Two weeks remain until the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline, and we’ve already seen four notable deals transpire: Denver Broncos defensive end Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool to the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson to the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson to the New England Patriots.
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Last year’s trade deadline was action-packed, with 12 players moved on deadline day alone. That was the most in 30 years, but it remains to be seen if this year’s deadline will be as active.
Rumors have started and will continue to fly. Some have substance, others are just that: rumors.
Ahead of the deadline, we’re taking a look at six trades we would like to see happen. We discuss why our proposed deals make sense, and why they may not happen.
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Jets trade WR Mecole Hardman to Chiefs for 2024 fifth-round pick
Why it makes sense
Jones: Scoring is down for the Chiefs this season, and unlike previous years, they have no pass-catchers among the league leaders. Hardman is part of a crowded receiving unit in New York and had productive years in Kansas City before a groin injury and surgery cut his 2022 season short. A reunion could potentially benefit both parties.
Why it won’t happen
Howe: Because the Chiefs are going to reunite with JuJu Smith-Schuster instead. No, I don’t know that, but this is the perfect type of situation in which a team brings back a familiar face to help with depth and give the quarterback a little more reliability. But since Hardman doesn’t have a role with the Jets and he’d be more valuable to the Chiefs than anyone else, I can’t say it wouldn’t make sense, unless Kansas City projects Patrick Mahomes will simply make it work with whoever is in uniform.
Broncos trade CB Pat Surtain II to Lions for 2024 second- and 2025 third-round picks
Why it makes sense
Jones: The Lions are positioning themselves to win the NFC North, but Emmanuel Moseley’s torn right ACL suffered last week (in his first game back from a torn left ACL) is a big blow. They’d love to have another difference-maker in their secondary as they try to gear up for a deep playoff run. People around the league say the Broncos are in sell mode (even if Sean Payton says they’re not). So, future picks to help improve a Broncos roster that’s not nearly as close to win-now mode as Denver’s brass believed may prove enticing.
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Why it won’t happen
Howe: I don’t even want to say it won’t happen. This would be an awesome trade for the Lions. But I don’t think it would happen under these parameters. The Broncos feel Surtain is the best cornerback in the league, so they can’t let him go for less than a first-round pick and probably another mid-rounder. That should be fine with the Lions since they’ve had additional first-rounders the past two drafts from the Matthew Stafford trade.
There’s not much incentive for Kirk Cousins to waive his no-trade clause. But would the right team be enticing? (David Berding / Getty Images)Vikings trade QB Kirk Cousins to Jets for 2024 third-round and 2025 second-round picks
Why it makes sense
Jones: It’s an insane long shot, because Cousins has a no-trade clause and because people familiar with the situation say the Vikings aren’t throwing in the towel on the season. But Minnesota would be smart to pull the trigger on a deal like this. Cousins is on an expiring contract, and little has gone right this year. Now that wide receiver Justin Jefferson is on injured reserve, the wins — already hard to come by — may be even tougher to accumulate. The 2-4 Vikings might as well get something for Cousins rather than lose him on the market next offseason.
As for the Jets: They would get an upgrade over Zach Wilson, and a quarterback familiar with Nathaniel Hackett’s system. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is an extension of the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, as is Hackett, who coached under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay. LaFleur was Cousins’ quarterbacks coach in Washington. The Jets could force their way back into a playoff race with a high-level veteran quarterback to run the show for their talented roster.
Why it won’t happen
Howe: Wilson has finally turned the corner, and now you want him on the bench again?!? There are two bigger factors here, though. First, it’s unrealistic to think a starting quarterback could change systems in the middle of the season and operate the offense at a high-enough level over the final couple of months. Second, I’m not sure I see the incentive for Cousins to waive the no-trade clause. If he struggles — and theoretically, he should to a degree — teams will use that against him when they’re negotiating in free agency. Cousins is almost certainly going to be the most-coveted QB on the free-agent market, so the financial sense would be to continue posting numbers with the Vikings.
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Bears trade QB Justin Fields to Falcons for 2024 second-round pick, 2025 conditional third-round pick and QB Taylor Heinicke
Why it makes sense
Howe: Remember, these are trades we want to see — not necessarily those we expect to happen. The Bears are tracking toward the No. 1 pick in the draft, either with their own selection or from the Panthers, so they’re in play for USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye. With major changes likely on the horizon again, it might be best to maximize Fields’ value. Meanwhile, the Falcons were linked to Fields (who’s from Kennesaw, Ga.) before the 2021 draft, and he seems like a pretty solid fit for Arthur Smith’s offense.
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Fields’ thumb injury complicates this idea, but this would be more of a move with the future in mind. Desmond Ridder has been struggling, and Falcons coach Arthur Smith’s facial expressions Sunday after each interception said a lot about that situation. Again, with a midseason trade, it might be a lot to ask Fields to step in for Ridder relatively soon, but he could get a jump on the offense and position himself to relieve Ridder if necessary, assuming the thumb heals. The extra time in the system could better prepare Fields for 2024.
Why it won’t happen
Jones: Bears GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus didn’t draft Fields, so they might not be as invested in him as someone who had. But Chicago has done a lot to surround Fields with pieces, and after a rocky start to the season, things might be looking up. Before injuring his thumb on Sunday, Fields was coming off his two best games, having thrown four touchdown passes in back-to-back weeks while also getting his first win of the season. If he can make it back on the field promptly, the playoffs aren’t out of reach, so I don’t see the Bears parting with a talent like Fields in-season. If this season is a disaster, they can always revisit this in the offseason.
Patriots trade OLB Josh Uche to Jaguars for 2024 conditional second-round pick
(The Jaguars won’t have a second-round pick if Calvin Ridley signs an extension. If Ridley signs, the Jaguars should trade a 2024 third-rounder and a 2025 fourth-rounder.)
Why it makes sense
Howe: The Jaguars need pass rushers to help Josh Allen and Travon Walker. They don’t want to watch another playoff opportunity slip away because they couldn’t get after the quarterback. As for the Patriots, their last second-round pick to sign a second contract with the team was Rob Gronkowski. Their season is slipping away, and they might as well get something for Uche if the string of failed draft pick extensions is going to continue.
Why it won’t happen
Jones: This would make a lot of sense, but I don’t know that Patriots coach Bill Belichick will be able to bring himself to part with a young, impactful defensive player like Uche. The chance to get some kind of compensation for him rather than lose him on the market is intriguing. But it seems unlikely Belichick is going to want to wave the white flag and signal he has yet another lost season on his hands.
Broncos trade WR Jerry Jeudy to Panthers for 2024 third- and sixth-round picks
Why it makes sense
Howe: The Panthers need to get Bryce Young more help, especially at receiver. While the Broncos have rebuffed trade offers short of first-round picks in the past for Jeudy, time isn’t exactly on their side here, and Jeudy doesn’t have the trade value they’ve been seeking. He’s on the books for about $13 million for his fifth-year option in 2024, and the Broncos need to recalibrate the books while determining their future at quarterback. It just hasn’t worked out for Jeudy in Denver, whether it’s due to injuries, QB play or coaching, so he’d probably welcome a fresh start. The Panthers would hope to reinvigorate a 24-year-old who was once billed as a no-doubt NFL star.
Why it won’t happen
Jones: I can’t argue with this. Jeudy certainly could help Young, who lacks reliable playmakers who boast the explosiveness to win one-on-one matchups. The Panthers have just one player in the top 50 in receiving: Adam Thielen, who ranks ninth with 509 yards on 49 receptions. Payton says the Broncos won’t be sellers on the trade market, but can you really believe that? On one hand, I get it if they don’t want to leave quarterback Russell Wilson with nobody to throw to. But this team is going nowhere and might as well prepare to clean house and find some new building blocks.
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(Photos of Mecole Hardman, Josh Uche and Pat Surtain II: Cooper Neill, Michael Reaves and Kathryn Riley / Getty Images)
The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.
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