There aren't many teams aching to move into the top reaches of the first round, but I continue to get the sense from various league executives that there will be no shortage of movement during the draft, and certainly a few picks that will make analysts and draftniks do a double take.
First round could be trade-heavy
Some team is going to get worried about losing out on a QB and move back into the first round, but that's not the only trade Jason La Canfora sees potentially happening Thursday night.
With that in mind, there are too many teams in need of a signal-caller and too many clubs open to trading back for this not to happen. And not everyone who needs a passer is going to take one in the first round.
Philadelphia and New England are prime targets for dropping back, and the Jets, at 30, will be as well. With Buffalo holding the second pick in the second round, and Cincy targeting someone like Andy Dalton one pick later, at 35, one of those clubs, or the Cardinals or 49ers, for instance, could well feel the need to leapfrog the others to get their man. Jake Locker, Colin Kaepernick, Christian Ponder, Ryan Mallett could all potentially still be on the board as we head toward pick 30, and certainly several of them will be at least.
I foresee a deal getting done. The Bills have taken a shine to Ponder. The Titans, if they don't take a quarterback in the first round, love Dalton. The Bengals do too. If Miami doesn't take a quarterback at 15, the pressure to acquire a second-round pick to land a Kaepernick or Locker could be extreme.
With so much time between Day 1 and Day 2, the opportunities for someone else to play ball with New England at pick 33 could be far too great to risk. So much will depend on which quarterbacks are selected higher in the draft, who is remaining, etc. But I foresee it happening for one of these quarterbacks.
Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @jasonlacanfora.
