The first wave of NFL free-agent signings is well underway, and with every transaction comes a ripple effect on the 2022 NFL draft.
No team has been busier in free agency than the Jacksonville Jaguars, who own the first overall pick this April. Some of their early transactions have provided a clue about that first selection, too.
Their decisions to place the franchise tag on offensive tackle Cam Robinson and sign guard Brandon Scherff to a massive contract suggests they won’t use the No. 1 pick on an offensive lineman. There’s been speculation that the Jaguars were leaning toward either Alabama’s Evan Neal or North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, but that narrative is about to change.
Instead, we may end up right back where we started with Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson being the pick. It would make sense for Jacksonville to use their first selection on a defensive player after making such massive investments on the offensive side of the ball in free agency.
Are the Browns no longer in the mix for Garrett Wilson?
The Cleveland Browns, who are currently slotted to pick 13th overall, added Amari Cooper via trade and have parted ways with Jarvis Landry. Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson was a popular mock-draft projection for the Browns until the Cooper trade, and while he may still be their preferred choice, Cooper’s addition takes pressure off the Browns to add a skill player in the first round.
Instead, I’d expect the Browns to pivot to a defensive player. A prospect like Michigan’s David Ojabo would make a lot of sense now that they’ve addressed WR1 with a clear upgrade over every pass-catcher who was on their roster last season.
