There are countless “what if” moments that have occurred from the NFL draft the past 25 years.
What if the Chargers kept their two No. 1 picks in the early 2000s? What if the Cleveland Browns were better at drafting? What if 10 or so teams didn’t allow the Chiefs to draft Patrick Mahomes?
There’s way too much to ponder—a word Minnesota Vikings fans aren’t fond of from the 2011 draft. We decided to narrow down the day dreaming by giving each team one “what if” moment from the NFL draft the past 25 years.
As for one from this year’s draft, what if the Tennessee Titans don’t draft Cam Ward at No. 1?
Let’s get to memory lane.
Arizona Cardinals
What if the Cardinals drafted Jay Cutler instead of Matt Leinart in 2006?
Cutler was a solid starting quarterback and better than Leinart, but there would probably be no Super Bowl appearance in 2008 if Leinart never had his struggles in Arizona. The thought of signing Kurt Warner might have never crossed the minds of the Cardinals brass had they selected the gun-slinging Cutler with the 10th pick. In reality, Cutler went one pick after Leinart to the Denver Broncos.
Atlanta Falcons
What if the Falcons never traded up for Julio Jones in 2011?
Atlanta’s risky gamble of sending Cleveland five draft picks to move up to No. 6 to select Jones paid off. But the alternate universe to this blockbuster draft day trade might not have been so bad for the Falcons. Left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive end J.J. Watt were still on the board. Then again, Matt Ryan having a clean pocket with Smith and no stud wide receiver to target probably would have led to many boring, average seasons for the Falcons. On the other hand, Watt could have had a few key sacks on Tom Brady for the infamous 28–3 Super Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens
What if the Ravens never drafted Kyle Boller in 2003?
It’s easy to forget how long the Ravens went without a legitimate franchise quarterback because of the legendary defense that won Super Bowl XXXV and kept the team competitive for years. But the Ravens’ attempt to make life easier for that vaunted defense didn’t pan out with Boller, the 19th pick out of California. Boller had five subpar seasons, rarely showing he was capable of maintaining the starting job. Perhaps the Ravens would have been better off selecting Rex Grossman, who did enough to help a stout defense in Chicago reach Super Bowl XLI.
Buffalo Bills
What if the Bills drafted Josh Rosen over Josh Allen in 2018?
Bills fans don’t even want to think about this, but this was a real possibility. Allen was the raw prospect from Wyoming with several concerns. Luckily for Buffalo, the decision makers bet on Allen’s enticing skill set and took him with the No. 7 pick. There were some rough early years with Allen, but Rosen’s poor rookie season led to the Cardinals ditching him in favor of Kyler Murray the following draft. Rosen, the No. 10 pick, bounced around the league for a few years and hasn’t been on an NFL roster since 2022. As for the alternate “what if” here, Allen might have been the one losing his starting gig to Murray had he ended up in Arizona. What could have been for the 2024 MVP.
Carolina Panthers
What if the Panthers drafted Joey Harrington over Julius Peppers in 2002?
For separate reasons, the Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans reminded the rest of the league not to reach for quarterbacks in the first round. The Panthers were in desperate need of a quarterback after starting Chris Weinke for 15 games, but they went with the best player available at No. 2, taking the now Hall of Fame defensive end Peppers. Sandwiched around Peppers was Harrington, taken by the Lions at No. 3, and David Carr, the Texans’ No. 1 pick. The Panthers took their lumps in 2002 with Rodney Peete, but stumbled upon Jake Delhomme a year later and made a run to the Super Bowl.
Chicago Bears
What if the Bears drafted Patrick Mahomes instead of Mitchell Trubisky in 2017?
The Bills get the bulk of the blame for allowing the Chiefs to trade up and select Mahomes at No. 10. But the real culprit here are the Bears for taking Trubisky at No. 2. They were so confident in the North Carolina quarterback that they traded up one spot with the 49ers to ensure no one else would take their guy. Perhaps the Bears were worried about the mystery quarterback that many coaches were enamored with heading into the draft. Andy Reid probably thought about doing a back flip when he saw Trubisky, not Mahomes, be the No. 2 pick behind Myles Garrett. But Mahomes probably wouldn’t be a three-time Super Bowl champion had he landed in Chicago.
Cincinnati Bengals
What if the Bengals drafted Penei Sewell instead of Ja’Marr Chase in 2021?
The football public screamed at the Bengals to draft Sewell after Joe Burrow’s stellar rookie season was cut short due to a torn ACL. But Burrow wanted his LSU teammate, Chase, and the Bengals obliged by drafting him with the No. 5 pick. Cincinnati hasn’t exactly had stout offensive lines since this draft, but it didn’t stop them from annually having one of the best offenses in the league with Burrow and Chase leading the charge. As for Sewell, the No. 7 pick, he landed in Detroit and has flourished as one of the best tackles in the league.
Cleveland Browns
What if the Browns drafted Aaron Donald instead of Justin Gilbert in 2014?
We would be here all day if we listed all the “what ifs” from the Browns’ poor draft picks the past 25 years. Gilbert going No. 8 is certainly one of the worst because he only played two seasons in Cleveland due to his poor coverage. He had a brief stint with the Steelers and was out of the league after 2016. To think, the Browns could have had Donald with this pick, the dominant defensive tackle who went to the Rams at No. 13. Anthony Barr, Zack Martin, Taylor Lewan and C.J. Mosley were other options for the Browns.
Dallas Cowboys
What if the Cowboys drafted Johnny Manziel in 2014?
Speaking of the Browns’ bad draft picks in 2014, Cleveland got it wrong in the first round for a second time partly because Jerry Jones showed restraint and passed on Manziel, the flashy Texas A&M quarterback. After years of going for the star players, Jones made the right decision to play it safe (apparently, though, against his instincts), opting at No. 16 for Zack Martin, the recently retired guard who was named first-team All-Pro seven times in his Hall of Fame-worthy career. Oddly enough, the Cowboys probably would have still drafted Dak Prescott in ’16 had they gone for Manziel, the Browns’ No. 22 pick, because he only lasted two seasons in the NFL.
Denver Broncos
What if the Broncos didn’t draft Paxton Lynch in 2016?
The Broncos badly whiffed on their first attempt to replace Peyton Manning, who had just walked into the sunset after winning Super Bowl 50. Paxton, the No. 26 pick, only started four games in two seasons with the Broncos, playing seldom because he couldn’t beat Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Case Keenum for snaps. Lynch was the third quarterback drafted in the first round, behind Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Instead of reaching, Denver could have selected Chris Jones, Derrick Henry or Michael Thomas, all players who went in the second round that year.
Detroit Lions
What if the Lions didn’t draft Calvin Johnson in 2007?
You’d like to think there’s no football universe where the Lions pass on the wide receiver with otherworldly physical gifts dubbed Megatron. But the scenario might have existed had the Raiders not drafted JaMarcus Russell at No. 1. Detroit was in need of a quarterback with Jon Kitna as the starter. But let’s believe the Lions were never foolish enough to have a different player rated higher than Johnson, who’s now enshrined in Canton. The Lions didn’t reach for a quarterback, but Johnson was forced to catch passes from Kitna and Dan Orlovsky before Matthew Stafford arrived in 2009.
Green Bay Packers
What if the Packers didn’t draft Jordan Love in 2020?
Perhaps Aaron Rodgers would still be playing for the Packers had they never made the surprising decision to take Love in the first round. Green Bay instead could have taken Tee Higgins at No. 26 to give Rodgers and Davante Adams another playmaker. Or what if the Packers instead went with Jalen Hurts to be Rodgers’s successor? Would Love be a Super Bowl champion had he landed with the Eagles? A lot of interesting “what ifs” here.
Houston Texans
What if the Texans passed on J.J. Watt in 2011?
It’s still wild that Watt, possibly the greatest defensive end of this century, made it past the 10th pick in the draft. The Texans scooped him up at No. 11 and were rewarded with a handful of monster seasons that turned into three Defensive Player of the Year awards for Watt. Houston could have opted for defensive ends Robert Quinn or Ryan Kerrigan, two players drafted not long after Watt. Cameron Jordan was also available, a fruitful No. 24 pick for the Saints.
Indianapolis Colts
What if the Colts traded the No. 1 pick in 2012 and kept Peyton Manning?
This might be the most fascinating “what if” scenario. The Colts went with the safe choice of not passing on Andrew Luck instead of hoping Manning would make a speedy recovery from his neck injury. As it turned out, Manning still had a few prime years and operated an explosive offense in Denver. But it’s unknown whether Indianapolis put much thought into having both quarterbacks on the roster. Maybe Luck doesn’t retire prematurely if he sat behind Manning for a few years. Luck partly retired because of all the hits he took in his career. As for another scenario, the Colts probably could have netted three or more first-round picks for the No. 1 pick and passing on the next big thing at quarterback.
Jacksonville Jaguars
What if the Jaguars drafted Aidan Hutchinson instead of Travon Walker in 2022?
The Jaguars could have gone a number of ways based on how productive the 2022 first-round picks have been the past three years. But at the time, the conversation for No. 1 was between the two edge rushers. Many draft pundits believed Hutchinson was the safe choice, but Walker had the higher ceiling. Walker is starting to gain his footing in the league, but Hutchinson has been a game wrecker for the Lions. The Jaguars could have also gone with Derek Stingley Jr., Sauce Gardner or Garrett Wilson—Trevor Lawrence would have loved that third option.
Kansas City Chiefs
What if Patrick Mahomes wasn’t available for the Chiefs in 2017?
A dynasty would not have emerged in Kansas City had Mahomes been selected before the 10th pick or Buffalo didn’t agree to trading down. Former Saints coach Sean Payton reportedly was prepared to select Mahomes at No. 11 if the Chiefs didn’t jump 17 spots to grab the Texas Tech quarterback. Who knows what the Chiefs would have done had they stayed at No. 27. The Bills selected cornerback Tre’Davious White with that pick.
Las Vegas Raiders
What if the Raiders never drafted JaMarcus Russell in 2007?
The Raiders missed a golden opportunity to take one of the many stud playmakers that came from this draft solely because they were enamored with Russell’s cannon for an arm. The LSU signal-caller failed to put his arm strength to good use partly because of his poor work ethic. The Raiders could have drafted Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Joe Thomas, Patrick Willis or Darrelle Revis with the No. 1 pick.
Los Angeles Chargers
What if the Chargers kept the No. 1 pick and drafted Michael Vick in 2001?
There would be no Drew Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson or even Philip Rivers had the Chargers kept the top pick and gone with Vick, who had six prolific seasons in Atlanta before his legal troubles. This one ended up working out for the Chargers, but it’s interesting to think how Vick would have done playing in San Diego.
Los Angeles Rams
What if the Rams drafted Carson Wentz over Jared Goff in 2016?
There are so many “what ifs” with this one, assuming the Eagles take Goff No. 2 had the Rams started the draft with Wentz. Does Sean McVay trade Wentz for Matthew Stafford? Do the Eagles win the 2017 Super Bowl if Goff was on the roster? Would Nick Foles be Super Bowl LII MVP? Is Wentz still a star quarterback today had he never gotten hurt in Philly? Are the Lions any good currently if Wentz was the Rams’ pick? Where would Goff be today? Plenty to process with this one.
Miami Dolphins
What if the Dolphins drafted Justin Herbert over Tua Tagovailoa in 2020?
Herbert throwing to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle might have produced a few playoff wins in Miami. Tagovailoa shook off a slow career start, but he has struggled in clutch moments and often deals with injuries. Many Dolphins fans refuse to admit this, but Herbert is the better quarterback from the two.
Minnesota Vikings
What if the Vikings didn’t draft Christian Ponder in 2011?
Adrian Peterson probably ponders about this one daily. Peterson spent a few prime years making up for the lack of production from Ponder, the No. 12 pick. The Vikings would have been better off drafting Andy Dalton or Colin Kaepernick. But at least Minnesota can take solace knowing that the Titans and Jaguars took Jake Locker and Blaine Gabbert, respectively, before the Ponder selection.
New England Patriots
What if the Patriots never drafted Tom Brady in 2000?
This might be the biggest what if of the century. Would Tom Brady be Tom Brady had he gone elsewhere? What if he was a first-round pick and didn’t have the fuel he gained from being overlooked as pick No. 199? Maybe Bill Belichick leaves for college football 20 years before landing at North Carolina if he was never paired with Brady.
New Orleans Saints
What if the Saints drafted Vince Young instead of Reggie Bush in 2006?
A month before the 2006 draft, the Saints signed Drew Brees despite him having question marks about his shoulder injury. They could have drafted Young with the No. 2 pick in case Brees never made a full recovery. Or maybe Sean Payton never has interest in Brees knowing Young would be available in the draft. Luckily for New Orleans, the team stuck with Brees and took the electric Reggie Bush with the second pick. The Saints probably thought Mario Williams would be the pick—the defensive end surprisingly went No. 1 to the Texans.
New York Giants
What if the Giants never traded for Eli Manning and kept Philip Rivers in 2004?
It’s tough to say, but there probably wouldn’t be two Super Bowls in New York had the Chargers refused to trade Manning and the Giants were forced to keep Rivers with the No. 4 pick. Sure, Rivers was the better quarterback, but Manning had the clutch gene that helped him beat Tom Brady’s mighty Patriots twice in the Super Bowl. Rivers had his fair share of stacked teams with the Chargers and couldn’t get over the playoff hump. That might be unfair to say because we’ll never know how Manning would have done with those impressive Chargers squads.
New York Jets
What if the Jets drafted Joe Flacco in 2008?
There would probably be no Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez in New York had the Jets drafted Flacco with their No. 6 pick. After Matt Ryan, Flacco was the second quarterback taken, going to the Ravens at No. 18. The Jets opted for defensive end Vernon Gholston and executed a summer trade with the Packers for Favre, who only lasted one year there. A few months later, the Jets drafted Mark Sanchez No. 5 in the 2009 draft. The Ravens, who won a Super Bowl with Flacco, are thankful the Jets opted for a veteran QB 17 years ago.
Philadelphia Eagles
What if the Eagles drafted Justin Jefferson instead of Jalen Reagor in 2020?
Even a GM as successful as Howie Roseman can’t shake off this infamous draft miss. Vikings’ brass was shocked when the Eagles took Reagor because they were convinced Jefferson was going to Philly at No. 21. After an eruption of cheers, the Vikings rushed to let the league know they were taking Jefferson with the following pick. In the end, it worked out for the Eagles because Roseman pulled off the trade for A.J. Brown. Jefferson is the best wideout in the league, but he’s still searching for his first playoff win in Minnesota.
Pittsburgh Steelers
What if the Steelers passed on Kenny Pickett and drafted Brock Purdy in 2022?
Purdy landing with the 49ers’ stacked roster played a role in why he had early success despite being the last player drafted. Perhaps Purdy would have had the same production with the Steelers, whose impressive rosters have been hindered by poor quarterback play. Pickett, the lone quarterback taken in the first round, struggled with running Pittsburgh’s offense for two seasons. The team quickly wanted out partly because of his abysmal accuracy downfield. Hindsight is 20/20, but Purdy connecting downfield with George Pickens, a fellow 2022 draftee, would have been fun to watch.
San Francisco 49ers
What if the 49ers drafted Aaron Rodgers instead of Alex Smith in 2005?
The 49ers likely would not have a 30-year Super Bowl drought had they drafted Rodgers No. 1 instead of Smith. San Francisco has gotten the best of Rodgers in the playoffs four times, but those teams probably would have a few rings with Rodgers as the starting quarterback. Ironically, Smith wasn’t the quarterback for any of those four playoff wins over Rodgers. Colin Kaepernick and Jimmy Garoppolo split up the four victories.
Seattle Seahawks
What if the Seahawks didn’t draft Russell Wilson in 2012?
Would there be no Legion of Boom without the Seahawks drafting Wilson in the third round? He wasn’t part of the dominant defense, but Wilson’s presence helped the Seahawks win many games in the 2010s. Maybe Richard Sherman would not have gone on a post-game TV interview rant after beating Michael Crabtree and the 49ers in the NFC title game if the team never took a chance on the undersized quarterback from Wisconsin. On the other hand, the Seahawks could have gone with Kirk Cousins or Nick Foles instead of Wilson. But one thing’s clear, the Seahawks would not have won a Super Bowl had they gone with Brandon Weeden instead of Bruce Irvin in the first round that year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What if the Buccaneers drafted DeMarcus Ware instead of Cadillac Williams in 2005?
A whopping three running backs were drafted within the first five picks. It was a different time then, but it does make you wonder what if the Buccaneers passed on the second running back from Auburn taken in the top five. In today’s game, edge rushers are viewed as a lot more valuable than running backs. With that thinking 20 years ago, the Buccaneers probably would have taken Ware, the first edge rusher off the draft board, going to the Cowboys at No. 11. Alex Smith, Ronnie Brown, Braylon Edwards, Cedric Benson and Williams were the top five picks. Smith had a productive career after a slow start, but the four skill players didn’t develop into star players. Williams did, however, win Offensive Rookie of the Year before his production drastically declined. As for Ware, he’s in the Hall of Fame.
Tennessee Titans
What if Titans didn’t draft Marcus Mariota in 2015?
Mariota showed some flashes, but the No. 2 pick struggled with consistency, leading to the Titans benching him in his fifth season in favor of veteran newcomer Ryan Tannehill. But judging from the other QB options in 2015, the Titans might have no regrets about taking Mariota after the Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston. Garrett Grayson was the third QB selected and didn’t hear his name called until the third round. There was also Sean Mannion, Bryce Petty and Brett Hundley. Tennessee could have gone with Amari Cooper in the first round and paired him with Siemian, the last quarterback taken in this draft. Or the Titans could have just taken running back Todd Gurley second overall.
Washington Commanders
What if Washington didn’t trade up for RGIII and stayed at No. 6 in 2012?
Robert Griffin III probably wonders about this all the time. What if he didn’t rush back from his knee injury and didn’t tear his ACL and LCL in the wild-card loss against the Seahawks? From there, Griffin wasn’t the same physically and had to constantly prove himself with Kirk Cousins having the attention of the coaching staff. Perhaps Griffin doesn’t suffer the devastating knee injury had the Rams kept the No. 2 pick or traded it to a different team. If this occurred, maybe Washington takes Tannehill with its original pick. Tannehill went to the Dolphins at No. 8.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Each Team’s Biggest NFL Draft ‘What If’ Since 2000.
