Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
The 2021 NFL Draft is just under a year away, but it's never too early for teams to begin putting their draft plans into motion. While tanking isn't a thing that teams will admit to, it does happen. Given some of the top prospects expected to be available in 2021, tanking could be on the menu for some franchises.
There are other reasons to look ahead as well, of course. If a team believes it will be in the mix for, say, a franchise-caliber wideout or offensive tackle, it may be less likely to chase an extension for certain players on its current roster.