Five teams that could shake up the NFL draft
Thanks to the Los Angeles Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles and their bold trades to move up the draft board, the 2016 NFL draft is already off to a wild start. But those two deals likely aren’t the only moves we’ll see starting Thursday night. Both the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, the teams that traded out of the first and second selections, respectively, might not be done dealing, and there are a handful of other teams that have the ammunition and motivation to make shocking moves.
USA TODAY Sports looks at five teams that could shake up the entire draft board when the draft kicks off.
Cleveland Browns
Why they’re wild: After the trade with Philadelphia, the Browns now own 12 picks, tied with the 49ers for the most of any team. But what really makes the Browns a wild card is where they pick in the first round, at No. 8, and the litany of holes Cleveland has to fill on the roster. The big question mark is still quarterback. Would the Browns dare use that eighth pick on Paxton Lynch? Or perhaps the Browns will do the sensible thing: Select the best defensive player available there — or grab Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott — and push the quarterback quandary until 2017.
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San Francisco 49ers
Why they’re wild: Like the Browns, the 49ers own a boatload of draft picks (12 of them) and have plenty of roster spots to fill, including quarterback. The Niners know they won’t get either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff, who starred at nearby Cal, but they are certainly in the quarterback market. San Francisco has significant other needs as well, from wide receiver (would No. 7 be too soon to take Laquon Treadwell?) and linebacker, and could find better value using their first pick on defense. And it’s not just the draft picks that make the Niners intriguing. Could draft weekend be the time to finally pull off a trade with the Denver Broncos to unload quarterback Colin Kaepernick? That’s a move that would alter plans for both franchises.
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New York Jets
Why they’re wild: Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan said the team’s focus is on re-signing free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he also acknowledged that the team inquired about what it would take to move up from No. 20 to the top of the draft, where the top quarterbacks will be drafted. That’s a sign that the Jets are squarely in the quarterback market, perhaps in the first round. Maccagnan also said the team is not actively trying to trade defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, but it’s not far-fetched to imagine a scenario in which the Jets move their franchise-tagged star during the draft as a way to move up the draft board.
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Denver Broncos
Why they’re wild: Picking last in the first round, with pick No. 31, is a tricky spot for Broncos general manager John Elway, who has a surprisingly long list of team needs for a defending Super Bowl champion. Quarterback tops that list, though the Broncos also need help at inside linebacker, safety and defensive line. One thing to consider with Elway is his history of taking players with a character red flag early — Denver used first-round picks on cornerback Bradley Roby (DUI) and outside linebacker Shane Ray (marijuana possession) the previous two years. Could that make talented-but-troubled Mississippi defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche a possibility for the Broncos at the end of the first round? The Broncos also have 10 picks in this draft and Elway isn’t afraid to move forward or back.
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San Diego Chargers
Why they’re wild: With the Titans and Browns already trading back and the Rams and Eagles moving up, the Chargers are now, unofficially, on the clock. General manager Tom Telesco likely isn’t done fielding offers from teams that also want to snag the best offensive lineman, defensive player or skill position player in the draft. But if they don’t find a suitable offer, the Chargers now have the chance to alter the rest of the top 10 when they choose between offense and defense. Quarterback Philip Rivers surely would love for Telesco to choose Mississippi left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but could the chance to take the best defensive player in the draft class in defensive back Jalen Ramsey be too enticing to pass up, especially for a team that recently lost star safety Eric Weddle? Whatever it is, the Chargers' decision will have a ripple effect for teams waiting behind them, from the Dallas Cowboys at No. 4 to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 6.
Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones.
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