The 2021 NFL Draft is almost upon us. It will be the culmination of what has been a hectic offseason that saw teams scrambling with the salary cap dropping because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We saw plenty of movement in free agency, as teams unloaded contracts they could no longer afford and a quarterback carousel occurred in the league. That carousel won’t be slowing down any time soon, as there will be plenty of action involving quarterbacks in this year’s draft.
We have already seen one trade made by the San Francisco 49ers to move up into the No. 3 spot, presumably for a quarterback. That is likely the first of a few trades that will occur with teams eying specific players in the draft.
The top three picks in the draft looked cemented. The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, with the New York Jets reportedly setting their sights on BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. The 49ers are rumored to like Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, but Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance could also be in play.
With quarterbacks expected to go one, two, and three, the Atlanta Falcons hold a lot of power at No. 4. Will they select their quarterback of the future, or trade the pick to the highest bidder? Here are five teams that could look to move up in this year’s NFL Draft.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are getting the crown jewel of this draft class in Trevor Lawrence. However, as with almost every team selecting this high in the draft, they have plenty of other holes to fill on the roster. Luckily for them, they have plenty of draft capital to begin that turnaround immediately.
In addition to the first overall pick, the Jaguars also have the No. 25, 33, and 45 overall picks in this year’s draft. They could sit tight and use those picks themselves to add to their roster or to maneuver around the draft board.
If there is a player that begins to slip, the Jaguars have the ammunition to make a trade to move up and snag them. Rebuilding teams rarely trade up, but when you have a new regime in place you can never count out the group wanting to make a splash.
Lawrence is a splash himself, but the Jaguars could get aggressive and move up again should the opportunity present itself to land a player they like.
4. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are one of the teams that have been on the quarterback carousel this offseason. Drew Lock is currently their starter, but they are not sold on him as a franchise quarterback. They didn’t sound to be in the market for players on the tier of Carson Wentz, but had someone they considered a splash, such as Deshaun Watson, become available, they would have pounced.
While Watson is now likely off the table given the civil suits piling up against him, Denver could still move up to land one of the rookies in this year’s NFL Draft class. If they were willing to pony up for Watson, they would likely be willing to do the same for a rookie they believe is an upgrade over Lock.
The Broncos play in a loaded division and have by far the least settled quarterback situation. Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert look primed to square off against Denver for years to come, while David Carr has been steady with the Las Vegas Raiders. If Denver wants to settle their situation as well, it could come in the form of one of this year’s signal-callers.
3. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are always a team to keep an eye on when it comes to moving up. While Jerry Jones has been reigned in a little bit in recent years from making splashy decisions, there is only so long he will be contained, especially with the team not winning as much on the field.
With the Dak Prescott situation now behind them, as he agreed to a lucrative four-year contract, the Cowboys can focus on reinforcing the rest of their roster. There are rumors that Jones is enamored with Florida tight end, Kyle Pitts. Could he make a move to go up and grab the all-world pass catcher?
Dallas currently has the No. 10 pick. It is very unlikely that Pitts drops to them, so if they want their guy, they will have to be aggressive in doing so. Moving up into the No. 4 spot, currently owned by the Falcons, is the only way they could guarantee Pitts coming to Dallas.
Teams love what Pitts brings to the table. He is as high as No. 2 on some boards and deservedly so. If Dallas wants him, they will have to pay for it.
2. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have had a remarkably quick turnaround. It was only two years ago when Brian Flores and company took over what looked like a daunting rebuild. Now, they are one of the up-and-coming teams in the league.
Miami already executed two trades involving first-round picks in this year’s NFL Draft. They moved out of No. 3, trading with the San Franciso 49ers. Then, they jumped back up to No. 6, trading with the Philadelphia Eagles. Could a third move be on the way?
Miami could get very aggressive and move up to land a player such as Kyle Pitts if they don’t believe he will make it to them at No. 6. This year they have two first-round picks and two second-round picks, so they have the capital to make a move if they wanted.
The Dolphins are poised to take the next step. Surrounding Tua Tagovailoa with more weapons in the passing game is the route to seeing that next step taken.
1. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are as active as anyone during the NFL Draft. They navigate the board aggressively, moving up and down constantly throughout the seven rounds to find value and the players they want. This year, they could make their biggest move in recent history.
The Patriots need a long-term answer at the quarterback position. Jarrett Stidham is not it. Could this be the year they land that young quarterback to build around for the future?
New England has the tools to help any young quarterback succeed, as Josh McDaniels is masterful as an offensive coordinator. The Patriots are not as far away from becoming contenders again as some people think. They know they need a young quarterback to make that happen, and there are plenty to like in this year’s draft class.
