Stacy Revere/Getty Images

NFL Teams That Should Try to Trade Down in 2023 Draft's 1st Round

Alex Kay

Many teams have one thing in common as they prepare for the 2023 NFL draft: They need a franchise quarterback.

While many of the teams picking early in the draft share this pressing concerning, there are quite a few clubs without a high Day 1 pick that also have a hole under center.

Fortunately for those squads, there are a handful of organizations in good draft position that aren't looking for a signal-caller this year, some that may even be willing to give up their spot for the right price.

Quarterbacks won't be the only reason to trade up this year, either. Some squads are flush with middle- and late-round selections and don't need a bunch of rookies to round out their roster. They are ideal candidates to package those picks to land some of the more coveted prospects in the class.

There should be quite a bit of interest in moving back, especially from organizations that need an infusion of fresh faces to field a competitive roster this season.

With that in mind, here are five teams that would benefit most from trading down from their current spot.

Arizona Cardinals

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Arizona Cardinals appeared to be one of the league's stronger and more exciting teams as recently as the midpoint of the 2021 campaign, but they've since failed to get out of a rut that saw them get embarrassed in the wild-card round that season. Injuries and off-field issues—such as prized offseason acquisition DeAndre Hopkins' six-game suspension—resulted in the club finishing with the third-worst record in football last year.

The club parted ways with former GM Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury after the 2022 season, moves that have opened the door for a full-blown rebuild out in the desert.

There's still some hope for this organization to become a factor again quickly. The team has star quarterback Kyler Murray under contract through the 2028 campaign. But an ACL injury limited Murray to a career-low 11 starts last year though, and it may cost him a good chunk of time in 2023 as well. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted the young quarterback is planning to take his time recovering and could miss as much as half the upcoming season in order to protect his long-term health.

Because the Cardinals aren't likely to contend with Murray missing a significant portion of the season, the team should select high-upside developmental prospects with an eye on 2024.

Arizona could opt to stand pat and take the top non-quarterback available—such as Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr., the highest-rated player on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board—but the organization could turn the No. 3 pick into even more capital by trading back.

The Cardinals have eight picks this year—with half of them in the top 96—and could push that number up to the double digits by dropping back in the first round. They could also look further toward the future by acquiring several selections for next year's draft to set themselves up for the 2024 season with a hopefully healthy Murray back under center on a full-time basis.

Regardless of what the Cardinals choose to ask for, there should be no shortage of interest in moving up to No. 3. There are only three quarterbacks in the class who the B/R Scouting Department grade as a Year 1 starter or higher, making the pick extremely valuable for clubs in need of a signal-caller.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

The Chicago Bears may have given up a first-round pick and more to move up nine spots for Justin Fields just two seasons ago, but they've already begun capitalizing on that move.

Although Chicago wasn't a contender this season, Fields showed tremendous growth and appears to be the quarterback of the future in the Windy City. That allowed the Bears to trade back from the No. 1 overall pick for four selections—including Nos. 9 and 61 this year and first- and second-round picks next year—and a quality No. 1 wideout in DJ Moore.

Given the sheer number of weak points that still need to be addressed on their roster, moving back from No. 9 may still be an option for Chicago.

If a high-upside signal-caller such as Will Levis or Anthony Richardson slides further than expected, Chicago could capitalize by offering up its pick to a team hoping to position itself to stop the fall.

The Bears would still be able to secure a top-flight prospect and some additional value later this year, plus they'd likely lock up another first-rounder and potentially even more next year.

Detroit Lions

Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Detroit Lions narrowly missed out on a playoff berth in 2022 after orchestrating an impressive midseason turnaround from a 1-6 start. Although they fell short at the finish line, the Lions have a great shot to finally snap their string of six consecutive campaigns without a postseason appearance.

One key reason for this is that the club has the Nos. 6 and 18 picks in its pocket after the L.A. Rams finished 5-12 a year after trading their 2023 first-rounder in the package to acquire former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.

That pick could be used to add one or more contributors for a Lions defense that needs all the help it can get right now.

While Detroit could hold the line and take the best defensive talent available at No. 6—the front office deployed this strategy last year when it snapped up Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall—there are quite a few more quarterbacks worth trading up for this time around.

Kenny Pickett was the only signal-caller selected on Day 1 in 2022 after the Pittsburgh Steelers snagged him at No. 20 overall, but the latest Bleacher Report Scouting Department mock draft has four quarterbacks coming off the board within the first six picks this year.

Although the aforementioned mock has the Lions staying put and selecting Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, they would have a better chance to contend this season by bolstering a defense that gave up the most yardage and joint-third-most scores in the league last year.

With so many positions on that side of the ball needing an upgrade, continuing to roll with Jared Goff as their quarterback for both now and at least the near-term future—head coach Dan Campbell told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero this week that Goff is "our guy" and "made for us"—gives Detroit the option of moving down on draft night.

That choice may not net them one of the absolute best players in this class, but it will get them enough picks to come up with a handful of high-end prospects once the dust has settled. Trading down isn't a flashy move, but it's the type of move that championship teams make to shore up their rosters.

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Despite coming so close to winning their second Super Bowl in the last half-decade, the Philadelphia Eagles hold the No. 10 pick in the 2023 draft by virtue of a multipick deal last year with the New Orleans Saints.

They won't need to use that pick on a quarterback. Jalen Hurts was a driving force behind Philly's reemergence as a powerhouse as he racked up 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air while also adding 760 yards and 13 scores on the ground.

Hurts is only 24 years old and preparing for the final season of his rookie deal. While he should be around for the long haul, many of his teammates will not be.

While the Eagles clearly have a strong core and should continue contending this coming season, a good number of their talents are now of an advanced age.

Major contributors on last year's NFC Championship squad, such as Jason Kelce (35 years old), Brandon Graham (34), Darius Slay (32), Lane Johnson (32) and Fletcher Cox (32) are well on the wrong side of 30 and won't be playing at a high level forever.

Trading back would allow the Eagles—who hold four picks in the top 94 but have just two picks, both in the seventh round, beyond that—to acquire some much-needed Day 2 and early Day 3 capital.

GM Howie Roseman has made plenty of moves on the opening night of previous drafts. Pulling off a shrewd slide down the board could set his franchise up for sustained success in the coming seasons by bringing in plenty of youthful new faces.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Darron Cummings

After making just three picks in the 2021 draft and finishing that season with a losing record for only the second time in the Pete Carroll era, Seattle seems to be moving past one of the faster rebuilds the league has seen.

The team knocked its 2022 selections out of the park and is well positioned to bring in another strong class this year with five picks in the first two days, including a pair of first-rounders.

Seattle is one of the few teams that can afford to trade down from the top five, giving the club a path to acquire even more early picks this year and in the future. This is largely due to the emergence of Geno Smith, one of the biggest surprises in the NFL last year.

With Smith shockingly emerging as one of the league's top quarterbacks last year—he earned his first Pro Bowl nod after throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the Seahawks to a playoff berth—and subsequently earning a new three-year deal valued at $75 million, Seattle found some rather unexpected stability under center after parting ways with longtime signal-caller Russell Wilson and earning the eventual top-five pick.

The Broncos gave up a multitude of early picks for the nine-time Pro Bowler, including first- and second-rounders this year. While that move clearly worked out in the Seahawks' favor, they can parlay it into even more capital by dropping further down the board. Seattle even has its own pick at No. 20 it can incorporate or separately trade, giving it a bevvy of options when it comes to crafting deals.

There's a realistic chance one of the top quarterbacks is still available at No. 5, giving the Seahawks a choice between drafting a potential successor to the 32-year-old Smith or swapping out of the slot in exchange for a haul of picks and/or useful players.

If Seattle does end up staying at five—where it could tab a quarterback or a blue-chip defensive prospect—it can still trade down from No. 20 to keep adding to the coffers.

   

Read 0 Comments

Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation

Install the App
×
Bleacher Report
(120K+)