Every now and again, the NFL trade deadline is good for a few stunners.
So, will we get that this year? We’re about to find out.
It’s unclear what the trade market will look like due to the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing pandemic. But if nothing else, some deals are sure to be made (bold take, we know).
With that in mind, we decided to come up with a few blockbusters. We’re not saying these are the most feasible, but rather some wild, league-altering moves that aren’t impossible, but we’d nevertheless enjoy seeing.
Patriots trade Stephon Gilmore to Cleveland Browns
Although Bill Belichick insists he doesn’t know anything about the trade rumors surrounding the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, we’re going to assume it’s a “where there’s smoke there’s fire” situation.
The Browns have cap space and are awash with mid-round draft picks. People don’t seem to think the Patriots will be able to get a first-round pick for Gilmore, so maybe the Browns toss them, at the very least, a second-rounder as part of the package.
Cleveland is in a spot where it’s disappointed for so long but now is in the thick of the AFC North race. The Browns could stand to upgrade in the secondary, so maybe they make a borderline crazy move to acquire an elite talent — even if his year has been underwhelming.
Indianapolis Colts trade Jacoby Brissett to Patriots
We told you we wanted to get nuts.
Brissett isn’t playing in Indianapolis after the acquisition of Phillip Rivers, making clear that the former is not viewed as a long-term fit with the Colts. The Patriots, meanwhile, seem unlikely to go into full tank mode so long as Bill Belichick is running the show.
Maybe what happens is the Patriots, uncertain about how reliable Cam Newton is, decide they want an upgrade from Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer in the event they need to bench Newton. Brissett is familiar with the system and would probably come at a low cost, and would be a better option than both Stidham and Hoyer.
In this case, let’s say the Patriots swing a deal to land Brissett, they cut Hoyer and Brissett serves as a 1A option to Newton. Fun stuff.
Washington Football Team trades Dwayne Haskins to Cowboys
Yes, the Cowboys are very bad. But we have a hard time believing a Jerry Jones-led operation is going to just curl up and die, even if it means making a move that isn’t exactly prudent in the long term.
Clearly, WFT and Haskins’ relationship is fractured, and Ron Rivera’s infatuation with Kyle Allen doesn’t lead anyone to believe Haskins has a future in Landover.
Even if Andy Dalton’s concussion doesn’t keep him out for a lengthy period of time, Haskins certainly would be an upgrade over Ben DiNucci. Haskins also is signed through 2022, so he would give Dallas a backup option if they re-sign Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton walks in free agency.
And, in the still-seemingly unlikely chance they cut ties with Prescott, the Cowboys would have a quarterback on the roster with starting experience.
Eagles trade Alshon Jeffery to Packers
Of course, this would be unlikely because the Packers are averse to upgrading Aaron Rodgers’ weapons ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
But, let’s say they try to go all-in whilst their quarterback is in the middle of a heater of a season — all with a suspect receiving group — Jeffery makes a good bit of sense, even with concerns about his health.
However, because of Jeffery’s whopper of a contract, it probably will be a hurdle to make the money work. But if the Packers really think they can win this season (and they should), a receiving corps of Davante Adams, Jeffery, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard (when he’s off IR) would be, in a word, nice.
