2024 NFL draft takeaways from free agency signings, trades - ESPN

It has been a wild week of NFL free agency, including big-money signings, intriguing trades, cap-saving cuts and roster retooling. But what do the moves mean for the 2024 NFL draft, which is under six weeks away? Have signings and trades altered Round 1 projections? Are there any larger leaguewide trends that could inform what happens at the draft? Can we glean anything from how particular position groups are getting paid and pursued?

NFL draft analysts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid read the tea leaves and came away with seven big draft-related takeaways from free agency, from how certain teams might approach the first round — could QB-needy teams move up? — to which positions might be heavily (or not-so-heavily) targeted on April 25. What have we learned about how teams view the draft class and plan to navigate it? And which teams could be really interesting to watch on draft night given moves made this week? Let's begin with what free agency tells us about how the quarterback picks could play out.

What free agency means for:
QB | WR | RB | G/C | DT | S

Reid: It's always important to note which QB-needy teams target bridge options early in free agency. They are often the ones that are also keeping an eye on the draft class for answers. This year, we saw the Vikings sign Sam Darnold to a one-year deal after losing Kirk Cousins, the Raiders bring in Gardner Minshew on a two-year contract and the Patriots sign Jacoby Brissett for one year after trading Mac Jones. Marcus Mariota (one-year deal) is currently holding it down for the Commanders after they dealt Sam Howell, too.

We already know Chicago — which still hasn't made a Justin Fields move — Washington and New England could draft quarterbacks in the top three picks, but