It's everybody's favorite time of year, when rumor-palooza starts to overtake the NFL news cycle with the 2014 NFL Draft quickly approaching. Some team apparently wants to trade up, another is looking to trade down, and, by the way, some quarterback you weren't expecting to go early in the draft will actually be taken quite high in the first round.
Such is life in the days leading up to the draft, and it's been exacerbated this year, with the event moved back two weeks. Now even the draft picks themselves are getting into the action and taking to social media to lend credence to some rumors.
Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins was the latest to cause a stir Tuesday with a series of tweets suggesting some team is looking to trade up in the draft to get him.
Watkins is considered one of the four truly elite prospects in this year's draft. NFL.com mock drafts are close to a consensus on the Browns taking him with the fourth overall pick, but some think he could go as high as second to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt tweeted Tuesday that there could be a lot of teams looking to trade up for the Raiders' No. 5 pick, believing that one of the draft's top prospects will still be on the board. That would certainly be the case if Watkins were to fall to No. 5.
The Detroit Lions were at the center of rumors involving a trade up to get Watkins earlier in the month, but talk has died down a bit in recent weeks. Team officials made no secret that they value Watkins' talent and the receiver himself entertained thoughts of playing opposite of Calvin Johnson on his Instagram account recently.
Though the Lions might be entertaining trade scenarios to move up and get Watkins, his tweets suggest it could a surprise team outside the top 10 based on calls he's received. One option could be the San Francisco 49ers, who have had no issues making a bold move in the draft. General manager Trent Baalke has six selections in the first 100 picks, so he certainly would have the necessary ammunition to move up from 30th overall in the first round if a team was interested. With Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin as Colin Kaepernick's primary receivers, the 49ers could use a speedier pass catcher to help stretch the field and put a dent in division rival Seattle's fearsome secondary.
Among teams picking outside the top 10, NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers need help at wide receiver. Could any of those clubs be in position to make a move for somebody like Watkins? He suggests that could be the case, but we might be a few days from finding out which one.
Ah, draft time -- it wouldn't be as much fun without rumors like this.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
