The race to first place in the AFC starts this week.

NFL free agency officially opens on Wednesday, and by this point, every team in the NFL knows its roster holes. That much was apparent in an incredibly flawed AFC throughout the 2023 season.

Even the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs dealt with inefficiencies at wide receiver throughout the season, with its offense lagging behind the defense en route to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's third Super Bowl ring. While some teams rose above injuries and roster construction, others have been waiting till this point to make good on unrealized potential from the 2023 season.

With the AFC looking to retool and add depth across the board, expect big movement from across the board in the conference this week.

Here are the most pressing needs for each AFC squad ahead of the start of free agency:

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AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Needs: safety, defensive line, wide receiver, cornerback

Unquestionably, safety takes priority. Buffalo was already seeing free safety Micah Hyde, 33, walk on an expiring contract, but the team also informed strong safety Jordan Poyer, 32, that he is being released ahead of the start of the league year. Help either within the interior or along the edge of the defensive line would go a long way for a unit that ranked 15th in 2023 in rushing defense, allowing 110.6 yards per game. The Bills have also been missing a reliable No. 2 receiving option to pair alongside Stefon Diggs. In another cap-saving move, the team also cut one-time All-Pro corner Tre'Davious White. Buffalo, however, may be impeded from addressing all these holes, given its limited cap space.

Miami Dolphins

Needs: offensive line, defensive tackle, defensive backs, wide receiver

All three of Miami's starters along the interior of the offensive line – center Connor Williams and guards Robert Jones and Robert Hunt – are on expiring contracts and set to become free agents. Left tackle Terron Armstead has battled injury and availability issues, but will also turn 33 in July and is in the twilight of his career. Miami, strapped for cap space, opted not to exercise the franchise tag on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who has been a steady force in the middle of the defensive front. He'll likely command significant interest on the market and will almost certainly be priced out for the Dolphins. Cornerback Xavien Howard was waived, while DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones, both strong safeties, will hit free agency. A third receiver to pair with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle would make Miami's offense that much more explosive and an interior linebacker and veteran edge rusher – with starters Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips both coming off of non-contact, season-ending injuries – would also help.

New England Patriots

Needs: quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, offensive tackle

Anyone who watched even a small sample of Patriots games in 2023 knows that the team requires a complete offensive overhaul. It starts at quarterback, where Mac Jones was benched multiple times last season. Now, Jones is heading to Jacksonville in a deal. If New England doesn't swing a trade or sign a veteran during free agency, expect this to be the move in the draft, with the No. 3 overall selection. Yet, even if the Patriots bring in an elite passer, he'll lack options to throw to. The team's leading receiver in 2023 was Pop Douglas, who posted just 561 yards. The player with the most receptions was veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott, with 51. Elliott and Kendrick Bourne, arguably the team's most dynamic receiver, are both on expiring contracts, as is tight end Hunter Henry, who led the team with six receiving scores. Offensive line is another significant concern, with left tackle Trent Brown set to hit the market. Frankly, New England, needs to make some noise; the Patriots have $88.5 million in cap space to burn, according to OverTheCap.com.

New York Jets

Needs: offensive tackle, offensive guard, wide receiver, edge rusher, interior defensive line

It became evident four plays into the 2023 season that the Jets had insufficiently addressed the offensive line, and in particular both tackle spots. Frankly, the Jets should consider improvements along the interior of the front, too, so expect them to address the entire unit in the draft as well. But after going all-in on Aaron Rodgers, failing once again to give him suitable protection would be indefensible. New York's second leading wide receiver behind Garrett Wilson was Allen Lazard, with just 311 yards. Simply put: they need more production from that position. Bryce Huff, the team's only defender with double-digit sack totals, is likely to walk after his deal expired. Defensive tackle is another concern. Quarterback is more of a secondary (or tertiary) need, but Rodgers is 40 and coming off of a torn Achilles. Having a viable backup quarterback would give New York that much more insurance.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Needs: linebacker, edge rusher, wide receiver, right guard

Baltimore already solved its biggest question, locking up defensive tackle Justin Madubuike to a massive four-year, $98 million deal. Linebacker Patrick Queen is coming off of a Pro Bowl season and had been a mainstay on the defense. He's on an expiring deal and is sure to generate considerable interest from other teams. If Baltimore cannot retain him, finding depth at inside linebacker is essential. The Ravens are still searching for a viable No. 2 receiver and that's compounded with Odell Beckham, Jr. set to become a free agent at 31 years old. Starting right guard Kevin Zeitler and the Ravens appear open to a return, but if Baltimore is unable to re-sign Zeitler, who in coming off a Pro Bowl and has started 47 games in three seasons with the team, it will need a quality replacement, especially given the team's propensity to run the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals

Needs: defensive tackle, right tackle, tight end, wide receiver

The Bengals, with all four of their tight ends from 2023 on expiring contracts, do not currently have a single player at the position signed for 2024. A pair of solid starters on both lines, right tackle Jonah Williams and defensive tackle D.J. Reader, are likely to field interest in free agency and may become too costly for the Bengals, a franchise that has thrived on frugality. Receiver Tyler Boyd, who caught 31 touchdowns over his eight seasons in Cincinnati, may also walk in free agency.

Cleveland Browns

Needs: defensive line, linebacker running back, backup quarterback, offensive tackle

The focus should be on defense all over the front seven. Defensive end Za'Darius Smith, linebacker Sione Takitaki and defensive tackles Shelby Harris and Jordan Elliott will all be free agents. Starting offensive tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills, Jr. combined to appear in just nine games last season with injury issues. Running back Nick Chubb is looking to return from a season-ending knee injury that prompted two surgeries and Kareem Hunt is set to become a free agent. Adding a low-cost veteran back should be another priority. Joe Flacco was instrumental for Cleveland, winning Comeback Player of the Year despite signing mid-season. Deshaun Watson has played a total of 12 games in two seasons for the Browns; having a dependable backup option makes a ton of sense.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Needs: quarterback, offensive line, cornerback, defensive tackle

The Steelers may be invested in the development of quarterback Kenny Pickett, a 2022 first-round selection, but they also cannot afford to at least explore other options at the position. Simply put: Pittsburgh needs more production at quarterback. Protecting whoever is back there is also paramount; the Steelers ranked 15th in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt (7.11%) so tackles and interior linemen should be considered. The team should also consider finding a long-term, culture-setting replacement for defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, who will be 35 in May. At corner, Patrick Peterson will turn 34 before the start of the season and starter Levi Wallace is set to become a free agent.

AFC South

Houston Texans

Needs: offensive line, running back, edge rusher

Arguably the biggest surprise of 2023, the Texans exceeded expectations with a young and unproven roster. Per OverTheCap.com, the Texans rank third in the NFL in salary cap space, with just a shade more than $70 million available to spend. It's time to inject the roster with veteran talent and the priority should be along the offensive line, where Houston was tied for 22nd in the NFL with 47 sacks allowed. C.J. Stroud is the future, and the Texans should look at tackles, guards and center, where starter Scott Quessenberry is on an expiring deal. A veteran receiver would help a very young room, but the more pressing need is running back, where the Texans were tied for 22nd in rushing offense (96.9 yards per game), especially if the depressed running back market can yield value. Coach DeMeco Ryans has a defensive background, however, and finding a pass rusher to pair with 2023 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson, Jr. would elevate the defense, as would finding a veteran corner to play opposite Derek Stingley, Jr.

Indianapolis Colts

Needs: nickel cornerback, defensive tackle, linebacker, backup quarterback

Two of Indianapolis' primary defensive contributors this season, nickel cornerback Kenny Moore II (three interceptions, two returned for touchdowns and six passes defended) and run-plugging defensive tackle Grover Stewart are set to become free agents. A little more depth at linebacker would shore up the defense and mitigate the mid-season release of Shaquille Leonard. Quarterback Anthony Richardson appeared poised to have an exceptional rookie campaign before a shoulder injury derailed his year. Backup Gardner Minshew will become a free agent.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Needs: edge rusher, wide receiver, linebacker, place kicker

Even with edge rusher Josh Allen getting the franchise tag, Jacksonville desperately needs another pass rusher. Allen's 17.5 sacks last season comprised nearly half of the team's total of 40, which was eighth-lowest in the league. Continuing to build around Trevor Lawrence is also mandatory, and receivers Calvin Ridley, who led the team in receiving yards (1,016) and receiving touchdowns (eight), and Jamal Agnew are both set to become free agents. Depth at linebacker would help mitigate the potential losses of backups K'Lavon Chaisson and Dawuane Smoot. Even place kicker, where Brandon McManus (81.1% conversion rate) was tied for 24th among qualifying kickers with at least 20 field goal attempts, is an area of need, with McManus on an expiring deal.

Tennessee Titans

Needs: wide receiver, running back, offensive line, edge rusher, linebacker

Tennessee has a ton of needs, but the priority should be about putting pieces around quarterback Will Levis, who will be entering his second season in the NFL. Running back Derrick Henry will almost certainly play somewhere else. Treylon Burks, the 2022 first-round receiver, simply has not panned out and is nowhere near the return lost when the team traded away A.J. Brown. Finding consistency at receiver, alongside DeAndre Hopkins, who will turn 32 in June, will also help develop Levis. Though, perhaps the biggest boost for Levis will be stability at offensive line, where turnover has led to poor play; the Titans ranked 31st last season in sacks per pass attempt (12.96%). Defensive end Denico Autry led the team in sacks, with 11.5, and is on an expiring contract. According to OverTheCap.com, the Titans have nearly $76 million in cap space, ranked third in the NFL.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

Needs: quarterback, edge rusher, safety, tight end

Denver is in the precarious position of having a roster full of holes, and also being in salary cap hell. A lot of it falls on the decision to terminate the partnership with Russell Wilson, leaving behind a record $85 million dead cap hit. Failing to find a long-term answer at the position would almost certainly lead to another regime change. The Broncos have also never fully recovered from the trade that sent pass rusher Bradley Chubb to Miami; since then, the team's leading sackers have recorded 6.5 and 8.5, respectively. The Broncos released safety Justin Simmons, a two-time Pro Bowl and four-time second-team All-Pro selection (all coming in the last five seasons), so finding a roaming safety like him will be a tall task.

Kansas City Chiefs

Needs: wide receiver, left tackle, backup running back

The Chiefs opted not to wait and re-signed defensive tackle Chris Jones, who had been the No.1 ranked player on USA TODAY Sports' top 50 free agents list. It solves a massive question and allows Kansas City to move forward in shoring up a roster that was the first to repeat as Super Bowl champions in 19 seasons. The objective is clear: find help for Patrick Mahomes. He's the most gifted passer in the NFL and he can mask a lot of the team's deficiencies, but Kansas City would do well to make life easier for Mahomes. The Chiefs cut Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman, the player who caught the game-winning score in Super Bowl 58, is on an expiring deal. Left tackle Donovan Smith's contract is also expiring, so finding a blindside protector for Mahomes is paramount. The draft might be a better place to fill these holes, however, as Kansas City's salary cap is already tight.

Las Vegas Raiders

Needs: quarterback, running back, center, right tackle

Coach Antonio Pierce said last season that then-rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell gave the team the "best chance" to win games in 2023. O'Connell can still be a developmental project, but Las Vegas could stand to do much better and a veteran would stabilize this offense. That's particularly noteworthy because star running back Josh Jacobs, the NFL's leading rusher in 2022, is set to become a free agent and might command a hefty price, even in a depressed running back market. Starting center Andre James is on an expiring deal, as is right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. Either way, Las Vegas could use an infusion of talent all over the line. The Raiders ranked 23rd in scoring offense (19.5 points per game) and ninth in scoring defense (19.5). It's clear which side of the ball needs more help.

Los Angeles Chargers

Needs: running back, cornerback, defensive line, inside linebacker, tight end

It's a new era in L.A. with Jim Harbaugh at head coach and Joe Hortiz, the former Ravens personnel exec, as general manager. Harbaugh was familiar with Hortiz, given his brother's position as Baltimore's head coach, so the Charger moves should reflect a similar philosophy. That means strength and size along the defensive line – a Harbaugh specialty at Michigan – and the team could view edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack as potential trade chips to alleviate a tenuous salary cap situation. Still, running back Austin Ekeler, tight end Gerald Everett, nose tackle Austin Johnson and cornerback Michael Davis are among the starters on expiring contracts. The team released inside linebacker Eric Kendricks, who held a massive responsibility in delivering the playcalls to his teammates on the field.

Contributing: Associated Press