Teams at the top of the draft will have a ton of influence on how the rest of the draft shapes out. Two teams could impact the rest of the draft for the NFL by making bold trades early in round one.
Two Teams That Could Shape the NFL Draft With Bold Trades
Giants Get Their Quarterback
The New York Giants brass has been given the ‘green light’ by owner John Mara to select a top quarterback in the draft. Even though Daniel Jones was rewarded with a massive contract last March, the team has indicated they are willing to move on. That move could come as early as the 2024 NFL Draft when the Giants pick at number six overall. With the recent buzz of teams liking the top four quarterbacks, New York must be aggressive if they want their guy.
By getting creative with their draft capital, the Giants could entice a team at the top of the draft to move back. Given the depth of difference makers at the top of the draft at receiver and offensive tackle, the sixth overall pick that the Giants own could be valuable enough for a team not looking for a quarterback. While it seems imminent that Chicago and Washington will select their future signal callers, the New England Patriots remain a mystery.
For the Giants, swinging this trade would likely entail offering picks 6 and 47 in exchange for pick 3. New York could use this pick to draft Drake Maye out of North Carolina. The Patriots, who pick third, have more holes than certainties on their roster and are in no position to force a rookie quarterback into a bad situation. By taking the trade, New England could focus on finding a stalwart left tackle like Joe Alt in the first round.
New England would also be positioned to trade back into the first round and select a prospect like Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix to compete at quarterback. The Giants, meanwhile, would have a loaded quarterback room. But when the Philadelphia Eagles did a similar thing in 2016, it worked out well for them.
Minnesota Makes McCarthy a Viking
The writing has been on the wall once the Vikings traded with the Texans to acquire an additional first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. After moving on from Kirk Cousins, Minnesota faces a big question at quarterback. While Sam Darnold showed flashes at points of his career, Minnesota needs to upgrade the position.
Many around the league consider J.J. McCarthy as the fourth-best quarterback in the 2024 class. This means that the Vikings can approach a team like the Arizona Cardinals or Los Angeles Chargers to move up with a trade. Given Arizona’s need for playmakers, they should stay put and select Marvin Harrison Jr. That leaves Los Angeles as the top trade candidate for Minnesota.
By sending the Chargers picks 11 and 23 in this year’s draft, plus a future late-round pick, the Vikings could move up to the 5th pick to draft McCarthy. With the extra capital, the Chargers could trade up with a team like Tennessee and still select a top receiver or tackle. Los Angeles would have the flexibility to move around the board, which would help them expedite their rebuild under their new regime. This trade would be a win-win for both teams.
Main Photo: Rob Kinnan – USA Today Sports
