Though the winner of Super Bowl LIX is still yet to be determined, the 2025 NFL season beckons. Soon enough, every team in the league will move fully on to the future, with some franchises attempting to extend a window of contention and others looking to pry one open. In just a few months, clubs will load up on another round of young talent at the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's pause and take a look back -- at last year's draft. The choices made in Detroit accelerated some team timelines and slowed others. Now that we've seen a full season of play from the draft class, it's worth asking: What would each organization do if given a chance to go back in time and conduct the 2024 draft again? Yes, it's time for a re-draft.
Of course, any good time-travel experience requires slightly overcomplicated ground rules. Here are ours:
- Our re-draft begins with the order as it was when Round 1 began last April. Thus, real-life trades that were made any time before then are reflected below; real-life trades that were completed after Round 1 kicked off are not.
- The re-draft does include eight new imaginary trades.
- We are making picks based on what we think each team would do if given the chance to go back, not what we would want them to do.
- We presume each team is re-drafting with full knowledge of what actually happened in 2024 and where it currently stands going into 2025. Some events might change thanks to the re-draft, but some remain constant, including decision-makers and roster conditions at the time of the 2024 NFL Draft.
- Similarly, injuries that took place in 2024 cannot be undone -- health situations will proceed as they did in real life.
Let's get re-drafting:
Would Jayden Daniels have enjoyed one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time if he had landed in Chicago’s messy situation instead of Washington’s welcoming arms? Would the poor play-calling, inept situational football, inconsistent O-line play and time mismanagement that plagued Caleb Williams during his debut campaign have undone the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year, too? It’s certainly possible. But it’s impossible to overlook Daniels’ productivity, poise and franchise-altering clutch performances in his first pro season. The city hasn’t given up on Caleb -- not by a longshot -- but it's hard to imagine Chicagoans having trouble getting behind this QB swap after what we’ve seen over the past six months.
Recognizing how unlikely they are to recreate their magical season without Jayden Daniels, the Commanders step outside for a second, clear their heads, take a deep breath and make the next-best move for their immediate and long-term future. Caleb Williams did not play like an obvious superstar in Year 1, but how many people could have done that in Chicago in 2024? With a rookie passer rating (87.8) on par with Joe Burrow's in 2020 (89.8) and far better than Trevor Lawrence's in 2021 (71.9), Williams remains capable of delivering on the promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick last April. Plus, who knows? Maybe he even ends up garnering some OROY votes in Washington, where he'll get to work with a superior O-line, the supremely QB-friendly Terry McLaurin and old pal Kliff Kingsbury.
The Patriots are thrilled to run it back here. Drake Maye proved in Year 1 he could elevate an underwhelming supporting cast, creating offense through the air and on the ground behind a rotating (and often dysfunctional) O-line. New England sprints to submit the same draft card, eager to fast-forward to the 2025 draft, when the Pats might be able to pair their Pro Bowl QB with a generational talent like Travis Hunter or a bedrock tackle like Will Campbell.
TRADE WITH ARIZONA CARDINALS
As the latest team to show how beautiful it is when a rookie QB is paired with the right organization and head coach, the Broncos know how silly it would be to find out what life would be like without Bo Nix. They also know how many teams outside of the top three would give anything to get their mitts on the Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist. So they pay whatever the Cardinals ask to move up to No. 4 and ensure they can keep a good thing going in Denver with Nix and Sean Payton.
TRADE WITH LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
The Giants use their mulligan to trade up one spot for Michael Penix Jr., securing their franchise QB and overwriting the disastrous Daniel Jones/Drew Lock/Tommy DeVito/Tim Boyle debacle of 2024. Giving up Malik Nabers is certainly not ideal, and we did consider a scenario where New York kept the elite WR and then targeted its new franchise passer with the third overall pick in the 2025 draft. But, ultimately, we thought the opportunity for this QB-starved team to land a talented known quantity instead of rolling the dice again at the position was simply too good to pass up.
TRADE WITH NEW YORK GIANTS
Jim Harbaugh does not seem like the kind of person who would undo anything, really, let alone a pick that worked out like gangbusters in the first place. The only thing that keeps the selection of Joe Alt from being a true "re-set it and forget it" event for the Bolts is the Giants' willingness to pay a premium to move up and grab Penix. Harbaugh is only too happy to oblige that desire and still walk away with the tackle who will allow him to run the offense he wants for years in L.A.
TRADE WITH TENNESSEE TITANS
Two late-season wins dropped the Raiders out of the top five in this year’s draft order -- and, potentially, out of the running for one of 2025's top QB prospects. Knowing there's a high likelihood they could miss out on their choice of passer this April, Vegas uses the power of hindsight to leap up the 2024 board to snag J.J. McCarthy. As a bonus, Raiders limited partner and Michigan man Tom Brady gets to forge ahead with another former Maize and Blue signal-caller as the face of the Silver and Black -- even if it means having to wait a season to see McCarthy actually take the field while he recovers from a knee injury.
Atlanta nearly scratched out a playoff berth despite rushing the passer like a cellar-dweller, posting the second-lowest pressure rate (28.1%) and sack total (31) in the NFL in 2024. The Falcons would surely love to re-draft Penix -- their original pick, whose selection would seem a lot less unorthodox now that we know he ended up taking the QB reins from Kirk Cousins during the season -- but the promising youngster is gone. So Atlanta jumps on Jared Verse, whose Pro Bowl efforts helped the Rams do what the Falcons could not: climb out of the NFC's middle class and reach the postseason.
TRADE WITH CHICAGO BEARS
The Vikings’ fairy-tale 14-win season ended in demoralizing fashion, derailed by back-to-back duds from Sam Darnold. Imagine if the polarizing QB had safety valve Brock Bowers on hand, though, throughout the campaign -- and especially at the end, when Darnold seemingly had no solution for the relentless pressure bearing down on him. Maybe Minnesota ends up beating L.A. in Week 8 and/or splits the season series with Detroit, earning the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye instead of going on the road on Wild Card Weekend. Even if Bowers couldn’t ultimately change the team’s fate, he’d still be the clear successor to T.J. Hockenson and would give Minnesota the NFL's ultimate pick-your-poison pass-catching group.
In real life, the Jets traded out of this spot so the Vikings could draft J.J. McCarthy, but in our re-draft, McCarthy is gone and the Vikings already moved up. So Gang Green uses the pick to address a lack of juice that ended up being a surprisingly big problem in 2024, when New York ranked 20th in yards per play (5.2) and 24th in points per game (19.9). Malik Nabers already proved himself in the Big Apple, where he lived up to pre-draft hype by collecting more receiving yards (1,204) than any Giants rookie since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 despite dealing with uninspiring QB play. Whether or not he brings enough immediate oomph to alter the course of the Aaron Rodgers era, he'll definitely lift the offensive ceiling for whoever quarterbacks this team into the future.
TRADE WITH CHICAGO BEARS
Refusing to let their playoff fates once again rest in the hands of the Chiefs' second-stringers -- and subsequently waste career campaigns from Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson -- the Bengals now do what they should've done last offseason: add a foundational young defensive talent. The aggressive move up the board for Quinyon Mitchell isn't cheap, but its impact is immediate and profound. The Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist's arrival has a ripple effect throughout Cincy's defense, single-handedly transforming the unit from a liability to a complementary asset. In this do-over dream scenario, the Bengals not only make the tournament but challenge Kansas City for AFC supremacy.
TRADE WITH DENVER BRONCOS
The Cardinals are delighted to move down and still get a dynamic receiver. And while there are reasons to be optimistic about their real-life pick at No. 4, Marvin Harrison Jr., he did not enjoy anything near the immediate breakout success of Brian Thomas Jr., who managed to turn heads despite being in an extraordinarily unsexy football environment in Jacksonville. Arizona cannot resist pairing him with Kyler Murray, perhaps giving the offense enough of a boost to nudge the Cards from middle-of-the-pack also-rans into actual contenders.
TRADE WITH LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Able to take the QB of their choice at No. 1 overall this year, the Titans are happy to move down the board here to accumulate more roster-building capital. Nabbing a top-tier talent like Marvin Harrison Jr. is just the kind of good fortune this franchise needs after how the 2024 season unfolded.
The Saints are in a strange spot for this redraft. Let's say they join the group of teams who try and fail to move up for a QB, leaving them to muddle ahead with Derek Carr and Spencer Rattler -- who might go earlier than Round 5, but not this much earlier -- under center. Without that position solved, it's difficult to imagine any of the players still on the board doing more than Taliese Fuaga, their original pick at this spot, to meaningfully change New Orleans' trajectory. So the Saints stick with the left tackle, who at least solidifies another key roster spot to help set up whatever is to come.
Chris Ballard chortles again. Like the Saints, the Colts don't have any options here who would obviously improve their fortunes. Laiatu Latu did not live up to preseason Defensive Rookie of the Year hype, but he did still provide Indy with desperately needed pass-rush help, ranking third on the team in sacks (four) and pressures (42, per Next Gen Stats). And while Chop Robinson might be an upgrade, he was available when Indy picked in April, and the team might prefer to stick with the player it knows. Short of drafting a wizard capable of magically accelerating Anthony Richardson's development, the Colts are happy to stand pat.
TRADE WITH SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The fact that the Lions won 15 games and clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed despite the onslaught of serious injuries that decimated their defense is a true testament to the program Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have built. The duo -- knowing this is their last hurrah with Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn on staff, and perhaps fearing a run on edge rushers after the Colts re-picked Latu -- go for broke, climbing 13 spots (which, in fairness, is well within character) to secure the Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist. Chop Robinson adds a much-needed presence on the edge as Detroit re-attempts its Super Bowl run and gives Aidan Hutchinson a worthy running mate for years to come.
One of the few things to go right in Jacksonville was the emergence of Brian Thomas Jr., who played so well that the Cardinals pilfered him in this exercise at No. 12 overall. The Jags still want a pass catcher for Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen to build around going forward, so they snag Ladd McConkey, who profiles as an optimal immediate and long-term replacement for veteran slot Christian Kirk, who missed nine games in 2024.
TRADE WITH CINCINNATI BENGALS
Even if we presume Jayden Daniels is talented enough to thrive in Chicago, the Bears will surely still want to afford him better protection than they did Caleb Williams, who was pressured on 38.3 percent of his dropbacks in 2024. So instead of taking original pick Rome Odunze or another offensive weapon with their second first-rounder, they trade down twice and still land Zach Frazier, whose stellar work locking down the pivot in Pittsburgh positions him to be snapped up well before Round 2 begins this time.
Gutted to see Jared Verse come off the board at No. 8 overall, the Rams don't risk losing out on Braden Fiske, too. They snag the Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist 20 spots higher than where they actually took him in the 2024 draft, and with the same pick they originally used on his Florida State teammate. Fiske was an absolute stud in Year 1 and should still be a great addition to the D-line, even if his college buddy is no longer by his side.
Mike Tomlin's "standard is the standard" mantra has taken a negative turn in recent years, with the standard becoming synonymous with bland, uninspired offense. The Steelers' lack of perimeter playmakers beyond George Pickens was routinely on display this season -- especially in comparison to the conference's heavy-hitting trio of Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore -- which is a problem Pittsburgh seemed to have anticipated, considering the team was linked to Brandon Aiyuk during the offseason before ultimately acquiring Mike Williams at the trade deadline. The lack of production from Steelers wideouts has even drawn Art Rooney II's ire, with the team's owner recently name-checking the room as an area they've "got to look at improving" this offseason. Well, instead of waiting 'til this spring to find a solve, the Steelers roll back the clock and lock in Rome Odunze at a steal. The skilled route-runner and top-10 talent provides Pittsburgh with a huge offensive boost, helping them contend with the Ravens, Bills and Chiefs for years to come.
TRADE WITH MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Packers rode a reasonably well-rounded roster to the playoffs, but Jaire Alexander's injury issues kept him from making a major impact in 2024 -- and his place with the organization appears to be in doubt. Knowing the Eagles' and Vikings' proclivities for defensive playmakers, Green Bay jumps up to grab Nate Wiggins, who finished with an EPA when targeted of -28.4, tops among rookies with at least 200 coverage snaps last season, per Next Gen Stats. No matter what happens with Alexander going forward, the speedster could help Xavier McKinney anchor the secondary and keep the team competitive in the tough NFC North.
One of the most impressive things about Philly's run to the Super Bowl this season was Vic Fangio's ability to get difference-making play out of a pair of rookie cornerbacks. Quinyon Mitchell is gone, but happily, Cooper DeJean remains available -- and the Eagles leap to keep him in the fold faster than DeJean closing on Ja'Marr Chase (or, incredibly, Derrick Henry!), giving themselves a chance to preserve the NFL's top pass defense.
Tykee Smith’s selection gives Minnesota a lift in 2024 and beyond. The defensive playmaker would be an ideal fit in Brian Flores’ aggressive, attacking defense -- likely contributing to the team’s league-leading turnover count this past season -- while his positional versatility would afford the Vikings a signature long-term piece in a secondary set for an extreme makeover this offseason.
Would drafting Bucky Irving have fixed Dallas' woeful D or spared Dak Prescott from a season-ending hamstring injury? No. But the rookie RB sure could have made the first 11 weeks of the season more interesting for the Cowboys, who averaged a pathetic 81.7 rushing yard and 3.8 yards per carry (ranking 31st in the league in both categories) while falling to 3-7 in that span. As nice as Rico Dowdle's breakout season was, he's headed for free agency. Irving is something Dallas needs in the worst way: a star-caliber player early in his rookie contract.
TRADE WITH GREEN BAY PACKERS
We considered Dominick Puni with this pick, thinking his tremendous rookie year in Kyle Shanahan's offense would translate just as seamlessly in Mike McDaniel's attack. And, to be fair, Puni might be the best option here. But we decided on Jackson Powers-Johnson because he has the kind of nastiness and team-first mentality that Miami desperately needs. JPJ's tenacity and tone-setting would nip the external and internal criticism in the bud, giving the Fins the feistiness up front they've long been lacking.
Upon watching not one but two of their original 2024 selections (third-rounder Tykee Smith and fourth-rounder Bucky Irving) get scooped up just ahead of their pick, Tampa doesn’t chance letting Graham Barton get away, as well. Although the Duke product struggled with penalties and pressures during his rookie campaign, his availability, steady improvement and work ethic earned him praise from his coach, coordinator and QB. Barton had a lot on his shoulders in Year 1; the Bucs' battery continuity should allow Barton to take an even bigger step forward in Year 2.
TRADE WITH ARIZONA CARDINALS
The Chiefs head into this knowing two things: 1) They need to keep Xavier Worthy, who played a huge role in pushing them past the Bills to reach Super Bowl LIX; and 2) the Bills aren't going to help them do that by dealing them the 28th pick again, as they did in real life last April. So K.C. trades ahead of Buffalo, thereby preventing any spite-related shenanigans or ripples in the space-time continuum and preserving their pursuit of a three-peat.
Deprived of the chance to keep Worthy out of a Chiefs uniform for the AFC title game by selecting him here, the Bills invoke the metaphysical powers of the redraft to add someone who could at least help slow Worthy on the field, especially after Christian Benford was lost to injury in that crucial showdown. Tarheeb Still picked off four passes this season for the Chargers, most among rookie cornerbacks. Sliding him onto Buffalo's depth chart would nicely make up for whiffing on Kaiir Elam in 2022.
TRADE WITH DETROIT LIONS
After picking up some valuable draft assets in their trade down with Detroit, Seattle swipes Roger Rosengarten one pick before the Ravens could re-claim their guy. Rosengarten instantly steps into a starting role, providing Geno Smith -- who was the third-most-sacked QB this season -- a rock-solid bookend on the right side of Seattle’s O-line.
Missing out on original draftees Nate Wiggins and Roger Rosengarten puts a dent in Baltimore's 2024 draft class, but the addition of Kamari Lassiter softens the blow a bit. Lassiter's playmaking ability and success on the outside -- he led all CBs in completion percentage over expected (-11.5%) this season -- still allows Marlon Humphrey to slide back into the slot to give the Ravens' secondary its best shot at success.
The Niners already know and love Dominick Puni, their real-life third-round pick who ranked fourth among rookies in sacks-allowed rate (0.3%), per Next Gen Stats (min. 200 pass-blocking snaps) and earned Pro Football Focus' best run-blocking grade among rookie guards. With their next pick not set to come until the end of Round 2, they don't chance losing a potential foundational piece up front.
TRADE WITH KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
T'Vondre Sweat's arrival immediately upgrades a Cardinals run defense that ranked 25th in both yards per carry and rush yards over expected, per Next Gen Stats. He also solves a 2025 free agency problem, with veterans Khyiris Tonga and Roy Lopez due to hit the open market this March.