2023 NFL mock draft: Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers blockbuster deals

With only four teams remaining in the race for this year’s Super Bowl, it’s time for another 2023 NFL mock draft scenario. In this scenario, we’re going to take a look at some wild trade ideas all throughout the first round. These trades may not come to pass, but the 2022 NFL offseason was so crazy that you perhaps come to expect the unexpected.

In this 2023 NFL mock draft, there are trades involving veteran quarterbacks, the Bears moving off the no. 1 overall pick, and more. Bring an open mind and let’s have some fun with this scenario.

2023 NFL mock draft: Bears move down twice, Lamar Jackson trade

1. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

Projected trade with Chicago Bears

The Houston Texans pay a hefty price to swap spots with the Chicago Bears, getting the top QB on their board while also making sure the Bears have the chance to get the top non-QB on their board…if that’s what they want.

The Texans will have to fend off other teams vying for positioning to get quarterbacks, but this is where the Bears have somewhat of an advantage. If they can get an offer on the table from Houston, perhaps they can also squeeze out a valuable offer from another team trying to get whichever one out of Bryce Young or CJ Stroud the Texans don’t want.

And that’s what will play out in this scenario, as you’ll come to find out…

The Texans here get someone to smash the reset button on the franchise with. At the time of this writing, we don’t know the head coach of the Texans in 2023 but we do know that new head coach is going to need a QB. Here he gets a really good one in Young, who can be a dynamic presence at the position.

2. Atlanta Falcons: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Projected trade with Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears come away with another haul here as they trade down with the Indianapolis Colts, who are targeting CJ Stroud. First, let’s look at this move from Indianapolis’ perspective.

You’ve got some weapons on offense and you’ve got a decent defense. The Colts certainly have work to do on the rest of their roster right now but the quarterback position has been a no man’s land for them since Andrew Luck retired. Whoever the next head coach of the Colts is, they are going to need a quarterback to build around and Stroud looked like an absolute star against Georgia.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

The Arizona Cardinals undoubtedly need help off the edge, and new GM Monti Ossenfort has actually inherited a bit bigger of a mess than meets the eye. What Steve Keim and Kliff Kingsbury left behind is a bit of a mess, including the fact that their franchise QB just tore his ACL late last season.

The Cardinals could be in for a rebuilding/reloading year, but there’s no better way to keep the ship afloat and perhaps sneak into the playoffs than having a competitive and competent defense. We’ll see who this team hires at head coach (not determined at the time of this post being made) but whoever it is will probably love to have Will Anderson and his impact coming off the edge.

Getting elite play off the edge is the quickest way to turn around your team’s defense. Look at the Denver Broncos in 2011 after they got Von Miller. Look at the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 after they got Micah Parsons. And plenty of other examples. Anderson can be a star quickly and the Cardinals desperately need him.

4. Chicago Bears: Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia

If you’re a Bears fan, how can you not love this scenario? You get a player that most people are predicting you’ll end up with anyway (a true difference-maker, at that) and in this situation, you’ve accumulated picks upon picks not just in 2023 but in 2024 as well. Trading down just three spots, the Bears added:

• 65th overall
• 79th overall
• 104th overall
• 2024 2nd-round pick

And then some.

And we’ll see what this team does in free agency, where they have tons of money to spend. This is obviously all assuming the Bears don’t love Bryce Young or CJ Stroud and are sticking with Justin Fields, which they will, won’t they?

5. Seattle Seahawks: Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

The Seattle Seahawks tend to love big, rangy players with tremendous athleticism, so Tyree Wilson kind of fits perfectly, doesn’t he?

A lot of mock drafts in 2022 assumed Geno Smith would crash and burn with Seattle, but that has been anything but the case. In fact, he could end up getting slapped with the franchise tag.

It would be borderline poetic for the Seahawks to use one of the picks they got from the Broncos on a player named Wilson, but this one won’t be slinging the rock. Tyree Wilson has length, power, and he plays with great energy and tenacity all over the defensive front.

6. Detroit Lions: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The Detroit Lions find themselves in a tremendous position. They have one of the best coaches in the NFL. They have one of the best overall coaching staffs in the league. Jared Goff has found a resurgence in Detroit. The offensive line is maybe the best in the league. They are loaded with playmakers.

Defensively, though, this team needs work. Last year, they used their top pick on a stellar Big Ten defender in Aidan Hutchinson, and he was as-advertised in year one. In this 2023 NFL mock draft scenario, they land another Big Ten star in Devon Witherspoon who can upgrade the toughness in their secondary and add a player who had a season-high three interceptions, 14 passes broken up, and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2022.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Myles Murphy, DL, Clemson

What will the Las Vegas Raiders do at the QB position in 2023? Are they serious about Jarrett Stidham? Are they serious about Tom Brady?

Whatever the case, the Raiders appear poised to let go of Derek Carr and move on in 2023. That could happen in the next two weeks, but the future at the QB position for Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler seems uncertain, at best.

McDaniels sure knows how to break up a roster.

I think the QB for the Raiders could come from this draft, but there are also a plethora of former McDaniels disciples in free agency (Brady, Garoppolo, Brissett, etc.) for him to choose from. Instead, the Raiders grab some help on the defensive line along with star Maxx Crosby, who has developed into one of the truly elite defenders in the game today.

8. Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

Projected trade with Falcons

There’s obviously no guarantee that the Baltimore Ravens will move on from Lamar Jackson, but as time passes by and he still doesn’t have a long-term contract, you can’t help but wonder if they’re at least somewhat open to the idea. For the sake of making a fun prediction of what could be, let’s say the Ravens are willing to trade him, and they send him to Atlanta, getting back Desmond Ridder and a hoard of picks that would be similar to the Deshaun Watson trade last year.

Atlanta gets a franchise QB, and the Ravens get the opportunity to take one of the highest upside shots in this draft class with Anthony Richardson while also getting a nice upside play in Desmond Ridder.

9. Carolina Panthers: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky

Frank Reich has been named head coach of the Panthers, and everyone understandably expects him to be picking a quarterback to groom. That’s why the Panthers are bringing him in, right? One of the quarterbacks in this draft class who needs the most grooming is Will Levis out of Kentucky, a tremendous talent but not quite the sum of his parts at this point.

Carolina might be the ideal landing spot for Levis now that they have Reich in place.

10. Philadelphia Eagles: Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern

The Philadelphia Eagles could win the Super Bowl and still have a top-10 pick. Wild. That’s just how Howie Roseman finessed the 2022 NFL Draft when he managed to not only land this selection (from the Saints) but also Jordan Davis and AJ Brown all in one night. It was an impressive job at the time, and he looks even more genius in hindsight.

What will the Eagles do with a top-10 pick? Probably along similar lines of what they always like to do — add in the trenches. This team could go front seven defensively as well, maybe get a little younger at corner if they want, but with some impending free agents on the offensive line, they could take Peter Skoronski and immediately insert him into the starting lineup at guard. Or have him wait a year, or play when someone gets injured. The luxuries of being an elite roster.

11. Tennessee Titans: Paris Johnson Jr., OL, Ohio State

The Tennessee Titans have an abundance of needs on either side of the ball going into this 2023 offseason, but they were still this close to winning the AFC South despite all of their flaws in 2022. It speaks directly to the job done by head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff, who had the Titans competitive with some rather crucial injuries throughout the season and the loss of AJ Brown in a trade with the Eagles.

And that trade may have done GM Jon Robinson in. Robinson was literally fired right after the Titans were embarrassed by Brown and the Eagles, so the ownership has not been oblivious to the fact that Vrabel was given a raw deal roster-wise in 2022.

Here he lands arguably the best offensive line prospect in the class in Paris Johnson Jr., who can upgrade the Titans’ line and join his former Ohio State teammate Nicholas Petit-Frere, a starter of 16 games as a rookie for Tennessee. He could play the guard position initially and move out to tackle down the line.

12. Houston Texans: Lukas Van Ness, DL, Iowa

The Houston Texans just need to continue to add talent. They managed to build a pretty decent foundation, or at least start one, these last couple of years by finding bargains in free agency and the NFL Draft while also moving on from Deshaun Watson. This selection comes to Houston from that Watson trade, and lands them a freak to play all over the defensive line.

At 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, Van Ness is a menace on the defensive line who wins with length and power.

Houston needs more difference makers on the defensive front and Van Ness is someone who will be exactly that. He can cause havoc off the edge or from the interior. He’s a true weapon.

13. Green Bay Packers: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

Projected trade with Packers

Here it is — the blockbuster Aaron Rodgers trade to the Jets. I think everyone can see this one coming from a million miles away, if it actually happens. The Jets hired Nathaniel Hackett to be their offensive coordinator, so now the effort to land Rodgers is likely underway.

If the Jets can land Rodgers, paying up a couple of first-round picks will be well-worth it. Look at last year’s Russell Wilson trade as a reference point for this one, outside of maybe three players going back to Green Bay. Even if that ends up being part of it, here the Packers decide to move on from Rodgers and into the Jordan Love era. They replace impending free agent Allen Lazard with Quentin Johnston, a big-bodied receiver who could join the likes of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in a new-look Green Bay offense.

The Jets get a Packers legend in the twilight of his career who makes a bunch of drama every offseason. Sound familiar to anyone?

14. New England Patriots: Brian Branch, DB, Alabama

The New England Patriots have an affinity for Alabama and Georgia players thanks to the great deal of respect Bill Belichick has for Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. And if you draft mostly Alabama and Georgia players, you’re probably going to have a pretty decent roster in the NFL, let’s be honest.

Belichick here lands one of the top defensive backs in the 2023 NFL Draft class and someone he will be able to move all over the formation.

This is a perfect Patriots type of player.

15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

After trading Aaron Rodgers and adding Quentin Johnston to the receiver group, the Packers once again add another top talent to the offensive weaponry with Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.

Really, there are a number of tight ends that could end up going here. Nobody’s got a set ranking of tight ends in this class yet, but Mayer is often included in the top two or three, and he’s number one on a lot of lists. The point here is that the Packers get a reliable threat at the position to add to the passing game who can also be a factor for the running game.

If the team is to lean more on Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, a player like Mayer who can be an asset as both a receiver and blocker will help tremendously.

16. Washington Commanders: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

The Washington Commanders need to figure out the quarterback position this offseason, but are they headed toward another short-term option? Could they be players for someone like Jimmy Garoppolo? Derek Carr? They probably need to make a strong push for someone like that.

If they do end up trading for Carr, this pick would probably go to the Raiders. Whether we’re talking about the Raiders or Commanders making this pick, I think Christian Gonzalez is a worthwhile option. The former Colorado transfer played great for the Oregon Ducks this past year and has the size, length, and ball skills to be a top-flight corner at the next level.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

Speaking of becoming a top-flight corner at the next level, may I present Joey Porter Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We had a bit of sentiment last year when the Steelers drafted Pitt star quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round, but this would take the sentimental stuff to a whole new level. Drafting Joey Porter’s kid would be downright poetic for the Steelers.

Porter didn’t allow a touchdown last year for Penn State and could simply be the perfect fit for a team like the Steelers, who need a shutdown player on the outside. He can become that.

18. Detroit Lions: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

I mentioned earlier on that the tight end class this year is very good, and evaluators are currently split on who is the top player at the position coming out. One of the guys whose name has risen substantially in recnet weeks is Utah’s Dalton Kincaid.

There’s some seriously high praise going around out there for Kincaid. A mix of Kelce and Ertz? I mean, sign me up for that, especially when we’re talking about Ben Johnson’s offense with the Detroit Lions, already loaded with weapons.

The Lions traded away TJ Hockenson at last year’s deadline and somehow their offense didn’t miss a beat. Adding a playmaker like Kincaid? It’s only going to make them tougher to stop.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

The 2023 offseason could be shaping up to be a bad one for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tom Brady could be out the door. The roster could look almost nothing like the one that won the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.

There are major question marks starting at quarterback, but if this team is going to be going with a bridge QB or young QB, Bijan Robinson seems like he could be a gift from the football gods for the Bucs. This is a player who creates offense and can perhaps carry your offensive unit to success similar to how we see Nick Chubb do it in Cleveland.

The Bucs would need to build an offense around him, but they also might truly need to if they have to punt the QB situation to 2024.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson

Injury issues could end up pushing Bresee all the way out of the first round when it’s all said and done. That would be a shame given his tremendous talent and upside. The Seattle Seahawks are certainly not immune to a little risk-reward proposition and someone like Bresee could be exactly what this team wants and needs on the interior defensive line.

They grabbed Tyree Wilson earlier, someone who can move all around the formation and Bresee here can do much of the same. Seattle needs to upgrade its defensive front in a big way, and it’s safe to say the picks of Wilson and Bresee would kill that need with fire.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

The Chargers need to have some contingencies in place at the cornerback position given the fact that nobody knows what JC Jackson’s future is going to hold. Will he play for the Chargers again?

The cornerback position is at a premium anyway. The Chargers’ defense ranked in the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed despite having the third-fewest passing attempts against. Teams were able to find success against LA in the passing game despite not throwing the ball a ton against them.

Forbes has good length and ball skills, two traits teams love and borderline require in cornerbacks these days.

22. Baltimore Ravens: O’Cyrus Torrence, OL, Florida

After trading Lamar Jackson in this wild 2023 NFL mock draft scenario, the Baltimore Ravens commit to dominating on the ground by adding Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence. Torrence also just so happens to be a college teammate of Anthony Richardson, who the Ravens also took earlier in this scenario.

The Ravens are going to have to continue dominating on the gound and with back-to-back years of picking Tyler Linderbaum and O’Cyrus Torrence? That’s something we could see a lot of…

23. Minnesota Vikings: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

The Minnesota Vikings won a whopping 11 games by one score in the 2022 season. Their one loss in a one-score game? That came in the playoffs at the hands of the New York Giants. The scapegoat for the Vikings this year was defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, who was let go after the season.

The Vikings need to get younger and more talented in the secondary. While this is a team that can score points in bunches, they can also be very susceptible to giving up points on the back end. They ranked 31st in the league in passing yards allowed, and 10 of the team’s 15 interceptions on the season came from safety Harrison Smith and corner Patrick Peterson.

The team needs to get younger at corner, and they do exactly that here with Cam Smith.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami

The Jacksonville Jaguars just capped off one of the more tremendous seasons of any team in the NFL. Unfortunately, a fumble by Jamal Agnew late in Kansas City cost the Jaguars a shot at upsetting the mighty Chiefs and making it all the way to the AFC Championship game.

At any rate, this team started off looking like it was bound to be picking in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, and now they are AFC South champions with potentially the NFL coach of the year in Doug Pederson.

What does this team need moving forward? Well, the Jags are getting WR help in the form of Calvin Ridley. Joining forces with Zay Jones, Christian Kirk, and Marvin Jones will be huge for Trevor Lawrence, who will also hopefully still have Evan Engram.

The defensive backfield got a major boost from the progression of Tyson Campbell, but more cornerback help will never be scoffed at by NFL teams. It’s a premium position and getting a playmaker like Tyrique Stevenson (former Georgia transfer) would be great here in the late first-round.

25. New York Giants: Jordan Addison, WR, USC

The New York Giants, similar to the Jacksonville Jaguars, made a miraculous resurgence into NFL relevance this past season. Brian Daboll and his staff did a tremendous job maximizing the talent on the roster and taking advantage of winning some close games early in the season, putting themselves in great position to make the playoffs in 2022.

And they won a playoff game, too.

The Giants now have a fascinating offseason to look forward to, one that includes the dilemma of both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley being slated for free agency. Assuming both of those guys are back, this team needs to continue adding playmakers. They’ll likely reshuffle the deck at receiver a bit and I could see GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll seeing some Stefon Diggs in Jordan Addison’s game.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

The Dallas Cowboys once again failed to live up to expectations in 2022, even after a playoff win against the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Getting a playoff win was progress for the Cowboys, but this team is good enough to be playing this weekend, and they’re not.

They’re going to run it back — again — with Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore returning to Mike McCarthy’s staff, but this might be the last chance they all get to try and make this thing work. Otherwise, Jerry Jones might be all out of options.

For the 2023 NFL Draft, how about a player who racked up 34 sacks and 10 forced fumbles for Iowa State the last handful of years?

27. Buffalo Bills: Antonio Johnson, DB, Texas A&M

The Buffalo Bills fired their safeties coach recently. The recovery of Damar Hamlin has been miraculous and we’re all grateful for it, but nobody knows what the future holds for him on the football field. It’s not likely we see him again. With other question marks at the position currently on the roster including the status of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, it could be the ideal time to get younger for Sean McDermott’s crew.

Johnson only had one interception in three seasons at Texas A&M, but forced three fumbles this past year and racked up five tackles for loss.

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Calijah Kancey, DL, Pittsburgh

The Cincinnati Bengals are another team that’s just got everything going for them. Although I don’t have any skin in the game whatsoever, I hope they’re able to get the first Super Bowl win in franchise history this year. That would be fun to see.

At any rate, it seems like at this point that the Bengals are going to be able to run it back next year with their coaching staff shockingly intact and Joe Burrow getting better by the week. Lou Anarumo’s defense is already outstanding but how about adding a potential disruptive force like Calijah Kancey into the mix next year? Despite only being 6-feet, 275 pounds, Kancey was a game-wrecker on the interior with 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons.

29. Denver Broncos: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

The Denver Broncos don’t currently have a head coach, but they do have a need for offensive firepower. If the Broncos don’t trade this pick for Sean Payton, which seems like it could very well be an option at this point, then they should use it to upgrade the offense in some way.

It’s hard to see there being any better option available at this juncture than someone like Smith-Njigba, who could be a true menace in the slot for them, allowing them to keep Jerry Jeudy primarily on the outside. This team needs more weapons for Russ and Smith-Njigba fits the bill.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

The Kansas City Chiefs are just the rich getting richer with every acquisition they make at this point, aren’t they?

This is a team with the best player in the NFL — Patrick Mahomes, of course — and the most unstoppable passing duo in the league between Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Their offensive line is outstanding. They can plug just about anyone into the offensive skill spots. They are opportunistic defensively.

How about adding another top-flight talent off the edge into the mix?

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

What do you give to the team that has everything? How about another physical freak to insert in to an offense that is already loaded. The Eagles have Dallas Goedert, one of the best tight ends in the game, but behind him the depth is a little thin.

Darnell Washington could take care of that quickly. At 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, Darnell Washington is an absolute behemoth at the position whose movement skills are fluid and his athleticism is just silly.

The Eagles took a similar physical freak out of Georgia last year in the first round when they selected Jordan Davis, a 330-pound defensive lineman who runs like a tight end. Here, they get Washington to add to the mix, someone who can be an extension of the offensive line for their already tremendous running game as well as a secondary threat in the passing game.