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2021 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Draft Notes: Mond, Offensive Run, Bengals

April 25th, 2021 at 5:17pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are the latest draft rumblings from around the league with the big event less than a week away:

  • We’ve heard endlessly about the top passers in this draft, but there’s an interesting group of second-tier guys as well. One of those second-tier guys is Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond, who apparently has a real shot to go earlier than most think. Several people have told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter video link) that if any of the second-tier quarterbacks are going to be “the shocking first-round pick,” it could be Mond. The four-year SEC starter is currently expected to go off the board sometime on Day 2, but Pelissero notes there are a lot of things scouts love about him. This will be something to keep an eye on this week.
  • An interesting general draft note here. Obviously there’s going to be an early run on quarterbacks, but the drafting of offensive players isn’t going to stop there. There are a number of pass-catchers and O-linemen who could go off the board very early. In fact, there’s a scenario that could “definitely happen,” where each of the first ten guys drafted on Thursday are offensive players, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Rapsheet says “plenty of teams” picking in the teens and 20s “have been buzzing about how many offensive guys will go early.” It would be the first time in draft history that no defensive player was taken in the top ten, Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network tweets.
  • The Bengals have made upgrading Joe Burrow‘s protection a priority this offseason, understandably so after he tore his ACL during his rookie campaign. They signed tackle Riley Reiff in free agency, and are expected to add help in the draft. Although they had been linked to Oregon tackle Penei Sewell early on, it looks like that help might not come in the first-round after all. There’s a “growing belief that the team is moving toward selecting LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes (subscription required). Dragon notes Bengals exec Duke Tobin said the team would add offensive line help “at some point” in the draft. He writes that the team’s front office thinks this “draft possesses a rich crop of offensive linemen,” and that the organization thinks there will be “starting-caliber offensive linemen available in the second and even third round.”

Jets Notes: Mosley, Draft Plans, Hoyer

April 25th, 2021 at 11:49am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets reportedly received trade calls on linebacker C.J. Mosley this offseason, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says Mosley remains a trade candidate. As Randy Lange of the team’s official website writes, new head coach Robert Saleh recently offered high praise for Mosley, calling him a tremendous leader and player. Saleh also said Mosley is good enough to thrive in any system, including the 4-3 scheme that Saleh plans to implement (Mosley has not played in a 4-3 since he turned pro).

But New York did sign Jarrad Davis in free agency, and the team has been speculatively linked to high-end linebackers in the draft, like Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. If GM Joe Douglas does select an LB with a Day 1 or Day 2 choice, that could make a Mosley trade more likely (though obviously the return on such a trade would be minimal given Mosley’s contract and the fact that he has played all of two games in the last two years).

Now for more notes on the Jets:

  • Although Gang Green is going to select QB Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick, there is plenty of uncertainty as to what the club will do with the No. 23 overall selection. Cimini believes the team will ultimately go with a player to help Wilson, whether that’s an offensive lineman or a wide receiver. If that’s how Douglas is leaning, he might need to trade up to get the prospect he wants, and Connor Hughes of The Athletic tweets that Douglas has already done the “groundwork” on a potential move up the board.
  • Cornerback also profiles as a major need for the Jets, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them use the No. 23 pick or another early selection on a CB. According to Cimini, the club is intrigued by Syracuse corner Ifeatu Melifonwu, who looks like a second- or third-round talent. If the team doesn’t get a slot corner at some point in the draft, Hughes says the team could look to re-sign Brian Poole, whose 2020 season was cut short by injury but who has played well in his two seasons in the Meadowlands.
  • If the Jets don’t go with an offensive lineman with their second first-round choice, Hughes expects them to grab one with the No. 34 pick, and he also thinks they could pick up another blocker with one of their two third-round selections.
  • New York brought in veteran QB Brian Hoyer for a visit earlier this month, and he looks like an ideal backup/mentor for Wilson. Hughes reports that the team is likely to commence contract talks with the 35-year-old signal-caller after the draft.

Cowboys Won’t Trade Up From No. 10

April 24th, 2021 at 9:04pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys may be high on Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, but they won’t trade up to land him or any other player, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. With less than one week to go until the NFL Draft, it sounds like Jerry Jones & Co. will be standing pat at No. 10. 

[RELATED: NFL Suspends Cowboys’ Rashard Robinson]

Drafting Pitts would require the Cowboys to move up several spots — perhaps as high as No. 4. Of course, that’d be costly, especially after the 49ers set the market by sacrificing a 2022 third-round pick and two future first rounders in order to advance from No. 12 to No. 3. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have much more pressing needs to address in the draft including cornerback, offensive tackle, and safety.

Pitts, a quarterback in high school, moved to tight end at UF and quickly put himself on the NFL radar. Last year, he snagged 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns in just eight games, finishing out with an eye-popping 17.9 yards per grab. Right now, it seems unlikely that the Dolphins will allow him to fall beyond No. 6. Meanwhile, many prognosticators (and PFR readers) expect the Falcons to snag Pitts at No. 4.

2021 NFL Draft Order, Pick By Pick

April 24th, 2021 at 7:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The 2021 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 29th in Cleveland, Ohio at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Then, Rounds 2-3 will take place on Friday, starting at 7pm ET/6pm CT, followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, starting at 12pm ET/11pm CT.

Here’s the complete rundown of this year’s draft order, from pick No. 1 through pick No. 259:

Round 1

1) Jacksonville Jaguars
2) New York Jets
3) San Francisco 49ers (from Texans via Dolphins)
4) Atlanta Falcons
5) Cincinnati Bengals
6) Miami Dolphins (from Eagles)
7) Detroit Lions
8) Carolina Panthers
9) Denver Broncos
10) Dallas Cowboys
11) New York Giants
12) Philadelphia Eagles (from 49ers via Dolphins)
13) Los Angeles Chargers
14) Minnesota Vikings
15) New England Patriots
16) Arizona Cardinals
17) Las Vegas Raiders
18) Miami Dolphins
19) Washington Football Team
20) Chicago Bears
21) Indianapolis Colts
22) Tennessee Titans
23) New York Jets (from Seahawks)
24) Pittsburgh Steelers
25) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams)
26) Cleveland Browns
27) Baltimore Ravens
28) New Orleans Saints
29) Green Bay Packers
30) Buffalo Bills
31) Baltimore Ravens (from Chiefs)
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Round 2

33) Jacksonville Jaguars
34) New York Jets
35) Atlanta Falcons
36) Miami Dolphins (from Texans)
37) Philadelphia Eagles
38) Cincinnati Bengals
39) Carolina Panthers
40) Denver Broncos
41) Detroit Lions
42) New York Giants
43) San Francisco 49ers
44) Dallas Cowboys
45) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Vikings)
46) New England Patriots
47) Los Angeles Chargers
48) Las Vegas Raiders
49) Arizona Cardinals
50) Miami Dolphins
51) Washington Football Team
52) Chicago Bears
53) Tennessee Titans
54) Indianapolis Colts
55) Pittsburgh Steelers
56) Seattle Seahawks
57) Los Angeles Rams
58) Kansas City Chiefs (from Ravens)
59) Cleveland Browns
60) New Orleans Saints
61) Buffalo Bills
62) Green Bay Packers
63) Kansas City Chiefs
64) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Read more

49ers Split On No. 3 Pick?

April 24th, 2021 at 7:07pm CST by Zachary Links

The 49ers gave up a bevy of draft picks in order to move up from No. 12 to No. 3 overall. However, with days to go before the draft, ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum hears that the Niners have yet to reach a consensus on who they’ll take (video link).

[RELATED: 49ers Sign Hurst]

The Niners have — or will — take a closer look at Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Alabama’s Mac Jones, and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance in the lead-up to the draft. Many prognosticators believe that Jones is the quarterback they want, but Tannenbaum hears that there’s still some debate among SF brass.

“What that says to me and what I am hearing around the league is they are not unanimous in who they want to pick, meaning [GM] John Lynch, [assistant GM] Adam Peters, and [head coach] Kyle Shanahan,” Tannenbaum said.

Even if Jones winds up as the Niners’ pick, Fields and Lance probably won’t have to wait too long to hear their names called. Between the three aforementioned passers and the presumptive top two picks (Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson), we’re expecting to see five QBs taken inside of the top 12.

Meanwhile, speculation continues to swirl around the Niners’ current starter, Jimmy Garoppolo. Although Lynch has said that Garoppolo is staying put for 2021, more than half of PFR’s readers anticipate that he’ll be traded between now and September.

Panthers GM: At Least 5 Teams Have Inquired About No. 8 Pick

April 24th, 2021 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Several teams in the top 10 are believed to be open to moving down. The Panthers may be preparing to do so. After acquiring Sam Darnold from the Jets, the Panthers have engaged in frequent talks about trading their No. 8 overall pick.

New GM Scott Fitterer said he has spoken with at least five teams about trading back. Carolina’s draft slot falls at a position when only one of the top five quarterback prospects could be available. And teams may be keen on moving on front of the Broncos, who have a QB need and hold the No. 9 pick.

“We’re very open to moving back,” Fitterer said, via ESPN.com’s David Newton. “It just depends on how the first seven picks go. … We’ll see what the options are. We’re more than willing to listen to other teams, and if they want to offer picks and we can go back and get one of the players we want and get multiple picks to help build this team, that’s what we’ll do.”

[RELATED: Panthers Discussing Moving No. 8 Pick]

Fitterer spent 20 years with the Seahawks, who have frequently used the trade-down option to accumulate draft capital. The first-year Carolina GM said the team has first-round grades on 16 players, which could affect how it proceeds regarding trade offers. Of the teams who loom as possible QB-seeking trade partners, two — Washington (No. 19) and Chicago (No. 20) — reside in the bottom half of the first round.

“We’ll have to take a look at the players that are available when we pick and how many of those players can help us that we’ve identified, how far we can trade back and still get one of those players without trading out of the [top] level,” Fitterer said. “We don’t want to trade out of a certain level where the talent dips. We know exactly where that is in this draft.”

Between picks 4 and 8, everyone but the Bengals (No. 5) has popped up as a trade-down candidate. The Falcons (No. 4), Dolphins (No. 6), Lions (No. 7) and Panthers figure to keep holding talks with teams wanting to land one of the final two coveted quarterback prospects. This potential seller frenzy — with some teams potentially wanting to move up for a non-QB as well — has created an interesting backdrop to this year’s draft. In 2020, no trades occurred until the 49ers gave the Buccaneers pick No. 13. This draft figures to feature a higher-profile trade.

Fitterer previously did not rule out taking a quarterback in the first round, and while that would be unexpected — after the Panthers’ Darnold trade — this talk could be a matter of driving up the market for the No. 8 pick. It could also increase the value of the picks in front of the Panthers’. Carolina is expected to pick up Darnold’s fifth-year option, which would suggest the team is not in the market for a passer in Round 1. The Panthers appear willing to help a team that is, however.

Poll: How Will Broncos Address QB Need?

April 24th, 2021 at 4:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The only two starting quarterbacks to retire after winning Super Bowls played for the same franchise. While the Broncos made the playoffs multiple times in the five years following John Elway‘s retirement — with the likes of Brian Griese and Jake Plummer operating as the team’s primary starters — they have hovered off the contention radar for most of their post-Peyton Manning stretch. No team has started more quarterbacks than Denver’s 10 (counting the Kendall Hinton game) since 2016.

This stretch has placed the Broncos back on the quarterback radar. Although their last foray into the first-round market careened off course quickly (Paxton Lynch in 2016), the Broncos’ three subsequent QB investments — Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Drew Lock — largely struggled. Will this run of futility at the NFL’s premier position force the Broncos to acquire one of this year’s top QB prospects?

New GM George Paton has said multiple times this offseason the Broncos will acquire a quarterback to push Lock, but it is not certain that will be a rookie. Denver brass, however, did extensive work on this year’s top passer crop. Paton was at Justin Fields and Trey Lance‘s initial pro days, while offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur trekked to the second workouts held by the Ohio State and North Dakota State QBs. Other teams have viewed Denver as a stealth quarterback seeker as well.

Only two of the draft’s top five passing prospects will be available to teams picking after No. 3, with the 49ers moving up for a quarterback. Considering the needs of some teams picking outside the top 10 — the Patriots, Washington and Bears have been linked to trade-up maneuvers — and the not-impossible prospect of the Lions (No. 7) or Panthers (No. 8) jumping into the fray, it is possible the Broncos will be left out if they stand pat at No. 9. They are believed to have inquired about trading up, though Paton denied this. The Falcons (No. 4), Dolphins (No. 6), Lions and Panthers are all open to trades, creating opportunities for the Broncos and teams eager to trade in front of them.

Given the Broncos’ above-average defense and bevy of skill-position weapons, going into another season with Lock (29th in 2020 QBR) could lower the team’s ceiling — in a hot-seat year for Vic Fangio. But Fangio’s status could also push the team to trade for a veteran instead of hoping this year’s fourth- or fifth-best QB prospect can make an impact right away. Although the Broncos sat out the free agent market and passed on trades for Carson Wentz and Sam Darnold — after falling short for Matthew Stafford — veteran arms remain available.

Paton was with the Vikings when they drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the 2014 first round; Carolina has since given Bridgewater permission to seek a trade. Given Paton’s history with the 28-year-old QB, it would make sense if the Broncos were one of the teams interested. Gardner Minshew figures to be available — even though Urban Meyer denied it. The 49ers are holding out for a big offer to part with now-lame-duck starter Jimmy Garoppolo.

Lock has not been blessed with great circumstances, despite Denver drafting Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler in the first and second rounds last year. The pandemic nixed the young passer’s first offseason with Shurmur, and No. 1 receiver Courtland Sutton went down in Week 2 last year. But the 2022 quarterback class, as of now, has received far less hype than the past two drafts’ QB crops generated. The Broncos not making a move for Fields, Lance or Mac Jones next week could limit their options going forward.

How do you think the Broncos will play this? Will they prioritize acquiring another quarterback by trading up or hope one falls to No. 9? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this situation in the comments section.

Teams Inquiring On Lions’ No. 7 Pick

April 23rd, 2021 at 8:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions have discussed trades involving the No. 7 overall pick in next week’s draft, GM Brad Holmes says (via Kyle Meinke of MLive.com). Holmes, naturally, isn’t tipping his hand, but he’s not ruling out a move down the board if the right package comes along.

“Yes, there have been [trade] discussions with other teams,” Holmes said. “I will keep those in house, but yeah, there have been discussions.”

The Rams were active in the draft during Holmes’ tenure as the Rams’ college scouting director. That includes 2016, when the Rams went from No. 15 to No. 1 to select quarterback Jared Goff. Of course, Goff’s second contract didn’t necessarily work out for the Rams, but Holmes is hopeful that Goff can turn things around in Detroit. Meanwhile, he has an opportunity to either select Goff’s eventual successor at No. 7, move up to guarantee the availability of a preferred quarterback, or deal down to fortify other needs on the roster.

At least three of this year’s top quarterbacks will be gone by the time the Lions draft at No. 7, but Justin Fields and/or Trey Lance could be there for the taking. For his part, Holmes says he’s prepared for any scenario.

“Whenever you’re picking in the top 10, obviously it’s an extremely valuable pick, but it’s very exciting to be looking at this crop of players that would be worthy of selecting [there],” Holmes said. “Where I just came from, we weren’t really used to picking in the first round that much. So being up in the top 10 [is cool]. But at seven, we do have a cluster of players that we’re comfortable with picking. But at the same time, we would be very prepared and also willing to move in either direction. So we’re still open in those regards, but there is a cluster of players that we would be comfortable with.”

Holmes is playing it cool, but some execs sense that the Lions are eager to move down.

Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order: Round 1

April 23rd, 2021 at 2:53pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens sent Orlando Brown to the Chiefs on Friday, shuffling the first-round order of the NFL Draft once again. Now, the Ravens are one of four teams to hold multiple first-round picks, joining the Jaguars (Nos. 1 and 25), Jets (Nos. 2 and 23), and Dolphins (Nos. 6 and 18). In turn, Chiefs no longer have a top-32 choice, joining the Seahawks, Texans, and Rams.

As we look ahead to Thursday, here’s how the first round currently stands:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. San Francisco 49ers (from HOU via MIA)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Miami Dolphins (from PHI)
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. Philadelphia Eagles (from SF via MIA)
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (from SEA)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints
29. Green Bay Packers
30. Buffalo Bills
31. Baltimore Ravens (from KC)
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Raiders Scouting First Round QBs

April 23rd, 2021 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Raiders have done extensive work on all the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). As RapSheet notes, this has been par for the course for the Raiders in recent years. However, if one of this year’s top passers slides past the top part of the order, Jon Gruden & Co. could be poised to make a move.

Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are guaranteed to be long gone, and it’s expected that Mac Jones will follow them at No. 3 overall. Beyond that, there’s at least some chance of this year’s top-rated QBs sliding. Some expect the Falcons to select North Dakoka’s Trey Lance at No. 4 and it’s widely anticipated that Ohio State’s Justin Fields will hear his name called in the top ten. Still, draft day is always full of surprises, and the Raiders’ board of first-round worthy QBs could be longer than others in the NFL.

Barring a QB slide, the Raiders could use the No. 17 choice to give Gus Bradley a top-end linebacker like Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Then again, they could focus on other areas of need — like the offensive line — now that they have edge threat Yannick Ngakoue on board. It’s a situation we’ll be monitoring on Thursday night, along with Derek Carr.

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