As we approach the Oct. 31 trade deadline, the trade winds are blowing.
We’ve already seen a handful of trades go down this season. Cam Akers was shipped from the Rams to Minnesota, the Chargers sent J.C. Jackson back to Foxborough, Randy Gregory went from Denver to San Francisco, Chase Claypool was jettisoned to Miami and this week saw the Rams ship Van Jefferson to Atlanta.
As we approach the Halloween deadline, the action could be intensifying.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at players who should be traded in the coming weeks. Let’s highlight that premise: Should. I’m not projecting they all will be traded, but merely highlighting players who make sense to move.
The NFL trade deadline is infamously unpredictable, with in-season blockbuster trades being rare. However, this doesn’t prevent us from making educated guesses about the top contenders.
Here is the part where I get into the should/would nuance with my stated premise.
Should the Vikings trade Cousins after a 1-4 start to the season and the absence of star Justin Jefferson expected to loom for at least four weeks? Probably so, yes. Will they? Doubtful.
Several issues arise when considering shipping out Cousins before the deadline, beginning with his no-trade clause. Cousins previously secured a substantial contract in his last venture into the open market; would he forfeit another opportunity like that? Even if a team proposed a new extension in a trade deal, could it match what he might earn on the open market? The question of destination also arises. Unless a high-ranking team suffers a disastrous injury in the upcoming weeks, who would part with assets for Cousins at this point? How would his deal be accommodated under the salary cap? Lastly, what return would the Vikings demand in such a trade?
The questions have no easy answers.
In the long run, the Vikings would be better off if they could find a way to trade Cousins. Currently holding a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could draft a dynamic long-term answer under center. Even without Jefferson for a spell, Cousins is good enough to stack at least a few wins over the next 12 weeks, pushing the Vikings further down the draft board. If you put backups Jaren Hall or Nick Mullens under center, the odds of a high draft pick skyrocket.
Arguing for the Vikings to trade Cousins is straightforward. However, actualizing such a trade would be considerably more challenging.
Perhaps the more likely move for Adofo-Mensah in a season tilting awry is to trade Danielle Hunter.
After the two sides couldn’t agree to a long-term pact this offseason, they agreed to a one-year reworked deal that included a no-tag clause, making Hunter a free agent at the end of the season.
Early in the season, Hunter has shown impressive performance off the edge, securing six sacks (equal to the second-highest in the NFL) and nine tackles for loss (equal to the highest). Having maintained his health for over a year, Hunter is the kind of player a competitive team could recruit to strengthen their pass rush ahead of a playoff run.
There was confidence in Carolina that the team would make a quick flip after hiring Frank Reich. Wideout Adam Thielen even talked about the Panthers contending for a title before the season. After an 0-5 start, the optimism has taken a massive hit.
This Carolina home requires more than mere aesthetic improvements; it needs a complete renovation. With plumbing leaks, a roof that needs replacing, and a persistently shorting electrical system, the house is currently in quite a disarray.
To make matters worse, the Panthers don’t hold a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after including their top selection in the trade to move up to No. 1 overall in this year’s draft.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Panthers are in the trade market for a starting wide receiver. With what assets?
Parting with Burns might be the best way to recoup draft capital and/or find a receiver to help buoy rookie quarterback Bryce Young.
Last season, it was reported that the Los Angeles Rams made a substantial trade offer to Carolina for Burns at the deadline, which the Panthers declined. Looking back, GM Scott Fitterer may wish to reconsider that decision.
Playing on the fifth-year option, Burns said he and the Panthers put contract talks “on hold” at the start of the season. Carolina could employ the franchise tag this offseason, but the cost of a long-term deal is likely to only increase for the club’s leading sack artist.
Carolina could also look to ship out players due to reach free agency in 2024, like linebacker Frankie Luvu or safety Jeremy Chinn, but they wouldn’t bring the return Burns could garner. If the Panthers are to restock their draft coffers, parting with a star like Burns is the best path.
Sean Payton’s reign is off to an inauspicious start. The Broncos have had their teeth kicked in, with a furious comeback against the Chicago Bears the only thing saving Denver from a 0-5 start. With the stock tanking, it’s time for the Broncos to SELL! SELL! SELL! Payton should purchase a dozen of those popular dancing inflatable tube people to highlight the sale — then let the tube people play defense, because they’d probably do just as well as the D he’s rolled out so far.
The Broncos already sent Randy Gregory packing, but they shouldn’t stop at that move, even though Payton said on Tuesday that the team isn’t looking to do business with its players. A club that has clung to hope that it could finally compete in the AFC West needs a roster overhaul. This collection isn’t getting it done.
Outside of Pat Surtain II and a few rookies, Denver should be taking calls on everyone else on the roster.
Clark, playing on a one-year contract, is an obvious trade candidate for a team looking to add a veteran pass rusher. The issue is Clark hasn’t been healthy after getting dinged in Week 1. He returned in Week 5 but had no stats in 11 snaps against the Jets. Jackson would be a low-cost veteran who can still pack a punch.
On offense, Denver should finally look to break up the receiver corps, a move Payton resisted this offseason. Sutton has been sparsely used outside of one outburst in Week 3. On Sunday, he played 54 snaps and saw three targets with one catch for 13 yards. The wideout is under contract the next two seasons but has no guaranteed money left on the deal after this year, per Over The Cap. Jeudy might fetch more in return if Denver can find an interested club that had a high pre-draft grade on the Alabama product. Jeudy has fared better than Sutton in recent weeks but hasn’t had a game with more than 81 yards this season.
Bolles could be the most intriguing asset the Broncos could consider selling. Despite his quirks, he remains a reliable tackle in pass blocking. Bolles has a contract with the team until 2024. While Denver’s offense may suffer without him, the pressing need for solid OTs across the league could enable him to garner a good price on the trade market. This would be beneficial for the Broncos as they look to replenish their draft capital.
EDITOR’S UPDATE: The New York Jets have traded wide receiver Mecole Hardman to the Kansas City Chiefs, a team he played with from 2019 through 2022, NFL Network’s James Palmer reported Wednesday, Oct. 18.
Lawson and Hardman, who were healthy scratches in Week 5, are in a situation that typically makes them prime candidates for trades.
Lawson accepted a reduction in salary to stay in New York, only to see his playing time decrease. He sat out Week 1 due to a back issue and has since only been on the field for 52 snaps overall, with 14 of those occurring in Week 4 (20%). The Jets have a strong defensive line, leaving Lawson on the fringes. Unless those ahead of him in the order get injured, it seems improbable that Lawson will reclaim a significant role with the Jets.
The utilization of Hardman has been puzzling. In four matches, he managed to catch just one pass for six yards, having been on the offense for a mere 22 snaps. The choice to ink him to a one-year contract during this offseason now appears to reflect a miscommunication between the administrative and coaching teams. What’s the point of signing a specialist player if you’re not going to use him?
Hardman has limitations, but he can be valuable in the right offensive setup. If the Jets don’t intend to utilize him, they should consider if another team would take a chance on him.
We’re a long way from Renfrow’s 1,000-yard Pro Bowl campaign of 2021. At this point, it seems clear he’s not a fit in Josh McDaniels’ offense. In five games in 2023, the slot maven has just six catches on nine targets for 59 yards. In Monday night’s win over Green Bay, Renfrow played just 19 snaps (30%).
The Raiders signed Jakobi Meyers this offseason to essentially replace Renfrow alongside Davante Adams. Despite recent talk that Renfrow is part of the game plan, the reality has left him in the cold.
The usage under McDaniels makes the 2022 contract extension all the more head-scratching. The wideout is under contract for $10.82 million guaranteed this season and a $11.153 million base salary in 2024, with no guarantees remaining, per Over The Cap. If the Raiders plan to move on after the season, it makes sense to see if they can get some compensation now for an asset they rarely utilize.
Brown is in the final year of his rookie contract, making him a potential trade target for a team looking to strengthen their receiving lineup.
The current administration of the Cardinals did not negotiate a trade for Brown. If General Manager Monti Ossenfort is not ready to propose a substantial contract, he might view the swift player as an additional way to accumulate more draft assets in 2024.
After a solid 2022 campaign when healthy, Brown is off to a stellar start in 2023 for a Cardinals offense that has performed better than most expected with Joshua Dobbs under center. Brown has generated 300 yards on 25 catches with three TDs. The former first-round pick could be the best available wideout at the deadline.
The emergence of rookie Michael Wilson should make parting with Brown easier to digest for the rebuilding Cardinals.
Despite his talent, Mooney hasn’t found much production in the Bears’ offense the past two seasons. The addition of DJ Moore this offseason has pushed Mooney further into the background.
The chemistry with Justin Fields seems simply nonexistent at this stage. In five games, the wideout has eight catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. He has three games with a goose egg in the catch column, including Week 5, when the Bears put up 40 points.
Chicago already traded Chase Claypool this season, so shipping out Mooney would be a dent to the receiver corps. However, with Mooney playing out the final year of his contract, a split now could offer Chicago more of a return than it would get by him playing out the string.
Johnson is another Bears player in the final year of his contract, with the sides not finding common ground on an extension this offseason. When healthy, Johnson is a good cover corner who has allowed a 46.2% completion rate in three games played in 2023. The CB missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, but if he returns to form, he could be a trade chip for Chicago, given the need for corners across the NFL. The emergence of fifth-round rookie Terell Smith in Johnson’s stead could make it easier for the Bears to trade Johnson at the deadline.
Since making his return to the lineup in Week 2, Young has appeared quite energetic. The edge rusher has amassed 27 pressures over four games, a tally that ties him for the fourth-highest in the NFL, according to PFF. Additionally, he has achieved three sacks.
Losers of three straight, including a shellacking from the previously winless Bears at home in prime time, Washington is in danger of falling into the abyss. With new ownership in town, significant changes could be on the way in the coming months.
The Commanders declined the fifth-year option for the injury-plagued former No. 2 overall pick, which means Young is due to become a free agent after the season. With Washington already heavily invested on the D-line and Montez Sweat also slated to hit free agency in 2024, the club should look to move Chase before the deadline.
Young’s production could be a strong asset for a competing club now that he is finally healthy. This could provide Washington with a good return rather than risk losing him for nothing in the offseason open market.
What’s the purpose of having a red-zone tight end if you hardly ever reach the red zone? The Patriots have only managed eight red-zone ventures throughout five games. In the last three games, they’ve only made it there once. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
Henry has caught 17 of his 25 targets for 176 yards and two TDs this season but is lost in the malaise that is the Patriots offense. With the TE playing out the final year of his contract, New England should look to cut bait now, as it did with Jonnu Smith in the offseason.
You could take your pick of pass catchers the Patriots should look to unload to let youngsters like Demario Douglas get more run. Bourne is the team’s leading receiver with 218 yards. Despite being in the doghouse at times during his three seasons in Foxborough, he does boast talent and could fetch the best deal if the Patriots choose a fire sale as Bill Belichick starts “all over” after a disastrous beginning to the season.
In terms of disasters, the signing of Smith-Schuster appears to be a significant misstep for Belichick, especially when contrasted with Jakobi Meyers’ performance in Las Vegas. JuJu has only managed 14 catches for a mere 86 yards across five games. The veteran’s playing time has also been on a downward trend recently. At this stage in his career, it seems unlikely that any other team would be interested in Smith-Schuster, but if any club shows interest, Belichick should seize the opportunity to let him go.
