2019 NFL Draft: 5 Teams that should trade down
Trading down to acquire more picks in the NFL Draft is more coveted than ever in the league, but which teams should do that more than others in 2019?
With free agency behind us and the 2019 NFL Draft just a few weeks away, it’s officially smokescreen season. Teams are feeding the media all kinds of rumors and hoping that other teams buy into them, unable to separate the reality from the fabrication. Fans are clamoring for the exciting drama and potential trades that’ll shake up draft day.
Once the 2019 NFL Draft begins, one thing’s for certain: Trades are inevitable. There are teams that need to trade up, but there are other teams that desperately want to trade down. In fact, there’s an argument to be made for more teams wanting to trade back rather than up. Stockpiling picks is something teams desire since the draft is a bit of a crap-shoot.
The more draft capital a team has, the more chances a team has to hit on multiple picks. So why not get as many picks as possible? However, some teams should be looking to trade down more than most, and these are five such teams.
5. Cleveland Browns
The Browns are easily the NFL’s most exciting team right now. They ended the 2018 season hot and continued by setting the offseason ablaze. To gain the services of Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns traded Jabrill Peppers and their 17th and 95th picks in the 2019 draft. They’re a loaded team who’ll need to add more picks for the future. It’s what they’ve done in recent history. So why not continue the trend that allowed them to get this far?
Trading down allows them to collect more picks for future drafts. Moreover, they can exploit the depth of the draft at the offensive line positions by taking someone in the third round. A combo guard/tackle like Charlotte’s Nate Davis is the type of late pick that adds depth to their offensive line.
Along the defensive line, they can also take someone like Texas A&M’s Kingsley Keke later in the draft as he is the type of interior defensive lineman that can develop into a starter.
Plus, they can add more power to their special teams and take some developmental talent. The Browns have a solid roster, but trading down in the draft can help them fill in some holes and add depth and some developmental talent on Days 2 and 3 of the draft.