We’ve seen a common refrain bouncing around with several teams in the leadup to the 2025 NFL Draft: (input team here) is a likely candidate to trade down. The reason for this stems from a view that this year’s draft class lacks elite, top-end talent but boasts enough starting-caliber players to last well into the third round. Because of this, teams don’t seem to be valuing early draft picks as much, instead looking to acquire as many picks as possible.
Unfortunately, though, when so many teams are looking to trade down, it makes it harder to do so. That lack of elite, top-end players in the first round is going to make it difficult to find suitors to trade up with. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was quoted today saying that “he doesn’t foresee…many teams wanting to trade up across the league,” per the PewterReport X account. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport seemed to agree, claiming that “not a lot of teams are trying to move up.”
This doesn’t mean that no teams are going to trade up. A couple teams may fall in love with a certain player enough to chase him up the draft board. More likely, though, in the back half of the first round, teams targeting specific positions are going to want to trade into the first round to take players at those positions, especially if those teams currently reside at the top of the second round. Specifically, positions with the most expensive contracts, like quarterbacks and offensive tackles, could see prospects targeted by trading back into the first round.
This is because first-round picks are granted a fifth-year option that the rest of the draft class doesn’t get in its contracts. Passers and bookend blockers can be expensive to retain on second contracts, so having an extra year to work out contract extensions can be crucial. Similarly, quarterbacks and tackles are often the most likely candidates to be asked to sit and develop in the early years of their contracts. Having that fifth-year option gives teams an extra year to help determine if they want to keep a developing player long-term.
ESPN enlisted the help of multiple beat reporters to give some intel into what they’re hearing about their respective teams, and four of them fell into this group mentioned in the last paragraph. Jordan Reid believed the Browns and Giants could both trade back into the first round for a passer after using their Nos. 2 & 3 picks on Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. Other teams could trade up for different positions but for the same reason. Matt Miller claimed that the Titans could trade up for a wide receiver at the end of the first round and that the Bears could do the same for a pass rusher.
There are several teams with a limited number of picks — Cardinals (6), Vikings (4), and Commanders (5) — that Reid and Miller identify as teams who could be easy targets to trade up with for the four teams mentioned above. Those teams should have their pick of the litter with so many others wanting to trade back, but with Arizona, Minnesota, and Washington so lacking in picks, teams looking to trade up may get more bang for their buck from that trio.
Makes a lot of sense for Vikings to trade back and get extra picks for this draft
Same with the niners
The Niners have seven more picks than the Vikings do this year.
And the Niners don’t hit with their first round pick, might as well trade back and nail the later rounds like they seem to lol
Once the draft starts everything will change. There will absolutely be teams trading into the end of first round like always.
I prefer those bold moves where a team trades up from pick #254 to grab pick #239 🙂
Beane is gonna be aggressive.
Too many picks, not enough roster spots.
I expect him to get back into the 3rd and maybe trade up rd 1.
I find that there’s a certain irony to NFL teams bloating their coaching staffs to absurd levels but not wanting to actually have to develop any college prospects drafted in the early rounds.
I’d love for the Steelers to trade out of the 1st and grab an extra 1 for next year. Then package picks to move up for a QB in a much better class
Of course the Pats finally get a top 5 pick and its the worst draft in 10 yrs.
No one knows what will happen because they have no clue how the board will fall.
Ravens have the draft capitol to trade a 2nd and 5th to get back into td one