The first round of the NFL Draft is always filled with surprise trades, and this year will be no different. There are plenty of difference-makers at the top of the board, and many teams will be vying for the chance to take them. Here are five teams who should seriously explore moving up.
As a result of the blockbuster Odell Beckham Jr. trade, Cleveland is without its first-round pick, as #17 is now owned by the New York Giants. Shortly after the trade was finalized, reports stated that general manager John Dorsey felt that only 15 players in this class were worthy of a first-round selection.
Whether this is true or not, it's an interesting thought, as one member of those 15 players is likely to be Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, viewed by some as a top-five player who will fall due to an ACL injury and a video of him beating a woman while in high school. By all accounts, Simmons has been a model citizen while in college, but because that video exists, he will be completely off some teams' draft boards.
Simmons seems like a tailor-made Dorsey pick, and it's quite possible that the Browns move up from 49 to the end of the first round in order to secure a fifth-year option for him. Dynamic runningback Duke Johnson has requested a trade, and a team like the New England Patriots, who pick 32nd, would be a great fit…
4. Washington Redskins
Washington is in a very difficult spot. They have a very solid defense but lack playmakers on offense. They owe Alex Smith a massive amount of money, but he may never play another down. Case Keenum is their projected starting QB this year, but he is not the long-term answer.
Trading for Arizona's Josh Rosen would be very smart, but if the Redskins can't pull that off, moving up for a rookie may be the best step to take. Assuming Arizona takes Oklahoma's Kyler Kurray, both Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins and Missouri's Drew Lock would be targets in a move-up. In order to guarantee a chance at their preferred signal-caller, Washington would need to move ahead of the Giants and Jaguars, who pick sixth and seventh, respectively.
The Redskins own the 15th pick, so moving up for a QB would be rather expensive, but the team will be stuck in mediocrity until they get their QB of the future.
The Broncos are basically the AFC version of the Redskins. A good defense but no QB to pin the franchise to. Joe Flacco has a large cap hit over the next three seasons, but he can be cut at any time for no dead cap. While he may not be elite, Flacco is more than capable of leading the team this season while a rookie sits and learns from him.
Denver owns the 10th selection, so moving ahead of New York and Jacksonville shouldn't cost too much. GM John Elway has fumbled the QB position since Peyton Manning retired, but he finally has a chance to make things right.
Indy made some improvements this offseason, most notably signing pass-rusher Justin Houston. With $60 million in cap space still available, this team has the look of a sustainable contender. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is one of the best coaches in the game and will likely be in charge of his own team next season. Eberflus did a masterful job of scheming last season, even though the Colts' defense lacked elite talent.
Adding Houston helps, but Indianapolis can do more. They own the 26th overall selection, along with two second-rounders. With all the capital they acquired from trading down with the New York Jets last year, they have the ammo to move up this year. Secondary help and pass rush should be priorities, so moving up five to 10 spots should be enough to get a player like Byron Murphy, Clelin Ferrell, Rashan Gary, or Dexter Lawrence.
An improved defense would make the Colts legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and trading up is the best way to secure an elite talent.
After missing the playoffs last season, Pittsburgh looks like a very different team. Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell are gone, and the Steelers are still reeling from the loss of Ryan Shazier. Drafting secondary in the first round hasn't worked out too well for Pittsburgh, so it may be time to go in a different direction. They desperately need a playmaker at the second level, and both Devin White and Devin Bush would provide that.
White is expected to go in the top 10 due to his massive potential, but Bush is just as athletic and is the better player right now. Moving up for Bush would be a brilliant move, and would give that defense a leader it so desperately misses.
Follow Us
Subscribe