have cropped up on depth charts around the league.
With those holes come the opportunities for some rookies to make an immediate impact.
(Click here for the most running back-needy teams)
Huge need
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have DeAndre Hopkins coming back from an injury-ruined 2021 season and last year’s second-round pick, Rondale Moore, at the top of their depth chart. The problem here is there’s not much depth behind them; they lost Christian Kirk to Jacksonville and while A.J. Green was brought back this week…he’s right at the end of his career. Moore had a historically low average depth of target and barely played real wide receiver as a rookie.
The Cardinals play more four-receiver sets than anyone. They need one more true starter candidate.
The Cardinals’ wide receiver depth — outside of DeAndre Hopkins — is near the bottom of the NFL ranks. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have the NFL’s weakest wide receiver depth chart by a country mile. Their current top receivers might be Auden Tate and Damiere Byrd. That’s not what you want. Atlanta has holes all over their roster but with Calvin Ridley suspended for a full season they can’t hope to field a real offense without adding at least one talented rookie to the mix.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are one Darnell Mooney away from having a Falcons-esque depth chart. At least Mooney is a bright spot and made some noise with Justin Fields as a rookie. Still, it’s hard to say if Mooney has the ceiling to be a true No. 1 receiver and while Byron Pringle is at least passable as a No. 2 he’s far from ideal — or even average.
The Bears don’t have a first-round pick but need to hit on a receiver in this draft or Fields is in for a long year.
He’s probably…