NFL GMs say they expect trades in 2026 draft first round

The 2026 NFL draft needs some energy because it lacks the exciting aspects that often turn drafts into memorable moments we’ll remember decades from now.

What is missing?

There aren’t many big-name quarterbacks on the board. Other than presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza — and even he’s skipping the party in Pittsburgh next Thursday — we’re not getting a repeat of 2024, when a record-setting six quarterbacks were selected in the first round.

There simply isn’t enough talent to fill a future Pro Football Hall of Fame roster. No one predicts this will rival the 1983 draft, when seven future Hall of Famers were selected in the first round and eight players from the draft went to Canton.

There is also no compelling story that captures the imagination. There is no polarizing Shedeur Sanders in this draft. No mysterious Randy Moss. And after putting on the gas mask, Laremy Tunsil is gone.

NFL GMs Await Move

The expectation of multi-processing is so high that even general managers accept it.

“I like that last year everyone thought we weren’t in a slump, and this year everyone assumed we were,” Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said Thursday.

Teams always send out sensors to see what might be available, and this year is no different.

“We’ve had a few calls from teams looking at potentially coming in,” said Giants general manager Joe Schoen, whose team is ranked No. 5 overall. “And again we’ll have to wait and see who will be there when we pick. I don’t really foresee us coming back before next Thursday night.”

Joe Schoen, general manager of the New York Giants. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

The reality is that this draft contains factors that could lead to trades.

There are five teams (Jets, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins and Cowboys) with two first-round picks. And aside from the Dolphins, who likely wouldn’t give up their picks in a trade scenario, other teams might be tempted to use their extra resources to swap trades.

Why should teams move up? Offensive linemen, especially tackles, are one reason for this as there are only a handful of players eligible in the first round, making the talent pool at the position quite shallow.

Chiefs and Others Envy Extra Overtime

Therefore, teams that need interventions can take action to get them.

“I think some of them have a few linemen coming in, but if they don’t get into the top eight, nine, 10 slots, I think you’re going to get a lot of offensive linemen from 10 to 20, 25,” said Veach, who may coincidentally be in the market for a right tackle.

There is also the possibility of teams trading away talented veterans during the draft.

And it looks like the player most likely to be moved will be Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence because he wants to be traded, and the situation became troubling last week, with Lawrence insisting he no longer wanted to be on the team.

Dexter Lawrence Portable

But the Giants like Lawrence as a player. And he has 2 more years left on his contract. So they don’t gift it to anyone. Acquiring Lawrence would require at least a first-round pick plus another pick or player, according to one source.

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II gestures during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

“I will always pick up the phone,” Schoen said.

Having said all this, we shouldn’t get carried away.

So far, there is no intelligence that the Browns are trying to trade Myles Garrett.

The Eagles will likely trade AJ Brown at some point this offseason. But salary cap considerations mean they won’t do that until after June 1.

And the Chargers shut down rumors that receiver Quentin Johnston would be dealt.

“There’s a lot of rumors on Twitter,” Chargers GM Joe Hortiz told reporters on Thursday, “but I can tell you this: I made zero calls on Quentin, and I made zero calls on Quentin.”