Schultz also notes that the “prevailing belief is [a trade] is a long shot to happen.” While he acknowledged the Patriots are listening to all calls from teams hoping to move up, it’s also been reported that Patriots ownership hopes to secure a quarterback in the first round as they look to usher in a new era under head coach Jerod Mayo. The Giants are one of a handful of teams in need of a quarterback upgrade who are stuck picking outside of the top five. Teams like the Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders could also be in a position for a trade-up to acquire a franchise quarterback, which could net a significant pick haul for the Patriots.

When asked where he will end up, McCarthy said he had “somewhat of an idea. New York Giants, I’ve spent the most time with.” Earlier rumors from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe indicated the Giants and Vikings will be in a race for McCarthy. Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll, and company have been doing their due diligence on quarterbacks, holding the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft. They currently have Daniel Jones at quarterback, signed through 2026. With injuries through an underwhelming season for Jones, McCarthy would signal a fresh start for the franchise. As the top-two picks shake out, the Giants could trade with the Patriots for No. 3 to pick McCarthy or sit back at No. 6 with the trust the Pats don’t select him or teams like the Vikings or Broncos don’t move up instead.

While previous reports from the offseason indicated interest in a reunion between Elliott and the Cowboys, Anderson confirms that the two parties are meeting the day before the NFL Draft. Elliott began his career with the Cowboys, spending seven seasons in Dallas and earning three Pro Bowls, a first-team All-Pro, and a second-team All-Pro honor during his time. He spent last season with the Patriots, totaling 184 carries for 642 yards and three touchdowns. The 28-year-old has a lot of tread on his tires but could return to a familiar place in Dallas. The Cowboys currently have Royce Freeman, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn in the backfield. They are expected to consider adding a running back through the draft, and a potential Zeke reunion shouldn’t change that.

Hendrickson is set to make $15 million this season before hitting free agency in 2025. He has been looking for an extension from the Bengals, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. Any trade for Hendrickson would have to include a new deal for the elite pass-rusher. Hendrickson tallied an absurd 17.5 sacks in 2023 despite playing through several injuries. He is more than deserving of a new deal and could be traded by the Bengals on draft night.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, this is the largest deal ever for an offensive lineman. With the draft just around the corner, the Lions are taking care of their current roster with extensions for its biggest names. They signed Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year, $120 million extension earlier today. Drafted in 2021, Sewell played a mix of left and right tackle as a rookie and earned a top-25 grade at the position from Pro Football Focus. He moved to full-time right tackle in the following season. After two strong campaigns, Sewell took the next step in 2023 and was PFF’s top-graded tackle. They charted him with one sack allowed on 674 pass-blocking reps. He is also elite in the run game, perfect for the Lions’ ground-heavy approach. Jared Goff is entering the final year of his contract and should be next in line for an extension in Detroit.

Chase is now signed through the 2025 season as the Bengals and their superstar wideout work on a longer-term deal. Chase, 24, has established himself as one of the NFL’s elite receivers, both on the intermediate level and downfield. Chase in 2023 managed 100 receptions and over 1,200 yards despite Joe Burrow missing much of the year with lingering injuries. His 2023 receiving success rate (57 percent) was the highest of his NFL career. Chase will continue operating as the team’s WR1 whether or not Tee Higgins stays in Cincinnati.

St. Brown’s deal, with $77 million in guarantees, makes him the league’s highest paid wide receiver. He’ll average $28 million per year over the next four seasons. St. Brown’s 225 receptions since the start of the 2022 season ranks third in the NFL behind CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill. He’s sixth in targets over that two-year span and fifth in receiving yardage. A menace in the slot and the centerpiece of Detroit’s offense, St. Brown has established himself as an elite route runner and yards-after-the catch maven. St. Brown, 24, the 112th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, will remain a key part of the Lions offense for years to come.

The team would like to land LSU’s Jayden Daniels but likely won’t have that opportunity with Washington reportedly set on taking Daniels with the second overall pick. That could leave the Raiders with Penix or Bo Nix as the last viable quarterback options if they want to avoid being shutout at QB. Graziano said “if the quarterback market starts drying up quickly and they feel they need to trade up in order to avoid being shut out, the Chargers at No. 5 and the Titans at No. 7 are two teams that people believe are willing to trade down.” Penix would likely be a big upgrade for Vegas pass catchers, including Davante Adams.

That means Fields, like fellow Pittsburgh QB Russell Wilson, will be a free agent after the 2024 season. Picking up Fields’ fifth year option would have cost the team $25 million in 2025. This season will essentially be a tryout for Fields, 25, that could land him a long-term deal with the Steelers or find him playing elsewhere in 2025. Though Wilson was deemed the Steelers’ starter for 2024 in March, head coach Mike Tomlin has suggested Fields will have a shot to compete for the starting job. Rotoworld’s Denny Carter wrote about how Fields might be deployed in the Steelers offense, whether or not he’s named starter.

The Chargers have the fifth pick in the upcoming draft and the Titans hold the seventh pick. Alt would make sense as a Charger after new head coach Jim Harbaugh has talked up a tough-nosed, run-first offense that would require elite blocking. Last year, Pro Football Focus graded the Chargers as the worst run blocking unit in the NFL. The Titans, meanwhile, were 24th in PFF run blocking and 18th in pass blocking. Breer said “in talking with people over the past few days, another Joe’s name has come up when discussing Notre Dame LT Joe Alt. That’d be Joe Thomas. Now, it’s not the cleanest comp. Alt’s a little bigger and longer, and Thomas maybe a little more powerful. But it works for teams in that Alt’s tape can sometimes be less than spectacular because he’s so athletic.”