Which NFL Team Could Trade Up For Zach Wilson?
By: Jake Rajala (Twitter: @rajala_jake)
The Lombardi trophy has been captured and the ageless Buccaneers quarterback that’s appeared in 10 Super Bowls out of his 21 seasons active comes out victorious with yet another Super Bowl ring. With the Super Bowl being in the books and the notorious commercials getting their airtime, the 2020-2021 NFL season is officially in the books.
As the offseason kicks off, the focus turns to free agency, dynasty fantasy football/fantasy research, and of course: NFL Draft. The NFL Draft is undoubtedly the most optimistic part of each team’s off-season checklist, along with each fan’s reason to hope for a better upcoming season of success.
The “common” fans don’t adore the NFL combine, but there’s something very attractive and outreaching to many football beginners about the NFL Draft. The anticipation of each draft selection, College Football stars getting their name called, and an event opening up to city crowd and culture creates nothing but football cultivation.
As the draft inches closer and closer, it’s time to untwine another projection of draft royalty. Mock Drafts are a relishing aspect of the off-season and there are many scenarios that can be unfolded. With that being exonerated, let’s untwine another piece of NFL mock draft speculation.
- 1) Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Trevor Lawrence
The Jacksonville Jaguars had the most attractive head coaching location this off-season. Urban Meyer abruptly took notice of the Florida team holding onto the golden ticket and inked a contract with the Jaguars.
Urban Meyer recently brought over Darrell Bevell to be the offensive coordinator. The duo of Meyer-Bevell is ready to jumpstart the 6’6 signal-caller out of Clemson.
Trevor Lawrence, who posed career marks in passer rating, completion percentage, passing yards, and yards per completion will have a well-experienced crew to allow him to grow. Lawrence will have an opportunity to make an enormous transition of team success in a division with a decimating Texans and Colts team, while the threatening Titans failed to take forward last season.
2) New York Jets: OL Penei Sewell
The New York Jets are in a rebuilding process, but they’re building the house the right way — one brick at a time. Robert Saleh will be the right brutally honest, tough guy to build the culture, along with the structure of the team.
I believe that Fields could be a Pro Bowl QB in the right scheme, but I believe it’s not a great fit to put him in an offense with an atrocious offensive line, a RB spot with a huge question mark, along with a below-average WR/TE core. It also is crystal clear that Sewell is a “generational talent”.
The Bills are AFC prowlers, the Dolphins were the best team to not make the playoffs, and the Patriots may be a QB and reinforcements of talent from COVID to bounce back mightily. It makes sense for the Jets to get more physical and establish a sure competitive roster within the next couple of seasons by taking Sewell at a critical position that keeps a golden QB upright on the big stage.
3) Philadelphia Eagles (trade with Miami): QB Zach Wilson
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to trade their John Dillinger of a QB in Carson Wentz. It seemed likely that Nick Sirianni was brought in to fix the once MVP candidate. However, that situation will not be unfolded.
As Wentz gets ready to pack his bags and go to a new location, many would suggest that Jalen Hurts is the answer. Despite the buzz surrounding Wentz’s dismisall, Hurts should be walking on thin ice himself. There’s been countless trade rumors surrounding the young stud, coach Sirianni hasn’t commited to Hurts, and the Eagles QB didn’t show enough to win the job.
The Eagles could make a splash trade an acquire a QB that’s closer to the skillset of the athletic big arm QB, once elite Wentz — who Sirianni once coached at a high level. Wilson could make the Eagles instant contenders in the pourous NFC East.
4) Denver Broncos (trade with Falcons): QB Justin Fields
Drew Lock does not appear to hold the potential of being a “very” high caliber QB. To be candid, Lock had a significant sophomore slump and it’s unclear if the Broncos QB will be a stout QB moving forward.
The Broncos are in a brute AFC West with 2020 rookie of the year Justin Herbert, Regular season and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, then the Raiders possess a high powered offense to give the Chiefs fits. It’s time for the Broncos to take a rare talent at a prime draft slot.
5) Cincinnati Bengals: TE Kyle Pitts
The Florida TE was PFF’s top player in College Football and he’s going to top Vernon Davis’s draft positon (sixth overall) and hear his name called in the Top 5.
Kyle Pitts would fit in nicely with Joe Burrow, along with WRs in Tee Higgins, potentially AJ Green, and Tyler Boyd alongside him. Pitts could be a red zone lethal weapon for Burrow, along with a mismatch machine against the stingy Steelers defense twice a year.
6) Miami Dolphins (trade with Philadelphia): WR Ja’Marr Chase
The Miami Dolphins need more firepower across from DeVante Parker in the Tua led offense. The highly touted, number one WR out of LSU can propel Miami back to the playoff gauntlet.
Chase was the best WR in the nation in 2019. Despite sitting out the 2020 season, Chase is a physical freak and should be held above the Alabama Heisman winner. Expect Tua to be seeing less of the game from the sidelines with Chase in the building.
7) Detroit Lions: WR DeVonta Smith
The Detroit Lions have an avalance of a defensive roster, but that’s not the sole reason to Matt Patricia getting axed. Lions need more explosion and juice to complement D’Andre Swift on offense.
The Lions crumbling roster should also strongly consider taking the best player on the board, so that leads me to them announcing DeVonta Smith on draft day. An offense fueled with Hockenson, Swift, and Smith could have Goff drooling about his revenge over his ex head coach in Los Angeles.
8) Carolina Panthers: LB Micah Parsons
It would seem very possible that Carolina targets a QB in this spot, but I believe the high-end talent (Micah Parsons) at a critical spot (LB) could overweigh a QB like Trey Lance taking over for Teddy Bridgewater at QB. The Penn State LB could be their true replacement for Luke Kuechly.
Parsons takes way in a division with Tampa Bay, a Saints offense with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, and a motivated Falcons offense with high-caliber players in sync. The Panthers offense could take a big jump with CMAC returning as it is. It’s time for their defense to get a leader on their young front seven.
9) Atlanta Falcons (Trade with Denver): CB Caleb Farley
I firmly believe that trading back is the best route for Atlanta. And it helps the Falcons that decade like talents at QBs could very well still be on the board at fourth overall to allow them to slide back, collect draft picks, and still land a gifted player at a serious need.
The star dusted CB Farley at 6’2 210 could be a great CB to match the size of Mike Evans, Michael Thomas, DJ Moore, and help their lackluster of a pass rush get home to the QB. The Falcons look like a dominant team when their pass defense isn’t blowing fourth-quarter leads. The issue is that their secondary annually costs them big games.
10) Dallas : DE Gregory Rousseau
Gregory Rousseau is a dominant, high motor, and lengthy freak standing at 6’6. Aldon Smith had a resurgence to his career, especially given how he hasn’t been effective on the field in several years. Nonetheless, it doesn’t bode well for Smith to ink a massive contract on a long-term deal with the Cowboys.
Jerry Jones needs to find true, elite pass-rushing talent, so he could opt to take a player that will fit nicely in a front seven featuring Lander Esch and Jaylon Smith. Dak will be healthy and scoring points at will, but they need to complement their well-oiled machine offense with a ferocious edge rusher with Demarcus Lawrence and now Gregory Rousseau pinning their ears back.
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