As it stands a month out from the 2022 NFL draft, a record eight teams will not make a selection in the first round, all having traded away their top selections.
Given how many big names were traded recently for draft choices, this could be the wave of the future. The NFL mostly is a “win-now” proposition, and teams that believe they’re close to Super Bowl contention seem more willing to part with precious picks than ever before.
It’s not necessarily a sign that teams parting with stars are giving up on the immediate future, either. The Kansas City Chiefs shipped off wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for five picks, including the Dolphins’ first-rounder this year. But they also signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency, at least partially compensating for the lost production at the position. Kansas City also has six of the top 103 picks, which certainly gives it a chance to address wide receiver more if it deems necessary.
How could each of the eight teams without a first-round pick still make improvements in this draft? We asked the NFL Nation reporter for each team to outline draft needs, then went to ESPN analyst Jordan Reid for his thoughts on a prospect who might be available when those teams make their first selections (teams are listed in order of their first pick).
Jump to:
CHI | CLE | DEN | IND
LV | LAR | MIA | SF
Full draft order
Where’s their first-round pick? Traded to NYG for pick that brought Justin Fields in 2021
Top picks: Nos. 39, 48 and 71
