2021 NFL Draft rumors: 5 first-round trades that could happen
The 2021 NFL Draft is officially three weeks away. With only three weeks to go, it’s possible that the top three picks are already known.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are taking Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick.
The New York Jets are going with BYU quarterback Zach Wilson.
The San Francisco 49ers, somewhat shockingly, appear to have traded multiple first-round picks to move up from the 12th spot to the 3rd spot (with Miami) to select Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.
Although it’s possible at this point that the San Francisco 49ers could change course, the top two selections in the 2021 NFL Draft appear to be set and all signs right now point to the third pick being Mac Jones.
If that’s the case, the 49ers’ trade up with the Miami Dolphins might not be the last shocking move we see happen in the first round. In fact, it’s probably more likely than not that we see some more movement in the 2021 NFL Draft order.
What trades could teams make in the next three weeks? Will something go down before the 2021 NFL Draft?
Let’s take a look at five trades that could still happen leading up to (or during) the 2021 NFL Draft.
1. Denver Broncos trade up for Justin Fields
The Atlanta Falcons move back five spots in the top 10 picks and wind up adding a second-round pick in 2021 and an additional third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Although with quarterbacks involved you can typically throw the trade value chart out the window, this is a pretty substantial overpay for the Broncos anyway.
The Falcons might prefer a trade-down option where they could get a 2022 first-round option, but who knows if that opportunity will present itself?
Moving down to the 9th overall pick, the Falcons could still get a great receiver, offensive lineman, or maybe one of the best defensive players in this draft class.
Are they willing to pass on Kyle Pitts to let the Denver Broncos take a franchise QB like Justin Fields? If they can get this kind of haul, they just might.