NFL Trade Packages to Create the Next Great Defenses
Electric offenses might be all the rage, but an elite defense can still take a team pretty far in the NFL.
The Philadelphia Eagles were a great example this season. Jalen Hurts' development and the trade that brought in A.J. Brown were important, but they don't win the NFC and go to the Super Bowl without the defense that finished second in ESPN's defensive efficiency.
There were a lot of roster moves that led to the construction of that defense, but Howie Roseman's trade to bring in C.J. Gardner-Johnson was among the most important ones. Gardner-Johnson's ability to play safety and in the slot was crucial to their success.
Before that, he made the move to bring in Darius Slay in a 2020 transaction that laid the foundation for the secondary.
Looking across the league there are other defenses that could be one key addition away from building their own unit. Here's a look at five hypothetical trade packages that could create a stingy defense for 2023.
Arizona Cardinals Acquire CB Byron Jones
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Dolphins Receive: 2023 third-round pick (No. 67)
Cardinals Receive: CB Byron Jones
The Arizona Cardinals finished 21st in ESPN's defensive efficiency, but they might not be as far from fielding an elite defense as it would seem.
When you look at the individual talent the Cardinals have on defense there are plenty of names that stand out. A defense that features talents like Zach Allen, Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins and Budda Baker should work.
Despite all that talent, the Cardinals defense never seemed quite as good as it should have been with Kliff Kingsbury at the helm. With former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon taking over, that should change.
There are some personnel changes that need to be made for Gannon to work with, though. For one, they need to improve their cornerback room. The tandem of Darius Slay and James Bradberry were crucial to the Eagles' success.
Byron Murphy Jr. has shown flashes of being a good corner. He allowed just six yards per target in the nine games he was healthy last season, according to Pro Football Reference. Pairing him with Byron Jones would give them two outside options capable of locking down receivers.
With the third pick in the draft, the Cards are in a perfect position to improve up front with either Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia's Jalen Carter. The two defenders are the No. 1 and 2 prospects on Bleacher Report's Big Board.
Jones missed all of the 2022 campaign with an Achilles injury, and Miami would save $13.6 million against the cap with a post-June 1 trade designation.
Cincinnati Bengals Acquire DE Cameron Jordan
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Saints Receive: 2023 second-round pick (No. 61 overall)
Bengals Receive: DE Cameron Jordan
The Bengals defense kicked into a higher gear when they signed Trey Hendrickson away from the New Orleans Saints in 2021. Going back to that well and reuniting him with former Saints teammate Cameron Jordan could take them to the next level.
The Bengals offense gets a lot of attention with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, but the unit that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has coached has been key to their recent playoff runs.
The secondary is bound for a shake-up with Jessie Bates III and Eli Apple headed to free agency, but the Bengals drafted with those departures in mind. Rookie safety Daxton Hill and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt were solid by the end of the season.
One of the few areas that could be better is the defensive end spot across from Hendrickson. Sam Hubbard is a good option, and Joseph Ossai took strides as the third-rusher.
Cameron Jordan would give them a proven option with veteran leadership. He has 115.5 career sacks, including the 8.5 he put up this season for the Saints.
The Saints are once again severely over the cap with a lot of work to do to get under the $224.8 million limit. They could save $15 million by trading Jordan away with a post-June 1 designation.
If the Bengals are going to continue to battle teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, they have to maximize their pass rush. Dealing for a player like Jordan would continue to build their arsenal.
New England Patriots Acquire CB Jalen Ramsey
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Rams Receive: 2023 second-round pick (No. 47 overall), 2023 fourth-round pick (No. 108 overall), 2024 third-round pick
Patriots Receive: CB Jalen Ramsey
In a lot of ways, the New England Patriots already have an elite defense. They ranked third in ESPN's defensive efficiency, fifth in yards per play and 11th in scoring defense.
But from a personnel perspective, they were missing a boundary cornerback who could hold his own on the outside. After watching J.C. Jackson leave in free agency, the Patriots relied on a cornerback rotation made up of Jonathan Jones, Jack Jones and Jalen Mills on the outside.
They missed Jackson's size and physicality. At 6'1", 198 pounds he was good enough to just take away the team's best receiver any given week and brought elite ball production to the table.
The Patriots could get all of that back if they were to lure Ramsey out of Los Angeles. The outspoken cornerback got put on highlight reels a little more than usual by giving up five touchdowns, but he still has the ability to put the clamps on a receiver any given week.
The Patriots may have found a hidden gem in Jack Jones. He saw 54 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie and limited quarterbacks to a passer rating of 64.8 while picking off two passes in his part-time role.
Assuming he will continue to develop with a Patriots coaching staff that has developed the likes of Jackson and Stephon Gilmore, the Pats could have a dominant cornerback tandem to take their good defense to the next level.
Pittsburgh Steelers Acquire DL Leonard Williams
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Giants Receive: 2023 second-round pick (No. 50 overall), 2023 fourth-round pick (No. 121 overall)
Steelers Receive: DL Leonard Williams
The Pittsburgh Steelers are no strangers to building elite defenses. The franchise has been known for great defense since the Steel Curtain days.
Part of that consistency has come from loading up on talent up front. Recently, that toughness up front has been in development. The surprise retirement of Stephon Tuitt and an aging Cameron Heyward has left them a little thin up front.
T.J. Watt is obviously a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but the defensive outlook was stark when he wasn't in the lineup as they went 1-6 with a sharp decline in sacks and takeaways.
Cameron Heyward still finished graded fifth among all interior defenders on PFF, while Alex Highsmith had a career-high 14.5 sacks. They just didn't have enough depth to sustain the defense in Watt's absence.
In this trade, they re-invest in having a dominant interior with Leonard Williams. The 6'5", 302-pound Williams is a great fit in the Steelers defense with the flexibility to play a 5-technique defensive end in 3-4 alignments and reducing down to a 3-technique in four-man fronts.
Williams didn't have his best campaign with the Giants this season, but he put up 11.5 sacks in 2020 and 81 tackles in 2021.
The Giants have to figure out a way to sign Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley to contracts next season. New York would clear $12 million in salary-cap space by trading him away, and they already have Dexter Lawrence on the inside.
That could lead the Steelers to find a perfect running mate for T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Heyward in 2023.
Seattle Seahawks Acquire DE/OLB Josh Allen
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Jaguars Receive: 2023 first-round pick (No. 20 overall)
Seahawks Receive: DE/OLB Josh Allen
The Philadelphia Eagles showed exactly how dangerous a defense with a loaded rotation of pass-rushers can be. The Seattle Seahawks are about one more talented pass-rusher and some development away from being downright terrifying in that regard.
Uchenna Nwosu and Darrell Taylor set new career highs with 9.5 sacks apiece. They also have Boye Mafe heading into his second season and a good pass-rushing duo on the inside in Quinton Jefferson and Poona Ford.
As it stands, the team was tied for seventh in sacks and 19th in pressure percentage.
Much like the Eagles needed Haason Reddick to unlock the potential of the rest of their pass-rushers, the Seahawks could use one more pass-rusher to push the group into the elite category.
Josh Allen could be that missing piece. He's entering the final year of his contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's due $10.9 million. If the Jaguars aren't interested in giving him a long-term deal, they might be willing to part with him for a first-round pick.
He's had 27.5 sacks across 57 games in his first four years with Jacksonville, including 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons.
The defense has a stud at linebacker in Jordyn Brooks. Tariq Woolen looked like a star as a rookie, and Jamal Adams is a unique weapon at safety. Putting a deep and talented crew in front of them who can get after the quarterback is the recipe for an elite defense.
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