The 2024 NFL Draft is almost upon us and it looks like being a fascinating three days in Detroit.
This year’s batch of NFL hopefuls features a deep quarterback class, and if recent history is anything to go by, that should mean plenty of QB-needy teams will look to move up towards the top of the first round.
But who are the leading candidates to prepare trade offers and make a move to get their man? Here’s a look at five contenders.
New York Giants - Pick no. 6
A tough one to call. The Giants are only 12 months removed from handing Daniel Jones a big-money contract extension, but he flattered to deceive before his season-ending injury in Week 8 last year.
Should the Giants decide they want a new signal-caller, then one of the top prospects will not be around at number six, so they will need to move up two or three places.
The Giants don’t have much ammunition though, with just six picks in this year’s draft, meaning they would likely have to dig into next year’s selections to make a deal happen.
New York Jets - Pick no. 10
Teams don’t just have to move for a quarterback, however. The New York Jets are in win-now mode as they look to get more than one offensive series out of Aaron Rodgers this season.
Could they therefore be interested in moving up to take one of this year’s leading receiver prospects? Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers will go early and it’s unlikely that Rome Odunze will still be on the board at number 10.
The lack of a second-round pick this year could come to haunt them if they do want to draw up a trade proposal, however.
Minnesota Vikings - Pick nos. 11 and 23
Perhaps the most likely team on this list to make an aggressive move to the top of the first round.
Sam Darnold was signed as a free agent following the exit of Kirk Cousins, but he is unlikely to be the future at quarterback for the Vikings.
Having already made a trade with the Texans to secure another first round pick, the Vikings are likely to be talking to the Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers in an effort to move into the top five.
Denver Broncos - Pick no. 12
The addition of Zach Wilson to a quarterback room that contained just Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci does not mean that the Broncos are set at the position.
The lack of a second-round pick, as the team still deals with the fallout of the Russell Wilson trade, might make any deal harder, but this is a team that will almost certainly be drafting a quarterback at some point in the early rounds.
Buffalo Bills - Pick no. 28
The Bills probably needed to draft a wide receiver in the first round before they traded away Stefon Diggs, so their deal with Texans only exasperates this need.
Buffalo likely made the trade in the knowledge that this year’s wideout class is extremely deep, but they may still need to move up from the 28th pick if they are to land one of the top five prospects. With ten picks in this year’s draft, they should be able to find a trade partner and move up into the middle of the first round where Brian Thomas Jr. or Adonai Mitchell should be available to give Josh Allen a new weapon.
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