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    Andrew Erickson | Thu, Feb 26th 2026, 8:56am EST

NFL Team Needs: Bears, Bills, 49ers, Texans (2026)

This is the sharp end of Round 1.

Picks 25 through 28 belong to teams that won double-digit games and fully expect to be playing deep into January again. The Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans aren’t looking for identity — they have one. They’re looking for reinforcement.

At this stage of the draft, the conversation shifts.

It’s no longer about fixing glaring weaknesses. It’s about strengthening pressure points before they become problems. Depth in the trenches. Secondary insurance. A rotational pass rusher. A long-term successor at a premium position.

For teams this good, the margins are razor-thin.

A missed tackle in the Divisional Round. A protection breakdown in the fourth quarter. A lack of depth when injuries inevitably strike. That’s often the difference between hosting a conference championship and watching it from home.

Late-first selections can also be strategic:

  • Planning ahead for looming contract extensions
  • Replacing aging veterans a year early
  • Adding cost-controlled impact talent to balance a top-heavy cap sheet

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 are already good.

The goal now? Stay that way — and get better.

Up next: Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Texans.

Salary cap contract information provided by Spotrac.

Pick 25: Chicago Bears

2026 Free Agents:

2027 Free Agents:

Team Needs: S, DT, EDGE, LB, CB, OT

The Bears have done an excellent job surrounding their young QB, Caleb Williams, with a top-shelf offensive line and play-making receivers. Luther Burden and Colston Loveland both showed out in the second halves of their rookie seasons, and that growth is expected to continue into Year 2 under HC Ben Johnson.

Burden finished the season (combined regular and postseason) 7th in yards per route run (2.34).

Loveland finished the regular season top-5 among TEs in PFF receiving grade and yards per route run (1.97). From Week 7 onward…the Bears TE ranked top-5 in targets, catches and yards (26% target rate and TE4 in PPG at 11.1). Only Trey McBride had more receiving yards per game (61/game) compared to the Bears’ TE.

The former Michigan product also went NUCLEAR in the first round of the playoffs: Loveland recorded 8 receptions for 137 yards on 15 targets against the Packers, with the majority of his production coming when he created separation. Loveland generated 111 yards on 6 receptions (10 targets) when wide open (3+ yards of separation), while adding 94 yards on 4 receptions (6 targets) on vertical routes. The rookie tight end particularly excelled against zone coverage, where he hauled in all 8 of his receptions for 137 yards on 13 targets via Next Gen Stats.

Cole Kmet also has an out in his contract, so the team could move on from him to shift MORE focus toward Loveland. The Bears’ offense did so over the team’s last four games when Loveland commanded a whopping 28.5% target share (nearly 12 targets per game).

However, the Bears love to use two-TE sets… so I don’t think they’ll dump Kmet given the value he adds to the offense.

The Bears’ offense used 12 personnel on 32.5% of their offensive snaps this season, the 7th-highest rate in the league, including a season-high 57.7% in Week 18 against the Lions.

In 12 personnel this season, they averaged 5.6 yards per play (8th-most in NFL) and a 45.5% success rate (8th-highest).

Now, WR could become a need if the team trades DJ Moore. Veteran Olamide Zaccheaus is also a free agent.

Moore could have several trade suitors because of how long he has been in the NFL (2018). Could reunite with Joe Brady in Buffalo (overlapped in Carolina). Per the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, Bills GM Brandon Beane has a history of making trades with Bears general manager Ryan Poles.

Worth noting that Bears backup QB, Tyson Bagent, could be on the move to a QB-desperate team this offseason. Could he be a potential backup to Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons? A move to Atlanta would reunite him with GM Ian Cunningham.

On the offensive line, the starters from last year will all return. And looking ahead to 2027, OT Darnell Wright is the only one who needs a new deal, but the Bears have the fifth-year option. Offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo is also expected to miss most of next season, so there is a need for tackle depth. Theo Benedet is an ERFA.

D’Andre Swift has been rumored to be a trade/cut candidate entering the last year of his deal. The Bears found something in 7th-rounder, Kyle Monangai, but he is best deployed as part of a tandem. Monangai finished sixth overall in rushing success rate (also had zero fumbles) in his first season. Finished RB29 overall and as the RB30 in PPG.

The Bears definitely need to address their defense more than their offense if they want to repeat as NFC North Champions. Odds are they won’t have the same defensive turnover luck two years in a row. They finished 29th in yards allowed (29th in yards per carry allowed) and 31st in pass-rush win rate (ESPN).

Three of their starting safeties are FAs.

More linebacker depth is advised after they were defeated by injuries in 2025. Tremaine Edmunds has a clear out in his contract, according to The Athletic.

I think they would benefit from another run-stuffer and edge rusher. DL Gervon Dexter is entering the last year of his contract.

Note that the Bears will get back edge defender Dayo Odeyingbo (torn Achilles) and second-year defensive interior Shemar Turner (torn ACL) back from season-ending injuries.

Perimeter CB Nashon Wright is also an FA. CB Tyrique Stevenson will be in the last year of his contract.

Poles wants to go BPA with the 25th overall pick. Also mentioned wanting to enhance the defense’s speed. Ben Johnson emphasized a need for more pass rush, according to Eli Ong.

Pick 26: Buffalo Bills

2026 Free Agents:

2027 Free Agents:

Team Needs: WR, EDGE C, OG, DT, S, LB

Say it with me. Free agent WR Mike Evans signs with the Buffalo Bills to win his second Super Bowl. The team desperately needs to add more juice at WR. They are in win-now mode with Josh Allen still in his prime.

Remember this team “tried” to land Jaylen Waddle before the 2026 trade deadline. The Bills offered their 2027 first-round pick as part of a trade package for Jaylen Waddle.

Buffalo needs to target a WR that can stretch the field and work the boundary/intermediate levels of the field. As I mentioned in the Bears’ team needs section…DJ Moore to Buffalo makes a lot of sense.

We shall see if the team even keeps Keon Coleman (with the latest discourse supporting the WR entering his third season from both the GM and new HC). If he remains on the roster…it’s a low bar for him to make an impact. Think Quentin Johnston in Year 3. Coaches expressed a lot of confidence in him during the offseason, and he delivered well above low expectations.

Tight end Dalton Kincaid has not been reliable with his health despite being productive when on the field.

Kincaid’s third season was plagued by more injuries, as he reportedly played through another torn PCL (for the second year in a row). But the Bills TE remained super-efficient despite limited usage/playing time (46% route participation and just three games with a snap share above 50%). He caught 80% of his passes for 682 yards and a career-high 7 TDs as the TE8 in fantasy PPG (9.6). His 2.7 YPRR led all TEs and ranked third among all receivers. His 27% target rate per route run also ranked first among TEs. If Kincaid can get healthy in 2026, he could leap into elite fantasy TE territory at a fraction of the cost. Dawson Knox might be cut to save money against the salary cap (or his contract needs restructuring), which could help boost Kincaid’s routes/snaps.

Furthermore, on offense, two of their starting interior offensive linemen are hitting free agency. OG O’Cyrus Torrence is in the last year of his rookie contract.

The biggest defensive need for the Bills every year always seems to be their run defense.

Getting a healthy Ed Oliver back will be a major boost. But many of last year’s DL free agent signings were major flops.

More EDGE presence will be needed if they don’t bring back either Joey Bosa or A.J. Epenesa. They are excited about some guys returning healthy in 2026, but how effective they will be after their injuries remains a big question mark.

Also, I cannot overstate the major coaching change on the defense under the new coordinator, Jim Leonhard. Leonhard was formerly the defensive pass game coordinator for the Broncos (2024-2025).

Before coaching at Mile High, he was at Illinois (senior football analyst) and Wisconsin. Coached outside linebacker and 2026 NFL draft prospect, Gabe Jacas. Potential first-round pick at edge. The Bills’ new DL coach was also at Illinois.

The Bills’ new CB coach was at Oklahoma (2022-2025). There’s a surplus of former Sooners in this year’s draft, including EDGE R Mason Thomas, DI Grace Halton, and WR Deion Burks.

The new Bills OLBs coach spent the last 3 years at Stanford. Overlapped with projected top-10 pick, David Bailey, before he transferred to Texas Tech in 2025.

Pick 27: San Francisco 49ers

2026 Free Agents:

2027 Free Agents:

Team Needs: EDGE, WR, OT, OG, TE, S

Hate to beat a dead horse, but the San Francisco 49ers just need to be healthier in 2026. We all saw the defense get devastated by injuries in 2025.

EDGE Nick Bosa (expected to return by training camp), LB Fred Warner (almost returned for playoffs), LB Tatum Bethune, DE Mykel Williams (ACL), and DT Alfred Collins (shoulder) will all return. They also want to bring back LB Eric Kendricks to pair with Warner.

But given the state of the defense relying on so many players coming off injuries (and the loss of DC Robert Saleh), the 49ers can’t risk not bolstering defensive depth across the front seven.

The pass rush last season was particularly putrid: 30th in pressure rate and 32nd in sacks.

GM John Lynch wants to “smartly add” edge rushers through FA and the draft. Maxx Crosby coming to town?

They also might need another safety. S/CB Jason Pinnock is a free agent. Ji’Ayir Brown will be a free agent in 2027.

Raheem Morris’s addition as defensive coordinator probably won’t alter the 49ers’ free-agency and draft plans (though perhaps the archetype defenders they select). Point blank, this team loves to add to their defensive trenches. The former Falcons HC traded up for a pass rusher in the first-round of last year’s draft.

Worth noting that the 49ers also brought in former Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to their front office.

Buy (tentatively) Ricky Pearsall. The 49ers WR was constantly injured in 2025. But he posted four games with 85-plus receiving yards. He also led the 49ers in receiving yards per game (59/game). And there is an immense opportunity for Pearsall in the 49ers’ new-look passing offense.

Jauan Jennings is a free agent, and it’s unclear whether he will return. Brandon Aiyuk is not coming back. They like Jacob Cowing, but he’s not proven and is returning from injury. Tight George Kittle is coming off a torn Achilles. Demarcus Robinson is another cut candidate.

“If” the third-year WR can stay healthy, Slick Rick could be a major piece of winning fantasy football rosters in 2026 as the potential 49ers WR1. Just need to get this man out of the tub.

That being said, he will face additionally compeition, potentially in the form of a rookie WR. Reports have surfaced that the Niners will be ‘aggressive” going after a WR in the draft. Makes sense given their current need for the position.

The team expects Kittle to return next season, even after he tore his Achilles tendon. Still, he’s not getting any younger (33 in October), so it would be wise for the Niners to search for his future replacement unless Jake Tonges (RFA) is the guy they believe can take the TE1 reins.

On the offensive line, the 49ers might have reached a stand-off with OT Trent Williams. The future HOFer will be 38 years old in 2026. Obviously, if the two sides can’t agree, the Niners will have a gaping hole at left tackle. Regardless of whether he returns in 2026 (last year of his deal), SF should be prioritizing finding his future replacement.

They have a bunch of offensive line holes on the center to the left side, including last year’s starting left guard. Center Jake Brendel will be a FA in 2027.

I don’t need to get super deep into the Christian McCaffrey 2025 workload concerns as we project him for 2026. But….

In the last 13 years, only one RB was a top-5 fantasy RB following a 400-plus touch season.

But needless to say, he is very much in danger of missing time next year after seizing 450 touches as the last man standing in the Bay Area. He will turn 30 years old this year. Brian Robinson is a free agent, and the team is excited about second-year RB Jordan James (S/O @Coachspeakindex).

Pick 28: Houston Texans

2026 Free Agents:

2027 Free Agents:

Team Needs: RB, OL, DT, EDGE, LB

Similar to the Chargers...we all know what the Houston Texans need to do this offseason. Improve the offensive line. Ripping it down to the studs last year did not result in positive results, specifically from a run-blocking perspective.

However, the pass-blocking wasn’t too bad, depending on the source. Per PFF, Houston’s offensive line gave up 156 pressures, including 17 sacks, on 644 pass plays. As a result, the group posted an 86.6 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating, which ranked fifth in the NFL this season.

However, the “effectiveness” of the Texans’ blocking is subject to debate based on the source. According to ESPN, the O-line was tied with the Lions’ for the NFL’s second-worst pass block win rate (55.5%).

GM Nick Caserio said at his opening NFL Combine Presser that “as it pertains to the offensive line, honestly, it’s probably one of the best years we’ve had since I’ve been here… Maybe I was watching different film.”

I’m in the camp that it wasn’t a great offensive line (especially in the postseason).

Caserio also mentioned being high on Jaylin Noel in Year 2 (don’t sell the stock quite yet!). Tank Dell will also return for the start of the offseason program.

But last year’s starting right side of the line is hitting free agency (Trent Brown only played 8 games). Two more starters will hit FA in 2027. Nearly every offensive line piece is in play this offseason. Upgrade the interior offensive line to help the run game in 2026.

RB needs to upgrade badly (specifically in creating explosive plays). The team is expected to part ways with Joe Mixon. Nick Chubb is a free agent. And Woody Marks? I’m not sold he is a feature back after the Texans took him in the fourth round of last season.

Marks was one of the least efficient RBs in football as a rookie. Bottom-10 in YPC (3.63), success rate, explosive runs, EPA per rush. Last among RBs in missed tackles forced per attempt. Worst RB in fantasy points vs expectation in 2025. And he was constantly leaving games with injury scares.

The second-year back looks like a placeholder back, not someone teams will hesitate to replace.

The Texans boasted one of, if not the best, defenses in the NFL in 2025. So it’s hard to fill too many non-existent holes. I’d say DT is an area they could use more juice.

They suffered some injuries to their defensive interior in 2025 (Mario Edwards, Tim Settle) that made them vulnerable against the run as the season progressed. Sheldon Rankins is also a free agent.

EDGE/LB aren’t glaring 2026 needs, but they might be in 2027, given the current structure of the roster/contracts. A depth EDGE signing would also make some sense with some guys leaving in free agency who are behind Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter on the depth chart.

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