2024 NFL Draft: 7 teams that could tank for the #1 pick

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 02: Quarterback Caleb Williams #13 of the USC Trojans throws the ball during the second quarter of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic football game against the Tulane Green Wave at AT&T Stadium on January 02, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

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2024 NFL Draft (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

The “Could be good, but probably not”

While I don’t believe these teams already have a mountain of tape on Williams and Maye like the previous teams discussed, these four teams may be a lot closer to the #1 pick than they would like to think.

Atlanta Falcons

A sneaky dark horse pick to win the NFC South by many, I think this Atlanta Falcons team could just as easily win the division as they could wind up picking #1. Being in potentially the weakest division in the league should help, but this will all come down to whether Desmond Ridder is the guy at the QB position. When you have top seven picks in three straight drafts, and you take skill position players over beefing up the trenches, you better have the right guy at the most important position.

The Falcons start their season with two home games against Carolina and Green Bay, then have two difficult road games at Detroit and Jacksonville. If they start off 1-3 or 0-4, look for Arthur Smith to be on the hot seat, and Atlanta becoming an early “tank” candidate.

Las Vegas Raiders

A year ago, the Raiders were a sneaky Super Bowl pick. They nearly upset the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs, had just swiped Josh McDaniels away from New England, and had shockingly acquired both Davante Adams and Chandler Jones to give Carr the help he needed to get over the top. A lot can change over a year.

Derek Carr is now in New Orleans, the Chandler Jones and Josh McDaniels decisions look like questionable deals at best, and Davante Adams is going to be an ongoing trade rumor candidate for the foreseeable future. To offset this turmoil, McDaniels has turned to his old friend Jimmy Garoppolo, who is supposed to stay healthy and lead them to the playoffs in a stacked AFC. I don’t think so.

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