With two days to go before the 2024 NFL Draft begins, there could still be some movement early in the order, but not likely in the first two picks.
With drafting quarterbacks on their minds, the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots have both received calls from teams looking to trade up for their No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported on Tuesday.
In line with Washington general manager Adam Peters' assertion last week that he “feels great about staying at No. 2,” the Commanders have indicated to inquiring teams that they are not looking to move out of their current spot. The Chicago Bears, of course, are sitting at No. 1 overall and it's all but certain they're drafting USC QB Caleb Williams, even if general manager Ryan Poles isn't going to announce his intentions before Thursday night.
The Raiders were among the teams who checked in with the Commanders, hoping to move from No. 13 to No. 2 in their search for a possible answer at quarterback, Garafolo added.
However, the Patriots could be more open to a potential exchange, per Rapoport and Garafolo, adding that New England just doesn't feel it's received a worthy offer from a potential suitor yet.
Here's what else we're monitoring on Tuesday ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, which kicks off Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET:
- Could the Falcons entertain a move down from No. 8? With many teams seemingly interested in moving up in the draft order for signal caller, could the Atlanta Falcons be open to trading away its top-10 pick? In his pre-draft press conference, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said that all of the calls discussing a possible trade for the No. 8 pick have not passed the preliminary stage. He predicted that once Thursday's festivities start and teams are on the clock, that's when discussions on a possible exchange will ramp up and get serious.
- Cardinals contemplating WR options? If the first three picks are used on quarterbacks, as predicted by many, the Arizona Cardinals would have the pick of the litter at every other position at No. 4, or the option to trade the pick to a QB-needy team. With wide receiver widely regarded as the move in either scenario, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it appears there's not a large difference in opinion between top prospects Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers. He added that if the Cardinals feel good about getting either player and the team does move down, they still likely wouldn't go below the Giants at No. 6 in order to be sure they get their man.
- Bears not seeking out more picks. The Chicago Bears are currently set to kick off the draft with two of the top-10 picks, holding the No. 1 and No. 9 selections. But after that, the Bears have just two more picks through the last six rounds. Their four overall picks are the lowest of any team, but even so, general manager Ryan Poles expressed Tuesday that he'd be content with the number of picks Chicago has, saying "I feel really good with where we're at." Poles did not rule out making a trade for more picks, but it's possible the Bears could stand pat with the quartet of selections already in hand.
