In one way, the NFL trade deadline is the same this year as it is any other year—you’ll hear a lot of names available ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET cutoff without many players being moved by then.
In another way, it’s different.
This year, for one reason or another, there’s a focus, among buyers, on premium pass rushers. It’s hard to say—with the deadline three days out—whether anyone will be able to pry Brian Burns from the Panthers, Bradley Chubb from the Broncos or Josh Allen from the Jaguars. But two things are certain—teams will try, and it won’t be easy to land one of them.
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Chubb, 26, has 5.5 sacks through seven games, and is in a contract year. Allen, 25, has just three sacks through seven games, but has played well, and has this year, and next year’s option left on his rookie deal. And Burns, 25, the best of the bunch, has five sacks, and like Allen, is under contract through the 2022 season.
The usual suspects have been in pursuit. The Rams have been looking for a pass rusher to replace the production they lost with Von Miller’s departure, have first-rounders in 2024 and ’25, and already made a substantial offer for Burns. The Chiefs have checked on the availability of Allen, and are similarly looking for another edge rusher, though they may be a little more reluctant to part with their 2023 first-rounder. The Titans are also in need of pass-rush help. Chubb would be a nice fit, but they’ve been more conservative with picks.
Then you have the Eagles, and while they just acquired Robert Quinn, and don’t need a ton more up front, it’s always hard to rule out GM Howie Roseman making another move.
So why so much heat on teams to get pass rushers? Well, there’s always been a premium on guys who can get to the quarterback (hence the contracts approaching $30 million per year for those players). But, of late, it’s also been those investments paying off when it matters most. It’s Aaron Donald’s play to close out the Super Bowl against the Bengals. It’s Miller’s play to set up the Bills’ game-winning drive in Kansas City earlier this month. In an era marked with bloated scoreboards, it’s these guys that are serving as human tiebreakers.
That’s why it’ll be so expensive to get the Panthers, Jaguars and Broncos to consider dealing their star pass rushers. That’s also why someone may be willing to go the distance to get one of them.
That’ll also make the next few days more interesting.
Here are a few more nuggets ahead of the deadline …
• Given that Denver has the franchise tag to keep Chubb, and two-plus years of control on receiver Jerry Jeudy, I don’t think GM George Paton will feel compelled to deal those two, absent a major offer, and regardless of Sunday’s result in London. One name that could be an interesting, if less-significant one, to watch over the next few days would be third-year tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, who’s elicited some interest and has nice potential. But the Broncos have told teams they won’t conduct a fire sale.
• The Rams’ radar is, again, up for pass-rush help, and offensive line help, too. But there could be outgoing pieces, as well. Safeties Terrell Burgess and Taylor Rapp, and running back Cam Akers, could be had, and corner David Long is another name to watch.
• The Chiefs landing Kadarius Toney isn’t an acknowledgment that the Chiefs are out on Odell Beckham Jr., but I think it is a tell that their higher priority would be finding another pass rusher at this point. For a team not working with a ton of cap space, Toney represents a more affordable way to add to Patrick Mahomes’s weaponry.
• The Packers have asked around on receivers, and, yes, the Steelers’ Chase Claypool is one who could be available. Other teams feel like a third-rounder might get it done. Offloading Claypool would create more opportunity for rookie George Pickens in the Steelers offense.
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• There have been conflicting reports on Alvin Kamara, but one GM told me he thought the Saints would consider moving him to the Eagles if Philadelphia gives them back the first-rounder they traded in April.
• The Saints are in an interesting spot, with a very talented roster and a record that doesn’t reflect it. And so Mickey Loomis has received calls. Whether he’d be willing to really listen on Kamara or Michael Thomas remains to be seen. But there are some second-tier types such as Nick Vannett and Marquez Callaway who could be moved.
• The Patriots are another team that could add an off-ball linebacker or offensive line help or subtract ahead of the deadline. They’ve certainly shown an openness to moving Nelson Agholor and Isaiah Wynn, both of whom are in contract years and have a lot of money coming to them over the balance of the season.
• The Bengals and Bills are contending, but have a couple players out there who could be trade pieces—Isaiah Prince and Brandon Wilson for Cincinnati, and Zack Moss for Buffalo. The Cowboys are also in that category, with Trysten Hill and Tarell Basham available for teams that need defensive line help.
• The Browns have gotten calls on running back Kareem Hunt and corner Greedy Williams, and are willing to discuss them. The Jets were one team that investigated Hunt before landing James Robinson. My feeling is the cost would be around a fourth-rounder for Hunt.
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• The Jets have shown a willingness to add, but also have a few pieces they could move—receiver Denzel Mims, defensive end Jacob Martin and corner Bryce Hall are in that group.
• The Raiders, with a new regime, have a couple former first-rounders from the old regime in contract years that are available in Johnathan Abram and Clelin Ferrell.
• Thanks to the progress of rookie corners Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant, the Seahawks have explored dealing veteran Sidney Jones.
• And the Commanders’ Williams Jackson is available, too. Washington has been looking to deal him, and some teams believe the Commanders will end up cutting him if they can’t move him.
• The Texans have had talks on moving receiver Brandin Cooks, but Houston’s asking price (a second-rounder and a Day 3 pick) and Cooks’s $18 million guarantee for 2023 have kept anything from happening to this point. It’s also possible they get calls on Laremy Tunsil in the next few days, with ’23 a contract year for the left tackle, but it’d presumably cost a lot to get him out of Houston, assuming the Texans would listen to offers this early at all.
