As we near 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 notoriously unpredictable, with only a few major trades occurring during the season. However, this doesn’t stop us from guessing and identifying the top potential candidates.
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 problems arise with the idea of trading Cousins before the deadline, beginning with his no-trade clause in his contract. Cousins secured a significant contract when he was last on the open market. Would he willingly forfeit a chance to do that again? Even if a team proposed a new extension in a trade, would it match what he could earn on the open market? Additionally, the potential destination presents a challenge. Unless a top-tier team suffers a severe injury in the coming weeks, it’s unclear who would be willing to trade assets for Cousins at this point. Other considerations include how a team would accommodate the deal within the salary cap and what the Vikings would demand in return.
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 simple. However, actually executing such a trade would be significantly 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 been a force to reckon with on the edge, bagging six sacks (joint second-most in the NFL) and nine tackles for loss (joint highest). Having been in good health for over a year, Hunter is the type of player a competitive team could consider to strengthen their pass rush in preparation for 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 just cosmetic touch-ups. There are major issues such as leaking plumbing, a roof that needs replacing, and recurrent electrical short circuits. Currently, the house is in a chaotic state.
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.
The Carolina Panthers reportedly received a substantial offer from the Los Angeles Rams for Burns at last season’s trade deadline, but declined. Looking back, their General Manager, Scott Fitterer, might wish he had made a different 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 might want to offload. Despite his quirks, he is a reliable pass-blocking tackle. Bolles is contracted until 2024, and while Denver’s offense would suffer a blow if he were moved, the demand for good offensive tackles (OTs) could mean he would command a good price on the trade market. This could be beneficial for a Broncos team looking to replenish its 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 prime candidates for trades given their situation.
Lawson accepted a lower salary to stay in New York, only to see his playing time reduced. Despite missing the first week because of a back injury, the edge rusher has only managed to play 52 snaps in total, with 14 in the fourth week, making up 20% of the time. The Jets’ D-line is crowded and Lawson is evidently on the outs. Unless the younger players ahead of him in the hierarchy get injured, it seems unlikely that Lawson will reclaim a significant role with Gang Green.
Hardman’s utilization has been baffling. In four matches, he received just one pass for six yards, having played only 22 snaps on offense. The choice to bring him on board with a one-year contract during this offseason appears to be a miscommunication between the management and the coaching team. What’s the point of signing a specialist player if you’re not going to utilize him?
Hardman has limitations, but can be effective in a suitable offense. If the Jets don’t intend to utilize him, it would be worthwhile to see if any other team would be interested in taking 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 and his skills as a wide receiver make him a potential trade target for a team wanting to strengthen its group of pass catchers.
The present administration of the Cardinals did not make a trade for Brown. If GM Monti Ossenfort is not ready to propose a hefty contract, he might view the speedy player as another way to amass additional 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 rejoining the lineup in Week 2, Young has displayed impressive agility. As an edge rusher, he has generated 27 pressures over four games, ranking him fourth in the NFL, according to PFF. He also has three sacks to his credit.
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, now that he is finally healthy, could be a significant asset for a contending club. This could also bring Washington a substantial return now, rather than risk losing him on the open market in the offseason.
What’s the purpose of having a red-zone tight end if you barely reach the red zone? The Patriots have only managed a total of eight red-zone visits in five games. They have reached there just once in the last three games. That’s painful.
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.
Discussing disasters, Belichick’s decision to sign Smith-Schuster seems to be a colossal blunder, especially when compared to Jakobi Meyers’ performance in Las Vegas. JuJu has only managed 14 catches for a paltry 86 yards in five games. Furthermore, the veteran’s playing time has been decreasing recently. At this stage of his career, it’s doubtful that any other team would offer much for Smith-Schuster, but if a team does, Belichick should jump at the opportunity to let him go.
