- The Steelers could move up for their franchise quarterback: If Shedeur Sanders does indeed slide as some are predicting, the Steelers could make a play to bring him to Pittsburgh.
- The Bears may get aggressive for an impact defender: With a pair of second-round draft picks, Chicago has the ammunition to trade up for someone like Penn State’s Abdul Carter.
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It’s officially 2025 NFL Draft Week, and in just a few days, we will know exactly where the top players will land. As much fun as the selections themselves are, it’s the trades that make the first round even more exciting.
With that in mind, here are six trades that could shake up the opening round of the draft on Thursday night.
Denver Broncos trade up for RB Ashton Jeanty
Trading up for a running back would be bold — and not recommended from a value perspective — but there are a couple of reasons why the Broncos could look to make such a splash.
First, they have one of the best offensive lines in football, finishing the 2024 season with the second-ranked unit in PFF's final offensive line rankings. As we saw last season, a player like Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry behind a good offensive line or in an elite offensive system is a force multiplier for an offense.
Second, the Broncos have a big need at the position, with no running back on their roster earning a PFF rushing grade above 75.0 in 2024.
Chicago Bears trade up for EDGE Abdul Carter
With the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns seemingly locked in on Cam Ward and Travis Hunter, respectively, at Pick Nos. 1 and 2, the 2025 NFL Draft really gets going with Pick No. 3. The New York Giants may stand pat and draft Penn State edge defender Abdul Carter themselves, but trading down isn't out of the question, as they already have Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns on the edge.
The Chicago Bears own two second-round draft picks, so perhaps they could get aggressive and move all the way up to third overall to draft Carter, who ranked second among all FBS edge defenders with a 92.4 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024. When considering how much the Bears have invested in their offense over the past 12 months, a big splash on defense could be just what they need.
Buffalo Bills trade up for an impact defender
The Bills have been close to reaching the Super Bowl in recent years, and their window is fully open right now with Josh Allen at quarterback. To get over the hump in the playoffs, perhaps they would be motivated to secure an impact defender in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Two players who fit that bill are interior defender Derrick Harmon and cornerback Will Johnson. Harmon led all interior defenders with 55 quarterback pressures this past season, while Johnson hasn’t allowed a touchdown in coverage since Michigan’s College Football Playoff loss to TCU at the end of the 2022 season.
Cleveland Browns trade back into Round 1 for a quarterback
Unless the Browns go against all pre-draft notions, they aren’t drafting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. But that doesn’t mean that they have to leave the first round without one.
While Cleveland could wait until Pick No. 33 on Day 2, another team could leapfrog them into the back end of Round 1 and steal their target. The Minnesota Vikings are likely in the market to move down and accrue more picks, so Pick No. 24 is the ideal spot for a move-up from Pick No. 33.
Which quarterback would the Browns target if they got there? Well, let’s assume that Shedeur Sanders is off the board by then. Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart or Alabama’s Jalen Milroe are the next-best options. Dart led all qualifying quarterbacks in this draft class in big-time throw rate (7.1%), while Milroe earned PFF passing and rushing grades above 80.0 in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers trade up for a pass catcher
Most mock drafts have the Chargers adding either a tight end or a wide receiver in the first round of the draft, and they could get aggressive to do so. Arizona‘s Tetairoa McMillan is one option if he slides into the early teens on draft night, and the Indianapolis Colts at Pick No. 14 would be a potential trade partner in that scenario.
McMillan would be a great fit as an X receiver for the Chargers, especially with Ladd McConkey already proving to be a dominant slot receiver. His 18 contested catches in 2024 were tied for the fourth most among all wide receivers in the 2025 draft class.
Pittsburgh Steelers trade up for a falling Shedeur Sanders
The Steelers need a long-term answer at quarterback. They could simply wait until Pick No. 21 and select one of Jaxson Dart or Jalen Milroe, who will presumably still be on the board. However, my favorite draft scenario stems from the thought that Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders may slide. If Sanders makes it past the New Orleans Saints at Pick No. 9, the Steelers should start calling teams in the early-to-mid teens to see if they can move up without parting with a future first-round draft pick.
We know Pittsburgh will be in almost every game because of its defense, so adding Sanders — a quarterback who doesn't make critical mistakes — would significantly raise the team's ceiling. Sanders recorded just a 1.3% turnover-worthy play rate in 2024, comparing favorably to 2024 first-round draft pick Bo Nix, who posted a 1.0% turnover-worthy play rate in 2023.
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