This is where things get… awkward.
Teams picking ninth through 12th usually don’t expect to be here — and for franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, and Dallas Cowboys, selecting this high signals a season that fell short of expectations.
These aren’t rebuilding rosters (other than the Miami Dolphins).
These are teams with established franchise quarterbacks, strong cores, and playoff aspirations. But something broke — whether it was injuries, defensive regression, cap strain, coaching turnover, or roster imbalance.
That’s what makes this range fascinating.
These front offices aren’t drafting for survival. They’re drafting to recalibrate. The goal isn’t to build a foundation — it’s to fix what prevented a deep playoff run.
And unlike the teams at the very top, these organizations must balance immediate impact with long-term cap sustainability. Extensions are looming. Core players are aging. Windows don’t stay open forever.
In this batch, we break down:
The biggest roster holes for each franchise
Contract situations and future cap implications
Which positions should be prioritized for veterans and rookies
Potential fantasy football implications
These are the teams that don’t want to be here — but could use this draft slot to reload in a big way.
Up next: the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Dallas Cowboys.
Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.
2026 NFL Draft Team Needs & Predictions: Chiefs
2026 Free Agents:
QB: Gardner Minshew
RB: Kareem Hunt, Dameon Pierce, Isiah Pacheco, Keaontay Ingram (RFA)
WR: Marquise Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Nikko Remigio (ERFA)
TE: Travis Kelce, Robert Tonyan Jr.
OL: G Mike Caliendo (RFA)
EDGE: Charles Omenihu, Janarius Robinson
DL: Jerry Tillery, Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel
LB: Jack Cochrane, Leo Chenal, Cole Christiansen (ERFA)
CB: Nazeeh Johnson, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Eric Scott Jr. (ERFA)
S: Bryan Cook, Deon Bush, Mike Edwards
ST: James Winchester, Matt Araiza (ERFA)
2027 Free Agents:
QB: Jake Haener (RFA), Chris Oladokun (ERFA)
RB: ShunDerrick Powell (ERFA)
WR: Rashee Rice, Jason Brownlee (RFA), Andrew Armstrong (ERFA), Jimmy Holiday (ERFA)
TE: Tre Watson (ERFA)
OL: RT Jawaan Taylor, RT Jaylon Moore, LT Wanya Morris, RT Matt Waletzko (RFA), G C.J. Hanson (ERFA), OT Ethan Driskell (RFA), OT Esa Pole (ERFA), OT Chukwuebuka Godrick (ERFA)
EDGE: Michael Danna, Felix Anudike-Uzomah (CLUB), Tyreke Smith (ERFA), Ethan Downs (ERFA)
DL: Zacch Pickens (RFA), Marcus Harris (ERFA)
LB: Drue Tranquill, Kam Arnold (ERFA)
CB: Kristian Fulton, Trent McDuffie, Chamarri Conner, Kevin Knowles (ERFA), Melvin Smith Jr. (ERFA)
S: Tanner McCalister (RFA), Christian Roland-Wallace (RFA)
Team Needs: EDGE, DT, WR, TE, RB, CB, S
KC only has two WRs on the roster who are under contract in 2027 – Jalen Royals and Xavier Worthy.
Rashee Rice continues to put himself in legal trouble and cannot be a trusted long-term asset to KC.
Meanwhile, Travis Kelce needs a new contract should he decide not to retire. He will be entering his age-37 season in 2026.
Both of last year’s starting RBs are also impending free agents.
KC will have to add skill-position players this offseason to help their QB, who is coming off a season-ending torn ACL and LCL injury.
With the ninth overall pick, KC could very much make a splashy fantasy football acquisition.
Or we could see Bradshard Smith’s ADP literally go to the moon.
The team has already replaced offensive coordinator Matt Nagy with a familiar face in Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy has spent time with the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders over the last several seasons, so he has some connections to veteran RBs like D’Andre Swift and Brian Robinson Jr.
DeMarco Murray was hired as the new RBs coach (spent the last five years at his alma mater, Oklahoma, as the RBs coach).
RBs he coached over that span include Kentucky’s Seth McGowan, veteran Eric Gray, and Oklahoma’s Jaydn Ott. Obviously, he can provide insight on some of these former Sooner RBs (especially the incoming rookies).
Murray was seemingly a big fan of McGowan early on in the RB’s college career before he got dismissed from the OU program for committing a felony (larceny).
Offensive line also remains a priority given how things unraveled for this unit in 2025 (injuries). The personnel remain intact from last year…but solving the RT spot long-term needs to be addressed.
Tackles Jawaan Taylor and Jaylon Moore will be FAs in 2027. Taylor might just be cut outright as the Chiefs look to get under the salary cap. Taylor has been penalized 56 times since joining KC in 2023. Woof.
Defensively, KC is rumored to be in the market for a big-bodied pass rusher. According to Arrowhead Pride, the DL struggled in 2025 in both pass rush and run defense. Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter the Chiefs were interested in acquiring Seahawks free agent Boye Mafe before the 2025 trade deadline.
Expect multiple defensive line bodies to come to KC this offseason.
I should note that KC will already be in a better position than last year with defensive linemen such as Omarr Norma-Lott and Felix Anudike-Uzomah returning from injuries.
The secondary also needs help (but this is the perfect draft to need defensive backs). Jaylen Watson is a free agent. Trent McDuffie is in the final year of his rookie contract (playing on the fifth-year option).
Starting safety Bryan Cook is also a free agent.
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