We’re through five weeks of the NFL season, and as the landscape takes shape, we can’t ignore the looming trade deadline. As rumors begin to pick up steam, we want to see these five trades.
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- Kirk Cousins to New York Jets
Listen, the Minnesota Vikings are falling apart, and under no circumstance does it appear that Kirk Cousins will return next season. Sitting at 1-4 and now with Justin Jefferson on injured reserve, things will only worsen in Minnesota. They should accept the tank, get as high up as possible in the NFL Draft for their next quarterback, and get whatever they can for Cousins. Despite recent improvement, I’m not buying into Zach Wilson, so bringing in Cousins will upgrade the quarterback spot regardless of what you think of him, keeping the New York Jets in playoff contention with their talented roster.
- Justin Simmons to Philadelphia Eagles
With the Denver Broncos expected to have a fire sale, Justin Simmons could be one of the biggest names to move. The 29-year-old safety has combined for 20 interceptions over the past four seasons and could be a valuable addition to a championship-contending defense. Enter the Philadelphia Eagles, whose pass defense has struggled as the safety position is easily the biggest hole on their roster. Simmons would immediately plug that, and even though his big contract could be a deterrent, Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman is a salary cap wizard who will find a way to make the money work. As the Eagles look to return to the Super Bowl, adding Simmons would do wonders for their defense to get them back there.
- Garett Bolles to Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are good, and even though they’re just 2-2, I trust that they can and will make some noise in the AFC Wild Card picture. Through the first three weeks, Deshaun Watson was coming off his best outing as a Brown in Week 3 before getting injured, and the Browns were the best defense, by far, in the AFC. Well, after a Week 4 blowout and a Week 5 bye, the Browns have been forgotten about, but if they give the San Francisco 49ers a run for their money in Week 6, we could see some more believers in them. Still, their offensive line isn’t what it once was, and left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. is struggling mightily. Finding a replacement for him is easily the Browns’ most significant need currently, so acquiring the best left tackle on the market in Garett Bolles is a seamless fit that should come to fruition.
- Jerry Jeudy to Kansas City Chiefs
To continue with the Denver Broncos sell-off, Jerry Jeudy’s name has circled in the trade market for the better portion of a year now, and an AFC West rival could be the perfect fit. The Kansas City Chiefs need a proven wide receiver to pair with Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes, and Jeudy’s youth and untapped production could flourish in the Chiefs offense from the jump. Still only 24 years old, the Chiefs should jump at getting a former first-round wide receiver for a bargain who could become Mahomes’s top WR for years to come. Even though Denver likely doesn’t want to trade Jeudy within their division, why should Denver care? They are going to stink for the foreseeable future anyway.
- Kyler Murray to New England Patriots
Kyler Murray is the wild card of the trade deadline, but there is no reason why he should remain with the Arizona Cardinals. First, Josh Dobbs is playing way better than anyone anticipated. With the Cardinals expected to have two top-15 first-round picks in this upcoming draft, new GM Monti Ossenfort will have all the ammo to trade up for his chosen young quarterback. He has no loyalty to Murray, as all the quarterback is now is a financial liability on a rebuilding club.
Murray needs a fresh start, and the New England Patriots should come calling. The Patriots should blow everything up this offseason, but I think Bill Belichick will try and string his career out on the sideline, so he’ll do whatever possible to remain in contention. Instead of giving up picks, the Patriots can dangle a Mac Jones-Kyler Murray swap, giving Arizona a few months to figure out if Jones is worth keeping around while giving Murray a fresh start.
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