Four veterans who became biggest winners in NFL Draft

Each year the NFL Draft can be a stressful experience for veterans facing uncertainty, but some are fortunate enough to come out of the event with a positive outcome. Here are four names that stand out as the biggest winners based on the results of this year's draft.

QB Geno Smith, Seahawks

The 10-year veteran was already an offseason winner after cashing in on a resurgent season where he led Seattle to a playoff appearance with a three-year, $75 million deal. What makes him a draft winner, however, is that the Seahawks put even more faith in him by not selecting his successor. 

Seattle entered the draft with two first-round picks (Nos. 5 and 20) aiming to maximize the window of contention Smith provides while also building for the future. With the fifth pick, the Seahawks bolstered the secondary with Illinois CB Devon Witherspoon and, at 20, chose Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the consensus top receiver in the draft. 

Pairing Smith-Njigba alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett gives Seattle one of the NFL's top receiving corps, which could lead to Smith eclipsing last season's 4,282 passing yards in 2023.

RB Joe Mixon, Bengals

Last month, The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. reported that Cincinnati would ask Mixon to take a pay cut or it would release him. Mixon, who has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $48 million deal, will be 27 at the start of the season and showed signs of regression in 2022. 

Considering his high price tag and off-field legal issues, many thought it was inevitable that the Bengals would select Mixon’s replacement in the draft. However, the only tailback they drafted was Illinois' Chase Brown in Round 5, and it seems he'll fill the backup role Samaje Perine left after signing with Denver this offseason.  

In a post-draft news conference, HC Zac Taylor all but confirmed that Mixon will be on the team in 2023. 

"His future is here with the team. I like Joe Mixon,” Taylor told reporters.

It's still possible Mixon will have to take a pay cut, but it appears he'll continue to be an integral piece of the Bengals' offense. 

RB D’Andre Swift, Eagles 

Despite excelling when given the opportunity, Swift fell out of favor with the Detroit Lions coaching staff, which led the team to draft his replacement, Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs, 12th overall. Eagles GM Howie Roseman felt he couldn't leave the draft without adding another Georgia Bulldog, so he swapped seventh-round picks with Detroit and parted with a 2025 fourth-rounder for Swift.

Although he’ll be in a deeper running-back-by-committee approach, it's probably ideal for Swift from an efficiency perspective. Plus, he's heading to a situation where he'll be appreciated and properly utilized.  Philadelphia had three tailbacks tally at least 50 carries last season and will likely try to cut down on the 165 carries quarterback Jalen Hurts racked up.

With his pass-catching ability, Swift could establish himself as the featured back for Philadelphia. He had 48 receptions last season, more than twice the number of Kenneth Gainwell (23), the Eagles' leader in tailback catches. 

If the move to the NFC's best team isn't exciting enough for Swift, the trade could rejuvenate him as he returns home to Philadelphia, where he starred at Saint Joseph’s Prep.

QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings

The Vikings haven't had the team success they had hoped for since signing Cousins in 2018, but he has given them steady quarterbacking during his tenure. 

Regardless, rumors swirled this offseason that Minnesota could be putting a plan in place to move on from Cousins. It was the predraft betting favorite to select now-Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker and also reportedly discussed a Trey Lance deal with San Francisco at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

Instead of making a move for Hooker or Lance, Minnesota gave Cousins another playmaker, picking up 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison with pick 23. It's worth noting that Minnesota drafted a quarterback, BYU's Jaren Hall, but the fifth-round pick isn't a serious contender for the starting job. 

Cousins' future isn't certain yet and he'll need another strong season – and perhaps a deep playoff run – to convince GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah he should be Minnesota's starter beyond this season. But for now, he doesn't have a replacement looming behind him.