NFL rumors: 5 trade up candidates later in 1st round of NFL Draft

These teams could pull off some surprise draft day trades in Round 1. The 2024 NFL Draft is kicking off this Thursday, which means it’s high time for teams across the league to come up with trade plans involving their pick (or picks). Not every team needs to pull off a trade, but there are certainly others who feel the urgency to make at least one.

5 teams mentioned as NFL Draft trade up candidates

Among the teams rumored to have some interest in moving up from the middle parts of the first round to the first five spots — at best — are the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.

“Trades from the teens into the top five or top 10 for quarterbacks are fun to discuss, but they’re tough to execute because of the expense associated with such deals. The people I talk to think we’re likely to see more trades in the second half of the first round than in the first half. The Colts (No. 15), Jaguars (No. 17), Rams (No. 19) and Eagles (No. 22) are all teams I’ve heard have been making calls about potentially moving up.”

The Chicago Bears own the rights to the top pick via the Carolina Panthers, and at this point, it’s highly unlikely that they’re going to trade that slot. They were widely believed to get a quarterback with that pick, particularly USC Trojans product Caleb Williams. Meanwhile, the temperature may be different with the Washington Commanders (No. 2), New England Patriots (No. 3), Arizona Cardinals (No. 4), Los Angeles Chargers (No. 5), and other teams with picks from No. 6 to No. 14.

The Bears still have another first-round pick at No. 9 that is viewed as a much more viable target for teams with a desire to move up. Graziano pointed out that the Colts and the Jaguars could end up battling for that pick — or the No. 12 selection that the Denver Broncos own — as the two AFC South division franchises could be keen on getting a defensive back, perhaps cornerback Terrion Arnold from the Alabama Crimson Tide. Speaking of the SEC, Graziano also revealed that there are people who believe the Eagles are interested in trading up for a wide receiver — or even for a tight end in Georgia Bulldogs star Brock Bowers, who had 26 receiving touchdowns and 2,538 receiving yards on 175 receptions during this three-year career in the collegiate ranks.

As for the Rams, their plan to trade up in the NFL Draft is driven by a particular target for their stop unit. Could it be someone who would end up as the team’s Aaron Donald replacement after the all-time great announced his retirement from football following the 2023 NFL campaign? No one is going to fill in entirely the massive void Donald left but the Rams have to at least start somewhere and a potential trade up could be just that for the NFC West division team.

The other team Graziano thinks could be looking to trade up is the Cincinnati Bengals, who are said to be eyeing upgrades to their offensive line after some key offseason losses.

“The Bengals at No. 18 are also worth watching for a potential trade-up. They like Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham a lot and could stand to bolster the line, but they may need to move up to get someone in that tier. Otherwise, watch for Cincinnati to bolster the interior of its defensive line following the offseason departure of defensive tackle DJ Reader via free agency.”