2012 NFL Draft: 10 Teams Most Likely to Trade in the First Round

The 2011 NFL season came to its conclusion less than two weeks ago, but already players, teams and fans are transitioning to next season.

Such is the life of the modern-day NFL. The confetti has just barely been cleared out of the Canyon of Heroes in New York City, but now with the slate clean, everyone can believe next year their team can be the 9-7 Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

The upcoming April draft will be one of the more vital ways the other 31 teams hope to achieve success in the immediate and long-term future. 

The question is will teams will actually use their first-round pick to find their next future star, or will they use it as an asset to either get established veterans or try to get additional picks in the later rounds, hoping to find hidden gems?

Let's take a look at the 10 teams most likely to make a trade.

San Diego Chargers

Draft Position: 18th

Why They May Trade: The Chargers are in an interesting position right now. Despite their average results, they have a roster that, as assembled, could be a Super Bowl contender in 2012.

But the team does have some chinks in the armor. Its defense gave up a host of rushing yards during the season and could still use a running back to complement the speedy but turnover-happy Ryan Mathews and bruiser Mike Tolbert.

The biggest concern that may necessitate a trade, though? The uncertainty over star receiver Vincent Jackson. If he leaves, the Chargers are going to have a number of holes to fill and may decide to trade down to get a few more picks.

Arizona Cardinals

Draft Position: 13th

Why They May Trade: The Cardinals' decision to trade may rest on if the team gets Peyton Manning. I have long believed that the Cardinals are the perfect team for Manning, as they have a competent defense and an offense that still is designed for Kurt Warner to run it.

A Manning-to-Larry Fitzgerald combo could be devastating.

However, if Manning plays elsewhere or retires, I could see Arizona trading down. At 8-8, the team is in a position to fight for a playoff spot. But the team still needs help at depth at positions like running back, linebacker and cornerback.

Trading down could help improve several of those positions for a team that is a few pieces away from fighting for the NFC West title again.

Denver Broncos

Draft Position: 25th

Why They May Trade: Broncos fans got to enjoy a surprisingly successful season, getting to the divisional round of the playoffs despite just an 8-8 record.

Their season ended in a blowout loss, but Tim Tebow was able to provide one of the more magical moments in franchise history when he threw a game-winning touchdown pass the week before against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Still, despite their improvements from the prior season, the Broncos need a lot of help. Willis McGahee is on his last legs, they don't have a No. 1 receiver and they need help in the defensive backfield.

The Broncos are a team that could benefit from having more draft picks, and the fact is they're a team that should be picking earlier than 25th. The problem is their moderate success last year has them drafting ahead of teams like the aforementioned Steelers.

Don't be shocked to see another team jump up for this pick and the Broncos move down.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Draft Position: 24th

Why They May Trade: The Steelers are entering an uncertain offseason in which they have one of the worst salary-cap situations in the entire league. How bad could it be this spring for Pittsburgh? They've already told Hines Ward he's not in their plans, and the team may also lose Mike Wallace to restricted free agency.

With the possibility a number of players may be cut or lost to free agency, the Steelers may well need to get as many rookies as they can in the draft. For that reason, it's quite possible the black and gold will do their best to trade down and acquire additional picks.

Minnesota Vikings

Draft Position: Third

Why They May Trade: The Vikings are a team that needs help at a number of positions. Still, picking third, you'd think the Vikings would want to go for a stud offensive lineman or perhaps Justin Blackmon if he were still available.

But the reason the Vikings may well trade out of the third pick is another team may make an offer they can't refuse.

With Andrew Luck set to go to Indy and the St. Louis Rams having no need for a quarterback, a number of teams may try to get the third selection to take Baylor's Heisman winner Robert Griffin III.

The Vikings could very well end up with a trade offer similar to what the Cleveland Browns got last year when the Atlanta Falcons traded up to get Julio Jones.

Washington Redskins

Draft Position: Sixth

Why They May Trade: The Redskins are a team that could move in either direction depending on who is or isn't available. If there was a belief that Robert Griffin III was going to go to the Cleveland Browns, the Redskins might try to trade up.

If another team beats them to the punch, though, or Washington decides he's not in its plans, then I could absolutely see the Redskins trading down to get a different quarterback and acquire another pick in the later rounds.

Cincinnati Bengals

Draft Position: 17th (from Carson Palmer trade...thanks, Oakland!) and 21st

Why They May Trade: While the 2011 season produced some exciting and surprising results for the Bengals, they shouldn't lose sight of the fact they were still just a 9-7 ballclub.

The defense performed well, and Andy Dalton and A.J. Green look like a potential dynamic combination for years to come, but there is room for improvement.

The fact that they have two first-round picks is the biggest reason I see a trade coming. I expect the team to use one of its picks on a running back while the other pick gets traded so it has additional picks for this year as well as next year.

Want an unlikely but small possibility? Cincy takes both picks, trades up to Tampa Bay's fifth selection and drafts Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

St. Louis Rams

Draft Position: Second

Why They May Trade: It's really similar reasoning to what we saw with the Vikings. St. Louis doesn't need RGIII, so it will likely be getting numerous offers from teams like the Redskins. The Rams need help at almost every position, so I would actually bet good money to see the Rams trade down.

I could see teams like Washington, Miami, Seattle or my outside bet Buffalo trading a good chunk of their 2012 draft in order to get the Heisman winner. The Rams, in a new rebuilding process with new coach Jeff Fisher, can use all the rookies they can get.

Cleveland Browns

Draft Position: Fourth and 22nd (from Atlanta) 

Why They May Trade: Let's get one thing straight. If Griffin is available here, the Browns take him. The problem is I don't see RGIII being available by the time the Browns choose fourth. Therefore, one of two things will happen.

1) The Browns can sense other teams are going to trade up and they beat others to the punch. Or...

2) If Griffin is gone, the Browns have no need to choose here. There are bound to be teams who'd love to come up here and draft an offensive lineman who could instantly transform a team's line.

Cleveland is one of those teams that could use players at every position. If it can get a few extra picks, it'll only do the team some good.

Lastly, don't be surprised if the Browns try to dump their first-round pick for draft picks this year and next year as well.

New England Patriots

Draft Picks: 27th (from New Orleans Saints), 31st

Why They WILL Trade: The Patriots are notorious for trading down in the draft to acquire more draft picks. With two first-rounders, it just pretty much guarantees the Pats will move on down and get a bunch of picks.

The problem for Bill Belichick is he has struggled mightily in drafts in recent years. For Patriot fans, they need to hope they'll bring in some more talent at receiver and also in their defensive backfield.

With the struggles of The Hoodie, they'll need as many picks as possible to try to fill these voids.