2024 NFL Draft: Looking at Every Team's Process
What may have been the thinking behind the draft day moves for each NFL team?
After every NFL draft, everybody comes out with grades for how the teams did with their picks -- when, of course, it's too early to know how well these players will do once the NFL season begins.
I've found a better way to analyze drafts is to look more at the team's process when it came to selecting players and making moves up or down the board. The idea is to see what the team may have been thinking and whether that thought process made sense.
For example, the Arizona Cardinals' process wasn't hard to figure out: They are continuing to build around Kyler Murray, even as they have questions about whether or not he is the long-term guy.
The Cardinals didn't have much choice but to keep Murray this season, but they could move on next season via a post-June 1 cut or a trade. But given that they had to go with Murray this season, it made sense to get as much talent as possible to build around him.
Getting Marvin Harrison Jr. was a good start. Then the Cardinals split almost evenly between offense and defense with their remaining picks. It was a good strategy, with the only question being how things out with Murray and with the players they drafted.
On the other hand, we come to the team who may have raised the most eyebrows. The Atlanta Falcons, fresh off giving a four-year contract to Kirk Cousins that is essentially "two years then we'll see," they drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.
There are those who will note that Cousins is coming off a significant injury and isn't getting any younger, then note that Penix could just sit for a couple of seasons and then start. However, there are a few problems that remain.
First, the type of contract the Falcons gave Cousins indicated they see him as more than just a one-year bridge player. The only way to move on from Cousins in 2025 is via trade or as a post-June 1 cut -- and in the latter case, the Falcons are on the hook for $27.5M in salary (and another team may just sign him for the veteran minimum).
Moving on from 2026 is possible, even as they have to pay him a $10M roster bonus that becomes fully guaranteed in 2025. Still, that's a significant chunk of money. And given that Cousins has a no-trade clause, he could refuse to approve any trade in 2025.
But what about Penix? While some compare his situation to Jordan Love's, the difference is Love was 21 years old when he was drafted in 2020, plus Aaron Rodgers was in the final years of his contract, rather than having signed a contract that year (though he did sign an extension a couple of years later). Penix is 24 and Cousins just signed with the Falcons this past March.
The Falcons could have drafted a QB in the later rounds and few would have questioned it. And while the Falcons did address the defense with later picks, it might have helped to get a pass rusher earlier, because that's where the Falcons need the most help.
Perhaps this does work out for the Falcons over time, but while one should pursue a QB they love, if the Falcons did love Penix early in the process, they shouldn't have committed to Cousins for more than one year.
I'll summarize the rest of the teams and see how their processes went.
Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens focused on premium positions with their earlier picks. Of course, they have their quarterback, but they drafted an offensive tackle, a pass rusher, a cornerback and a wide receiver with their first four picks (then added another corner with their fifth). Emphasizing those premium positions is never a bad idea and that may be why the Ravens are getting much praise for their draft.
Buffalo Bills: The Bills eventually moved out of the first round, but in doing so, they were able to move up in the later rounds. Reportedly they wanted to trade up for somebody but couldn't get a deal done. I did see the Bills as a team that was in position to trade up, though I don't blame them for going the other direction. Better to not trade up if a player you love is gone, rather than force the issue.
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers had no first-round pick but made a move to trade up into the first round. They did a fair amount of movement on draft day and added three players on offense. They have made it clear they are still going to build around Bryce Young, even after a disappointing rookie season, but their lack of draft capital going in made things a bit challenging.
Chicago Bears: The Bears did make one move down the board but not in the first round. I'm guessing they thought that Rome Odunze was too good to pass up. The Bears did indicate that they believe they have most of their positions addressed going into the draft and that the picks they made were the final pieces of the puzzle. Of course, all eyes will be on Caleb Williams to see if he gives the Bears the franchise QB they've almost never had.
Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals seemed content to stay put and take players, rather than make moves up or down the board. They split their picks roughly even between offense and defense. The main issue for them last season was losing players to injury, particularly Joe Burrow, so I don't blame them for not making a bold move.
Cleveland Browns: The Browns had just six picks and no first-round pick, thanks to the DeShaun Watson trade two years ago. I don't have much to say here about their draft, other than it seemed they were doing what they could to fill out the roster. Of course, their success largely depends on Watson getting back on track.
Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys emphasized the offensive line and upgraded the front seven on defense. That's a solid strategy, but now comes the time to figure out extensions for players who are eligible for one. Dak Prescott, of course, is the most prominent, but CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are up for extensions as well.
Denver Broncos: The Broncos ignored what draft pundits said about Bo Nix and declared, "This is our guy, we want him." It's possible the Falcons drafting Penix prompted them to not trade down, but I don't blame the Broncos for taking a QB they really liked. They didn't trade down in the later rounds, instead making a move up the board for Troy Franklin. I believe the fate of the current regime will be tied to Nix's success or lack thereof.
Detroit Lions: The Lions made just six picks and focused early on the secondary. Three of the first four picks were on defensive backs. The other big news was the extension for Amon-Ra St. Brown, but now there's likely to be talk about whether or not the Lions will extend quarterback Jared Goff, who is in the final year of his contract.
Green Bay Packers: Like the Cowboys, the Packers focused on the offensive line and front seven on defense. Considering they have a lot of young wide receivers, that was a good strategy for the draft. Now the Packers will see how Jordan Love progresses in his second year as the starter. If things go well, Love could see a much larger payday.
Houston Texans: The Texans made five picks in the final two rounds of the draft. They did address a couple of needs early, but they seemed content to go after late-round fliers. They will have two first-round picks next year because of their draft pick swap with the Vikings, which could put them in great position to get the final pieces of the puzzle, now that they have a QB they can build around.
Indianapolis Colts: The Colts evenly split their picks between offense and defense and that makes sense. While it makes sense not to give up on Anthony Richardson yet, if he misses time with injuries again or struggles, they could be looking for a QB again next season. But I do credit the Colts for sticking with the strategy of building the roster to give a QB the best chance to succeed.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars opted to trade down in the first and I think they did a reasonable job finding value. They are nearing the point in which they will have to extend Trevor Lawrence, so it wasn't a bad idea to trade down to get more picks.
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs made a couple of moves up the board to acquire players. They are in a position to do so because they have the majority of their pieces in place. And the Chiefs' strategy has been to pick and choose the years in which to move up or trade away draft capital, so if they don't win the Super Bowl, I could see them think about trading down in next year's draft rather than going "all in" with a particular move.
Las Vegas Raiders: I'm not surprised that the Raiders chose not to take a quarterback early in the draft after six went off the board in the first round. What did surprise me was they didn't take a quarterback at all. Using a day three pick to take a chance on a QB wouldn't have been a bad idea. I'm guessing they didn't like anybody who was available.
Los Angeles Chargers: I'm not surprised that the Chargers refused to entertain trade offers for Justin Herbert. This draft was all about finding players to build around him and try to correct the mistakes the previous regime made in recent years. It's worth noting that they closed out the draft with three offensive players.
Los Angeles Rams: The Rams made it a point to emphasize defense early, which was a good thing, particularly after Aaron Donald retired. I don't mind the thought process to get the defense replenished and see if that helps them get back to the playoffs. If they miss the playoffs, it will be time to assess the offense and figure out what needs to change there.
Miami Dolphins: A lot of the players taken for offense were known for their speed. That is the type of offense that the Dolphins like to run, but it was still interesting that speed was the biggest strength those players had. They also added pass rushers, which would indicate they are hedging their bets in case Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips continue to have issues with their health.
Minnesota Vikings: No team was more aggressive in the first round than the Vikings. While they didn't give up a lot to get JJ McCarthy, they did give up a lot to get edge rusher Dallas Turner. The Vikings are entering year three of the current regime and may believe they already have enough in place to be aggressive in getting players they coveted.
New England Patriots: When it comes to the Patriots, it was all about the offense. Not only did they go with Drake Maye at No. 3 overall, they used all but one of their picks on offense. It was interesting that the Patriots traded down in the second round, which made me chuckle and remark that some of Bill Belichick's influence remains.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints employed a frequent practice of moving up for players, but in this case, I don't mind the move. While Kool-Aid McKinstry does have injury issues, I don't blame the Saints from getting him when they did in the second round. With that said, I wonder if the current regime could be on notice that they need to make the playoffs if they expect to return for 2025.
New York Giants: This was another team that chose to pass on this year's QB class. While I did believe the Giants wouldn't draft a QB early, I did wonder if they would take a late-round flier on one and they didn’t. The Giants will be able to get out of the Daniel Jones contract in 2025 if things don't work out this year. If that happens, though, the regime will need to find their next QB.
New York Jets: I thought the Jets did a reasonable job of finding players, but it was a surprise to see them draft two running backs. Again, this is a team with a regime who is likely on notice to get to the playoffs or there will be changes.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles focused a fair amount on defense, particularly the secondary. They are a franchise that generally does not panic in a draft and that's what really makes Howie Roseman a good general manager. He does have his share of failed picks but he tends to be smart about when to move up or down the board to find players.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers emphasized offense, which isn't surprising, as they will see if either of the quarterbacks they have can be one to build around. If neither Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields get it done, the Steelers will be looking for a QB again. But I don't fault them for their process of emphasizing offense in this year's draft.
San Francisco 49ers: The Niners were a team I thought might make a bold move up in the first round but that never came to pass. Some of the draft picks they made would indicate they are still open to trading somebody like Brandon Aiyuk, even if they didn't agree to such a trade during draft weekend.
Seattle Seahawks: Like a couple other teams, the Seahawks chose to emphasize the offensive line and front seven on defense. They passed on available quarterbacks, so they will stick with Geno Smith and Sam Howell as their top two QBs. Because they have a new head coach, they are a team that will almost certainly be looking for a QB in 2025 if they fail to make the playoffs in 2024.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers followed the strategy of building the team as though they have the franchise quarterback. They did commit to Baker Mayfield for the next two seasons, but could still have taken a QB in the later rounds. But they opted to address other positions instead. It's worth noting the Buccaneers have typically followed the process of building the team as though they had the QB and, ultimately, it worked out once they found the right QB.
Tennessee Titans: Everything points to the Titans moving forward with Will Levis as the starting quarterback. If things don't work out, the Titans are a team that might be drafting in the top 10 again (and most likely the top five) and then the need to draft a QB will become more apparent.
Washington Commanders: The Commanders stockpiled on early picks and spent time finding the building blocks for the new regime. Of course, all eyes will be on Jayden Daniels, but the Commanders were all about reshaping the roster and finding players they believe can be key contributors moving forward.