With the start just days away, the 2024 NFL Draft trade rumors are flying around. It can be hard keeping up with the latest NFL trade news while also deciphering what rumors have truth to them and what rumors are just crazy rumors.
That’s why we wanted to try to make some sense out of all the 2024 NFL Draft trade rumors floating around.
Five Trades Possible in the First Round of the 2024 NFL Draft
One thing we can say for sure is that there will be trades during the draft. We just don’t know if they will end up being among the biggest draft day trades in NFL history or deals that teams hope to forget.
With that in mind, here are five trades we think could actually happen during the First Round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Vikings Trade Up for J.J. McCarthy
There is a good chance the first three players selected will be quarterbacks. That could lead to some rash decisions by teams that need a quarterback but don’t have one of those selections. The Vikings are certainly one of those teams, which is why they might be looking to trade up in order to get J.J. McCarthy, who is considered the fourth-best quarterback in the class.
Minnesota could potentially trade up to the no. 5 spot to guarantee a chance to draft McCarthy, who some believe could be an ideal replacement for Kirk Cousins.
Raiders Trade Up for Michael Penix Jr.
After the Vikings trade up to get McCarthy, there will be even more pressure on a team like the Raiders that is also hoping to draft a quarterback. Look for them to do business with the Jets for the no. 10 pick.
That gets them ahead of Minnesota at no. 11 (if the Vikings don’t trade up) and the Broncos at no. 12, another team that could be looking at taking a quarterback in the First Round. Assuming four quarterbacks have already been selected by that point, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. will be the obvious pick, meaning five quarterbacks could be selected in the top 10.
While he may not end up being one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, there has been a strong link between Penix and the Raiders leading up to the draft.
Bills Trade into Top 10 for Wide Receiver
Look for Buffalo to draft wide receivers early and often. In fact, the Bills might be aggressive enough to trade up to fill their biggest need. After trading away Stefon Diggs, Buffalo lacks a true no. 1 receiver.
While this is a deep class, there is a clear gap between the three wide receivers at the top and everyone else. In order to draft Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze, the Bills may need to pull off a trade to get a top-10 pick before those three players are all off the board.
Colts Trade Up for Brock Bowers
Brock Bowers is in an interesting position because he’s potentially a generational player but so few teams are in need of a tight end. That means the door is open for a team to be aggressive and make an unexpected trade-up to get him.
As a team that nearly made the playoffs last year with a backup quarterback and doesn’t have a lot of glaring needs, they can afford to use some draft capital to move up a few spots to land Bowers.
Cardinals Trade for Tee Higgins
There seems to be plenty of smoke concerning the Bengals trading Tee Higgins. Things could potentially come to a head during the draft. If that happens, look out for Arizona.
The Cardinals have three of the top 35 picks and six of the top 90 picks. That includes the no. 27 overall pick, which should be enough to be the centerpiece of a trade that convinces the Bengals to part ways with Higgins, who could be the best non-rookie who gets traded on draft day.
