NFL Draft 2021: 5 predictions for potential first-round trades
By Peter Panacy
NFL Draft Trade No. 2: Washington outbids Bears for Panthers’ top pick
The Bears aren’t likely the only team eyeing what Carolina could do with the No. 8 overall pick.
The Washington Football Team is in an awfully similar situation as Chicago, although head coach Ron Rivera isn’t on the hot seat like Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy. But Washington does need a long-term option under center, and the one-year deal for veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is no more a bridge move than what the Bears did with Andy Dalton.
Interestingly enough, the Football Team is drafting one spot ahead of Chicago. And the Bears could look to leapfrog a quarterback-needy team like Washington while hoping to land someone like Mac Jones if he was to fall to the back end of the first 10 picks.
Washington isn’t in as big a desperation mode as the Bears. But if Rivera and general manager Martin Mayhew feel now is the time to strike for a quarterback, particularly with the early notion the 2022 NFL Draft won’t have too many promising signal-callers, it’s perfectly reasonable to see a trade up to No. 8 overall.
Having a slightly higher pick in Round 1 would help matters a little, and it wouldn’t be too difficult to compile a trade package that would include one of Washington’s two third-round picks this year plus some additional draft change, likely in 2022.
If getting into the top 10 is a priority for Rivera and Mayhew, look for them to strike it with the Panthers.