NFL Draft 2020 Rumors: Dolphins, Cardinals, Panthers Trade Buzz Ahead of Round 1

There are going to be a lot of things that are different about the 2020 NFL draft, but the presence of blockbuster trades doesn't sound like it's going away. 

At least that's what the latest reports being generated from the rumor mill are saying. 

The 2020 draft has been unlike any other because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pro days have been canceled, teams are preparing at home and won't have the benefit of working in the same physical space when the picks start coming in at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. 

The top 10 not only features premium talent, but it also has a lot of chatter around it as the event draws closer. While communication will be trickier than in years past, it hasn't stopped reports suggesting we could be in line for some early trades that will shape the event. 

Here's a roundup of the latest from three teams picking in the top 10. 

Dolphins Looking to Trade Up for Something Other Than a Quarterback?

The Miami Dolphins are the most intriguing team in the first round. They have three first-round picks (Nos. 5, 18 and 26) and are one of the few teams with an obvious need at quarterback. 

The debate over whether they take Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon's Justin Herbert has raged throughout the predraft process, but a third option is believed to be in play. 

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Miami has contacted teams ahead of them and a new quarterback may not be the target:

This would certainly be the first shock of the draft. However, this year's class has four top tackles who could be selected in the top 10. Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Andrew Thomas and Jedrick Wills have all received plenty of hype throughout the process. 

However, Miami being the team to take the first one would be the first shock of the draft. It would also create a ripple effect as the run of tackles could start early. Teams such as the Cleveland Browns, who have a need at the position, could suddenly find themselves missing out on that top tier. 

Rapoport isn't the only one reporting the Dolphins could look elsewhere at 5. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported "multiple personnel people who hear from Dolphins people tell me the Dolphins seriously have debated not picking a quarterback at No. 5 overall."

He also reported there is a "building movement" that Tagovailoa will end up being a Dolphin "somehow." That would imply there's another world in which they take a lineman at No. 5 and risk missing out on Tagovailoa while targeting the Alabama quarterback with the 18th pick or using it to trade up for him. 

All of this while they have also been further connected to Herbert. Mel Kiper of ESPN reported the "tide has turned" for the Dolphins as the favorites to land Tagovailoa and they prefer the Oregon product. 

So to recap, the Dolphins are interested in trading up for a tackle but are expected to end up with Tagovailoa and prefer Herbert. That's peak smokescreen season. 

Panthers 'Open to Sliding Back' from No. 7

The Carolina Panthers are clearly in rebuild mode. With head coach Matt Rhule taking over for Ron Rivera and Teddy Bridgewater in for Cam Newton at quarterback, there's an entirely new direction for the team after a rough season in 2019. 

So it makes some sense that they would be among the teams who are open to moving back. That's exactly what Rapoport reported about the Panthers, who currently hold the No. 7 selection. 

The wording of the report offers some interesting insight. It doesn't say they are actively shopping the pick, only that they are "open to moving down a few spots." That would mean the team is not actively shopping the pick or looking to move down a lot. 

More than likely this is just a way of letting teams know they are open for business so close to the draft. 

With the selection right before the Arizona Cardinals, the seventh pick could be used to target any number of positions. The end of the run of tackles could be right around this spot, and it could also signify the beginning of the run on wide receivers. 

The Panthers haven't been the subject of a ton of rumors despite owning a top-10 selection. With Rhule looking to rebuild the roster, it wouldn't be the worst thing for them to let someone move up a few spots and get another bite or two at the apple. 

Carolina doesn't figure to be a contender in the 2020 season, and the new regime should have time to build the roster. Giving itself more chances to get guys the new coaching staff like instead of one blue-chip name makes a lot of sense.

If you're trying to sort out a rumor that could have truth to it, this is a good one. Without any players' names attached to it, the likelihood of being a smokescreen goes down. 

Cardinals 'Expressing Interest' in Trading Back from No. 8

The DeAndre Hopkins trade has shaped the Cardinals.

Before acquiring the wide receiver from the Houston Texans, they were in a good position to take one of the top receivers in the draft.

Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs figure to be the first ones off the board and there's a good possibility any of the three will be available when the Cardinals are on the clock. 

The acquisition of Hopkins makes that a lot less likely, though, and the fact they included their second-round pick in the package to the Texans leaves them reportedly wanting some selections in return for moving back, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:

The latest report is in line with what Woody Paige of the Colorado Springs Gazette tweeted about Denver recently. He said his sources believe the team would move up to No. 8 or No. 10 to draft Jeudy. 

Putting two and two together here, this is much more believable than what is coming out of Miami. The Cardinals would ostensibly miss out on drafting one of the top-tier tackles, but they would still be in a position to land a difference-maker at 15 while picking up an additional second-round pick if that's what Denver offers. 

The Cardinals are being hailed as huge winners of the Hopkins trade. They acquired one of the top talents at an important position while getting rid of a running back in David Johnson who wasn't going to be the starter and parting with their second-round pick. 

A deal that could net them a replacement second-rounder while still getting a talented player in the first could be seen as an extension of an already strong deal.