2024 NFL draft questions for teams with top-10 picks،
The 2023 NFL season is over for 28 teams, and now their eyes turn to the offseason. Each team is mulling free agency in March and planning for the 2024 draft in April.
This draft class once again offers plenty of excitement, starting at the top. The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row and have another tough decision to make: trade him and add more capital, or move on from Justin Fields and take another quarterback. The Bears also own the 9th overall pick. Several teams are desperate for a franchise passer in this draft, which will add to the intrigue in the coming months.
Let's focus on the teams that should be in the top 10. We asked our NFL Nation reporters for these nine teams to answer one big question – two for Chicago – by looking at how the franchises they cover might approach their choices. Of course, a few teams don't have a head coach yet, but we can get a first idea of how each pick might pan out.
What's the latest on the Bears' plans at Nos. 1 and 9? What are the chances the Patriots take a quarterback at No. 3? Are the Falcons considering quarterback or defensive end at No. 8? Let's dig.
Access a team:
CHI (n°1) | WSH | NE | ARI | LAKE
NYG | TEN | ATL | CHI (n°9) | NYJ
Based on what you know now, are the Bears more likely to draft a QB here and trade Justin Fields or keep Fields and trade the pick?
General manager Ryan Poles said he plans to make his decision on what to do with the No. 1 overall pick in April. If a team is willing to send significant capital to Chicago for Fields before then, the Bears will have a clear path on what to do in the draft. Last year, the Bears traded the No. 1 pick in early March and got a huge haul.
This decision to modify the franchise has an impact as heavy on the ground as it is financial. It's hard to tell which way the Poles are leaning right now, but once the Bears hire an offensive coordinator, it will be easier to see if Fields or another quarterback best fits Chicago's plans for 2024 . -Courtney Cronin
What can new GM Adam Peters' story tell us about what commanders might do?
Peters was part of a 49ers front office that swung for Trey Lance in the 2021 draft and missed. However, this knocked Brock Purdy as the final pick in the 2022 draft, meaning the fallout from Lance's selection wasn't felt as much. Peters was part of the Super Bowl-winning organizations in New England and Denver – along with Hall of Fame quarterbacks. His story may be less important than what the Commanders actually need: a quarterback with a high ceiling. It's hard to imagine Peters going anywhere other than quarterback with this pick. -John Keim
Give us percentages on these three outcomes: (1) adding a QB with this pick, (2) adding a QB in the draft beyond No. 3, and (3) adding a QB via free agency or the trade market.
1. 75%. 2. 25%. 3. 99%. My first hunch is that the Patriots will have a conviction on two of the best quarterbacks in this draft. So 75% reflects the reality that they don't control what happens during choices #1 and #2.
As for free agency and the trade market, the Patriots should have learned a lesson from 2023 because it was expensive not to acquire a more experienced quarterback. It would be a surprise if they repeated the same mistake. -Mike Reiss
What would it take for Arizona not select a wide with this choice?
Realistically, the only way they don't take a receiver here is if Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) is taken off the board by the time the Cardinals are on the clock. If that were to happen, they would likely trade up and let general manager Monti Ossenfort continue to stockpile picks to move down and draft a needed player where the value fits the position. Harrison is the consensus best player in this class. -Josh Weinfuss
Take the general manager and coaching searches out of the discussion: What does the Chargers' No. 1 roster need this offseason?
For now, the Chargers' biggest need is a No. 1 cornerback after sniffing out JC Jackson in free agency in 2022 and finishing 30th in passing yards allowed per game (249.8) this season.
Their needs are difficult to gauge, however, as the Chargers could look very different in the coming months as a new regime makes decisions on the future of some of the team's highest-paid players in order to stay within the salary cap . The priority could easily shift to wide receiver or edge rusher depending on what happens. -Kris Rhim
How can the Giants set Daniel Jones up for success with this pick?
This is a loaded wide receiver draft at the top, and the Giants know they need to find a No. 1 option that Jones can build a relationship with. Harrison, Malik Nabers (LSU) or Rome Odunze (Washington) would all fit the bill.
If for some reason their preferred pick isn't included, they could look to fortify the offensive line to protect Jones. Either way, they would fill a dire need. –-Jordan Raanan
Is this an obvious spot for one of the top offensive tackles in the class, or do the Titans have other huge needs?
If Joe Alt (Notre Dame) or Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State) are available, it's likely the Titans select one or the other given how Jaelyn Duncan and Andre Dillard combined to allow 29 sacks at tackle left last season.
Tennessee also lacks playmaking receivers, as 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks caught just 16 passes in 11 games in his sophomore season. This draft class has three players talented enough to be in the top 10. Don't be surprised if one of them ends up with the Titans. -Turron Davenport
Is it safe to assume that general manager Terry Fontenot will stick with a defenseman with this pick?
No not at all. The biggest need is at quarterback, as the team doesn't have a player on the roster that the new coach can count on to be the starter. Depending on what happens in free agency — and who gets hired to be the coach — taking a quarterback at No. 8 would be the smart option.
If there isn't an enticing quarterback here or the team signs a veteran in free agency, then Atlanta will likely turn to a rusher or cornerback. At this point, this location is unpredictable due to all the other unknowns surrounding the organization. -Michael Rothstein
What are the biggest holes in the Bears roster heading into the offseason?
Chicago's pass rush saw immediate improvement after the Bears acquired Montez Sweat from the Commanders at the trade deadline. Now imagine how much better the defensive line would be with a dominant edge rusher playing opposite the Pro Bowl defensive end.
Regardless of the quarterback's role, the Bears also need to prioritize adding another wide receiver to relieve pressure on No. 1 receiver DJ Moore. Although Harrison is likely long gone with this pick, Odunze could be a perfect fit. –Cronin
Without a second-round pick, what does the Jets' ideal selection look like here?
They need short- and long-term help at both tackle positions, so the ideal scenario would seemingly be Alt or Fashanu if one of the offensive tackles slips. Mekhi Becton and Duane Brown are headed to free agency, and Max Mitchell and Carter Warren are better suited to backup roles. So yes, tackling is the No. 1 need.
If Alt and Fashanu are gone, perhaps they could trade for a second-tier tackle, thereby getting back a second-round pick. — Rich Cimini
