The Tennessee Titans currently hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, but at least four teams could reportedly entertain the idea of moving up to the top selection.
According to Robert Klemko of MMQB.com, the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams are “in play to trade up to the No. 1 spot.”
A blockbuster deal at the top of the draft takes two to tango, but the Titans are willing to talk trades for the first pick.
“We’d be open to moving the pick,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson said. “I think some heard that I wasn’t open to moving, or we weren’t open to moving the pick, which is not true.”
Klemko believes the Browns could be interested in moving up from No. 2 overall to ensure they get the quarterback they want, such as Cal’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. A quarterback would also provide the trade incentive for the 49ers, Eagles and Rams.
No team has moved up to the first overall pick in a draft sine 2001, when the Atlanta Falcons traded up to take quarterback Michael Vick. The San Diego Chargers drafted Eli Manning No. 1 overall in the 2004 draft before shipping him to the New York Giants, while the Washington Redskins traded three first-round picks and an additional second-rounder to the Rams for the opportunity to take Robert Griffin III at No. 2 overall in 2012.
The Titans don’t need a quarterback, but that’s not the case for the teams interested in the top pick.
The Browns have been looking for a quarterback solution since returning to the NFL in 1999. The 49ers could be in the market for a young quarterback if Colin Kaepernick is traded. The Eagles have Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, but Bradford is only under contract through 2017, and Daniel is a career backup. The Rams are preparing to go into the 2016 season with Case Keenum as the team’s starting quarterback.
A month from the draft, any trade involving the No. 1 overall pick still looks unlikely. But if at least one of the teams falls in love with a quarterback, a blockbuster deal could easily come together.
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