The NFL Draft is just around the corner, kicking off this weekend with the first round on Thursday night. This year’s event has a special twist: As it stands, all 32 teams have a first-round pick. If no trades shake things up, it will be the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002 that every franchise will have a pick on opening night. But don’t hold your breath – history tells us that upsets are almost guaranteed, and this draft doesn’t seem likely to buck that trend. One thing seems certain, though: the Tennessee Titans are poised to grab Cam Ward, the dynamic quarterback from Miami, with the first overall pick. If they do, Ward will join an elite club as the 40th QB taken first overall since the draft began in 1936.
Eagles Eyeing a Bold Move for Abdul Carter
Whispers around the league suggest that the Philadelphia Eagles may be cooking up something big. Fresh off a stunning Super Bowl victory, the Eagles are reportedly mulling a blockbuster trade that would send their star wide receiver, AJ Brown, to the New England Patriots for the fourth overall pick. The target? To grab edge rusher Abdul Carter, if he’s still on the board. Philadelphia’s roster is already loaded with talent like Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Devonta Smith, and Brown himself, giving them a real shot at another title run.
Over in New England, the Patriots are hitting the reset button with head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year QB Drake Maye leading the charge. After a busy offseason in free agency, they’re expected to use the fourth pick on Will Campbell, the best offensive lineman in the draft, to protect Maye for the long haul.
I honestly don’t think that will happen, it would be a huge mistake to let Brown go when they are coming off a Super Bowl win with him scoring, being dominant all season and all three years he played in Philadelphia but what makes this rumor juicy is the history between Vrabel and Brown. Back in 2019, Vrabel, who was coaching the Titans at the time, drafted Brown, kicking off his NFL journey. When Tennessee shipped Brown to Philadelphia for the 18th pick in 2022, it’s said to have sparked friction between Vrabel and the Titans’ brass that may have contributed to his exit after the 2023 season.
Since landing with the Eagles, Brown has been a game-changer, racking up 4,031 yards on 261 catches with 25 touchdowns over three years. He’s helped the team to two Super Bowls, hoisting the trophy once, while giving Jalen Hurts a top-tier target alongside Devonta Smith, arguably a top-three receiving duo in the league.
Eagles’ Draft Strategy: Restocking the Defense
Should this trade go through, the Eagles would still have plenty of ammunition, including a late first-round pick among their eight total selections in the seven-round draft. General manager Howie Roseman isn’t afraid to shake things up – he has a track record of making bold moves when he sees fit. After losing defensive standouts like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Isaiah Rodgers to budget cuts, Philly has some holes to fill. Mock drafts point to two names for that late first-rounder: Donovan Ezeiruaku, a disruptive edge rusher out of Boston College, or Malaki Starks, a versatile safety out of Georgia. Either could help bolster a unit in need of fresh blood. As Thursday approaches, fans on both sides will be watching to see if this rumor turns into the first major shock of the draft.
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