CLEVELAND, Ohio — The top of the NFL Draft has already shifted with the Chicago Bears trading the No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, who are expected to take Alabama quarterback Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
The Browns are now without a pick in the first two rounds, following their deal with the New York Jets for receiver Elijah Moore and last year’s blockbuster move for quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The wheeling and dealing in the NFL reaches its peak with the draft, so here are 10 trades you could see by then:
1. The Baltimore Ravens finally reach a conclusion with Lamar Jackson.
The Indianapolis Colts had been a team pegged with a chance to swoop in, make a deal for the Ravens quarterback and get him out of Baltimore in the biggest exit from that city since Mayflower trucks were spotted around town in March of 1984.
Talks on Jackson have been mum, as his contract talks have been linked to Deshaun Watson’s five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal signed last year with the Browns.
Baltimore placed a non-exclusive franchise tag in March on Jackson. That means the Ravens have until July 17 to reach a multi-year extension with him. Otherwise, he will be placed on the tag for 2023. It is worth $32.4 million.
A team that can pry Jackson away from Baltimore must not only sign him, but give up two first-round picks.
For Indianapolis, that would mean the No. 4 overall pick this year. Other teams linked to Jackson, including the Miami Dolphins, don’t have a first-round pick.
Chances of teams, such as the Dolphins, showing interest in Jackson after the draft could increase because of that alone.
Atlanta, which has the No. 8 pick, enters the draft with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke as its quarterbacks after going with Marcus Mariota last year.
Baltimore, meanwhile, just agreed to a one-year deal with former Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Jackson actively recruited Beckham.
Jackson posted an image on his Instagram page before the signing of the two video chatting, which is a strong indication of the quarterback’s plans to stay in Baltimore one way or another.
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2. Aaron Rodgers finally moves to New York
For the last month, Rodgers has appeared to have his bags packed for New York with an expected trade to the Jets. The holdup has been compensation for Green Bay, which reportedly is holding out for a first-round pick in next year’s draft with a second-rounder this year for the quarterback, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.
Robinson added the Packers are willing to send a 2025 draft pick to the Jets, if Rodgers does not play past the 2023 season.
3. Is Saquon Barkley the next big piece that could move?
Similar to Jackson in Baltimore, Barkley is facing a franchise tag with the New York Giants. The running back has yet to agree to a deal there, so who could be in play for his services?
Unlikely, considering the compensation that comes with the tag.
Barkley is skipping spring workouts with the Giants, as his tag is worth $10.1 million for the upcoming season. Giants co-owner John Mara said last month at the NFL’s Annual Meeting that they want him back, but are not going to break the bank to do it.
“Our message to him is that we still very much want you back, want you to be one of the leaders of this team, want you to be one of the faces of this franchise,” Mara said, as reported by NJ.com’s Darryl Slater. “But there’s a limit as to how far we can go, and we have to build a team around you. And we’ve gone just about as far as we can.”
4. Will Andrew Berry move up from the third round?
This is the second straight year the Browns don’t have a pick in either the first or second rounds. Last year, they moved out of the second round during the draft. This year, the trade for Moore to bolster their receiving corps came with an added third-round selection.
Could they use both of those selections in the third round — pick Nos. 74 and 98 — to ensure they can select a targeted player on Day 2?
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot said on Sports4Cle she expects the Browns to take their best available on the board at No. 74. She also does not think the Browns will package a veteran with that pick to move up in the second round and take a player who is falling in the draft.
5. Where does that leave Greg Newsome II?
Newsome denied a Twitter report on Tuesday that he wanted to be traded after changing agents and hiring Drew Rosenhaus, who told cleveland.com the same and that Newsome is “happy being a Cleveland Brown.”
The cornerback, who is entering his third season out of Northwestern, also is reportedly set to join the team Monday for its offseason program.
The team also has a new defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz, which leads to a fresh start on that side of the ball in Berea. So don’t count on a Newsome deal, even to move up — perhaps with Detroit after it sent Jeff Okudah to Atlanta — in the draft.
6. The phone lines are open in Arizona for the No. 3 pick.
After Carolina and Houston with the first two picks, the Cardinals sit at No. 3 with a quarterback in place.
Kyler Murray had been the subject of trade rumors last year, but he remains under contract for at least the next five years. That leaves Arizona in a prime spot to take the best available player or take the highest bid from a quarterback-starved team after Stroud and Young likely come off the board.
The safest move is a simple swap between Nos. 3 and 4 with Indianapolis, as it would allow the Colts to choose from Florida’s Anthony Richardson, Kentucky’s Will Levis and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker without another team leapfrogging them. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also cited Las Vegas and Tennessee as “potential suspects.”
7. Tennessee moves up for a quarterback
Three of the top quarterbacks should be gone by the fourth pick, so that leaves the Titans as a prime candidate to move up with Ryan Tannehill (35 years old and in his final year of a voidable contract) and Malik Willis (last year’s third-rounder pick) on the roster.
Tennessee sits at No. 11 and could move up as high as No. 6 with Detroit, if the Titans don’t make a big splash and jump Indianapolis at No. 4.
8. Arizona could move more than its top pick.
DeAndre Hopkins has been the subject of trade talks all offseason, including a potential reunion with Watson in Cleveland. The Browns’ acquisition of Moore from the Jets quelled those rumors, and cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot said signing Hopkins — should he but cut — remains unlikely.
Arizona reportedly seeks a second-round pick with an additional asset for Hopkins, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.
Hopkins is slated to make $19.45 million this year. Buffalo and Kansas City have been mentioned as suitors, but a contract restructuring will be critical, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Chiefs would be pressed to make a deal, considering they lost Tyreek Hill last year and two more receivers this offseason in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.
The Super Bowl champions will pick 31st with the final selection of the first round.
9. Tampa Bay trades linebacker Devin White.
The Pro Bowl linebacker and 2019 first-round pick reportedly requested a trade, but Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported the Buccaneers have no plans to deal White.
He is due to make $11.7 million in 2023 after the team picked up his fifth-year option. The 25-year-old is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next year. He made the Pro Bowl once in 2021.
Tampa Bay needed to cut running back Leonard Fournette, left tackle Donovan Smith, tight end Cameron Brate and kicker Ryan Succop to create salary relief after entering this offseason more than $55 million over the cap.
The Bucs are still barely under the cap before the draft.
Pittsburgh and Washington are among teams that could improve their linebackers.
10. Austin Ekeler is seeking a new home.
The Los Angeles Chargers running back told Chris Long on the “Greenlight” podcast in March that he is underpaid and expressed his desire to sign a long-term extension in Los Angeles or elsewhere.
Ekeler led the league last year with 18 touchdowns as a runner and receiver. He is slated to make $6.25 million this season in the final year of his current extension and turns 28 next month.
The Chargers granted him permission to seek a trade, but nothing has bubbled to fruition so far.
Similar to Barkley, there is not much leverage for running backs. Kareem Hunt remains on the free-agent market without a deal.
The top suitor could be Chicago, which traded out of the No. 1 overall pick and has more draft capital to work with in addition to the most cap space in the league.
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