The 2023 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and one of the few guarantees of the event is that there will be movement across the board. Throughout the draft, several teams will try to trade up for their preferred prospects, and these five teams are most likely to be aggressive.
Top 5 Teams That Should Trade Up In the NFL Draft
Atlanta Falcons
Until he’s under center in Week 1, I refuse to believe that the Atlanta Falcons are actually content with going into the season with Desmond Ridder as their unquestioned starter. While Ridder had some nice moments during his rookie season, there is a reason he was a third-round pick in a bad quarterback class.
The team should seriously consider a trade up to the third-overall pick in the draft. Bryce Young and CJ Stroud will likely be off the board, but Anthony Richardson has the potential to be better than both of them.
Baltimore Ravens
If the Baltimore Ravens lose Lamar Jackson, the team will probably need to trade up to find their quarterback of the future. However, even if Jackson comes back for another season, Baltimore should still consider moving up and grabbing the best receiver in the class. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is probably in a tier of his own and won’t be on the board when the Ravens are on the clock. Baltimore desperately needs a receiver, and trading up to select the best one possible is definitely in their best interest.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are reportedly not exactly enamored with Mac Jones. The former first-round pick had a disastrous 2022, and apparently, head coach Bill Belichick believes that not all of the blame rests on Matt Patricia. Belichick is getting up there in age, so he probably doesn’t want to deal with a quarterback with such a pedestrian ceiling. Trading up for Anthony Richardson is a little unreasonable, but perhaps the team could go after Will Levis if the Kentucky product starts to slide.
Kansas City Chiefs
The reigning Super Bowl champions don’t have too many needs, which gives them the freedom to trade up for the one or two draft prospects they truly covet. Even before free agency, the team could have used another wide receiver. However, now that Juju Smith-Schuster is a Patriot, they desperately need more help at the position. Obviously, they’ll need to see how the board falls, but there’s a good chance that a run on wide receivers starts in the early 20’s. If that happens, Kansas City will need to be proactive and get their guy.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are no strangers to trading up in the draft, so don’t be surprised if they aggressively try to get their guy. Derek Carr is in town, so they probably won’t trade for a quarterback, but they do need to get more help along the defensive line. The team lost multiple good players in free agency, and they might need to jump some teams if they want to get somebody like Calijah Kancey.
Main Photo: Adam Cairns – USA Today Sports
