As an offseason of fireworks continues, logic suggests another big trade could go down in the days before the 2022 NFL Draft.
Last offseason, it was the first day of the draft when reports of Aaron Rodgers' discontent began to swirl and didn't dissipate for months.
So expect a flurry of reports and rumors as we inch closer to Commissioner Roger Goodell officially announcing that the Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.
Some reports will have legs. Others will be swiftly swatted down.
At the dawn of draft week, we already have one report being laughed at by a prominent quarterback.
Aaron Nagler, longtime Green Bay Packers scribe and co-founder of Cheesehead TV, reported that the Packers are targeting Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller in a trade, and sides have engaged in talks.
Nagler's reports come after Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported in early April that the Packers and Raiders discussed an unnamed player as a possible addition to the Davante Adams trade. But sides realized rules don't allow another player to be involved in a trade for a franchise-tagged player. It turns out that Waller was the player discussed.
As these rumors tend to do in modern society, the report reached Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who laughed off the possibility of the Raiders trading Waller this offseason.
The Raiders loaded up this spring with the additions of Adams and Chandler Jones, among others, in order to compete in a rugged AFC West. Trading Waller would take some bite out of what could be an explosive Vegas offense.
On the flip side, Waller has two years left on his contract with no guaranteed money. His $7.575 million per year average is 16th among tight ends. There aren't 15 better TEs. Waller, who signed his current contract in 2019 while he was in the midst of his breakout campaign, deserves a new deal. If the Raiders don't intend to sign him to a massive extension in the next two years, trading him earlier would offer the highest compensation package.
However, if Carr has his way, he'll have Waller among his weaponry for the 2022 season.
