With next Tuesday's NFL trade deadline looming, will the dealing ramp up? Put on your general manager caps and suggest the potential trade that makes the most sense to you.
I think a natural move would be for the New York Jets to trade Tim Tebow to the Seattle Seahawks. What the Jets envisioned for Tebow does not seem to have worked; they simply aren't using him. Now is the time to eliminate the distraction.
Seattle, which could certainly use another quarterback, has a shot at the playoffs but is struggling to score touchdowns in the red zone. That's one thing I think Tebow can do. Pete Carroll is a coach who isn't afraid to shake things up or try new things, and Tebow would fit right into the Seahawks' environment. From the Jets' point of view, if they can get a mid-round draft choice, they should take it. If they don't want to trade Tebow, then they should use him.
In August, the trade deadline was shifted to where it is this season, but I don't think it was moved far enough. To make a real difference, it should take place later in the year. At this point, not many teams are willing to give up on the season, with coaches and general managers worried about saving their jobs.
The Kansas City Chiefs would make sense as possible sellers of receivers Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston. But does general manager Scott Pioli really want to hurt his chances of winning games this year when his job is on the line? The same is true for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Perhaps the Oakland Raiders, who have stability in their front office, could help out a team.
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- Akbar Gbajabiamila NFL.com
Cowboys can fill a crucial need at linebacker
In 2010, after the Jacksonville Jaguars missed out on Penn State linebacker Sean Lee in the draft, they shipped a fourth-round pick to the Oakland Raiders for linebacker Kirk Morrison and a fifth-round choice. Now the paths of Lee, who has since become a stud linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys, and Morrison could cross again.
Lee was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury Wednesday, leaving the Cowboys with a void at a crucial position. Morrison, who has been inactive so far this season with the Buffalo Bills, flourished in Oakland for four seasons under current Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. In 2008, Morrison collected 135 tackles, fifth-most in the NFL; in 2009, he had 133, tied for sixth-most.
At this point in the season, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones must be feeling a sense of urgency. Putting on my general manager hat for the Cowboys, I'd trade a late-round draft pick in 2013 to the Bills for Morrison, a middle linebacker who has a history of being productive and already knows Dallas' system.
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- Jason Smith NFL.com
Lions must add a weapon; Panthers' Smith a possibility
If the Detroit Lions don't do something to boost their passing game, they'll be dead in the water and incapable of making a playoff push. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew can't be trusted, and neither can Titus Young, unless he's catching a Hail Mary pass. But there are a couple players who can help the Lions.
I'd make two phone calls. The first one would be to the Carolina Panthers. Things are coming apart at the seams for the Panthers, who are going to need new blood to build around Cam Newton. So I'd offer up a third-round pick for veteran receiver Steve Smith; he can come in and be effective enough underneath to keep defenses from triple-teaming Calvin Johnson. Smith can also stretch the field, potentially making Detroit's offense incredibly tough to stop. As a complementary receiver, Smith would probably have another good year or so to play at his current level, and he'd likely be re-energized by joining a high-powered team.
If that doesn't work, I'd be on the phone to Bill Belichick, trying to get Brandon Lloyd away from the New England Patriots. There's no room for him in the Pats' offense; Lloyd is having difficulty being a regular contributor. In Week 7 against the New York Jets, Lloyd was targeted eight times and caught just one pass. Lloyd isn't as dynamic as Smith, but he'd be cheaper -- I'd give up a fourth-round pick or less to bring him to Detroit.