With only four teams remaining in the NFL postseason, a majority of the league is getting ready for the offseason. Preparations have already begun as teams game plan how they want to attack free agency. If things don’t go as planned there, the 2023 NFL Draft will provide teams with another opportunity to add talent to their rosters.
This year’s draft board could see a lot of movement as two of the top six and four of the top 12 picks were traded previously. Four teams also own multiple first-round picks, which could lead to some deals getting made again.
Which teams could be looking to wheel and deal? Here are four that should look to make a trade down the board in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Seattle Seahawks surprised a lot of people with their performance during the 2022 season. Many expected them to finish near the bottom of the standings and land a top pick. They did get a top pick, but it wasn’t their own.
Seattle owns the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft courtesy of the Denver Broncos from the Russell Wilson trade. Their selection is 20th overall. Without a need at the quarterback position, Seattle should be open for business with the No. 5 overall pick.
Teams interested in a quarterback could look to get ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, who pick 7th and 9th overall respectively, as each could be in the market for a signal caller. Depending on how the draft board falls in the top four, the Seahawks’ fifth pick could be very valuable.
The Arizona Cardinals are undergoing some major changes this offseason. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and general manager Steve Keim stepped down from his position to focus on his health.
That makes the Cardinals a bit of a wild card when it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft. They could stay pat and select the best defensive player available as they have to fill the void left by J.J. Watt’s retirement. But, given how many holes there are on their roster, they could look to make a trade down the board.
The third overall pick is a prime trade chip as any quarterback-needy team will want to get ahead of the Indianapolis Colts, who are selecting quarterbacks in many mock drafts done by several analysts. If a team’s top prospect at the position makes it past the first two picks, they should immediately make a call to the Cardinals and Arizona should be willing to make a deal.
2023 could be a tough season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After contending for the last three seasons with Tom Brady under center, things fell apart in 2022. They won the NFC South, but they were basically the best of the worst, going 8-9 in the regular season before getting blown out by the Dallas Cowboys in Super Wild Card Weekend.
There are going to be a lot of changes made to the roster if Brady opts to move on. Looking to fill some of the holes, the Buccaneers should explore trading down and getting as much draft capital as possible.
Taking a quantity-over-quality approach could be best for the franchise as 2023 will be a rebuilding year unless they hit it big in the offseason at the quarterback position. This is a veteran-laden team that needs to start restocking the coffers with younger talent.
Many people expected the Chicago Bears to be near the top of the 2023 NFL Draft. They were under new management in 2022 as Ryan Poles took over as general manager and he hired Matt Eberflus to be the head coach.
Multiple veterans were traded away as the team had an eye toward the future. That line of thinking should continue after they landed the No. 1 overall pick. They should be open for calls and trade that pick for a king’s ransom to a team that wants their choice of the quarterbacks in the class.
Given how much their roster is lacking, the Bears should be open to making a deal. It would give them a chance to add multiple premium draft picks to their collection of assets and add cornerstone building block talents to the team. Chicago won’t want to drop too far down the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, but if they get an offer that includes multiple first-round picks they should jump at it.
