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 p.m. ET deadline?
Here’s the latest on some names to watch, according to multiple sources:
Broncos OLB Bradley Chubb, WR Jerry Jeudy, WR KJ Hamler, TE Albert Okwuegbunam
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.
Jaguars OLB Josh Allen
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.
Texans WR Brandin Cooks
The Texans have fielded calls centered around the veteran receiver, sources say, and there has been some interest league-wide. 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.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne, WR Nelson Agholor, OT Isaiah Wynn
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.
Panthers DE Brian Burns
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.
Commanders CB William Jackson III
Both sides are open to a fresh start for the starting cornerback, but it’s also complicated. Jackson has been dealing with a back injury and has already been ruled out for this Sunday. Jackson is also somewhat expensive, due about $3.2 million in salary and bonuses for the rest of this season. Teams have called and done their homework, but there is currently nothing imminent.
Browns RB Kareem Hunt
With McCaffrey off the market, Hunt is now the top RB available to be traded. A low base salary makes him even more tradable, but it also makes him even more valuable. The Browns have taken calls on Hunt, and the Jets had some interest before they traded for James Robinson on Oct. 24. Perhaps things could accelerate if Cleveland lost to the Bengals on Monday, but the Browns also won’t trade just to trade. The price has to be right.
Bears LB Roquan Smith
After Chicago traded Robert Quinn, eating most of his salary ($7.1 million) to get a fourth-round pick, all eyes turned to Chicago’s all-world linebacker. But Smith is different from Quinn. He is younger (25) and on a cheaper contract, and there remains the possibility he’s a part of the Bears’ future. Playing on the fifth-year option, Smith could be franchise tagged after this season, which seems like a strong possibility if no trade happens this week. But there is some interest and if Chicago wants to avoid the tag drama with a player who already has held in at training camp once, a trade would make sense to a few, select teams with a specific need.
Seahawks CB Sidney Jones
Veteran corners are tough to find, and Jones has plenty of experience. He’s not expensive ($1.277 million for the rest of this season) and could fill a quick need for a CB-needy team. Seattle has received some calls of inquiry here.
Rams RB Cam Akers
Once again, the former Rams starter will be inactive Sunday for what the team has called personal reasons. Head coach Sean McVay has spoken publicly about trade calls as both sides seek a resolution, but he also has said the team needs to be open to restarting the relationship with Akers. There has been interest, to be sure, but as of yet it hasn’t reached the point of necessitating a deal. Until Tuesday, L.A. will keep listening.
Steelers WR Chase Claypool
The Steelers receiver has been the subject of trade talks for weeks, but barring a dramatic change, it doesn’t appear he’s going anywhere, sources say. To deal a young weapon who could help rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, it would have to be perfect. No team is close to that yet. Claypool is under contract for another year, due just about $1.5 million in 2023. And even at 2-5, Pittsburgh has shown no signs it intends to be a seller at the deadline.
Buccaneers CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
A starter during his first three seasons, Murphy-Bunting has seen his role diminish in 2022 and has missed the past two games with a quad injury, though he’s believed to be close to healthy now. Murphy-Bunting’s talent, experience (31 NFL starts), age (25) and cheap rookie contract (due about $1.41 million for the rest of 2022) make him a logical target and Tampa Bay will have suitors if it’s willing to move him.
Who’s buying?
We’ve already seen plenty of trade action, and some of the buyers have already bought. The Eagles made their splash with Quinn, while the 49ers did the same with McCaffrey and the Chiefs with Kadarius Toney on Oct. 27.
The Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta will always consider a trade, and the possibility of edge help, a running back or linebacker could be intriguing.
The Titans are still leading the division, but the loss of pass rusher Harold Landry (torn ACL) still stings. Could they be in the market for a pass rusher?
With issues at receiver, the surprise Giants could be a team still looking to add weapons at the right price.
Same with the Cowboys, who could be looking for a receiver who can stretch the field.
The Packers have held talks about acquiring a receiver, sources say, but nothing has transpired as of yet. GM Brian Gutekunst will keep talking, and time will tell if they can come to a deal -- which has been a rarity for Green Bay.
The Rams have been interested in the pass rush and running back markets, and those talks will only increase over the next few days. GM Les Snead still has picks and ... you know how that goes.
The Vikings are also viewed as a potential buyer. How aggressive will new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be? We’ll see.
The Buccaneers are in the middle of a 10-day break between games after another disappointing loss. Tom Brady and the offense need help on the offensive line, but who doesn’t? There just aren’t many options out there for anyone. At receiver, the Bucs still have enough talent to be successful and were encouraged by Julio Jones’ return to action on Thursday. On defense, the secondary has been ravaged by injuries the last few weeks -- Antoine Winfield Jr., Carlton Davis III -- though the good news is those players should be back soon. In fact, it’ll feel like a bunch of deadline acquisitions when they return. In short, don’t expect Bucs GM Jason Licht to make a big splash move in the next two days.
Who is selling?
The seemingly endless teams hovered around .500 makes for very few true fire sellers. Even the Panthers, coming off a big win, don’t appear primed to get rid of their top talent.
The Patriots appear open to trading away some assets they could lose after the season in free agency while maintaining their competitiveness for 2022.
The Jaguars and Texans appear in a similar spot, where teams are calling on their talent, but a true deal would have to make a lot of sense to move on from a player who should be there in 2023 when the situation improves.
The Bears have already made one future-oriented move, and perhaps they receive an offer they can’t refuse on Smith. Otherwise, they find themselves in a similar position to the Saints and Panthers. Not the record you’d want, but still a fighting chance. All of that makes deals tough to do.