ESPN Insider Adam Schefter hits five of the biggest questions around the league once a week during the NFL preseason and regular season, and sporadically throughout the playoffs and offseason. Have a query of your own? Submit it here.
Which team is most likely to trade up to draft Marcus Mariota?
I never want to label a team as the “most likely” to trade up because at this time of year, teams do their best to mask their intentions. Just think back to last year; no one would have thought the Jaguars were the “most likely” to draft quarterback Blake Bortles. But it would be easy to label the Cleveland Browns as a team, if not the team, to monitor in relation to Marcus Mariota. It's hard to imagine the Browns don’t at least have discussions about what it would take to come up to get Mariota. Few teams have the ammunition they do. For starters, Cleveland has the 12th and 19th overall picks, and it probably would have to throw in at least next year’s first-rounder to get up to take Mariota. But teams want to see which players slide, who’s available, at what slot, at what value and then make a deal; it’s hard to imagine you’ll see a pre-draft trade. More often than not, these trades happen while a team is on the clock. The Jets, Bears, Rams could all have an interest in Mariota, but Cleveland is a team to pay attention to here.
Who are a couple of players front offices feel are overvalued right now?
It's hard to say, because you never know how every team values certain players. But in a not especially strong group of corners, Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes has that feel for someone who is so wiry and lean. Some believe he is the top-rated cornerback, but I’ve heard other teams in recent weeks speak better about the talents of both Marcus Peters and Kevin Johnson as well. Peters and Johnson might go a bit higher than people think while Waynes doesn’t go quite as high. Also, Maxx Williams is thought of as the top tight end, but it’s such a weak crop of tight ends in this year’s draft that his value is being inflated more by the lack of quality at the position.
What do you believe the resolution of the Adrian Peterson solution will be? Is there any chance he’s actually traded from the Vikings?
The Vikings certainly want and intend for him to play for Minnesota again. It will be up to some other team like Arizona or Dallas to debate whether it’s worth it to try to change Minnesota’s mind. Right now the Vikings would like Peterson to play for them this season, and they have no plans to trade him. But if another team comes calling with an enticing enough package, it would be silly not to at least listen. My sense right now -- subject to change -- is that Peterson will play this season for the Vikings. But we’ll all know a lot more after the draft.