Kansas City Chiefs (2016 record: 12-4)
NFL.com's top position needs: CB, LB, RB
The release of Jamaal Charles and Derrick Johnson's second Achilles injury of his career require addressing and they could add another great corner to complement Marcus Peters. On the flip side, the Chiefs wrapped up a few big moves before free agency, signing safety Eric Berry and guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to long-term contracts.
What they said at the Combine:
On re-signing Eric Berry and Duvernay-Tardif: "[Eric Berry is] a very special person. Not only as a football player, but as an individual. I think that when you do a deal of this magnitude, it symbolizes what he is, what he means to the organization and what kind of leader he is within the building. He is a very beloved figure in Kansas City and will be here for a long time." – general manager John Dorsey
Andrew Mason's free agency countdown concludes with a talented crop of safeties. (Associated Press)
Once he got adjusted to the NFL after being a second-round pick out of Florida International, he became more assertive and by last season was one of the league's best safeties against the run.
With Chandler Jones getting the franchise tag, there might not be enough room for the Cardinals to keep Jefferson, who rose from the undrafted ranks in 2013 to being one of the best young run-stopping safeties in the league.
Other teams could offer more money than the Cowboys, and Church told the Dallas Morning News that money is a "big priority" in determining where he will end up. But he also said playing for a contender and playing with a team that gives the safeties a lot of pre-snap responsibility also matters, and the Cowboys can offer that.
From his work as a nickel safety as a rookie on San Diego's last playoff team to his strong last month in 2016, Addae overcame injuries and tumult around him to show solid range in the secondary.
Best known to Broncos fans for an overzealous celebration in a joint practice with the Texans that incited a fight and a concussion-inducing hit on Wes Welker at the end of that week, Swearinger plays to the edge of legal bounds -- and beyond -- but is a fearsome presence in the secondary.
If McDonald and Trumaine Johnson both departed in free agency, the Rams would have little talent left on the back end. But at the same time, McDonald also has some off-field issues; he entered a guilty plea on a charge of reckless driving involving drugs or alcohol last month, and could face a league suspension.
McDougald was quietly ubiquitous in the Bucs' secondary last year, notching 91 tackles and 10 passes defensed. Tampa Bay would be wise to consider re-signing McDougald, because he should come at a reasonable price and has no glaring weaknesses.
No safety had more interceptions last season than Demps, who turns 32 in June but should get a better contract than the one-year, $1.5 million deal he had last year. His age will likely prevent him from being a first-wave signee, but he's had the two best seasons of his career the last two years and can be effective for a while if he stays healthy.
The former Bronco continues to deliver solid play, and ha missed just four games in the past eight seasons, so he's durable. Age (34 next month) is the only negative, but if the Colts don't re-sign him, his steadiness and leadership should ensure he lands somewhere in the second or third wave of free agency.
The Cowboys could retain Wilcox as a lower-cost alternative to Barry Church, but if not, the solid Wilcox should be able to land a starting gig elsewhere.
Perhaps the most versatile defensive back on the market, Hyde can play the slot cornerback, the outside corner and safety. Although he doesn't have the best speed, he anticipates well and is a threat on safety and corner blitzes.
Harmon played well when used, but the question that will linger revolves around whether he can step up to being an every-down safety. Even when he started all three playoff games, he still played just 58 percent of the snaps.
Stafford was solid, but unspectacular, and by the end of the season was a sub-package safety. With plenty of draft possibilities, Tennessee might look there for a partner with second-year safety Kevin Byard.
Terrell held up well for a while in place of Earl Thomas, but the Falcons picked on him in the divisional round, and he was unable to keep pace and react to open targets on the outside. If he can use that game as a leading experience, he still has upside.
A versatile backup, the Chiefs need to retain Sorensen as an insurance policy in case things go astray with Eric Berry as they work towards a long-term deal.
Allen started just seven of the 19 games he played for Oakland the last two seasons, dealing with injuries along the way. The Raiders re-signed him last year after releasing him, but such an outcome seems unlikely this time around.
After starting all 30 regular-season games in which he played during the 2014-15 seasons with Arizona, Johnson started just seven of 14 games in which he suited up with the Titans. Kevin Byard, a Titans' third-round pick last year, supplanted Johnson in the lineup in November, and there doesn't appear to be a place for Johnson in Tennessee going forward.
Poyer had a decent season after stepping in following the departure of Tashaun Gipson and the decision to release Donte Whitner, but with a deep safety class, the Browns might find better quality in a rookie replacement. They might bring him back on a modest contract.
His Pro Bowl days are probably behind him, as he looks to have lost a half-step since his 49ers prime led to a $28 million contract from San Francisco in 2014, but he can still provide leadership and could benefit from better complements in the secondary.
"It's great for your locker room, I'm stating the obvious because he's one of our team leaders and really the heartbeat of that defense and so and we've got some great leaders on our team but Eric's a special guy that way, really he makes people around him better so he's just one of those guys so all of that's a positive so you're getting a great football player and you've got him for a few years which is a positive." – head coach Andy Reid
"[Duvernay-Tardif] is incredibly disciplined and he is very smart to grasp concepts and the football components of it. I think [Chiefs offensive line coach] Andy Heck has done a great job of kind of showing him how to grow and nurture into the position and then when you combine that, he really is an explosive athlete. I know it's probably hard for you to imagine a 320-pound guy being an athlete, but he's pretty good at it." - Dorsey
On releasing Jamaal Charles: "Jamaal's one of my favorite guys that I've had a chance to coach. You know he did everything for us from running inside, you know he's not a very big guy but he's fearless, he ran inside, had the speed outside, world class speed to turn the corner. Had great hands and on top of that he's a great kid and just dirty tough so you hate that situation that whether he decides to play or not, he doesn't need to, he's got a great legacy and he could leave if he stopped playing today. But we all do get older and that's the way the National Football League is so I wish him the best in everything he does, a future Hall of Famer too." - Reid
Oakland Raiders (12-4)
NFL.com's top position needs: LB, CB, RB
The Raiders could invest heavily in their defense this offseason to improve a group that ranked last in yards per play allowed.
What they said at the Combine:
"I think, [general manager] Reggie [McKenzie] and I look at it, look at our roster, know our roster best, know that first and then decide how we want to piece it together — what we can get done in the draft, what we can get done in free agency and put together a plan. That's how we've done in the last couple of years and I imagine we'll do it exactly the same way this year.
"We made a couple changes to the staff this year. We were able to elevate from within on offense and Todd Downing is our new offensive coordinator. Really excited about what Todd brings. The system will remain the same. Some minor tweaks of course, which occur every year. But really feel like he's a great young talent and he's done a great job with our quarterbacks." – head coach Jack Del Rio
Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)
NFL.com's top position needs: OL, DL, DB
On defense, the Chargers could improve around their pass-rushing duo of Melvin Ingram (who just received the franchise tag) and Joey Bosa, shoring up the rushing and passing defense. On offensive line, injuries have often derailed the unit's production over the past few seasons. With new head coach Anthony Lynn, the road-graders up front could get some more help.
What they said at the Combine:
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On Ingram receiving the tag and his future:** "We'll keep working with his representatives on it [a long-term contract]. We know Melvin was a priority with us this offseason — him as a player, the position he plays, what he's done for us. Pass rushers are very important in this league. If we didn't have Melvin Ingram, we'd have a pretty big hole as a pass rusher. It was important to get him back with us. We put the franchise tag on him right now, and we'll continue to talk with him. We still have time until July 15 to work on a long-term deal." – general manager Tom Telesco
"He's a big piece of the puzzle. He's an outstanding pass rusher, but he plays the run well. His stats – I think he had 8.5 sacks or something like that – but when you look at his impact on the game, his quarterback hits, hit pressures, he just did an outstanding job. I love the way he plays the game." – head coach Anthony Lynn
On what the Chargers' offensive philosophy will be: "We're going to take whatever they give us. I want to be balanced. In personnel, in run, in pass, I want to be balanced. If you want to stack the box, we definitely have a quarterback that can throw it. If you want to play coverage, we definitely have a running game. … I want to be balanced. You never know. If I have to throw it 50 times to win, I'll do it. If you have to run it 50 times to win, I'll do that too." - Lynn
