This year’s draft has already begun in a sense as picks have been changed via free agency; the most prominent of which was the Seahawks trading away their first round selection (along with Max Unger) to the Saint in exchange for Jimmy Graham. I suspect we may see several trades with year before the first round is over, which only adds to the draft’s excitement and intrigue.
Reflecting upon the first week of free agency, the league has seen a significant shake up. A flurry of trades look place on Day One and the news didn’t seem to slow down until recently. Even today, a two-time champion, and defending champion at that, Vince Wilfork signed on in Houston, so slowing down is a relative word.
After this period of intense change, the focus of several teams heading into April’s NFL draft has been altered. Acquired players are as much to blame as any team’s losses after such a wild Week One. And despite all the excitement and change, remarkably there are teams that haven’t changed much; this list amazingly does not include the Cincinnati Bengals who actually participated this year despite its reputation for seemingly forgetting that free agency even exists.
With all the change that’s taken place, it seems appropriate to see how the NFL draft has changed with respect to the league’s new landscape.
Jan 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes the ball during the second half of the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game against the Oregon Ducks at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Next: Selections 9-16