Last year saw each of the first two picks in the draft get traded ahead of the start of the first round, but it doesn’t look like we’re in store for a repeat of that this year.
If the teams in those slots get their way, however, we could see the second and third picks get traded. Peter King of TheMMQB.com reports that the 49ers, who pick second, and the Bears, who pick third, are among the “most antsy” to trade down in the first round of the draft. The Jets, who pick sixth, join them in that group.
49ers General Manager John Lynch has already said the team is “open for business” and we’d guess the other two teams have sent a similar message even if they haven’t made it public. King also reports that the other side of the market hasn’t developed as few teams want to move up. Assuming the Browns take Myles Garrett with the first pick, King writes that “there’s about 15 other players who could be number two on 32 draft boards” and that likely lessens the pressure felt and the compensation offered by teams trying to get to No. 2.
It only takes one team to shake up that scenario, of course, and that’s especially true if someone falls in love with a quarterback that they want to ensure winds up on their roster on April 27.