Let’s take another spin around the NFL Draft rumor carousel
We are under two weeks to go, friends.
Just under two weeks from now the 2024 NFL Draft will begin, meaning that we can start dismissing all the rumors that have piled up in recent weeks, and actually start discussing real-life selections.
Until then, however, the rumors will persist.
Let’s take a spin around the NFL Draft rumor carousel to close out this week.
On Thursday night the NFL announced the 13 players who will attend the NFL Draft in Detroit.
Read into who is attending — as well as who is not attending — what you will:
The future NFL stars heading to Detroit for the Draft
— NFL (@NFL) April 11, 2024
: 2024 #NFLDraft – April 25-27 on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC
: Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/6GgccQJYu2
Talk to any draft analyst about potential trades in the first round, and one team is sure to be mentioned.
The Minnesota Vikings.
With Kirk Cousins now living it up in the NFC South, the Vikings have a pretty big need under center. While Minnesota added Sam Darnold in free agency and have two other quarterbacks back from last season — Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall — the Vikings are a team frequently mentioned when it comes to quarterbacks, and trades in the first round.
So it probably comes as no surprise that Minnesota is doing their homework on this crop of passers. Apparently, they like what they have seen.
According to Andrew Krammer of the Star Tribune, Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been working on this draft class for a long time, with an eye towards a potential Cousins departure. During his pre-draft press conference earlier this week, the GM made it clear that there are “multiple” quarterbacks he feels are worthy of becoming the team’s next franchise quarterback.
And their love goes beyond the first round.
“There are multiple guys that we are in love with,” said the Minnesota GM. “But there’s also other guys that we are in love with … if we get them at a certain value.”
Sticking in the NFC, let’s check in on the New Orleans Saints.
While some teams have nebulous plans when it comes to the draft, the Saints are pretty easy to pin down.
They are going to start on the offensive line, and probably continue there as the draft unfolds. According to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid, New Orleans will target tackle early, but may target tackle a bit later as well.
“It’s been really quiet there,” an NFC area scout said about the Saints. But New Orleans should address offensive tackle early, and Olumuyiwa Fashanu and Taliese Fuaga are two names that have constantly been linked to the Saints. I’ve also heard Patrick Paul [Houston], Kiran Amegadjie [Yale] and Blake Fisher [Notre Dame] as Day 2 and Day 3 offensive tackle prospects who could fit.”
We have spent a lot of time this week addressing rumors regarding what Washington does at No. 2. Monday began with rumors that the Commanders were targeting Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Then on Wednesday the conversation shifted to Jayden Daniels.
So it almost feels right to close out the week with the case for Drake Maye.
That is what Pro Football Focus lead draft analyst Trevor Sikkema did on the Rich Eisen Show this week:
“If I was making the pick, I’d take Drake Maye. He has been my QB2 for a while now, firmly I will add. I think Caleb Williams is QB1, I think Drake Maye is QB2, and then I think you have a little bit of a discussion as to who is QB3, [whether] Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, I think you can get into some of the nuances there.”
However, Sikkema did note that it “feels” like the NFL, and the Commanders in particular, are leaning towards Daniels. “It just feels like the total momentum is there for Jayden Daniels to be that guy who has ascended throughout this entire process.”
On his appearance with Rich Eisen, Sikkema talked about another team that is doing their work on quarterbacks, the New York Giants.
As noted by the incredibly well-coiffed Sikkema, the Giants are looking to trade up in the first round.
Discussing a world where three quarterbacks open the draft and the Arizona Cardinals are on the clock, with J.J. McCarthy available, Sikkema mentioned two teams that would make the “Godfather” offer to Arizona. One is Minnesota, which would require the Cardinals to drop down to No. 11 in the first round.
The other? The Giants.
“I think that they’re gonna be pretty desperate to go up and get one of these quarterbacks. I think they’re gonna give a pretty competitive deal to move to either four, well they’re going to talk to the Patriots at three, but I think they’re gonna give a pretty competitive deal for three, four or five, whenever a quarterback is still on the board.”
Sikkema also noted that the Giants can offer a pick in the top six, whereas the Vikings cannot. So if Arizona wants to grab a top-flight receiver, No. 6 keeps them in striking distance, but No. 11 might not.
Something that might strike fear in the hearts of NFL teams?
The notion of the Chiefs doing everything they can to help Patrick Mahomes.
But, that might be exactly what happens in a few weeks when the NFL Draft begins. The last time Kansas City drafted an offensive player in the first round was back in 2020 when they selected LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Not only might the Chiefs break that defense-only streak in the first round, but according to ESPN the rest of their picks could go towards that side of the football.
And given what that defense-heavy trend has done — the Chiefs have built one of the league’s top defenses — the organization suddenly has room to address the offense again.
“You always want to approach every offseason by making both sides of the football better, but I think it’s your process that leads you to where your roster is now,” Veach said in explaining the Chiefs’ recent lopsided drafts. “That chain of events of paying a quarterback a lot of money and picking late in the draft lends itself probably to more defensive players.”
Two position groups to watch for Kansas City? Wide receiver and offensive line. Kansas City added Marquise Brown this spring, but with Rashee Rice facing legal troubles, bringing in another WR (or two) makes sense for the Chiefs. Then there is the offensive line, a group which saw Nick Allegretti — who played the entire Super Bowl while injured — leave in free agency. In addition left tackle Donovan Smith, who started the Super Bowl, is currently a free agent.
“I don’t think I ever envisioned having a top one or two defense,” said Kansas City General Manager Brett Veach. “It feels good knowing that you didn’t have a lot of room for error on that side and most of the guys that you brought in through the draft, even in late rounds, most of those guys have played and produced and you can see the results.”
