2024 NFL Draft takeaways from free agency: How Derrick Henry and other Day 2 moves impact draft decisions

In NFL verbiage, the legal tampering period means agree to deals with as many free agents as you want to and can under the salary cap. There’s no more waiting until Wednesday. NFL free agency is here, y’all. In the spirit of the free agency floodgates now open in the middle of draft season, let’s evaluate how these decisions will impact the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Here are how some of the biggest Day 1 free agency signings will impact the draft. 

And below — how Day 2 adds will impact a team’s strategy — and other clubs drafting near them — on draft night.

How it impacts the draft: Maybe no linebackers in Round 1?

The former Ravens first-round pick will stay in the AFC North but will switch jersey colors from purple and black to black and yellow. Typically a pillar of domination at the linebacker spot, that position has slowly but surely became a weakness of the Steelers defense even as the unit has maintained normal Pittsburghian standards overall. 

Queen is a no-nonsense hard hitter and plus blitzer. He’ll fit in well beyond a defensive line anchored by T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton and Alex Highsmith. This is not a quality linebacker class. And the Steelers — along with the Cowboys — felt like teams picking in the 20s that could be in on the likes of NC State’s Payton Wilson or Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper. While Pittsburgh probably isn’t done at the off-ball linebacker spot, it’s highly unlikely they’ll go that route at pick No. 20. We very well could have a linebacker-less first round for the first time since 2011. 

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Author : Chris Trapasso

Publish date : 2024-03-12 21:08:22

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