Pass rushers and guards have come up as early-round Cardinals targets, but the team also appears to be strongly considering using a first-round pick on a wide receiver for a second straight year. Arizona is believed to want to add an impact weapon to its receiving corps, per ESPN.com’s Matt Miller. Arizona did not come off No. 4 overall, despite trade interest, last year, leading to Marvin Harrison Jr. heading to the desert. The Cardinals have Michael Wilson as a capable auxiliary option, but Miller points to offensive “firepower” being the team’s top priority heading into the draft. This is not viewed as a strong wide receiver class; options will still be available to Arizona at No. 16. The Cowboys have been closely tied to Tetairoa McMillan at 12, but Matthew Golden (he of a 4.29-second 40 clocking), Luther Burden and ex-Harrison college teammate Emeka Egbuka could well be available.
Here is the latest from some NFC draft blueprints:
- The Bears‘ interest in Ashton Jeanty is either a elaborate smokescreen or quite legitimate, but if the 2024 Heisman runner-up is not available, Chicago has also been tied to rounding out its skill-position corps with a tight end pick. As the Colts would seemingly monitor this draft slot closely (due to their reported interest in the position), Miller adds the Bears are believed to have Colston Loveland slotted higher than Tyler Warren on their big board. This does not appear a universal view, as SI.com’s Albert Breer sends Warren to Chicago in his final mock draft. The Chargers, at 22, are Loveland’s rumored floor. The Colts, at 14, are expected to have a major say in where the two Big Ten-developed TE prospects go.
- Favored to become a Patriot, Will Campbell is unlikely to be available for Chicago at No. 10. But the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jason Lieser notes the team informed the LSU product he would play left tackle were he to wind up in the Windy City. This may not be relevant to the Bears’ No. 10 overall slot, but it seems pertinent to Braxton Jones‘ future. The three-year Bears LT starter is recovering from an ankle injury, one likely to prevent him from starting training camp on time, and entering a contract year.
- Holding a pick two spots earlier, the Panthers are interested in trading down. In fact, Breer adds Carolina is “doing everything they can” to move down. The Panthers were mentioned as a team considering taking a less-than-ideal offer to move down from No. 8, as the team can still be classified as rebuilding — especially after circling back to Bryce Young following the September benching. While linked closely to Jalon Walker, Carolina sounds open for business — in a draft not featuring many teams angling to move into the top 10.
- The Commanders added Laremy Tunsil and kept Andrew Wylie (via a pay-cut agreement), but they are still interested in bolstering their O-line in Round 1. The team is interested in adding a starter here, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes, indicating the team has shown interest in Alabama guard Tyler Booker and Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr. The team’s Tunsil addition will allow for a Brandon Coleman (12 rookie-year left tackle starts) move to right tackle, Keim adds, but the draft will determine the team’s strategy here. Washington has Wylie signed for one more season and has eight-figure-per-year interior linemen Sam Cosmi and Tyler Biadasz. Left guard and right tackle appear areas the team will explore upgrading, however.
- If the Commanders do not like the blockers available at No. 29, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter connects them to UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Also a potential Bills target, Schwesinger profiles as a potential late first-rounder. The team re-signed Bobby Wagner and saw Frankie Luvu make significant contributions after signing in 2024. Wagner, however, will be 35 soon and is attached to another one-year contract.
Sums up the Panthers under Tepper’s ownership ‘..The Panthers were mentioned as a team considering taking a less-than-ideal offer to move down ..’. They had to overpay for 2 OG’s last offseason, lost on the Burns trade, & only to be topped off by Tepper himself throwing drinks at Jags fan. Talk about a ‘less-than-ideal’ franchise.
It’s never a good sign when the owner throws drinks better than the QB throws passes.
I keep hearing from AZ sports radio that the Cardinals are going O-Lineman with the 16th pick if they keep it. It would be nice to have Golden opposite Harrison. The only problem can Murray get the ball to them.
As a Bears fan I just don’t see Jeanty happening. I leaning toward this being a smoke screen. The Bears are not quite there yet. Poles did what he had to do in free agency. He added to the O-Line and D-Line. But there’s little depth on both sides of the trenches especially at the tackle positions. The RB draft this year is very deep. You can get a decent one into the 2nd round. So, go O-Line, D-Line and RB. The model to follow is the Eagles. Very good staters in the trenches with excellent depth and rotations. Those guys beat the crap out of opposing teams. If they end up with Jeanty at #10, I can be talked into that, sort of. If the Bears trade up and loose trips to the buffet line. That would be a mistake. Just my thoughts on the Bears.