Team-by-team AFC needs

The 2012 NFL draft is just 15 days away. Here's a look at the top three need positions for each team in the American Football Conference:

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Offensive tackle: Buffalo has one of the league's poorest tackle situations with 2011 fourth-round pick Chris Hairston currently ticketed for Ryan Fitzpatrick's blind side, and journeyman Erik Pears on the right. Riley Reiff of Iowa would be a no-brainer pick for Buffalo if he fell to No. 10 overall.

Quarterback: The Bills aren't ready to turn the page despite back-to-back maddeningly slow finishes by Fitzpatrick, but they do need to start thinking about long-term stability at the most important position in sports. Fitzpatrick is owed $7.25 million in salary and bonuses next year.

Wide receiver: Re-signing Stevie Johnson was the Bills' first offseason priority, and they executed with a reasonable five-year, $36 million deal a week before the start of free agency. The Bills still need a field stretcher capable of taking the top off a defense and opening things up underneath.

Miami Dolphins

Quarterback: Matt Moore and David Garrard are passable backup types, but the Fins have lacked a franchise-caliber signal caller since Dan Marino retired. As the fan base becomes increasingly restless, GM Jeff Ireland must deliver a quality quarterback. His job may hang in the balance.

Defensive end: Transitioning from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense under new coordinator Kevin Coyle, the Dolphins need an edge rusher to book end Cameron Wake. If Miami can't get or doesn't want Ryan Tannehill at No. 8, North Carolina's Quinton Coples would be a logical fallback option.

Wide receiver: Brian Hartline, Davone Bess, and Clyde Gates would be the Dolphins' top three receivers if the season began today. Wideout-rich free agency has dried up, leaving Miami with only the draft and a tenuous trade market to upgrade the AFC's poorest pass-catching corps.

New England Patriots

Defensive end: Over the last 16 seasons, the Patriots have had just four defenders tally double-digit sacks. Andre Carter (2011) is a free agent, Mark Anderson (2011) has moved on to Buffalo, Tully Banta-Cain (2009) is out of the league, and Mike Vrabel (2007) is now a college coach.

Safety: New England signed Steve Gregory to a three-year, $7 million deal early in free agency, but he's always been best suited for a nickel safety and special teams role. A playmaking centerfield type would be a welcomed addition across from natural strong safety Pat Chung.

Running back: BenJarvus Green-Ellis wasn't a back-breaking loss after the Pats used second- and third-round picks on Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley in last year's draft. Vereen struggled to get on the field as a rookie, however, and Ridley's ball-security woes are a stumbling block. The Patriots will add competition to the backfield, possibly via trade or in the draft's middle rounds.

New York Jets

Running back: The Jets plan to be among the league's run-heaviest teams under new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, but they don't have a back capable of reaching the perimeter. Shonn Greene is an ordinary talent, showing last year that he's far from the "bellcow" the club envisioned.

Outside linebacker: Calvin Pace is a solid starter, and Aaron Maybin flashed in nickel packages last season. But Rex Ryan lacks a Terrell Suggs-type, every-down edge rusher that would solidify his defense. Don't be surprised if New York trades up to draft South Carolina's Melvin Ingram.

Wide receiver: The Jets would feel a lot better about this position had Santonio Holmes not played poorly last season before throwing his quarterback under the bus. Chaz Schilens was signed in free agency, but has a checkered injury history and can't be relied upon as a starting NFL wideout.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Wide receiver: Baltimore believes it found a long-term keeper in 2011 second-round pick Torrey Smith, but Anquan Boldin is entering his age-32 season and there is little to no depth behind the starters. LSU's Rueben Randle would be an intriguing possibility with the 29th overall selection.

Guard: The Ravens lost left guard Ben Grubbs in free agency, and they can't be comfortable with leading in-house candidate Jah Reid, a college tackle who stands 6-foot-7. With center Matt Birk going on age 36, Baltimore will almost certainly use an early-round pick on an interior lineman.

Running back: Ray Rice is sporting an unsigned franchise tag, and the Ravens could create leverage in contract talks by adding a middle-round rookie back. At the very least, Baltimore must find insurance at the position. Rice already has 1,345 career touches, including playoff workloads.

Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive back: Cornerback was already a position of need in Cincy, and strong safety became one when the Bengals released Chris Crocker last week. Expect at least one, if not both of the Bengals' first-round picks to be used on secondary help. Corner is the slightly bigger priority.

Wide receiver: Jordan Shipley is returning from a torn ACL, but he's a slot receiver only and the Bengals need another perimeter player to attract defensive attention away from A.J. Green's side. Baylor's Kendall Wright could be awfully tempting if he slips to the Bengals' choice at 21st overall.

Guard: The Bengals' right guard spot is vacant as incumbent Bobby Williams remains unsigned in free agency. Clint Boling is an in-house option, but was benched quickly last season after starting Week 1. Some pre-draft buzz has connected Cincinnati to Stanford's David DeCastro.

Cleveland Browns

Quarterback: Colt McCoy has impressive intangibles, but his physical skill set falls well short of starting-caliber. Because they play home games outdoors in northern Ohio, the Browns' quarterback must possess above-average arm power. Look for Cleveland to use either the 22nd or 37th selection on a signal caller. Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden is a strong possibility.

Running back: The Browns made little or no attempt to re-sign Peyton Hillis, and 2010 second-rounder Montario Hardesty may not be long for the league. Alabama running back Trent Richardson has emerged as the heavy favorite to be Cleveland's selection at No. 4 overall.

Wide receiver: Greg Little showed some flashes in the slot during his rookie year, but the Browns lack outside receivers capable of drawing double teams and making plays downfield. The needs in Cleveland don't end here. They need a right tackle and another pass rusher, as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Offensive line: Ben Roethlisberger tends to mask many deficiencies, but it's no secret that the Steelers' front five struggles in pass protection. Ideally, Pittsburgh would land a long-term left tackle in the draft, allowing Marcus Gilbert to stay at right tackle and Willie Colon to play guard.

Defensive tackle: Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton is entering the last year of his contract at age 35 while returning from a torn ACL. He's no lock to avoid the PUP list. The Steelers prefer immovable run pluggers on the nose as opposed to gap shooters, and those don't grow on trees.

Running back: The Steelers aren't counting on Rashard Mendenhall (torn ACL) to be ready for Week 1, and Isaac Redman is only a stopgap solution. At the very least, Pittsburgh must find a complementary back in the draft. They've shown interest in Cincinnati speedster Isaiah Pead.

The 2012 NFL draft is just 15 days away. Here's a look at the top three need positions for each team in the American Football Conference:

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Offensive tackle: Buffalo has one of the league's poorest tackle situations with 2011 fourth-round pick Chris Hairston currently ticketed for Ryan Fitzpatrick's blind side, and journeyman Erik Pears on the right. Riley Reiff of Iowa would be a no-brainer pick for Buffalo if he fell to No. 10 overall.

Quarterback: The Bills aren't ready to turn the page despite back-to-back maddeningly slow finishes by Fitzpatrick, but they do need to start thinking about long-term stability at the most important position in sports. Fitzpatrick is owed $7.25 million in salary and bonuses next year.

Wide receiver: Re-signing Stevie Johnson was the Bills' first offseason priority, and they executed with a reasonable five-year, $36 million deal a week before the start of free agency. The Bills still need a field stretcher capable of taking the top off a defense and opening things up underneath.

Miami Dolphins

Quarterback: Matt Moore and David Garrard are passable backup types, but the Fins have lacked a franchise-caliber signal caller since Dan Marino retired. As the fan base becomes increasingly restless, GM Jeff Ireland must deliver a quality quarterback. His job may hang in the balance.

Defensive end: Transitioning from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense under new coordinator Kevin Coyle, the Dolphins need an edge rusher to book end Cameron Wake. If Miami can't get or doesn't want Ryan Tannehill at No. 8, North Carolina's Quinton Coples would be a logical fallback option.

Wide receiver: Brian Hartline, Davone Bess, and Clyde Gates would be the Dolphins' top three receivers if the season began today. Wideout-rich free agency has dried up, leaving Miami with only the draft and a tenuous trade market to upgrade the AFC's poorest pass-catching corps.

New England Patriots

Defensive end: Over the last 16 seasons, the Patriots have had just four defenders tally double-digit sacks. Andre Carter (2011) is a free agent, Mark Anderson (2011) has moved on to Buffalo, Tully Banta-Cain (2009) is out of the league, and Mike Vrabel (2007) is now a college coach.

Safety: New England signed Steve Gregory to a three-year, $7 million deal early in free agency, but he's always been best suited for a nickel safety and special teams role. A playmaking centerfield type would be a welcomed addition across from natural strong safety Pat Chung.

Running back: BenJarvus Green-Ellis wasn't a back-breaking loss after the Pats used second- and third-round picks on Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley in last year's draft. Vereen struggled to get on the field as a rookie, however, and Ridley's ball-security woes are a stumbling block. The Patriots will add competition to the backfield, possibly via trade or in the draft's middle rounds.

New York Jets

Running back: The Jets plan to be among the league's run-heaviest teams under new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, but they don't have a back capable of reaching the perimeter. Shonn Greene is an ordinary talent, showing last year that he's far from the "bellcow" the club envisioned.

Outside linebacker: Calvin Pace is a solid starter, and Aaron Maybin flashed in nickel packages last season. But Rex Ryan lacks a Terrell Suggs-type, every-down edge rusher that would solidify his defense. Don't be surprised if New York trades up to draft South Carolina's Melvin Ingram.

Wide receiver: The Jets would feel a lot better about this position had Santonio Holmes not played poorly last season before throwing his quarterback under the bus. Chaz Schilens was signed in free agency, but has a checkered injury history and can't be relied upon as a starting NFL wideout.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Wide receiver: Baltimore believes it found a long-term keeper in 2011 second-round pick Torrey Smith, but Anquan Boldin is entering his age-32 season and there is little to no depth behind the starters. LSU's Rueben Randle would be an intriguing possibility with the 29th overall selection.

Guard: The Ravens lost left guard Ben Grubbs in free agency, and they can't be comfortable with leading in-house candidate Jah Reid, a college tackle who stands 6-foot-7. With center Matt Birk going on age 36, Baltimore will almost certainly use an early-round pick on an interior lineman.

Running back: Ray Rice is sporting an unsigned franchise tag, and the Ravens could create leverage in contract talks by adding a middle-round rookie back. At the very least, Baltimore must find insurance at the position. Rice already has 1,345 career touches, including playoff workloads.

Cincinnati Bengals

Defensive back: Cornerback was already a position of need in Cincy, and strong safety became one when the Bengals released Chris Crocker last week. Expect at least one, if not both of the Bengals' first-round picks to be used on secondary help. Corner is the slightly bigger priority.

Wide receiver: Jordan Shipley is returning from a torn ACL, but he's a slot receiver only and the Bengals need another perimeter player to attract defensive attention away from A.J. Green's side. Baylor's Kendall Wright could be awfully tempting if he slips to the Bengals' choice at 21st overall.

Guard: The Bengals' right guard spot is vacant as incumbent Bobby Williams remains unsigned in free agency. Clint Boling is an in-house option, but was benched quickly last season after starting Week 1. Some pre-draft buzz has connected Cincinnati to Stanford's David DeCastro.

Cleveland Browns

Quarterback: Colt McCoy has impressive intangibles, but his physical skill set falls well short of starting-caliber. Because they play home games outdoors in northern Ohio, the Browns' quarterback must possess above-average arm power. Look for Cleveland to use either the 22nd or 37th selection on a signal caller. Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden is a strong possibility.

Running back: The Browns made little or no attempt to re-sign Peyton Hillis, and 2010 second-rounder Montario Hardesty may not be long for the league. Alabama running back Trent Richardson has emerged as the heavy favorite to be Cleveland's selection at No. 4 overall.

Wide receiver: Greg Little showed some flashes in the slot during his rookie year, but the Browns lack outside receivers capable of drawing double teams and making plays downfield. The needs in Cleveland don't end here. They need a right tackle and another pass rusher, as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Offensive line: Ben Roethlisberger tends to mask many deficiencies, but it's no secret that the Steelers' front five struggles in pass protection. Ideally, Pittsburgh would land a long-term left tackle in the draft, allowing Marcus Gilbert to stay at right tackle and Willie Colon to play guard.

Defensive tackle: Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton is entering the last year of his contract at age 35 while returning from a torn ACL. He's no lock to avoid the PUP list. The Steelers prefer immovable run pluggers on the nose as opposed to gap shooters, and those don't grow on trees.

Running back: The Steelers aren't counting on Rashard Mendenhall (torn ACL) to be ready for Week 1, and Isaac Redman is only a stopgap solution. At the very least, Pittsburgh must find a complementary back in the draft. They've shown interest in Cincinnati speedster Isaiah Pead.

AFC South

Houston Texans

Wide receiver: Jacoby Jones may have worn out his welcome in Houston, and Kevin Walter had to take an offseason pay cut just to keep his roster spot. The Texans will likely draft the best available wideout with the 26th pick. A field stretcher like Kendall Wright would work nicely.

Offensive line: The Texans lost the entire right side of their offensive line (RT Eric Winston, RG Mike Brisiel) in March, and they were too tight up against the salary cap to sign replacements in free agency. Look for GM Rick Smith to target athletic linemen in the middle rounds of the draft as competition for expected new starters Rashad Butler and Antoine Caldwell.

Outside linebacker: Brooks Reed kept the Texans competitive after Mario Williams' year-ending injury, but Reed has limited pass-rush moves and would ideally not be an every-down player. Houston will target college defensive ends to groom at one of the most valuable NFL positions.

Indianapolis Colts

Quarterback: After releasing Peyton Manning, Drew Stanton and Trevor Vittatoe are the Colts' only quarterbacks under contract for 2012. Andrew Luck is expected to be the No. 1 pick.

Wide receiver: Indianapolis re-signed 33-year-old Reggie Wayne and gets back Austin Collie at slot receiver, but can't count on brittle Donnie Avery to be an every-down wideout. Luck also relied heavily on tight ends in college, and the Colts are devoid of pass-catching threats at the position.

Defensive tackle: The Colts will start Dwight Freeney at right end and Cory Redding on the left side. 29-year-old journeyman Brandon McKinney is currently the team's top nose tackle. Indy could also use help at outside linebacker and cornerback. The Colts have a long way to go.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Wide receiver: Jacksonville paid big money to Laurent Robinson in free agency, but he's never excelled as more than a third receiver and Mike Thomas has panned out as a slot guy only. Blaine Gabbert needs a physical wideout with a large catch radius to secure his oft-errant passes.

Defensive end: The Jags did well to re-sign Jeremy Mincey, but they can't count on knee-hobbled Aaron Kampman to man the other end, and Austen Lane has shown no NFL pass-rush tools. An impact edge rusher could make everyone on the Jacksonville defensive line more productive.

Offensive line: The Jaguars need competition for left guard Will Rackley after a miserable rookie season, and center Brad Meester is getting awfully long in the tooth. Right tackle Eben Britton's back problems may be chronic. In Jacksonville, this is a position that requires improved depth.

Tennessee Titans

Defensive tackle: Karl Klug and Jurrell Casey showed promise as rookies, but Titans line coach Tracy Rocker desires more girth on the interior. Klug is a pass rusher only. If a 320-plus pound plugger like Michael Brockers or Dontari Poe lasts to pick No. 20, Tennessee will pull the trigger.

Cornerback: The Titans should feel comfortable trotting out Alterraun Verner and Jason McCourty as outside cornerbacks, but Cortland Finnegan's loss will be felt in the slot. A physical inside corner like Brandon Boykin of Georgia would make sense with Tennessee's second-round pick.

Guard: Drafting a road-grading right guard would allow Leroy Harris to kick inside to center and improve the Titans' run blocking. Harris and new left guard Steve Hutchinson are strong interior pass protectors, but Chris Johnson didn't see enough lanes on strong-side run blocks last year.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

Defensive tackle: Denver lost a bidding war for Brodrick Bunkley, and the Broncos don't want to rely on Ty Warren to carry their defensive interior at age 31 after a triceps tear wiped out his 2011 season. Penn State's Devon Still could be an attractive target with the Broncos' 25th overall pick.

Running back: While Willis McGahee should have garnered more Comeback Player of the Year attention for his magical season, the end is near for any 31-year-old runner. Peyton Manning will push for a back who's more skilled in blitz pickup -- a necessity in Manning's brand of offense.

Quarterback: The Broncos sent a large contingent to work out Brock Osweiler on Arizona State's campus last week, perhaps indicating they plan to draft a signal caller to groom behind 36-year-old Manning. Denver's only current backups are Caleb Hanie and practice squader Adam Weber.

Kansas City Chiefs

Defensive line: The Chiefs? starting nose tackle would be 2011 sixth-round pick Jerrell Powe if the season began today, and 2009 first-rounder Tyson Jackson is entering a make-or-break year with an unwieldy $14.72 million salary due in 2013. Kansas City will address D-Line early in the draft.

Inside linebacker: The Chiefs don't have a weakness at inside 'backer, per se, but it's a position at which they can afford to improve. Kansas City could use a "Ted" linebacker willing to and capable of blowing up opposing lead blocks. Dont'a Hightower of Alabama could be a fit in round two.

Quarterback: Kansas City won't verbally admit it, but the organization's offseason actions suggest it isn't sold on Matt Cassel. Owner Clark Hunt pleaded for a run at Peyton Manning, and coach Romeo Crennel has questioned Cassel's "consistency." The Chiefs are a sleeper team to trade up for Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill after recently working him out in College Station.

Oakland Raiders

Offensive line: The Raiders don't draft until the end of the third round after Al Davis traded away all of their early-round selections. Expect new GM Reggie McKenzie to attack the offensive line once he finally gets on the clock. The Raiders are installing a new zone-blocking scheme up front.

Tight end: Brandon Myers, Richard Gordon, and David Ausberry are the Raiders' only tight ends under contract for the 2012 season. New coordinator Greg Knapp's offenses have long utilized tight ends in the passing game, so talent will almost surely be added to the position via the draft.

Quarterback: The Carson Palmer trade hangs over McKenzie's head as a player the old regime sent away premium picks to acquire. Going on age 33, Palmer is due large, non-guaranteed base salaries through 2016. McKenzie will begin looking to replace Palmer sooner rather than later.

San Diego Chargers

Outside linebacker: Jarret Johnson was a worthwhile addition in free agency, but the Chargers still haven't fixed their pass-rushing quandary. Johnson is an edge-setting, run-stopping linebacker. This is a position at which San Diego could very easily use the No. 18 overall pick.

Running back: The Chargers expect a breakout year from 2010 first-round pick Ryan Mathews, but can't feel comfortable about their backfield depth. With Mike Tolbert gone to Carolina, look for GM A.J. Smith to invest a second- or third-round selection on another versatile running back.

Safety: Free agent bargain-bin pickup Atari Bigby is only a short-term stopgap, and 2010 fourth-round pick Darrell Stuckey hasn't panned out as the organization hoped. The Chargers' GM is known to be high on Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith as a potential second-round pick.

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