2024 NFL Draft: To Trade Up or Trade Down
Photo Credit: NFL
(Detroit, MI) It’s officially NFL draft week. The 2024 draft will be live from Detroit on Thursday night. The first round is set to kick-off the draft weekend on Thursday night, with the second to seventh rounds distributed over the course of the weekend. The draft order for the first round has been established since the conclusion of the regular season. However, as with every draft, there will be teams looking to trade up for a player or trade down to accumulate more draft capital. Here are some teams that could potentially alter their positions in the draft order on Thursday night.
Potential Trade Up: Minnesota Vikings - Nine 2024 Draft Picks - Needs: QB,OL,DL,CB,TE
Minnesota has two first-round picks that could be utilized on Thursday night in the Motor City. The Vikings acquired the 23rd overall pick in a trade with the Texans in March, which complements their 11th overall pick. That being said, the most significant need on the Vikings’ roster is a quarterback
The Vikings could potentially trade up from the 11th selection into the top five to secure a signal caller. Minnesota parted ways with their starter from last season, Kirk Cousins, who left during free agency. Additionally, they brought in Sam Darnold, the former 2018 third overall pick and backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, to compete for the starting position.
The Vikings have a lot at stake in securing a high-quality starter in the draft, which would not only enhance their offense but also ensure that their star receiver, Justin Jefferson, remains committed to staying in the Land of 10,000 Lakes as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. If Minnesota is intent on trading up for a quarterback, they need to set their sights on the top five. Potential trade partners could include the Los Angeles Chargers, the Arizona Cardinals, or even the Tennessee Titans, all of whom are teams within the top 10 or better.
Potential Trade Down: Chicago Bears - Four 2024 Draft Picks - Needs: QB, OL, WR, DL
The Bears wouldn’t dare trade away the first overall pick in this draft, but they could consider moving on from the ninth selection to accumulate more draft capital in the later rounds. Chicago traded away five of their original seven picks in this year’s draft for personnel. With a lot of game-changing talent on both sides of the ball available at the ninth selection, many teams would be willing to give up substantial capital to move up from the teens and even twenties to secure a game-changing talent with the ninth overall pick.
The Bears’ most significant need is a quarterback, but that will ultimately be the first problem addressed with the first overall pick. An edge rusher is another need, as Chicago requires a partner for Montez Sweat. A third wideout option in a loaded wide receiver room would be a nice addition, but not necessarily a priority. The ninth selection is a valuable asset for the Bears to leverage in an attempt to add more selections in the later rounds.
Potential Trade Up: Buffalo Bills - Eleven 2024 Draft Picks - Needs: WR, DL, S, OT, CB
General Manager Brandon Beane is no stranger to trading up in the first round of the draft. Beane has traded up for the last two first-round selections in the past two years for the Bills. Buffalo needs a new weapon for Josh Allen, and there are two potential places where the Bills could trade up to acquire a new receiver.
Buffalo could feasibly trade up into the teens with the Seahawks or Jaguars, but they could also add some excitement by trading with the previously mentioned Bears at the ninth spot. Realistically, if Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze or LSU receiver Malik Nabers falls toward the end of the top ten, it’s highly likely that Beane will initiate a trade, given that he has eleven picks to work with in this draft alone.
The Bills have a wealth of selections at their disposal if they choose to trade up from the 28th spot to secure a game-changing player for their game-changing quarterback.
Potential Trade Down: Arizona Cardinals - Eleven 2024 Draft Picks - WR, IOL, ED, T, CB
If reports are accurate, Arizona’s General Manager, Monti Ossenfort, is open to trading down from the fourth overall pick for a major bag. Arizona secured a second first-round selection in this year’s draft as a result of a similar move last year with the Houston Texans.
Arizona’s most significant need is at the wide receiver position, and they are ideally situated to select the best receiver in this class, Marvin Harrison Jr. from Ohio State. However, if a team in need of a quarterback offers a substantial number of draft picks, Ossenfort might consider accepting it and trading down. The positive aspect is that this is a deep class for wide receivers, but it would require a lot of persuasion to pass on “Maserati Marv” or another player. The Cardinals could feasibly trade back up into the top 10, as they did a year ago, to select one of the previously mentioned receivers who are still extremely talented.
While it’s a significant price to pay, adding to the 11 selections currently held by the Cardinals could provide even more reinforcements that could potentially become long-term starters. This is particularly relevant for a Cardinals team that is trending in the right direction under new leadership. Come Thursday, there will be plenty of activity, not only in the first round but across all seven rounds of the NFL draft. Ultimately, it’s unpredictable what motivates teams to trade up or trade down. However, one thing is certain: keep an eye on who’s left on the board when teams start moving up and down.