With the first round of the NFL Draft approaching, several teams drafting in the top ten are looking to move down the boards and acquire picks in later rounds. With competition high for players like Amari Cooper and Kevin White along with Marcus Mariota and Leonard Williams, some teams might use that to their advantage if certain players drop. The Washington Redskins are ready to pick up the phones for potential trade deals in the first round after the team has formally exited the race for Mariota.
According to NFL Media Insider Albert Breer, Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan is looking to sell the No. 5 pick in order to get more than the seven picks they own at the moment. After picking up the fifth-year option of Robert Griffin III, the Redskins are no longer in the market to trade up for Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota like early mock drafts predicted they would be. Head coach Jay Gruden has stated his commitment to Griffin along with Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy making the team's quarterback rotation set.
It is unclear who would want to move up to No. 5. The Atlanta Falcons are hoping to get an elite pass rusher while teams like the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins are eyeing to jump up for a wide receiver. Breer is reporting that the Redskins do not want to drop out of the top 15 picks, but would be willing to move down slightly.
"There's no question that the Redskins would like to trade down. The question is whether or not they're going to get value in doing that," Breer said, via NFL AM. "They have seven picks right now over the next three days. Scot McCloughan said himself on Monday that he'd like to get that number closer to 10. The problem is the way this draft shakes out, you don't want to drop out of the top 15. They're limited to as how far they'd be willing to drop down and they'd still like to fortify those lines of scrimmage."
The Redskins could easily opt to just sit at No. 5 and draft there. The team needs upgrades on their offensive and defensive line. They have met with players like Dante Fowler Jr. and Vic Beasley as well as Leonard Williams. With the Redskins committing to Griffin for at least two more years, the draft will be used to improve around him. McCloughan could upgrade the offensive line while adding to the depth at the wide receiver position.