There are some big names on the potential block ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, but anticipation for the fireworks may have to die down for a few more days.
Executive-level team sources this week cited one-sided pricing expectations from both sides of the table – buyers and sellers – leaving everyone involved generally stuck in a trade-off process. This is just standard negotiating practice, the sources said, and activity is expected to intensify on Monday and Tuesday.
Here are some topics that came up on the trade front this week:
GO DEEPER
NFL trade deadline: Why have teams been so much more aggressive lately?
Pass rushers attract attention
Teams have called the Washington Commanders for defensive ends Chase Young and Montez Sweat. The Commanders (3-4) have lost three of their last four games and free agency is on the horizon for both players.
It’s still unclear what the Commanders would want in return for either player, but the Bradley Chubb transfer from a year ago could be a comparable model. The Miami Dolphins sent a first-round pick to the Denver Broncos as part of the deal, but were happy to pay that price because they knew they would reach a massive contract extension with Chubb shortly afterward.
An industry source said they believe Sweat would have a higher trade value than Young because he is the healthier of the two. The 2019 first-round pick has 34.5 career sacks, including 5.5 this season.
Young, the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has five sacks in six games this season. He had 1.5 sacks in 12 games over the last two seasons while battling injuries. Although Young’s potential is still high, teams have continued to express concerns about his durability, which could complicate his price tag.
GO DEEPER
The Commanders’ flop adds pressure as trade deadline decisions (Chase Young? Montez Sweat?) loom
Doesn’t burn on the block
Speaking of pass rushers, the Panthers remain unmotivated to move Brian Burns, who again is a popular name among opposing front offices.
Burns, a 2019 first-round pick, has four sacks for the winless Carolina Panthers. The two teams have been trying to reach a long-term extension for several years, but Burns is putting his fifth-year option and franchise title in play for 2024.
But remember, the Panthers had no intention of trading running back Christian McCaffrey last year until the San Francisco 49ers made an aggressive offer. And the Panthers don’t have a first-round pick in 2024 because they’re choosing quarterback Bryce Young.
Still, Burns is only 25 years old, has 42 careers under his belt and is considered a cornerstone of the franchise. Things could get interesting if a team in need of pass rush like the Jacksonville Jaguars offers a premium package.
GO DEEPER
Five players the Panthers could play with: Could Brian Burns and Donte Jackson end up?
Nashville hot
The Kevin Byard trade leaves the rest of the league waiting for further moves from the Tennessee Titans.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is likely out longer with another ankle injury, and the Titans have lost 11 of their last 13 games. Even though Byard’s performance had declined and the 30-year-old’s security contract was becoming more of an issue, the addition of a five-time captain who breaks the team apart before every game sends a pretty clear message.
Other teams expected the Titans to get calls about impending free agent running back Derrick Henry. It’s plausible they’ll also hear something about wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and defensive end Denico Autry.
If the Titans want to continue building a stockpile of draft picks, they are willing to do so.
GO DEEPER
Rexrode: Mike Vrabel, the coach, cannot admit what Mike Vrabel, the suit, has done
Mystery in New England
The 2-5 New England Patriots are a wild card. Because of their activities with other teams, opposing executives cannot figure out whether they are leaning toward buyers or sellers. But it looks like the Patriots are laying the groundwork to do… something.
They shocked the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and visited the Dolphins this week. A two-game winning streak, given the competition, would make the second half of the schedule seem far less daunting than it did a week ago.
And while the Patriots are still in the playoffs for a long time regardless of the result in Miami, a loss would, in hindsight, put them in unfamiliar territory at the postseason trade deadline.
The Patriots have several players with impending free agency that would be attractive to other teams. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was a popular player in August, although the Patriots had no interest in moving him at the time. Outside linebacker Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu are nearing the end of their rookie contracts. Veterans like tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki, defensive back Jalen Mills and tackle Trent Brown could help teams make a playoff push.
That doesn’t mean the Patriots would be willing to move any of them, nor would they do quarterback Mac Jones any favors by cutting the offensive line and skill players, but opposing teams certainly see desirable assets in New England.
GO DEEPER
7 Patriots trades that would make sense: Josh Uche, Kyle Dugger in rotation?
Technically speaking
Last week we discussed the reasons why there has been so much more activity at the trade deadline over the past four years.
Since then we have heard a different point of view.
Scouting technology has advanced so much in the last five years or so that it has become easier for front offices to evaluate professional personnel.
GO DEEPER
Mueller: Five deals I’d like to see before the NFL trade deadline
Now, when a team is looking for a player to fill a specific need, they can use computer software to determine specific parameters. For example, the team can find a versatile cornerback with snaps in the slot in a dime package, or a defensive end who rushes inside on third down, or a punt coverage specialist who lines up on the right side of the formation , or a safety who kicks into the penalty area against the run.
With the click of a few buttons, teams can queue up a player’s snaps from the season (or more) in just a few seconds. From there, they can assess how that player would fit into their plan, set a reasonable trade price, and call that player’s team with an offer.
Pro personnel scouting has become more advanced, making teams more willing to give up a future draft pick that offers less security. This is something to keep in mind as teams trade for perceived role players in the coming days.
(Photos by Brian Burns, Chase Young and Derrick Henry: Jared C. Tilton, G Fiume and Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the 100 greatest NFL players of all time, is in stores now. Order it here.