Five teams to watch in 2024 NFL Draft: Will Vikings find their franchise QB?
The NFL Draft is less than a month away, but the football world is paying close attention to a handful of teams with the power to shake up the draft. Through a shrewd trade maneuver that alters the draft order or an unexpected selection of a blue-chip player not expected to come off the board at a particular range in the draft, coaches, scouts, and decision-makers are paying close attention to how a few teams handle their draft process heading into draft weekend.
Given some time to assess each of the teams in the first round, here are five teams to watch over draft weekend:
Chicago Bears: Can the 2024 class fuel a Super Bowl run?
Credit Bears general manager Ryan Poles for making a series of moves that have positioned the team to challenge the NFC heavyweights for a playoff spot. The midseason acquisition of Montez Sweat and the offseason trade for Keenan Allen have given the team the pass rusher and playmaker needed to make a playoff push.
With the Bears expected to use the No. 1 overall pick to acquire USC's Caleb Williams, the team could add another foundational piece with their second first-round pick (No. 9 overall). Whether the team takes another wideout to fill out an "11" personnel package that features Allen, D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet, and D'Andre Swift or adds a disruptive pass rusher to complement Sweat, the Bears have the potential to put out a lineup that with the talent and depth to vault to the top of the division this season.
As the football world speculates on how the Bears choose to build around Williams and his mercurial talents, Poles has a chance to shake up the draft with his team-building plans.
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Minnesota Vikings: Can Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell find their franchise quarterback?
Kirk Cousins' departure puts QB1 at the top of the Vikings' draft day wish list. With former NFL quarterbacks (O'Connell and Josh McCown) leading the charge, the Vikings are motivated to move up the board to grab a quarterback with the tools and talent to take the offense to the next level.
Surveying the class, four quarterback prospects (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy) potentially carry top-10 grades heading into the final few weeks of the pre-draft process. If the Vikings believe in the quarterback talent at the top of the board, Adofo-Mensah has acquired enough draft capital to make a trade to move into the top five and have a shot at one of the "Big Four" quarterback prospects.
If O'Connell and Co. view Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. as worthy QB1 candidates, they could sit and pick the one who is the best fit for their system with pick No. 11 or No. 23. With public opinion likely differing from those within the Vikings' meeting room, Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell can shift the dynamics of the draft in executing their plan to add a new QB1 in this draft.
Arizona Cardinals: Does Monti Ossenfort pick a blue-chip player at No. 4 or trade out for more draft capital?
It is rare for a team with an elite QB1 to have a top-five selection in a draft featuring several blue-chip prospects at marquee positions (quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receivers, and pass rusher). With the fourth overall pick, the Cardinals can take the top non-quarterback prospect in the class. Moreover, the team can add a potential gold jacket candidate to the lineup.
In 2004, the franchise knocked it out of the park, selecting Larry Fitzgerald to anchor a passing game for almost two decades. This year, the Cardinals can find a franchise pass catcher to help elevate Kyler Murray's game while adding a dimension to the missing offense since No. 11 hung up the cleats.
With Marvin Harrison, Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze vying for the WR1 spot, the Cardinals must decide which pass catcher possesses the transcendent qualities that helped Fitzgerald dominate as the team's No. 1 option on the perimeter. Given the NFL's gradual shift towards a pass-centric approach, the presence of a dynamic WR1 might be enough to turn down a hefty draft haul from a quarterback-needy team looking to jump into the top five for a chance to grab one of the Tier 1 quarterback prospects in the class.
While some observers suggest the 2024 WR class is loaded with premier pass catchers outside the top three prospects, the talent gap between the Tier 1 group and the next set of pass catchers is significant and not worth the potential draft capital a trade would command.
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Los Angeles Chargers: How does Jim Harbaugh set the foundation for the ‘Bolts?
After winning a national championship at his alma mater, Harbaugh took his talents to Los Angeles to revive an underachieving Chargers squad. Utilizing a blueprint that prioritized physicality and toughness within the trenches, the former NFL quarterback built bullies at Stanford, Michigan, and San Francisco (49ers) that dominated their opponents at the line of scrimmage.
In Los Angeles, the loss of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen has left the team without an established No. 1 receiver, but it is hard to imagine Harbaugh expending his first pick on a pass catcher when he has routinely chalked up wins on the strength of his offensive line's dominance. With the 2024 offensive tackle class featuring as many as eight prospects carrying first-round grades, the Chargers must decide whether they want to win by utilizing force or finesse by making a pick at No. 5 that establishes the new identity of the franchise.
Washington Commanders: Who is QB2?
Adam Peters and Dan Quinn have their pick of quarterbacks with the No. 2 overall pick. The presumed selection of Caleb Williams with the first selection will lead to a contentious debate over whether Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or J.J. McCarthy are right the pick as the Commanders' QB1.
While most expect the decision to come down to Daniels and Maye, the rapid ascension of McCarthy up the draft board has created anxious moments for teams attempting to move into a position to snag their franchise quarterback with a top-five pick. As Peters and Quinn narrow their focus and eventually decide on their guy, the rest of the football world will attempt to settle on a consolation prize who has the potential to blossom into an elite signal caller at the next level.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.