ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Football Team needs to keep building its offense. It also has a chance to build an excellent defense.

That will be the franchise's dilemma in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft when picking at No. 19 on Thursday in Cleveland (8 p.m. ET, ESPN and the ESPN app). While offensive holes remain -- Washington could use a starting left tackle, a quarterback of the future, another running back and a tight end -- it can improve a defense that ranked in the top five last season and, perhaps, create something special.

Defensively, Senior Bowl executive director and ESPN draft analyst Jim Nagy said Washington needs "a couple more blue-chip playmakers in the back seven. They got the front shored up pretty well, but just a couple playmakers at the next two levels, continue to add speed and range, because the ball will be getting out quick."

Considering the offenses they will face in 2021, addressing the back seven is not such a bad idea. Here is a look at some quarterbacks on Washington's schedule this season:

Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert, Tom Brady, Dak Prescott (twice), Matt Ryan, Derek Carr, Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers. All but the injured Prescott finished in the top 16 in total QBR last season; six were in the top nine and three in the top five.

Last season, Washington's defense ranked second in passing yards allowed per game and fifth in total QBR, but faced three quarterbacks ranked among the top 10 in QBR -- none in the top six. Five were ranked in the top 16.

If Washington goes offense in the first round, a left tackle such as Virginia Tech's Christian Darrisaw could be the selection. In that scenario, they could grab a linebacker and a safety with two of its next four picks; Washington likes players in both the second and third rounds who could help this season, including linebackers Pete Werner (Ohio State) and Jabril Cox (LSU) and safety Andre Cisco (Syracuse). Another safety, TCU's Trevon Moehrig, would be an option, perhaps, if they traded back into the first round.

There are intriguing corners in the second round as well, such as Georgia prospects Tyson Campbell and Eric Stokes.

"High-level ball skills win games," said ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen. "They change the momentum of games."

Washington's projected starting defense includes at least seven players 26 or younger, so adding more youth could make this a formidable defense for multiple seasons. And adding a defensive presence would benefit the team immediately.

No matter when it happens in the draft, linebacker figures to be addressed. Washington is considering a position switch for safety Landon Collins, who would be considered more of a linebacker than safety, but the move would not keep the team from drafting a linebacker in the first round. During coach Ron Rivera's nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers, they took two linebackers with first-round picks -- Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson.

"A lot has to do with football intelligence," Rivera said of what the team wants in a linebacker, "the ability to have multiple-position flex. Those are the things that help you and have helped us."

Washington general manager Martin Mayhew said any linebacker they pick, "has to have a lot of different skills. He has [to have] some skills that are similar to the guys up front and then the skills that the guys in the secondary have. The varied skill set is really important."

Of the linebackers in the draft who have the varied skills Mayhew and Rivera seek, Notre Dame's Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah would be a possibility at No. 19. Kentucky's Jamin Davis is another option, though it is debatable if they would select him that high.

The counterpoint to adding defense early is Rivera has often said he wants to build a stronger offensive line. Washington addressed the unit Tuesday when it reacquired Ereck Flowers from the Miami Dolphins for a swap of seventh-round picks.

Flowers has played tackle and guard, and the move might make the team feel more comfortable taking a defender at No. 19. If that happens, there are offensive linemen in the next two rounds the team likes. The issue is that not all of them can fill the greatest need up front -- left tackle. And within a year, Washington could need a new right side of the line. Guard Brandon Scherff is preparing to play a second year on the franchise tag and striking a long-term deal has been difficult. Tackle Morgan Moses will be a free agent after the 2022 season, though Washington could cut him with no cap penalty after this year.

However it shakes out, it's clear Rivera is comfortable with Washington's options. He said Washington's free-agency moves, in particular adding wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Adam Humphries, allows them to draft the best player available regardless of need. The team also signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and corner William Jackson III.

"We've freed ourselves up," Rivera said of free agency.

Washington's offseason focus has been on the offense and there is no doubt it will continue adding pieces there. The offense has finished in the top 10 in both points and yards only twice in the past 22 years -- in 1999 and 2012. The team made the playoffs both times.

But remember this: when Rivera coached the Panthers, they had three seasons when the defense ranked among the top nine in yards or points allowed. In those seasons, Carolina went a combined 38-10.

That doesn't mean Washington will automatically select defense with its first pick at No. 19. However, the chance to add another high-end piece to the defense could be hard to pass up.