With the new NFL year set to kick off next Wednesday, it’s fun to imagine some outlandish scenarios for what could be this 2023 offseason.
We know that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson could be traded, and we know that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers could end up with the New York Jets.
How about some legitimate shockers that would set NFL Twitter ablaze?
We’ve worked up some ideas for some trades and draft moves that we feel would really get folks talking this offseason.
While we could (and probably will) go 0/10 on these fictional scenarios, it’s still fun to dream them up. Let’s dive in.
The Patriots trade for QB Aaron Rodgers
Alright, let’s get the biggest one out of the way.
It increasingly looks like the Green Bay Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be headed toward a split. An AFC East (the New York Jets) has been a rumored landing spot if the two sides decide on a trade.
What if another AFC team entered the picture?
The New England Patriots are in a bit of a weird spot at the quarterback position with 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones a huge question mark.
If Bill Belichick wants to go out with a bang in New England, he could send the team’s 2023 first-round pick and change to Green Bay in exchange for the Rodgers experience. The team has the cap space to pull off the move and a roster ready for the playoffs.
It’d be the move that breaks the internet, but it’d also be a fascinating way for the Patriots to contend for a title while Belichick is still on the sideline.
The Bengals trade for DT Aaron Donald
The Los Angeles Rams seem like they’re trying to do whatever they can to get out of cap hell, and there is a move they could make to really supercharge that effort.
They could trade future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald to the Cincinnati Bengals if Donald was willing to sign off on it.
Donald has flirted with retirement rumors, but would the chance to play for a Super Bowl contender (the team the Rams beat in 2022) and another ring change the equation?
Right now, the Bengals have the cap space for Donald’s deal. If Cincy can conserve money until June, the Rams could wait until the summer and make this a post-June 1 trade to clear $13.5 million in cap space. Los Angeles could also add a valuable first-round pick from Cincy for 2024 and then some.
Pairing Donald with D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill on the interior would create nightmares for opposing offensive lines, and it’s the luxury move a team like Cincinnati could make. The Rams could think about the future, and the Bengals could make their case as the AFC’s best team.
The Titans trade up to the No. 1 pick
There is going to be plenty of guesses as to which NFL team trades up for the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Why not the Tennessee Titans?
As the Titans watch AFC South rivals like the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts plot for a move like this, the team could blow away the Chicago Bears with a major offer.
We’ll surmise a boatload of draft picks (two first-round picks and then some) and an elite young talent like defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who is up for an extension Chicago could afford.
Call it the “Southern Godfather” offer. Make it one y’all can’t refuse.
It’d be a big step down for Chicago to go from the top pick to No. 11 on the draft board, but a seismic offer from Tennessee could be more than worth it.
The Titans would have their pick of 2023 quarterbacks. They’d also have the flexibility to possibly deal both veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill (saving $17.8 million in cap space) and 2022 third-round quarterback Malik Willis to help recoup some of the damage from moving up so high.
The Eagles draft RB Bijan Robinson at No. 10
The Philadelphia Eagles came close to winning another Super Bowl this past February, but the team will have to find ways to set themselves apart once again in the ever-changing NFC.
After acquiring the No. 10 pick from the New Orleans Saints last spring, let’s imagine a scenario where Philly puts the rest of the league on notice and drafts Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
Robinson looks like he’ll be “the next big thing” at the running back position, and him joining that lethal Philly offense could leave opposing defenses in a tizzy. That Eagles offensive line was built to block for a potential superstar like Robinson.
Rather than add to the trenches, the Eagles make the incredibly fun pick here. Robinson in an Eagles uniform is what the NFL needs (unless you cheer for a team in the NFC).
The 49ers trade for RB Jonathan Taylor
We know what you’re thinking. Didn’t the San Francisco 49ers just trade for another star running back in Christian McCaffrey?
Well, if the 49ers are serious about cashing in on this championship window, the team might as well trade a 2023 third-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick to Indianapolis for running back Jonathan Taylor and his super-affordable contract.
Taylor is coming off a down year in Indy, and a rebuilding Colts might not want to give Taylor a new deal in 2024. Why not trade him now and really get your rebuild going?
The 49ers could pair McCaffrey and Taylor for what could be an all-time rushing attack if the latter regains his 2021 form (1,811 yards, 18 touchdowns). If injury ever strikes McCaffery, no worries. Taylor is right there, ready to go.
Yes, this seems improbable in theory, but do we really think the 49ers could say no…even if this is ultimately a one-year rental? The 49ers could technically send running back Elijah Mitchell back to Indy to sweeten the deal.
Taylor could rebuild his value in one of the most run-friendly schemes in the NFL ahead of the 2024 offseason. The 49ers could unleash an offensive monster that no team could fully stop this fall. A lot could go right here.
The Bills trade for WR DeAndre Hopkins
If the Buffalo Bills are serious about capitalizing on quarterback Josh Allen’s prime, the team might be smart to make a blockbuster trade to boost its offense.
Through a few restructures, the Bills could afford to make a move for wideout DeAndre Hopkins with the Arizona Cardinals.
Yes, adding Hopkins to a Bills offense that already has Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Dawson Knox might feel like overdoing it. That’s entirely the point, though.
Allen having a three wideout set of Diggs, Davis and Hopkins could even surpass even what Cincinnati has in its three-headed monster of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. It’d be a receiver room envied across the league.
In this scenario, Buffalo parts ways with its 2023 second-round pick and wideout Khalil Shakir, getting Hopkins in the process.
The Chargers trade for TE Kyle Pitts
After the Atlanta Falcons drafted tight end Kyle Pitts fourth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, the expectation was that he’d soon enough be the best tight end, if not pass catcher, in the NFL.
While Pitts still has incredible amounts of potential, the Falcons desperately need to fortify their defense and might be willing to stomach trading Pitts to get that done sooner.
Maybe a team like the Los Angeles Chargers with a superstar quarterback in Justin Herbert could help there?
Let’s imagine the Chargers send their 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick and veteran tight end Gerald Everett to Atlanta in exchange for Pitts, who is still on a rookie contract.
He could potentially lift the Los Angeles offense to its full potential and give Herbert a budding superstar to throw to. In turn, Pitts could avoid the quarterback uncertainty in Atlanta and really get his career going.
The Falcons could really use the draft capital to build up their defensive foundation, and Arthur Smith has proved he doesn’t necessarily need a superstar tight end like Pitts to make his offense work. Everyone wins!
The New York Jets trade up for QB Anthony Richardson
Look, the New York Jets do not need to be desperately chasing success by trading for Aaron Rodgers.
They need to be desperately chasing success by trading up for quarterback Anthony Richardson in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Let’s say Richardson isn’t the top quarterback once April rolls around and falls just a bit due to his unwieldy boom-or-bust potential. Maybe the Jets trade up with the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5 or the Detroit Lions at No. 6 and snag Richardson after quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are off the board.
It’d be the end of the Zach Wilson experiment, but the Jets could trade him to a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Washington Commanders that could be willing to invest in Wilson’s potential as he resets on the bench.
Richardson had one of the best-ever combine performances for a quarterback, and the Jets could give him a solid offensive line and some budding stars on offense to work with like wideout Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall.
It’d be a major risk for the Jets, but the reward could be astronomical. Richardson in the Big Apple just feels right, and it could give long-suffering Jets fans a real reason for hope at the quarterback position…if New York’s staff can properly develop him into what he can be.
The Cowboys trade for WR Chris Godwin
If the Dallas Cowboys are serious about competing for a Super Bowl, the wide receiver room needs work.
Outside of wideout CeeDee Lamb, the team needs a true No. 2 receiver to help its offense be the best it can be. Could they trade for one?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are drifting in the wrong direction, and the team desperately needs to free up cap space. Trading a veteran wideout like Chris Godwin could save them about $8.7 million on the cap. Dallas could be the perfect landing spot for Godwin, who offers a nice counter to what Lamb gives the offense.
The Cowboys have plenty of ways to free up cap space, and adding Godwin to the Dallas offense could be just what the doctor ordered.
A second- or third-round pick is more than worth the veteran experience the Cowboys offense would get with Godwin’s presence, and it’d sure make quarterback Dak Prescott’s life in the pocket a lot easier.
The Chiefs trade for OLB Za'Darius Smith
Okay, this one isn’t quite as outrageous as it is unexpected for a Minnesota Vikings team that literally just made the playoffs.
The Kansas City Chiefs will never not be in Super Bowl mode as long as they have quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.
With the Chiefs set to release defensive end Frank Clark and fellow pass rusher Carlos Dunlap heading toward free agency, they could use a veteran edge rusher to join George Karlaftis.
The Vikings are trying to free up cap space, and trading outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith could save the team $12 million on the cap. Smith racked up 10 sacks this past season and could be a nice compliment for Karlaftis and ferocious defensive tackle Chris Jones.
The Chiefs could move a second- or third-round draft pick to the Vikings and secure Smith for its defense. Releasing Clark will help Kansas City fit Smith’s contract, and a retooled deal could always be possible. It’s a reasonably affordable solution for losing Clark in the lineup.
