The NFL’s trade deadline is two days away, and there already have been five players dealt over the past couple of weeks, including big names such as Christian McCaffrey, James Robinson and Robert Quinn.
Who else could be on the move before Tuesday’s 4 pm ET deadline?
Here’s the latest on some names to watch, according to multiple sources:
Other teams believe Chubb is the most likely to be traded of this group, with a potential return equivalent to a first-round pick and more. Denver has fielded and listened to offers for the Pro Bowl defender, who has 5.5 sacks this season. But sources say the Broncos aren’t inclined to move Chubb — or Jeudy and Hamler for that matter — unless they get the perfect offer. A Chubb trade would also be complicated because a new team giving up that type of draft capital would surely want (and need) to work out a contract extension as well (Chubb currently is on the final year of his rookie contract). The Broncos, who lost starting receiver Tim Patrick in training camp to a torn ACL, are relying on Jeudy and Hamler as they try to get struggling quarterback Russell Wilson going. The talented and athletic Okwuegbunam, on the other hand, has been subject of trade calls since this past spring and has been inactive the past two weeks. With just seven catches for 50 yards, the price to acquire Okwuegbunam wouldn’t figure to be high.
Jacksonville has gotten a lot of calls about Allen, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 draft. But while the interest from teams wanting him has been there, the Jaguars are not expected to deal their standout pass rusher. Allen remains a key and valued piece of their future. He’s a player Jacksonville wants to keep, rather than trade and then attempt to replace. He would be due just $10.892 million in 2023 on his fifth-year option and in line for a big extension sooner than later.
New Orleans isn’t holding a fire sale. But at 2-5 entering Sunday’s game against the Raiders and without a 2023 first-round pick (traded to Eagles for an extra first in the 2022 draft), it makes sense to listen on anything. Sources say general manager Mickey Loomis would want at least a comparable package to what the Panthers got for McCaffrey (second-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2023 plus a fifth-rounder in 2024) to part with Kamara, who is owed just $575,000 for the rest of this season, thanks to a contract restructures in March, and is signed through the 2025 season. Trading Kamara would leave the Saints with a $14.372 million dead hit on the 2023 salary cap. That’s actually less punitive than the dead cap figures on other veterans such as Cameron Jordan and Michael Thomas, complicating any consideration of trading away those players.
The Texans have fielded calls centered around the veteran receiver, sources say, and there has been some league-wide interest. He would be one of the top receivers in trade talks. There currently is no deal in place for Cooks, and it’s possible he could remain in Houston beyond Tuesday, but those talks continue. Cooks is due fewer than $1 million in salary and bonuses the rest of this season, but also has $18 million fully guaranteed for the 2023 season.
The Patriots signed both receivers in the 2021 mega-splash of a free agency, but have since added DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton to pair with Jakobi Meyers. Simply put, there aren’t enough footballs to go around to necessitate keeping both players. Bourne is due about $2.36 million for the rest of the 2022 season, while Agholor is due $5.55 million, making Agholor a bit tougher to move. Wynn, a first-round pick in the 2018 draft, is playing on his fifth-year option and likely is available for the right price. He’s due $5.785 million for the rest of the season.
The price on the uber-talented pass-rusher is high, with the Panthers turning down an offer of two premium picks recently. Their plan is to keep him and extend him — they already picked up his fifth-year option for $16.012 million in 2023 — in part to make sure the next head coach has plenty of talent to work with. That said, there is a price for everything and GM Scott Fitterer always takes the calls. Could a team increase the price to a point in which Fitterer would have no choice to trade Burns? There are two days to find out.
