The most fun aspect of the NFL Draft is the moment when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces each choice in the first round and the breaking news that an exchange has taken place. Negotiations are born out of teams that target a specific player through months of observation and simulation of scenarios. The 2021 NFL Draft is no different; teams may have to move if they want to fill certain roles on the list.
And that started to happen, when the 49ers moved up to third place in an exchange with the Dolphins on Friday, and the Fins turned around and did another very successful deal with the Eagles. Here are six more teams that fall into that category and the paths they can take:
Current draft position: General No. 11
Edge rusher and linebacker are the obvious points of emphasis for New York. Maybe they will try to add an offensive guard again, but the previous options seem to have better chances. The only linebacker worth playing so early is Penn State’s Micah Parsons. If Parsons is won first by the Eagles, Broncos or Cowboys, then the draft of the board is not in favor of New York. It is not a particularly strong year for top rushers and the idea of selecting Gregory Rousseau or Jaelan Phillips from Miami or Kwity Paye from Michigan can prove to be very rich in 11th overall. With General Manager Dave Gettleman’s reluctance to negotiate in previous years, it is a difficult situation to find the Giants.
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New England Patriots
Current draft position: General No. 15
It’s quiet in Foxborough, almost too quiet. The national media reached an almost consensus that the Patriots are not in the position of defender and classified them as a team that will probably go up in the draft to find the right player. It is difficult to understand the idea that Bill Belichick would allow his strategy to be so obvious. The respect he has earned throughout the league has generated paranoia, as many seek a hidden motive. If New England is passive of its quarterback pursuit in recruiting, then it is unlikely that anyone will fall into their hands. Washington would know that they would only need to move up six positions to 14th overall; the difference of a high choice from the third round on the trade value chart.
Washington Football Team
Current draft position: General No. 20
Washington paid William Jackson III as a border cornerback, but he fit the slot better. Although the team should still be open for the position, they are more likely to aim for an offensive block. With Trent Williams out of the picture, they need to strengthen the left tackle. Some imagine that Christian Darrisaw, from Virginia Tech, will still be available in 20th overall position, but I am less confident. They could take one of the dominant right-wing tackles in college, like Teven Jenkins from Oklahoma or Jalen Mayfield from Michigan and turn them to the left like Cleveland did with Jedrick Wills, but don’t rule out moving up some positions if that means securing a left . If the board doesn’t fall in favor of Washington, cornerback and linebacker would be at the top of their wish list.
Current draft position: General No. 26
Realistically speaking, as the squad is currently built, Cleveland is probably gaining an advantage or cornerback in the first round. If conversations with free agents Jadeveon Clowney and Gareon Conley reach the point of signing a contract, that could change. In fact, I recently wrote about the Cardinals being desperate for cornerback help in recruiting and hours later they hired Malcolm Butler. For now, these are the positions of need for the Browns. General manager Andrew Berry will likely face table fragments in each position, unless he makes a move by a superior player on the team’s draft board. The trade value graph suggests that the team could move from general No. 26 to general No. 20 by separating from general selection No. 95; doing so would typically be out of character for Berry, but with fewer holes to solve, it may be a player’s most sensible decision they really like.
Current draft position: General No. 27
Baltimore has sought help for the wide receiver and an opening for Juju Smith-Schuster has fallen short. Sammy Watkins visited and may choose to sign there after one of the other teams, Indianapolis, re-signed TY Hilton. Even if the Ravens land Watkins, they may still be in the running for a wide receiver. The problem is that a large sized solid receiver may not be available. LSU’s Terrace Marshall Jr. is a somewhat polarizing prospect and it may be too soon for the AFC North franchise to catch him.
If the Ravens are not satisfied with the wide receiver options available to them, then a longer, longer edge would be next in their checklist, in all likelihood. Penn State’s Jayson Oweh and Miami’s Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau fall into this category.
Current draft position: General No. 31
Kansas City needs help with the offensive tackle, but it will be difficult to find a genuine Day 2 holder at the end of the first round. Chiefs do not have many holes to fill in the squad and have already proven to be aggressive when targeting a specific player. In the 2017 NFL Draft, the team switched to No. 10 overall from No. 27 overall to select Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City will not have to climb that high to have a good player in position, but one can ask if they feel comfortable with being in 31st place instead of climbing to catch a player they so desire.