NFL Draft trade buzz heating up
With the 2026 NFL Draft set for April 23–25, outlets published the full seven‑round order and flagged teams likely to trade: ESPN named the Eagles, Bears and Chiefs as plausible trade‑up candidates while the Cowboys and Lions were listed as possible teams to move down. (sportingnews.com) Big Blue View reported the New York Giants, who hold the No. 5 pick, are reportedly among teams exploring a trade‑down. (bigblueview.com)
Trade talk is rising across the 2026 National Football League draft, with nine days left before Round 1 opens in Pittsburgh on April 23. (nfl.com) The National Football League posted the full seven-round order this week, listing 257 picks from No. 1 through No. 257. The draft runs April 23 to April 25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, the city’s first time hosting since 1948. (nfl.com) (operations.nfl.com) ESPN on April 15 identified the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs as teams that should consider moving up in Round 1. The same piece said the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions are logical candidates to move down. (espn.com) The New York Giants are also in the trade conversation. Big Blue View reported April 15 that the Giants, who hold the No. 5 pick, are among teams exploring a move down, citing Sports Illustrated reporter Albert Breer. (bigblueview.com) That matters because the top of the board is where quarterbacks and blue-chip prospects usually drive the biggest price swings. ESPN said this does not look like a draft with heavy demand to move up, which could lower the premium for teams trying to climb. (espn.com) The Eagles are picking No. 23 and have nine total selections, including Nos. 54 and 68 on Day 2. That gives Philadelphia enough extra capital to package picks if it wants to target one player in the middle of the first round. (espn.com) The Giants’ position is different. A team holding No. 5 can slide back a few spots, add extra picks and still stay in range for a starter, which is why trade-down scenarios keep surfacing around New York. (bigblueview.com) The first round starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, April 23, with Rounds 2 and 3 on April 24 and Rounds 4 through 7 on April 25. Coverage will air on National Football League Network, National Football League Plus, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. (nfl.com) The order is set, but the board is not. Between now and April 23, the question is whether teams at the top decide one player is worth the climb. (nfl.com)
