5 Players Who Could Be Traded In 2021 NFL Draft

The 2021 NFL Draft is on April 29, and one of the big unknowns of every draft – more than who will be the No. 1 pick, more than who will be the first running back or offensive lineman picked – is the emergence of a trade which reshapes the draft and forces teams to make adjustments. There have already been some significant trades. The Miami Dolphins traded their No. 3 pick to the San Francisco 49ers, and then traded their No. 12 pick from the Niners to the Philadelphia Eagles to move up to No. 6. That trade has already changed the dynamic of the first round. Which trades will occur when we get to draft night on April 29? If trades happen, which players could be involved?

Dalton Risner, Denver Broncos

One trade a lot of NFL pundits are predicting right now is a deal between the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons, in which the Broncos move up from No. 9 to the Falcons’ current spot at No. 4. It is true that a trade is most likely to involve future first-round draft picks rather than current players, but if a team needs to complete a deal, it might need to part with a current player instead of simply offering picks. The Broncos might need to give up a piece, such as Risner – an offensive lineman – to the Atlanta Falcons in order to get the No. 4 pick. The Falcons need offensive linemen, so this could be the kind of poker chip the Broncos can offer if they are serious about moving up to No. 4 and getting a quarterback for their roster, which – many people agree – they need at this point in time, with Drew Lock not making the grade as a starter-quality quarterback in the NFL.

Shelby Harris, Denver Broncos

The Broncos can give the Falcons an offensive lineman as a piece in a swap which will enable Denver to move up to No. 4. They can also provide a pass rusher, since that is another player the Falcons have needed the past several years. Denver has a well-fortified defense – that is not a weakness for the Broncos – so if they part with a defensive end, the Falcons might see that plus a future first-round pick and a second-round pick as a significant price in exchange for giving up their No. 4 pick. This is less about Harris in particular and more about Atlanta wanting a defensive end in a possible deal with Denver.

Justin Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers

The Detroit Lions, badly in need of more bodies and more pieces on their roster, might actually want to trade down from their No. 7 spot to the Chargers. If the Bolts want a top-end offensive lineman or receiver at No. 7, they could trade up and give the Lions a running back. Austin Ekeler would be too high a price, but Justin Jackson could be just right, if packaged together with a future pick.

Cam Sims, Washington Football Team

The Washington Football Team could trade up in the draft, from No. 19 to No. 14, to get the Minnesota Vikings’ current selection. A lot of experts see that as a very possible draft-night deal. If picks aren’t enough to pry loose that 14^th pick from the Vikings, throwing in a receiver, such as Cam Sims, could finalize the deal. Minnesota can still use a receiver after losing Stefon Diggs to the Bills, so the Vikings might bite if Washington makes a good-enough offer.

David Sharpe, Washington Football Team

The Vikings can also use an offensive lineman, so if they don’t want Sims as a trade piece if Washington wants to move up to 14 from 19, they can opt for David Sharpe. This is the other way Washington can move up in the draft and get a target it wants at 14, since the Football Team is worried its preferred player might go off the board from picks 15 through 18.