2012 NFL Draft Order: 5 Teams with Most Interest in Trading Up

As the 2012 NFL playoffs near their conclusion and we get closer to crowning the champion of Super Bowl XLVI,more and more attention is turning to next season in the National Football League, with the first step being this April's NFL draft.

Much of that attention is focused towards teams that may attempt to trade up in the draft, ostensibly to acquire the St. Louis Rams second overall pick and the opportunity to select Baylor quarterback (and Heisman Trophy winner) Robert Griffin III, so here's a look at a handful of teams who are best equipped to make to move up in New York in a few months.

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins have in no way been bashful about their assertions that they are searching for their franchise quarterback of the future, which is understandable given that their quarterbacks of the present are Rex Grossman and John Beck.

The Redskins have 18 picks in the next two drafts, including the sixth overall choice this year, and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has never been shy about overspending to get the player he covets.

So, of the teams interested in moving up, they may be the one best equipped to offer the sort of package it would take to pry the second overall selection (and Griffin) away from the St. Louis Rams.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are another team that has been mentioned quire a bit in regards to moving up in an attempt to acquire the second overall pick, and understandably so, given that neither quarterback Chad Henne or journeyman Matt Moore exudes a lot of confidence that they can lead the offense over the next several seasons.

However, the odds of Miami moving up may have cooled somewhat, as the hiring of former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as head coach has led to speculation that the Dolphins may make a run at Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn in free agency.

Cleveland Browns

There may well be no team better equipped to make a "Godfather" offer to move up and acquire the second overall choice in April's draft than the Cleveland Browns, who own both the fourth and 22nd picks in the first round as a result of last year's Julio Jones trade.

Whether the Browns make such an offer, however, is dependent on a number of factors, including the team's confidence (or lack thereof) in quarterback Colt McCoy, the moves they make in free agency and the fact they have any number of needs outside the quarterback position.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are another team that possesses two first-round choices in April's draft, owning both their own 21st pick and the 17th overall pick obtained in the Carson Palmer fleecing (er, I mean trade).

The Bengals could certainly use an upgrade at the running back position, and if the price is reasonable enough, it's not hard at all to envision them making a play to move up and select Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

New England Patriots

Since the Mayans said the world is going to end this year anyway I thought I'd throw this in there.

The New England Patriots are notorious for trading down in the draft and stockpiling picks, and in fact, I think the Pats draft room is going to be featured on a February episode of A&E's "Hoarders."

However, with two late first-round picks, it might actually behoove them to reverse that philosophy this year, moving up into the middle of the first round to acquire some desperately needed help in the defensive backfield.