Chris Johnson and 8 NFL Superstars Who Could Be Moved by 2012

Several seasons ago, I said the unimaginable to a St. Louis Rams fan...the organization should do Steven Jackson a favor and trade him. The Rams had several rough years ahead and were needing to rebuild the team. My hypothesis was simple: By the time the Rams are good again, Jackson won't be.

That looks like it isn't entirely true, as they both could see one or two seasons of success in the near future. Still, the logic that the Rams could have rebuilt faster and better with Jackson's trade value stands.

There was the other obvious concern with trading Jackson. He was about the only reason to attend a Rams home game...except for die hard fans that will show up regardless of the team's prowess.

This leads to an obvious question...what superstar is out there that would better serve his team by leaving? I don't expect any Herschel Walker-type deals that gift wrap a decade of dominance.  But there are a few players that would command a healthy price and could change two franchises' fortunes for the better.

Donovan McNabb, QB, Washington Redskins

I'll start here, as McNabb is one superstar (perhaps "former" needs to be added) that isn't likely to return to his current team in 2011.

McNabb's audacious contract will make it difficult to move him, though, and he may be released instead.  Similar to T.J. Houshmandzedeh in 2010, McNabb could be a free agent prior to the start of the regular season and looking for a team.

Albert Haynesworth, DL, Washington Redskins

As long as we are on a roll with former superstars playing under bloated contracts...

It is unclear if Haynesworth will be released or invited to camp, but it makes sense for Dan Snyder to seek some compensation for his disgruntled lineman.

If Haynesworth is able to report in decent condition, I can see a 4-3 team with a task-master head coach make a move here.  There is still the potential to see the Haynesworth of old return and shut down a third of the line of scrimmage.  He would be a great fit in a place like Seattle where the coaching staff can get him performing again and scheme around his abilities.

While it may be a conditional pick depending on Haynesworth reporting, and his physical condition when he does, it is hard to believe a team won't make the Redskins an offer they shouldn't refuse.

Nate Clements, CB, San Francisco 49ers

Clements didn’t live up to expectations…or his contract…last season.  He has likely been the subject of film review from Jim Harbaugh and crew to determine if he fits their short- or long-term plans.

Clements might end up staying in San Francisco, but if he does it won’t likely be on his current contract.

The other possibility is they find a trade partner that believes they can get Clements back on track.

Leigh Bodden, CB, New England Patriots

While I was a bit critical of the Patriots’ 2011 draft overall, I thought the selection of Ras-I Dowling was brilliant.  He has the potential to be a great CB in the NFL.

Dowling may need the 2011 season to learn the NFL and show he is recovered from injury issues.  However, if he progresses quicker than expected, Bodden could become expendable sooner as opposed to later.

The Patriots have Devin McCourty set to fill one of the CB positions.  If Bodden demonstrated he has rebounded from his shoulder injury he would be an attractive trade option for a NFC team needed help in the defensive backfield to make a playoff push.

D.J. Williams, LB, Denver Broncos

There was some speculation that D.J. Williams wouldn't return to Denver last season.  While he performed well on the inside LB position on the field, he had struggles keeping out of trouble on the street.

He is currently expected to be the weakside LB under coach John Fox's 4-3 set.  However, the Broncos have other options and Denver might be best served shipping their headache off to another team that needs a 3-4 ILB.

His DUI arrests and lack of a leadership role may make it more difficult, but landing on a team with an established leader on the defense (such as Patrick Willis in San Francisco) may take some pressure off him.

Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers

Jackson has not been happy in San Diego.  After all, how could a WR enjoy catching passes from Phillip Rivers?  Wait…maybe it is just the money.

The Chargers looked to move Jackson last season and it appeared they were close to making a deal.  However, no team was willing to pony up the draft capital the Chargers were seeking.

Jackson will start the season under the franchise tag, but this will likely be the last year that option will be affordable barring a change in the escalator clause. 

Look for the Chargers to go down the path they started last season…look for teams that are willing to part with a first and a second round pick for Jackson and then allow his agent to negotiate a new contract.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

To be fair, Fitzgerald does have a no-trade and a no-tag clause in his agreement.  This makes life double-tough for the Cardinals.

Obviously, Fitzgerald will need to approve any trade.  Second, the team he goes to will either have to be content with a rent-a-player or have the luxury of negotiating a new deal before finalizing the trade. 

There are still possibilities with Fitzgerald, but before we go down that path I should respond to the inevitable comments from the Cardinal fans.

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“There is no way “we” will trade Fitzgerald because he is going to stay in the desert and sign a new contract this season.”

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You are fooling yourselves.  While the Cardinal defense looks to be improving, there are huge issues on the other side of the ball.  There is no clear direction at the QB position at this point, there is no depth behind Fitzgerald at the WR position, and there are uncertainties in the backfield. 

As if that isn’t enough, the Cardinals don’t have any starting-caliber offensive linemen.  Alan Faneca has retired and Deuce Lutui and Lyle Sendlein are free agents.  The rest of the roster is stop-gap at this point.

Even if the talent issues on the offense are ignored, Fitzgerald is entering dream-world at the end of the season.  He can’t be franchised by the Cardinals, leaving him open to find the fattest contract ever offered to a WR and/or to play for the team he most wants to join.

If given the option of catching passes from John Skelton or Phillip Rivers or maybe even Tom Brady, whom would you choose?

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“Russ Grimm will mold a bunch of mis-fits into an elite unit.”

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You are fooling yourselves.  As good as he may be, he still needs talent to mold and it isn’t there. 

Further, offensive lines don’t just come together during training camp.  There is the potential that only one starter from last season is back in the lineup.  It takes at least a season, and often two, for a unit to gel and really be able to play together.

Issues on the OL mean issues with the QB which means Fitzgerald would struggle to post the numbers he's capable of.

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“We are going to the playoffs and could make a Super Bowl run this year.”

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Yes, I’ve heard this comment from Cardinal fans in recent months.  And yes, you are REALLY fooling yourselves.  See the comments above if you want an explanation.  The defense may come together and be a top-10 unit in ’11, but the offense isn’t likely to get out of the bottom 10 (or five) with or without Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald would have to agree to a trade, but so long as he was going to a contender it is not unreasonable to expect him to be ready to move this season.  The Cardinals could get a few high draft picks to expedite their retooling on offense which is better than what they will get for him in eight months.

The Cardinals may take an approach similar to the one outlined for the Chargers, but it is more likely that they will receive a list of approved teams from Fitzgerald’s agent. 

Even then, they may allow his camp to search out contract offers first and then work on a trade package.  This could lessen his value, though, as a team that knows they can sign him for ’12 may be reluctant to give up draft capital to have him for one extra season.

Regardless, if Julio Jones is worth two first-round picks, a second-round and two fourth-round picks, the asking price for Fitzgerald could be huge.

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

This seems like a drastic move by a team that might be able to compete in 2011, but Jacksonville is a few years away from being elite.  The team could be turning the corner just when Drew's contract is expiring.

The team has made their move at the QB position and needs to build a unit around him.  Jones-Drew is still young enough to be a part of the future, but so is Rashad Jennings who filled in quite well last season when called upon.

The Jaguars will likely opt for a committee carrying the rock for the next five seasons.  However, they might be better-served getting some help at WR and a DE that can generate a pass rush.

Trading Jones-Drew could accomplish that.

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

The future for Johnson in Tennessee likely has more to do with their QB situation than anything.  The Titans have a few needs to fill in free agency (QB, WR, and some help on defense), but it isn’t inconceivable that they can round out a team that could compete in ’11.

However, if they fail to sign Matt Hasselbeck or another talented QB to ease their transition to Jake Locker their prospects for the next two season will be dim.

Instead of keeping Johnson to muddle in mediocrity in Music City, moving the RB could escalate their return to being an elite team.