NFL Rumors: Rounding Up Trade Buzz Ahead of 2017 Free Agency

With the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine winding down, it's time to start looking ahead to the next stage of the offseason. At 4 p.m. ET on March 9, the new league year will begin. Free agency will officially open at that time, and teams will be able to formally execute trades. 

While we cannot have any clear picture about which free agents might be headed where (teams cannot contact players until March 7) there has been plenty of trade chatter going around. This is usually the case when you get high-ranking members of all 32 franchises in the same place at the same time.

Let's run down the latest trade-related news heading into free-agency week.

Latest Buzz

Jerry Jones Claims No Truth to Romo Rumors

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport stirred up quite a bit of buzz over the weekend when he presented the idea of a three-way trade that would send quarterback Tony Romo to the Washington Redskins and Kirk Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers:

In Rapoport's scenario, the Dallas Cowboys would get draft picks out of the deal, and the team would unburden itself of Romo's hefty 2017 salary. Under Romo's current deal, the quarterback is due to earn $19 million in base salary and bonus money.

Presumably, the Cowboys are going to continue to roll with Dak Prescott at quarterback, so this potential deal would actually be a pretty big win for Dallas, aside from, you know, sending a starting quarterback to a division rival.

Alas, Rapoport's idea looks to be nothing more than just that, an interesting idea.

According to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Cowboys deny being contacted about any potential trade. Per Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, the Washington side of the potential deal also views it as unlikely.

While this doesn't mean Romo or Cousins won't get traded at some point in the offseason, it seems almost certain that the two won't be involved in the same deal.

Cowboy owner Jerry Jones hasn't ruled out keeping Romo either.

"I have not ruled out the possibility of him being a part of the Cowboys at all," Jones said, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

Patriots Looking to Acquire a Receiver, Probably Won't be Cooks

It appears the New England Patriots are gearing up for a couple of final runs with quarterback Tom Brady. According to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, the Patriots made an offer for New Orleans Saints wideout Brandin Cooks but were turned down.

Per Katzenstein, New England made its first-round pick (32nd overall) as part of the offer, but the Saints weren't interested. The Saints have made it clear that they aren't going to move Cooks for cheap.

"Right now I’m comfortable, we’re comfortable with [Cooks] in a Saints uniform," Saints head coach Sean Payton said, via the team's official website. "We think the world of him and his skill set. [Compensation] would have to be something real significant."

While the Patriots offer wasn't good enough for Cooks, it doesn't mean New England is done trying to add a pass-catcher before the draft. Per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Patriots are also interested in former New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall:

Marshall recently asked for, and was granted, his release from New York. He could provide the Patriots with a quality target, but he is an older option. If the Patriots are interested in a younger receiver or simply don't do a deal with Marshall, there's a chance they keep trying to trade for a proven veteran.

Might the Eagles Make a Significant Enough Offer?

The Patriots' 32nd overall pick wasn't good enough to pry Cooks away from the Saints. Could the Philadelphia Eagles land him by giving up their 14th overall selection? It certainly seems like a deal that could be hard for New Orleans to pass on, if Philadelphia would actually make such an offer.

There's no clear indication that the Eagles would be willing to offer up a top-15 pick, but there is plenty out there to indicate the Eagles have significant interest in acquiring Cooks. Philadelphia was one of the first teams named by ESPN's Chris Mortensen when it was reported that the Saints were listening to offers:

This isn't the first time the Eagles have shown interest in Cooks either. Jeff McLane reported that the Eagles liked Cooks as a draft prospect and tried to deal for him last year:

"

If the Eagles were to trade for Brandin Cooks, they would be acquiring a wide receiver they first coveted three years ago at the draft and privately since the Saints leapfrogged them for the then-Oregon State prospect. In fact, the Eagles tried to deal for Cooks before last season's trade deadline, NFL sources said. That courtship has continued this offseason. The Eagles have been identified as being interested in trading for the 23-year-old receiver, according to ESPN and other media outlets.

"

If Philadelphia really is that interested in acquiring Cooks, it's not a stretch to believe they could offer up a package big enough to land him. The question regarding the No. 14 pick is whether the Eagles believe Cooks is better than any receiver they could draft at that slot.