The first big wave of the 2021 NFL Free Agency signing period is in the books, meaning 2021 NFL mock drafts are going to be needing some freshening up.
Despite the fact that every NFL team is dealing with a decrease in the overall salary cap, big moves have been made across the league and some teams (looking at you, Patriots) are spending like this year’s free agent crop is an “everything must go, store closing” sale.
Free agency should never replace the NFL Draft, and it won’t for the good teams, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid free agency altogether if you have cap space to improve your team.
With every team making some kind of interesting move in the early goings of NFL Free Agency, let’s take a look at a 2021 NFL Mock Draft scenario with all of those moves considered.
2021 NFL mock draft: 1st pick
Jacksonville Jaguars key additions so far:
- CB Shaquill Griffin
- S Rayshawn Jenkins
- WR Marvin Jones
- DL Malcom Brown
- DL Roy Robertson-Harris
- DL Tyson Alualu
- DL Jihad Ward
- DB/WR Jamal Agnew
- RB Carlos Hyde
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been quite busy in year one of the Trent Baalke/Urban Meyer era.
With an obvious emphasis on improving the defense through outside free agent acquisitions, the Jaguars are clearly poised to bring in Trevor Lawrence to hopefully expedite their rebuilding process.
Meyer and company were on hand to watch Lawrence’s pro day at Clemson, and up to this point, there’s no indication that anyone else will be their selection.
Jacksonville made an underrated signing, getting veteran receiver Marvin Jones away from the Detroit Lions. Jones is a tremendous all-around receiver who could be a significant weapon if the team is going to be primarily in 11 personnel offensively.
The Jags also need to add a tight end (check back later in the mock draft for that) but things are taking shape for 2021 on both sides of the ball.
In particular, Jacksonville’s secondary with newly signed Shaquill Griffin and 2020 first-round pick CJ Henderson along with safety Rayshawn Jenkins (Chargers) and Sidney Jones is taking interesting shape. There’s plenty of talent on the back end there.
It’s a work in progress for Jacksonville, but there are important pieces being put into place to surround the most important piece, Lawrence.
2021 NFL mock draft: 2nd pick
New York Jets key additions so far:
- EDGE Carl Lawson
- WR Corey Davis
- WR Keelan Cole
- LB Jarrad Davis
It is going to be interesting to see what pundits are saying about the New York Jets come early April. By the end of March, the Jets will have had the time to go through their quarterback evaluations and see every guy in person at their pro day.
At this particular point in time, it’s hard to say that it’s a guarantee the Jets will move on from Sam Darnold. That remains a possibility if not an eventuality, but there exists at least some chance that the Jets will stick with Darnold and buy into him as the guy in new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s offensive attack.
The Jets have addressed some significant needs already in free agency by adding pass rusher Carl Lawson to go with their budding superstar Quinnen Williams on the defensive front. They added Corey Davis and Keelan Cole at receiver and they were in the mix with JuJu Smith-Schuster before he re-signed with the Steelers.
The Jets could take a quarterback here and continue to reload the roster around him after that.
Or…they could take the best non-QB in the draft — Florida’s Kyle Pitts — and see whether Sam Darnold can take the next step with a legitimate supporting cast around him.
The Jets are not likely done in free agency at this point with a variety of holes on their roster, but if they commit another year or two to Sam Darnold and pass on this year’s quarterback class, they could really help him out by adding a playmaker like Pitts, who has an unlimited catch radius, strong hands, and elite ability to make plays in the open field.
2021 NFL mock draft: 3rd pick
TRADE: Miami Dolphins trade 3rd pick to Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers key additions so far
- LB Haason Reddick
- LB Denzel Perryman
- OG Pat Elflein
- OT Cameron Erving
The Carolina Panthers have, unfortunately, had to watch a key weapon in their offensive arsenal walk away this offseason.
Wide receiver Curtis Samuel has moved on to the Washington Football Team, and Carolina’s offensive weaponry no longer looks as dynamic as it once did.
With that being said, this team should be expected to be aggressive in pursuit of a quarterback in the next month-plus, perhaps going after Deshaun Watson in a trade or moving up to get someone like Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, or Justin Fields.
In this 2021 NFL mock draft scenario, they are able to come away with Wilson, a guy who specializes in making jaw-dropping throws off-platform, changing arm angles, and doing it sometimes 70 yards down the field.
Wilson has arm talent, playmaking ability, and he’s drawn some QB1 hype for the things he put on tape in 2020. He was absolutely outstanding for BYU and anytime a guy puts stuff on tape that resembles Patrick Mahomes — even slightly — he’s going to be hyped.
The Panthers get their QB of the future and give up whatever it takes to do it. For this mock draft, the Dolphins will have Carolina’s second-round pick.
2021 NFL mock draft: 4th pick
Atlanta Falcons key additions so far
- TE Lee Smith
- OLB Brandon Copeland
The Atlanta Falcons have a new regime with GM Terry Fontenot coming over from the New Orleans Saints and head coach Arthur Smith coming from the Tennessee Titans.
You can just about take it to the bank that anytime a franchise brings in two new people at those positions, they are getting a new quarterback as well.
In this mock draft scenario, the Falcons go for the high upside prospect Trey Lance, who has all of the physical tools to be successful at the next level — he just may be in need of some seasoning.
Lance’s 2019 redshirt freshman season — the only one he started at North Dakota State — was nothing short of outstanding statistically. He finished with 42 total touchdowns (28 passing, 14 rushing) and zero interceptions.
He did throw some picks in the NDSU ‘showcase’ game against Central Arkansas in 2020, but also flashed his tremendous ability to make plays both as a passer and runner.
The offense that Arthur Smith was running in Tennessee with Ryan Tannehill should be a perfect fit in the NFL for Trey Lance. It might take him a year (or part of one) to get up to speed but he could be a great fit for the way the NFL is trending, what Smith likes to do, and helping the Falcons transition out of the Matt Ryan era in the next year or so.
2021 NFL mock draft: 5th pick
Cincinnati Bengals key additions so far
- DE Trey Hendrickson
- DL Larry Ogunjobi
- CB Chidobe Awuzie
- CB Mike Hilton
- OT Riley Reiff
The Bengals have spent the better part of the last two offseasons upgrading the defense through free agency and the offense through the NFL Draft.
In addition to the names listed above, Cincinnati has some big-money free agents like defensive lineman DJ Reader and cornerback Trae Waynes in the defense that they will be counting on to play up to their financial status so Joe Burrow and the offense can grow and learn while the team still succeeds.
The primary focus at this point for the Bengals, after all of the movement on defense through free agency, has to be to go after help for Joe Burrow, whether on the offensive line or at receiver.
A strong case can be made for probably three guys with this fifth overall pick: Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Those players would all be instant impact players for the Bengals at key positions, but with Pitts off the board and the decision coming down to taking Burrow’s top target at LSU (Chase) or locking down left tackle for the next decade (Sewell) the choice might be rather easy.
Sewell is a tremendous left tackle prospect and his inclusion in the lineup would allow the Bengals to play Jonah Williams at guard with free agent pickup Riley Reiff manning the right tackle position.
2021 NFL mock draft: 6th pick
Philadelphia Eagles key additions so far
- DB Andrew Adams
The Philadelphia Eagles’ offseason so far has been all about departures, not additions.
In fact, it might be more appropriate to look at the players who will no longer be Eagles to get an idea of where this roster is at.
- QB Carson Wentz
- WR Alshon Jeffery
- WR DeSean Jackson
- DL Malik Jackson
- DB Jalen Mills
The Eagles have had to pay some bills with free agent moves made in previous years, and it has cost them tremendously in their ability to be really “active” in free agency.
Tight end Zach Ertz could be the next departure for the team via trade.
With all of that being said, the Eagles could go many directions with this selection, but they probably would have a tough time passing on a playmaker like LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, who can not only get it done before and after the catch but he is a competitive monster at the catch point.
Although he opted out of the 2020 season, Chase’s 2019 film speaks for itself. He won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver, averaging over 21 yards per reception and proving to be a star among stars in the vaunted LSU offense from that season.
Even after selecting Jalen Reagor in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Eagles need to bring in guys who can help Jalen Hurts, if they don’t use this pick on a different QB altogether…
2021 NFL mock draft: 7th pick
TRADE: Detroit Lions trade 7th pick to Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos key additions so far
- CB Ronald Darby
- RB Mike Boone
The Denver Broncos have worked hard in the 2021 offseason so far at keeping their own.
They franchise tagged Justin Simmons before re-signing him to a long-term contract to make him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.
They brought back defensive lineman Shelby Harris on a three-year deal. They also picked up the contract option on star pass rusher Von Miller.
Unfortunately, the Broncos have had to say some tough goodbyes as well. They said goodbye to running back Phillip Lindsay, a restricted free agent whose tender was rescinded after he and the team agreed to part ways.
The Broncos also let go of veteran safety Kareem Jackson to open up $10 million in cap space.
Even still, the Broncos have addressed their biggest “need” on paper at cornerback by going after free agent Ron Darby from the Washington Football Team. Darby has been oft-injured in his career but he played over 1,000 snaps in Washington last season, looking excellent in the process.
With their improved offensive line and tremendous offensive weaponry — Melvin Gordon, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Noah Fant, Tim Patrick — are the Broncos an ideal spot for a quarterback in this draft to land?
They have a defense that can win them games on its own, at least on paper, and a tremendous supporting cast on offense. New GM George Paton will have his hands full making the decision but he has expressed both a like for Drew Lock and a desire to upgrade the position.
Paton will make an educated move here and likely check out these QBs in-person at their pro days, but if Fields falls out of the top five, he might start making calls.
We’ll see how much the new GM likes what he saw from Lock come draft day now that he has largely passed on the free agent QB market.
Justin Fields has all of the tools to be a great NFL quarterback. Some think that in other draft classes, he would be a number one pick, easily. If the Broncos feel that way about him, they shouldn’t hesitate to pay the price to move up to get him.
2021 NFL mock draft: 8th pick
Miami Dolphins key additions so far
- WR Will Fuller
- QB Jacoby Brissett
- OL Matt Skura
- OT Isaiah Wilson
- RB Malcolm Brown
- DL Adam Butler
- LB Benardrick McKinney
- CB Justin Coleman
The Miami Dolphins continue to look absolutely fascinating on paper.
Although they made a surprising move to move on from Kyle Van Noy just one year into his big free agent contract, the Dolphins took to free agency and made some decent-sized waves with the signings of players like Will Fuller and the trade for Benardrick McKinney.
Fuller, in particular, is intriguing.
With his big-time speed and playmaking ability downfield paired with DeVante Parker, the Dolphins’ receiver group is already more interesting than it was a month ago, but the possibility of adding perhaps the most dynamic speed weapon in this draft class (Jaylen Waddle) could make their offensive arsenal absolutely deadly.
Add in Waddle already having chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa, and this matchup could be a no-brainer. The Dolphins could also stay put at the third pick and take Ja’Marr Chase, but one way or another, they should be expected to come away with a top-flight wide receiver prospect with their top pick.
2021 NFL mock draft: 9th pick
Detroit Lions key additions so far
- QB Jared Goff
- WR Tyrell Williams
- RB Jamaal Williams
- TE Josh Hill
- DL Michael Brockers
- LB Shaun Dion Hamilton
For the first time since their 0-16 campaign in 2008, the Detroit Lions will have a different QB1 than Matthew Stafford, who was shipped off to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff and a bounty of draft selections.
The Lions will get first-round picks from the Rams in 2022 and 2023, but I’m not so sure they are done accumulating selections. Hence, a trade down in this scenario with the Denver Broncos.
Even after trading down, the Lions come away with a big-time playmaker at a position of need in Heisman winner De’Vonta Smith.
Smith is slight in size and stature, but he is such a presence as an all-around receiver.
The Lions are poised to lose Kenny Golladay in free agency, and while bringing in Tyrell Williams as a possible reclamation project is nice, they need to put more pieces in place to help Jared Goff succeed right away.
Smith would immediately be the WR1 in Detroit and would likely be counted on to eat up the most targets of anyone on the team in his rookie season if he’s drafted there.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 10th pick
Dallas Cowboys key additions so far
- OT Ty Nsekhe
- LS Jake McQuade
The Dallas Cowboys’ biggest addition in 2021 was not technically an “addition” at all, but the team shelled out the big bucks for quarterback Dak Prescott, keeping their franchise player in place for the foreseeable future.
Prescott is the latest Cowboys offensive player to get an enormous amount of cash, and he made sure to make this one count considering the scary injury he suffered in 2020.
The Cowboys gave Prescott $126 million in guaranteed cash, $95 million of it guaranteed at signing. The total money in the deal is $140 million over four seasons, putting Prescott among the league’s highest-paid players ever.
With so much money poured into the offense, there is no question that Dallas is going to need to use their top draft capital on defense. The cornerback position would be a good place to start after losing Chidobe Awuzie (Bengals) in free agency.
The team did re-sign nickel corner Jourdan Lewis, but bringing another outside corner like Patrick Surtain II to pair with Trevon Diggs would give the Cowboys a very strong, young trio of cornerbacks to build thier secondary around.
Surtain was as close to “shut down” as you will find in college football these days and pairing him with his old running mate at Alabama is a fun idea.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 11th pick
New York Giants key additions so far
- WR John Ross III
- TE Kyle Rudolph
- RB Devontae Booker
- QB Mike Glennon
The New York Giants took care of one of their own with former trade acquisition Leonard Williams, who signed a big-money contract to remain the anchor of the Giants’ defense.
Offensively, the Giants were able to make some solid moves to upgrade the weaponry for quarterback Dani
The biggest move of the ones listed is tight end Kyle Rudolph, a cap casualty of the Vikings whose best days are probably in the rearview, but he provides an experienced veteran who will help not only in the passing game but as a blocker as well.
John Ross is a fun risk/reward proposition with his elite deep speed. He’s shown an ability to be very productive when healthy in the NFL but that has unfortunately been difficult for him to do.
The off-field concerns with Micah Parsons are somewhat unknown at this point with people questioning his maturity, though there is some documented information about Parsons being involved in some hazing at Penn State.
Teams will need to do their due diligence on Parsons as a guy, but there’s no question about the productivity and versatility he brings to the field.
Parsons can not only make plays with his range, but he can rush the passer and knife behind the line of scrimmage with relative ease.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 12th pick
San Francisco 49ers key additions so far
- OL Alex Mack
- EDGE Samson Ebukam
The San Francisco 49ers have focused their free agency efforts on re-signing their own guys, primarily focusing in on left tackle Trent Williams who signed a massive six-year deal worth more than $138 million in total money and $53.9 million in guarantees.
After re-signing Williams, the 49ers brought in an old friend of Kyle Shanahan’s, center Alex Mack to help solidify that offensive interior.
Defensively, the 49ers brought back Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley and poached pass rusher Samson Ebukam from their rival Los Angeles Rams.
The 49ers’ roster looks primed to make another run if they can stay healthy, which was a huge ordeal in 2020.
So why Mac Jones?
Jones seems to be the type of quarterback Kyle Shanahan has had the most success with in his time as an NFL coach.
Dating back to his time in Washington with Kirk Cousins, then with Brian Hoyer in Cleveland (if you want to count that year), followed by his time in Atlanta with Matt Ryan, then in San Francisco with Jimmy Garoppolo.
Mac Jones is a very similar type of player to those guys. I keep trying to pencil in the more mobile quarterback prospects with athleticism and big-time traits, but Jones seems to be the type of player Shanahan prefers.
He’s athletic enough to run the boots that Shanahan will call and Jones is one of the more pro-ready guys when it comes to processing things quickly and making fast decisions with the ball.
This might not be the most exciting prospect at the quarterback position but Mac Jones could have a long career working with Kyle Shanahan.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 13th pick
Los Angeles Chargers key additions so far
- C Corey Linsley
- OT Matt Feiler
- TE Jared Cook
After Justin Herbert’s wildly successful rookie season, the Los Angeles Chargers made a boatload of major changes that could potentially come back to bite them.
Gone are former OC Shane Steichen and QB coach Pep Hamilton. Gone is a vast majority of the 2020 Chargers offensive line (maybe not a terrible thing) and tight end Hunter Henry.
Brandon Staley was hired from the Rams to be the Chargers’ new head coach, and he hired Joe Lombardi as his offensive coordinator.
Herbert will be changing schemes, he will have a new offensive line, and he will have a new TE1 in Jared Cook.
The Chargers will obviously hope that Herbert will have no issue with those changes, but time will tell the tale.
In the meantime, they need to do everything they can to get him protection. Rashawn Slater had a signature game in 2019 against Ohio State’s Chase Young, but he has been very good besides that game as well.
Capable of playing on either the right or left side, he looks like an immediate starter in the NFL and an impact player with tremendous athletic talent for his size.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 14th pick
Minnesota Vikings key additions so far
- EDGE Stephen Weatherly
- DL Dalvin Tomlinson
- CB Patrick Peterson
- LB Nick Vigil
The Minnesota Vikings have seen some good players walk out the door in the 2021 offseason, but they’ve also brought in some people who can be huge impact players in 2021.
Dalvin Tomlinson is a huge pickup from the New York Giants and a load on the defensive interior who can create as a pass rusher and run defender.
Adding him along with 2020 opt-out Michael Pierce is going to make running inside on the Vikings a very difficult proposition.
Patrick Peterson will look to revive his career in Minnesota after some not-so-elite years in Arizona recently. He could even potentially try to switch to safety if the Vikings like him in that role.
On the offensive line, the Vikings have to figure out how to replace left tackle Riley Reiff. They could simply switch Ezra Cleveland back from the guard position to play his college position of left tackle, but one way or another, there will be a need on the offensive line.
Alijah Vera-Tucker has excelled at both left tackle and left guard and could be a plug-and-play starter at either spot for the Vikings if they take him here.
In the Vikings’ zone offense, he will be a tremendous fit.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 15th pick
New England Patriots key additions so far (how much time do you have?)
- TE Jonnu Smith
- TE Hunter Henry
- WR Nelson Agholor
- WR Kendrick Bourne
- OT Trent Brown
- C Ted Karras
- OLB Matt Judon
- DL Henry Anderson
- DL Davon Godchaux
- DL Montravious Adams
- LB Kyle Van Noy
- LB Raekwon McMillan
- DB Jalen Mills
When the 2021 NFL Free Agency signing period opened up, the New England Patriots spared no expense.
In addition to these moves, the Pats re-upped with quarterback Cam Newton and unlike 2020, they seem to be really putting him in a position to succeed in 2021.
Newton will have some stud tight ends to get the ball to and if Nelson Agholor can keep the momentum going that he had in Las Vegas last year, they might have themselves a heck of a set of weapons all around.
Defensively, the Patriots made some big additions to their front seven as well. With the second-round tender given to cornerback JC Jackson, they should have the majority of their back end set for 2021 but they could look to the 2021 NFL Draft for some additional help.
Jalen Mills has played both safety and cornerback in his NFL career, so until we see where the Patriots are playing him for sure, they should be considered a prime landing spot for a player like Trevon Moehrig, a versatile defensive back that Bill Belichick will love who can line up as a free safety, box safety, or even nickel corner.
Moehrig won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, and he has the type of character and football IQ the Patriots love.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 16th pick
Arizona Cardinals key additions so far
- DL JJ Watt
- WR AJ Green
- C Rodney Hudson
The Arizona Cardinals have certainly made some “all-in” types of moves in the 2021 offseason.
They got things off to a roaring start by signing JJ Watt after he was cut by the Houston Texans, fortifying their defensive line and bringing in another player who can create pressure along with Chandler Jones, Markus Golden, and Jordan Phillips.
Then the Cardinals took to free agency and brought in veteran AJ Green, a fellow member of Watt’s vaunted 2011 NFL Draft class. Green gives them another option (when healthy) to take pressure off of DeAndre Hopkins.
Rodney Hudson might be the best center in the NFL, so the Cardinals were not turned off by trading a third-round pick to the Raiders to get him.
With their defensive front looking very solid, the Cardinals need to add to the secondary. Veteran Patrick Peterson is off to Minnesota and the Cardinals’ defensive backfield depth has been depleted in recent years even with Peterson aboard.
Caleb Farley might be the CB1 of this class and for him to fall to the Cardinals’ pick here?
Arizona would absolutely be down for that.
Vance Joseph’s defense needs guys who can lock it down in man coverage, and Farley’s ball skills behind the pass rush this team is going to get? That could be a dangerous combination for teams throwing against Arizona.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 17th pick
Las Vegas Raiders key additions so far
- WR John Brown
- RB Kenyan Drake
- EDGE Yannick Ngakoue
- DL Solomon Thomas
- DL Quinton Jefferson
The Las Vegas Raiders have had a very up-and-down offseason thus far with some really solid additions at good prices, especially a two-year contract for Yannick Ngakoue at $13 million per season.
They have also had to let go of veteran offensive linemen Trent Brown and Gabe Jackson as well as let some former big free agent pickups like Tyrell Williams and Lamarcus Joyner go.
There is no doubt that after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2020 season that Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden are going to still be confident with where this team is at, but there’s no doubt they need to be better defensively.
Before they do that, however, they have to solidify the offensive line. The Raiders are typically good for at least one surprise draft pick, and Teven Jenkins going 17th overall would certainly qualify.
Jenkins has gotten some deserved first-round buzz as one of the most physical right tackles in this draft class, and I think that nasty demeanor will endear him to the Raiders’ front office and coaching staff.
This team wants to be physical in the running game and Jenkins can help them do it.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 18th pick
After trading down earlier and coming away with Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins turn around and go with another tremendous skill player from the Crimson Tide and get Najee Harris as their featured running back.
The Dolphins need to do anything and everything possible to put Tua Tagovailoa in a position to succeed. His rookie season had its ups and downs, but Tagovailoa is a tremendous talent who can elevate the Dolphins with more reps under his belt.
It certainly wouldn’t hurt to have guys around him like Waddle and Harris, college teammates he’s already had proven success with.
Najee Harris is a rare breed at the running back position with his combination of size, strength, pass-catching ability, route-running ability, football IQ, and just general all-around effectiveness.
Watching Harris work this past season at Alabama was like watching a professional athlete play among the college ranks. He was a dominant player and he’s ready for the rigors of the NFL.
With other pieces like Tagovailoa, DeVante Parker, and now Will Fuller in place, the Dolphins using their top two picks on skill talent makes sense to maximize and expedite their young quarterback’s development.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 19th pick
Washington Football Team key additions so far
- QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
- WR Curtis Samuel
- CB William Jackson
The Washington Football Team has been fun so far in the 2021 offseason, haven’t they?
They brought in Ryan Fitzmagic himself to throw passes to Terry McLaurin, breakthrough tight end Logan Thomas, and new free agent acquisition Curtis Samuel.
Not to mention, Washington has Antonio Gibson leading the backfield after a tremendous rookie season.
This Washington team surprisingly won the NFC East in 2020 (although it was a battle of losing record teams) and that alone should give them tremendous confidence going into 2021 with an experienced player like Fitzpatrick under center.
Although Fitzpatrick has not always taken the best care of the ball throughout his career, he has proven he is still a playmaker out there into his late 30s, and he’s got some fun players to spread the ball around to.
What he needs now? Some protection.
Christian Darrisaw didn’t have as many drops in pass protection but when he did, he pitched shutouts. He is a tremendous run blocker and a big-time athlete, and he made great strides over the course of the 2020 season for the Hokies.
This guy is an absolute mauler when he’s out in space and his growth in pass protection should continue to come as he gets more time on task.
This selection would wrap up a home run of an offseason for the Washington Football Team so far.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 20th pick
Chicago Bears key additions so far
- QB Andy Dalton
- CB Desmond Trufant
- DL Angelo Blackson
The Chicago Bears have signed Andy Dalton to be their starting quarterback for the 2021 season, but that doesn’t mean things can’t still change between now and the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Bears’ greatest hope is to trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, which would cost them a bounty of picks and players to get done.
In the meantime, Chicago is going to have to make sure it keeps plenty of assets to be able to entice Seattle with a trade package if anything has a chance of getting done.
If the Bears don’t end up getting Russell Wilson and they keep their draft picks in 2021 and beyond, they have to find a way to surround Andy Dalton with the most talent possible.
They franchise tagged Allen Robinson and still went after Kenny Golladay. If wide receiver is still a priority for this team, the 2021 NFL Draft class is loaded at that position and could bring a number of players that could contribute from day one.
Although they might not be exact comps in terms of play style, Rashod Bateman could be this year’s version of Justin Jefferson, being criminally underrated through the pre-draft process and ultimately playing better than just about any rookie in the league.
Bateman is an excellent route runner with size, speed, and strong hands at the catch point. He could be a huge asset for Andy Dalton if that’s the man under center for the Bears in 2021.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 21st pick
Indianapolis Colts key additions so far
- QB Carson Wentz
- WR JJ Nelson
- DL Isaac Rochell
- DL Andrew Brown
The Indianapolis Colts decided to buy low on Carson Wentz after his falling out with the Philadelphia Eagles.
When Wentz was playing at an MVP level for the Eagles in 2017, he was being coached up by Frank Reich, who is obviously now the head man with the Colts.
Indianapolis has reason to believe Wentz can turn it around with Reich again, but they are certainly taking a measured risk here.
Besides adding Wentz, the Eagles have been relatively quiet so far in the 2021 free agency period. They have plenty of cap space but they are being patient if not frugal up to this point.
The Colts still need a left tackle and more help in the defensive backfield, and they could go with either position early in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Jaycee Horn sitting on the board might be too good to pass up given the number of tackles that are gone at this point compared to cornerbacks.
Horn is an NFL legacy (his father, Joe, played WR for the Saints) and he certainly has the competitiveness you would expect from someone who has been around football their whole life.
Horn never believes there’s a matchup he shouldn’t be favored in and while his aggressiveness can get the better of him at times, he is quick to react, physical, and he makes plays on the ball.
He has CB1 potential at the NFL level.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 22nd pick
Tennessee Titans key additions so far
- OLB Bud Dupree
- DL Denico Autry
- CB Janoris Jenkins
- CB Kevin Johnson
- DL Daylon Mack
The Tennessee Titans brought in pass rusher Bud Dupree coming off of a torn ACL because this team is desperate for help in the pass rush department.
There is no question that the Titans are going to look different on both sides of the ball in 2021 with the departures of tight end Jonnu Smith (Patriots), wide receiver Corey Davis (Jets), cornerbacks Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson (free agency), and not to mention offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Did the Titans miss their “window”? We’ll find out in time.
For now, this team needs reinforcements at the cornerback position. Not only did they lose Malcolm Butler and Adoree Jackson but they also lost Desmond King to their division rival Houston Texans.
Greg Newsome is a talented, long, athletic cornerback prospect who has a limited sample size from Northwestern but a very productive one.
He has legit sub-4.4 type speed out there and at 6-foot-1, he’s got tremendous length for the position as well.
With his versatility to play inside as a nickel or on the outside, he would be able to play a big role for the Titans early on.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 23rd pick
If the Jets are committing to Sam Darnold, they might as well go ahead and get him some additional protection.
With Kyle Pitts coming in in this mock draft scenario, the Jets’ offensive skill talent would be pretty respectable at least on paper:
- Kyle Pitts
- Denzel Mims
- Corey Davis
- Jamison Crowder
The Jets could definitely supplement that group with another running back as well as some more depth at receiver, but that’s a better crew than Sam Darnold has had (checks notes) ever in New York for sure.
Adding Mayfield to bookend Mekhi Becton would also ensure at least Darnold’s most talented offensive line, and if Mayfield continues to play the way he did in limited action this past season, it could be the best line Darnold has had as well.
Mayfield is a heck of an athlete who I think projects well to either tackle spot, and if he had a full season of work to go off of in 2020, I think we’d also be talking about him as a much higher selection overall.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 24th pick
Pittsburgh Steelers key additions so far
- OL BJ Finney
The Pittsburgh Steelers figured out a way to bring back quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and fit him under the 2021 salary cap, but they weren’t done there.
Although they lost a couple of key defenders like Bud Dupree and Mike Hilton, Pittsburgh was able to retain wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on a one-year deal despite some better offers from other teams.
One underrated loss for the Steelers in 2021, though? Defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, who returned to the team that drafted him in Jacksonville.
If the Steelers want to go best player at a position of need here, they could very well go with Alabama’s Christian Barmore, an absolute stud on the defensive interior who is really just scratching the surface of the kind of player he can become.
In just 22 games at Alabama, he racked up 63 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks, including eight sacks and three forced fumbles this past season.
He’s got length, overwhelming power, and plays with tremendous effort. I think he can play all over the line for the Steelers and make life easier for the rest of this team’s pass rushers in the process.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 25th pick
After taking Trevor Lawrence first overall, we’re going to get a much clearer picture of the kind of strategy to expect from the combination of Trent Baalke and Urban Meyer.
At this point, the Jaguars could go any number of directions, so why not a little bit of a surprise?
Urban Meyer of course recruited Browning to the Ohio State program when he was a five-star prospect back in the class of 2017, and while Browning doesn’t have the most jaw-dropping statistics among linebackers in this class, he has one of the most versatile skill sets.
With his ability to cover, play the run, rush the passer, play off the edge, and play the traditional off-ball role, Browning is a defensive weapon who will be gone early in the second round if a team like the Jaguars doesn’t pick him late in the first round like this.
Some team behind them could very well “reach” on him a bit and determine he won’t make it to the bottom of round two, which he won’t.
When he gets a chance to show his athletic skills at the Ohio State pro day, everyone is going to see what kind of rare breed this guy is.
He was tremendous at the week of Senior Bowl practices and would give the Jaguars a big-time weapon for their defensive front seven.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 26th pick
Cleveland Browns key additions so far
- S John Johnson
- DL Malik Jackson
- EDGE. Takk McKinley
- CB Troy Hill
The Cleveland Browns are bringing the entire band on offense back together from the 2020 season, plus they are adding Odell Beckham Jr. back from injured reserve.
Defensively, the Browns were supposedly going to be in the mix for top pass rushers but they ended up taking a one-year flyer on Takk McKinley and Malik Jackson, which could be great situations for both of those guys.
In the secondary, the Browns made some significant waves.
Greedy Williams and Grant Delpit will both be coming back from injury, and in free agency they went out and got two players from the Los Angeles Rams in John Johnson and Troy Hill, two of the more underrated pieces of that defense.
In the first round of this mock draft, the Browns continue to get better on defense with the guy some view as the top EDGE player overall in the class in Azeez Ojulari, who is just solid in his all-around game and in the athleticism department.
Opposite Myles Garrett? Ojulari could be scary.
With the whole crew coming back offensively, Cleveland has the chance to assemble a really solid defense for the 2021 season to complement them and maybe even carry them if they struggle.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 27th pick
Baltimore Ravens key additions so far
- OG Kevin Zeitler
- TE Josh Oliver
The Ravens made a pretty sneaky trade for tight end Josh Oliver who was a very intriguing prospect coming out before injuries derailed his first couple of seasons in the league.
They also got offensive guard Kevin Zeitler to come in and potentially solidify the interior offensive line at a reasonable rate.
As is typically the case, the Ravens have said goodbye to some key players in the 2021 offseason including top pass rusher Matt Judon, who signed with the New England Patriots.
With the decreased cap, it’s been tough for a lot of teams to keep everyone.
Offensively, the Ravens need to look into upgrades at the wide receiver position. Although this is a run-first team, they have been exceptional in the passing game when it comes to efficiency. Lamar Jackson was 32nd in the NFL in pass attempts in his MVP 2019 campaign, yet somehow found a way to lead the league in touchdown passes.
That high TD rate continued into 2020, though not quite at the same level.
Although Hollywood Brown and Devin Duvernay already give this team so much speed at receiver, Kadarius Toney is a player that could really cause problems for opposing defenses when he’s on the field with those guys or anyone else in the Ravens’ offensive personnel.
Toney is such a dynamic weapon after the catch and he could be used out of the backfield or however the Ravens could find creative ways to get him the ball.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 28th pick
New Orleans Saints key additions so far
- Insert John Travolta looking around an empty room GIF here
The New Orleans Saints have not been raking in free agents from other teams because they literally cannot.
The Saints had to sign Taysom Hill to a phony $140 million contract with void years just to clear cap space in the 2021 offseason, but that hasn’t prevented them from retaining some key players.
Safety Marcus Williams is back as the franchise player. Jameis Winston is back on a one-year deal to compete to be the team’s starting quarterback. The Saints had to cut a number of key veteran players from their roster, but if things work out at quarterback, they have a chance to be competitive with the group they’ve assembled in 2021.
With that being said, the Saints need to address a couple of key areas on both sides of the ball. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Notre Dame could play a variety of roles for this defense including some box safety, slot corner, and traditional off-ball linebacker, but he’s not going to be your traditional inside linebacker in the NFL.
Owusu-Koramoah’s versatility could help the Saints replace Kwon Alexander who ended up being a great pickup for them last year prior to the NFL’s in-season trade deadline.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 29th pick
Green Bay Packers key additions so far
- None
The Packers made a big deal near the beginning of free agency to retain running back Aaron Jones on a four-year contract, but besides that, things have been relatively quiet in Green Bay as they typically are in free agency.
Though to be fair, the Packers did veer from their quiet-in-free-agency strategy over the past couple of years with some major impact additions in pass rushers Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith as well as safety Adrian Amos.
The Packers will need to address the secondary and the wide receiver position in the 2021 NFL Draft and that’s exactly what they will do in this mock draft.
Elijah Molden is not a popular first-round selection in mock draft projections but he probably should be. There are few players in this draft class at any position with cleaner tape and his game is translatable at multiple positions.
I think Molden could be the second coming of a Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu type of playmaker in the secondary, and the Packers could find a use for him immediately as a slot cornerback.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 30th pick
Buffalo Bills key additions so far
- WR Emmanuel Sanders
- QB Mitchell Trubisky
The Buffalo Bills have been relatively quiet so far in the 2021 offseason, but the move to go and get Emmanuel Sanders in the wide receiver group is a fun one.
Sanders reunites with his old college teammate at SMU Cole Beasley and joins up with Stefon Diggs to give the Bills one of the league’s most interesting trios of receivers.
How you cover these guys is going to be interesting for opposing defenses to try and figure out, but it would become borderline impossible to gain an advantage with a player like Travis Etienne in the fold.
Etienne has been at Clemson the last four years, running all over people and growing as a three-down player.
At this stage of his development and with this roster, adding Etienne would be icing on the cake for the Bills who already have some talented backs in Devin Singletary and Zack Moss.
This Buffalo team is trying to gain an edge over Kansas City and they need all the help they can get. Adding one of the best players in all of college football over the last four years would definitely be a step in the right direction.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 31st pick
Kansas City Chiefs key additions so far
- OG Joe Thuney
- OL Kyle Long
The Chiefs surprised just about everyone when they cut not only former first overall pick Eric Fisher at the left tackle position but also Mitchell Schwartz, arguably the league’s best right tackle over the last five years or so.
Without Fisher and Schwartz, the Chiefs began reshaping their offensive line by adding Patriots left guard Joe Thuney and former Bears right guard Kyle Long.
What is to become of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif?
The Chiefs also re-signed Mike Remmers, so they still need to fill another tackle spot unless they are projecting Lucas Niang as a starter there. It would make more sense for Niang to play his college position of right tackle, but we will soon find out.
At this juncture, the Chiefs will have to consider what the board will look like the next time they are on the clock. Samuel Cosmi has freakish athletic ability for his size and he could be a bit of a project at the next level, but he would have a great veteran next to him in Thuney.
At this point in the first round, the Chiefs are definitely drafting for need which is kind of a dangerous place to be, and they also have needs to address defensively at some point, but Patrick Mahomes’ protection is of paramount importance.
We’ll see if Eric Fisher returns prior to the draft to change this projection.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 32nd pick
Tampa Bay Buccaneers key additions so far
- All about retaining
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers struck gold this past season with Tom Brady at the quarterback position and a wide array of one-year or last-year contract players who just clicked perfectly at the right time.
Now, they’re trying to run it back.
The Bucs brought back Rob Gronkowski, Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David, Chris Godwin, and even the kicker Ryan Succop.
There are still some players they are working to bring back like Ndamukong Suh and Antonio Brown, but for the most part, the band is back together for Tampa Bay and they will have a good shot of representing the NFC in the Super Bowl again in the 2021 season.
In this mock draft scenario, it’s a case of the rich getting richer.
Todd Bowles’ defense needs versatile, aggressive players and Gregory Rousseau has seen his stock dip dramatically after opting out of the 2020 season.
Still, even with a small sample from Miami, Rousseau showed that he can be a tremendous pass rusher both off the edge and lined up on the interior defensive line. Todd Bowles could help maximize his talent early on and the Bucs could have a steal on their hands here.
2021 NFL Mock Draft: 2nd round
33. Jacksonville Jaguars: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
34. New York Jets: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
35. Atlanta Falcons: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
36. Miami Dolphins: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
37. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
38. Cincinnati Bengals: Alex Leatherwood, OL, Alabama
39. Miami Dolphins (from CAR): Richie Grant, DB, UCF
40. Denver Broncos: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
41. Detroit Lions: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
42. New York Giants: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami
43. San Francisco 49ers: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
44. Dallas Cowboys: Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma
45. Jacksonville Jaguars: Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
46. New England Patriots: Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama
47. Los Angeles Chargers: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
48. Las Vegas Raiders: Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas
49. Arizona Cardinals: Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina
50. Miami Dolphins: Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
51. Washington Football Team: Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State
52. Chicago Bears: Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
53. Tennessee Titans: Daviyon Nixon, DL, Iowa
54. Indianapolis Colts: Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
55. Pittsburgh Steelers: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
56. Seattle Seahawks: Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
57. Los Angeles Rams: Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
58. Baltimore Ravens: Levi Onwuzurike, DL, UCLA
59. Cleveland Browns: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
60. New Orleans Saints: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
61. Buffalo Bills: Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky
62. Green Bay Packers: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
63. Kansas City Chiefs: Quinn Meinerz, C, Wisconsin-Whitewater
64. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jay Tufele, DL, USC