NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: Sean Lee LB
Many might think I am crazy because of how important Sean Lee has been to this defense. However, with the emergence of Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander-Esch. The Cowboys should seriously consider moving on from Lee. He clearly doesn’t make or break this defense like he once did. So why not deal him for a position that you actually need? Like wide receiver or safety. This probably won’t happen because Dallas doesn’t usually make big moves like this. Yet, if I was a team that needed a LB. I would definitely give them a call.
Potential Landing Spots: LAR, LAC, OAK, CIN, IND
New York Giants: Janoris Jenkins CB
The Giants clearly aren’t competing for a championship as long as Eli Manning is under center, and who knows when they will find a competent QB to replace him. Which poses the question. Should the Giants blow it up? They definitely need to make some changes, but I don’t think a total rebuild is the right move. There are still some untouchable players on the roster like Saquon Barkley, Evan Ingram, Landon Collins, and Odell Beckham Jr. Which could leave the Giants’ 2016 free agent class (Olivier Vernon, Damion Harrison, and Janoris Jenkins) up for grabs.
The most realistic scenario to me is trading Jenkins. He has probably been the most inconsistent out of the bunch, and has a pretty substantial cap hit of $14,750,000 in 2019. It just doesn’t make sense to keep him along for the ride when they are this bad. Also, if I were New York. I would be trying to acquire as much draft capital as I could for the insurance of acquiring the top Quarterback in the next coming drafts.
Potential Landing Spots: CHI, CLE, NE, NO, KC, HO
Washington Redskins: No One
Even though I might not agree, it seems like the Redskins believe that they can compete for a Super Bowl. Which is why I can’t see them trading away any of their key pieces.
Philadelphia Eagles: No One
The difference between the Redskins and the Eagles is that the Eagles are actually good enough to win another championship. Meaning it wouldn’t make any sense to trade away any of their talent. I know that they deep at a lot of positions, but that is how the won the Super Bowl last season. Their depth is key to the roster.
AFC East
New York Jets: No One
The Jets are a young team that is still trying to obtain more talent, so there isn’t much attraction in terms of trading for any of their players.
Miami Dolphins: Devante Parker WR
It’s pretty safe to say that Devante Parker has been a bust. He has definitely shown some flashes of being a number 1 receiver, but the consistency just hasn’t been there. There have been multiple reports saying that he probably won’t be on Miami’s roster much longer. Meaning they are either going to trade him or release him. In today’s NFL, offensive weapons are more valuable than ever. So I would not be surprised if a wide receiver needy team gave up an early day 3 pick for Parker.
Potential Landing Spots: IND, BUF, DAL, ARZ, WAS, NYJ, CLE, GB
Buffalo Bills: Shaq Lawson DE and LeSean McCoy RB
Speaking of busts, Shaq Lawson just hasn’t figured it out thus far. In my “3rd Year Players That Have to Take the Next Step’ article, I said that Lawson had to have a huge year in order to keep a spot on the team. Well…. That really hasn’t happened. He has struggled to get on the field, only playing 36.5% of the total defensive snaps in games that he was active. I believe that the Bills are officially out on Lawson , and would give him away for (basically) nothing. The question is going to be whether or not other teams are interested.
Potential Landing Spots: CAR, ARZ, DET, SEA, OAK, IND
The LeSean McCoy trade rumors have already started to stir. Ian Rapoport has confirmed that teams have called Buffalo (for McCoy), and their asking price was a 2nd and a 3rd round pick. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter came out with a report saying that the Bills are unlikely to trade him. Saying that they want McCoy to be apart of their future. With these conflicting reports this situation is pretty confusing. My gut is telling me that they probably won’t trade him, but I think they should.
This team is clearly not good enough to win a championship right now. Meaning their front office should just accept the fact that they are going to be bad this year, and look forward to building for the future. Which is exactly why they should trade McCoy. Keeping an aging Running Back on a team that is going 7-9 (at best) makes zero sense to me. He just doesn’t fit this team’s direction and would be better suited on a team that is ready to compete now. Buffalo should have no hesitation to pull the trigger on a trade, if they are offered a second round pick.
Potential Landing Spots: PHI, HOU, JAX, GB, NYJ, BAl
New England Patriots: Anybody Not Named Tom Brady
Bill Belichick has shown us throughout his tenure in New England that number 12 is the only sacred cow on the roster. For example, in 2016 he traded away (arguably) the Patriots’ two best defensive players in Chandler Jones and Jamie Collins for virtually nothing, and still won the Super Bowl. Every Patriot player has a price, it just depends on whether or not other teams are willing to pay it.
Work Cited
- Buffalo Bills Snap Count Summary at Footballguys.com. subscribers.footballguys.com/teams/teampage-buf-6.php. Accessed 18 Oct. 2018.
- Teope, Herbie. “Sean McDermott Mum on LeSean McCoy Trade Interest.” NFL.com, 10 Oct. 2018, www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000972435/article/sean-mcdermott-mum-on-lesean-mccoy-trade-interest.
- Schefter, Adam. “Bills Unlikely to Trade RB LeSean McCoy Back to Eagles.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 14 Oct. 2018, www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/24978881/buffalo-bills-unlikely-trade-rb-lesean-mccoy-back-philadelphia-eagles.
- Rapp, Timothy. “DeVante Parker Trade Rumors: Dolphins Have Talked to ‘Several Teams’ About WR.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 8 Oct. 2018, bleacherreport.com/articles/2799736-devante-parker-trade-rumors-dolphins-have-talked-to-several-teams-about-wr.