The 2023 NFL season is over for 28 groups, and now their sights are set on the offseason. Every staff is considering free company in March and planning for the 2024 draft in April.
This draft class once more gives loads of pleasure, beginning on the prime. The Chicago Bears personal the No. 1 choose for the second straight 12 months and have one other powerful determination to make — commerce it and add extra capital, or transfer on from Justin Fields and take one other quarterback. The Bears additionally personal the No. 9 total choose. A number of groups are determined for a franchise passer on this draft, which is able to add to the intrigue for the following few months.
Let’s concentrate on the groups set to select within the prime 10. We requested our NFL Nation reporters for these 9 groups to reply one massive query (two for Chicago) trying forward at how the franchises they cowl might method their picks. Certain, a couple of of the groups do not but have head coaches, however we are able to get an early thought of how every choose might shake out.
What is the newest on the Bears’ plans at Nos. 1 and 9? What are the probabilities the Patriots take a quarterback at No. 3? Are the Falcons pondering quarterback or defender at No. 8? Let’s dig in.
Bounce to a staff:
CHI (No. 1) | WSH | NE | ARI | LAC
NYG | TEN | ATL | CHI (No. 9) | NYJ
Based mostly on what now, are the Bears extra prone to draft a QB right here and commerce Justin Fields or maintain Fields and commerce the choose?
Normal supervisor Ryan Poles stated he plans to take his determination on what to do with the primary total choose into April. If a staff is keen to ship important capital to Chicago for Fields earlier than then, nevertheless, the Bears could have a transparent path on what to do within the draft. Final 12 months, the Bears traded the primary total choose in early March and received an enormous haul.
This franchise-altering transfer carries as heavy an on-field affect because it does a monetary one. It is onerous to inform which means Poles is leaning proper now. With new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron employed on Monday, the following step is determining whether or not Fields or one other quarterback suits finest in Chicago’s plans for 2024. — Courtney Cronin
What can new GM Adam Peters’ historical past inform us about what the Commanders may do?
Peters was a part of a 49ers entrance workplace that swung massive on Trey Lance within the 2021 draft and missed. It hit on Brock Purdy as the ultimate choose within the 2022 draft, although, which meant the fallout from the Lance choice hasn’t been felt as a lot. Peters was a part of Tremendous Bowl-winning organizations in New England and Denver — with Corridor of Fame quarterbacks. His historical past is maybe much less vital than what the Commanders actually want: a quarterback with a excessive ceiling. It is onerous to think about Peters going wherever however quarterback with this choose. — John Keim
Give us percentages on these three outcomes: (1) including a QB with this choose, (2) including a QB within the draft past No. 3 and (3) including a QB through free company or the commerce market.
1. 75%. 2. 25%. 3. 99%. My early hunch is the Patriots could have conviction on two of the highest quarterbacks on this draft. So, 75% displays the fact that they do not management what occurs at picks Nos. 1 and a couple of.
As without spending a dime company and the commerce market, the Patriots ought to have realized a lesson from 2023, because it was expensive to not purchase a extra skilled quarterback. It could be a shock in the event that they repeat the identical error. — Mike Reiss
What wouldn’t it take for Arizona to not choose a wideout with this choose?
Actually, the one means they do not take a receiver right here is that if Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) is off the board by time the Cardinals are on the clock. If that have been to occur, they’d seemingly commerce out and let common supervisor Monti Ossenfort proceed to stockpile picks to maneuver down and draft a participant of want the place the worth traces up with the place. Harrison is the consensus prime wideout on this class. — Josh Weinfuss
Take out the GM and training searches from the dialogue: What’s the Chargers’ No. 1 roster want this offseason?
For now, the Chargers’ greatest want is a No. 1 cornerback after they whiffed on J.C. Jackson in free company in 2022 and completed thirtieth in passing yards allowed per recreation (249.8) this season.
Their wants are tough to evaluate, nevertheless, as a result of the Chargers may look vastly completely different within the coming months as a brand new regime makes selections on the futures of a few of the staff’s highest-paid gamers to get beneath the wage cap. The precedence might simply shift to vast receiver or edge rusher relying on what occurs. — Kris Rhim
How can the Giants arrange Daniel Jones for achievement with this choose?
It is a loaded vast receiver draft on the prime, and the Giants know they should discover a No. 1 choice with whom Jones can construct a relationship. Harrison, Malik Nabers (LSU) or Rome Odunze (Washington) would all match the invoice.
If for some cause their most popular wideout choose is off the board, they may look to fortify the offensive line to guard Jones. Both means, they’d fill a obtrusive want. –– Jordan Raanan
Is that this an apparent spot for one of many prime offensive tackles within the class, or do the Titans produce other large wants?
If Joe Alt (Notre Dame) or Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State) can be found, it is seemingly the Titans choose both of them given how Jaelyn Duncan and Andre Dillard mixed to permit 29 sacks at left sort out this previous season.
Tennessee additionally has a scarcity of playmaking receivers, as 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks caught simply 16 passes in 11 video games in his second season. This draft class has three wideouts proficient sufficient to go within the prime 10. Do not be stunned if one in every of them finally ends up with the Titans. — Turron Davenport
Is it secure to imagine GM Terry Fontenot will lock in on a defender with this choose?
No, by no means. The most important want is at quarterback as a result of the staff does not have a participant on the roster the brand new coach can depend on to be the starter. Relying on what occurs in free company — and who’s employed to be the coach — taking a quarterback at No. 8 can be the wise choice.
If there is not an attractive quarterback right here or the staff indicators a veteran in free company, Atlanta in all probability would then have a look at an edge rusher or cornerback. At this level, this spot is unpredictable due to all the opposite unknowns surrounding the group. — Michael Rothstein
What are the Bears’ greatest roster holes headed into the offseason?
Chicago’s cross rush noticed a right away enchancment after the Bears acquired Montez Sweat from the Commanders on the commerce deadline. Now think about how significantly better the defensive position would look with a dominant edge rusher taking part in reverse the Professional Bowl defensive finish.
No matter who’s taking part in quarterback, the Bears additionally must prioritize including one other vast receiver to take the stress off No. 1 receiver DJ Moore. Whereas Harrison seemingly might be lengthy passed by this choose, Odunze could possibly be an ideal match. — Cronin
With no second-round choose, what does the best Jets choice seem like right here?
They’re hurting for short- and long-term assist at each sort out positions, so the best state of affairs seemingly can be Alt or Fashanu if one of many offensive tackles occurs to slide. Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown are headed to free company, and Max Mitchell and Carter Warren are higher suited to backup roles. So, sure, sort out is the No. 1 want.
If Alt and Fashanu are gone, maybe they may commerce down for a second-tier sort out, recouping a second-round choose within the course of. — Wealthy Cimini
