NFL Draft Rumors: Cowboys QB shopping, Jayden Daniels-Commanders drama, Cardinals trade price

We are roughly two weeks away from day one of the 2024 NFL Draft. As prospects start to gain traction in pre-draft meetings, expect the rumor mill to heat up. It starts, of course, with the teams up top — Chicago, Washington, and New England will shape the board with the QBs they (are expected to) end up picking. That said, all 32 teams have a chance to meaningfully improve their future, starting April 25. There is a lot of attention on the Dallas Cowboys in particular after Jerry Jones' quiet free agency.

Here are the latest rumors making the rounds.

NFL Draft rumors: Cardinals asking for three first-round picks to trade No. 4 pick

The Arizona Cardinals are open for business when it comes to the No. 4 overall pick. While there's an incentive to stay put and add one of the elite wide receivers of this class next to Kyler Murray, desperate teams could be willing furnish Arizona with a significant haul. There are four quarterbacks hovering at the top of draft boards — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and J.J. McCarthy. It's simple math. One has to fall to No. 4, and there are several QB-needy teams slotted behind the Cardinals.

According to former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman, however, Arizona is playing hardball with interested clubs. The Vikings, no longer employers of Kirk Cousins, are an obvious potential trade partner, but it will take a lot to get Monti Ossenfort on the phone. The Cardinals are expected to demand three first-round picks in exchange for No. 4.

"I know when we were out there on the pro day tour, just talking to some people, I heard a lot of things of Minnesota who thought [J.J. McCarthy] had an excellent pro day... But they're not going to get it for just the two [first-round picks]," said Spielman on the With the First Pick Podcast. They're going to have to throw in their first round pick in 2025, plus some more draft capital to do what they have to do to go up and get him." ()

That's a lot, but it's also the standard going rate for prized first-round picks. We saw Carolina sell the farm to land Bryce Young and immediately regret it. Any team trading up for Arizona, whether it's for McCarthy or another highly touted QB, will need to be extremely confident in that quarterback's ability to deliver on the NFL stage. One bothced trade can sink a franchise for years.

For Arizona, it's easy to get behind the idea of landing No. 11 and No. 23 from Minnesota, in addition to next season's first-round pick. The Vikings are not a guaranteed contender without a proven QB under center, so there's tremendous upside to such a trade. It could prevent Arizona from landing Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers, but there are other talented WRs who will be available later in the first round.

NFL Draft rumors: Jayden Daniels' initial meeting with Commanders went poorly

According to the latest NFL mock draft from Evan Silva of Establish the Run, Jayden Daniels is "rumored to be intent" on playing for the New England Patriots after his meeting with the Washington Commanders hit a snag. Daniels addressed the rumors on Twitter (X), only... he didn't really provide any clarity.

Daniels is still widely projected to land with the Commanders, including the latest speculation from ESPN's Adam Schefter. That said, J.J. McCarthy has picked up a noticeable amount of steam in recent days. There's enough smoke to posit a fire. It's much easier to fathom Washington siding with McCarthy if there are negative feelings toward Daniels specifically.

On the surface, Daniels is the far better prospect — armed with explosive running ability, a similarly strong arm, and superior accuracy. The McCarthy buzz is generally tied to his winning personality and the upside of drafting a 21-year-old, instead of a 23-year-old. That said, the Commanders are an obvious fit for Daniels on paper. Kliff Kingsbury has always worked with mobile QBs and new owner Josh Harris loves to cite the Baltimore Ravens as an exemplary organization.

So, it's certainly noteworthy if Daniels rubbed Washington the wrong way, or vice versa. The Patriots carry a level of organizational prestige that could convince a prospect to overlook the dire state of that roster. Daniels is still slated to meet with the Commanders on Monday and Tuesday of next week, so the relationship is clearly salvageable, at the very least. .

NFL Draft rumors: Cowboys could draft Dak Prescott's replacement

The Dallas Cowboys are a "sleeper" in the NFL Draft quarterback market, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"What are they going to do at quarterback if they lose Dak [Prescott]? That's interesting. And that's why I think the Cowboys might be a sleeper team in the quarterback market during the draft. Because at some point in time, they might have to draft a quarterback. Higher than you think, because Dak is going into the last year of the contract, and it might be time to get someone in there to start grooming him," Schefter said on NFL Live.

It's a tricky situation for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys to navigate. Dallas is essentially playing hard to get with Prescott entering the final year of his contract, fresh off the best season of his career. Generally, the MVP runner-up gets a major payday. All the league's best quarterbacks are locked up on long-term deals. Prescott is a potential lame duck, though. Dallas runs the risk of upsetting Prescott by dragging out this saga. Meanwhile, it's clear the Cowboys are also willfully keeping their options open, putting off this extension to the last second.

Odds are, Prescott eventually lands a sizable deal from the Cowboys. There simply isn't a better alternative in free agency or the draft, unless Dallas wants to swing for the fences and move up for a top-3 pick. Even then, it's not like Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye are definitely better than Prescott. Far from it.

That said, the Cowboys need to establish a contingency plan — preferably one better than Trey Lance. While we can essentially rule out one of the top-end QBs in this month's draft, maybe we need to keep an eye on Dallas as a potential landing spot for the likes of Bo Nix or Spencer Rattler. Maybe even Michael Penix Jr., if the Washington gunslinger doesn't rise too high.

The key phrase from Schefter is "higher than you think." The Cowboys, if there is genuine uncertainty about Prescott's future, would be wise to get a head start on Plan B.