NFL Players Teams Should Be Trying To Trade Before 2023 Roster Cuts
NFL front offices will be facing some tough decisions soon. With the preseason nearly over, training camp closing and final cuts due in on August 29, coaches and general managers will be scrambling to identify the 53 players who give their team the best chance to win.
Some of the hardest decisions to make surround veterans who are on the decline. While these players have clearly proved themselves over years of service and likely still have something to offer in the league, they may no longer be a good fit on the current roster. Whether they are coming off serious injuries, are owed too much money or simply don't mesh with a rebuild, these aging talents have suddenly become cut candidates.
While outright releasing these players has merit, dangling them as trade bait is an even smarter move. Clearing up a roster spot as well as returning some draft capital would be the ideal outcome, even if it's just a conditional selection or seventh-round pick. With that in mind, here are five players that NFL teams should try to trade before submitting their final roster.
All contract and salary-cap data courtesy of Spotrac.
Shaquil Barrett, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Shaquil Barrett has been an instrumental part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense since he signed with the club in 2019. He earned the only two Pro Bowl nods of his career and a Super Bowl ring—his second—with the organization, but it may be time for the 30-year-old to change uniforms. Barrett is owed a massive amount of cash for the upcoming season, one in which the Bucs are very unlikely to contend following Tom Brady's retirement.
Barrett is coming off an Achilles injury that cost him more than half of the 2022 season. It was the first time he missed more than three games with injury since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2014. Before the Achilles tendon issue cropped up, Barrett's production appeared to be declining. He recorded just three sacks in eight contests, a noticeable dip from the 10 sacks in 15 games he recorded the prior season and well off the mark from the 19.5 sacks he notched during his first year in Tampa.
After playing a career-high 83 percent of defensive snaps in 2020, Barrett has seen his playing time decrease in each of the last two seasons, dropping to just 71 percent in the games he was healthy for last year. With up-and-coming talents like 2021 first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and 2023 third-round pick Yaya Diaby pushing for more playing time, Barrett could see a further decline in snaps this season. Rather than play the veteran less while paying him a hefty salary, the Bucs can try to trade Barrett to a contender needing some help on the edge. They can also release him to save nearly $15 million.
If Tampa does decide to move on from Barrett, his recent comments should help the team maximize its return in a trade. The 6'2", 250-pounder said that he's back to full strength and looked like it contributing at a high level in a joint-practice scrimmage against the New York Jets.
Per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com, Barrett said: "I'm pretty much 100 percent healed. I don't feel it at all. It was just good just getting that edge, being able to go up against another tackle, feel the weight of him, bend, drop and dip. I feel speed but don't feel anything at all [in the Achilles tendon]."
While he'll need to prove that in a physical following any trade, Barrett could still be a key rotational piece for a squad with Super Bowl aspirations.
La'el Collins, OT, Cincinnati Bengals
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Just over a year after signing him to a three-year, $21 million contract that initially seemed like a great value, the Cincinnati Bengals could be moving on from La'el Collins. While the offensive tackle went on to start 15 games for his new club, inconsistent play and an injury—as well as the high-profile acquisition of Orlando Brown Jr.—has rendered the 30-year-old expendable.
Collins was a fixture at right tackle in 2022 before a significant knee injury suffered in Week 16 put him out for the remainder of the season. Even before he went down with a torn ACL and MCL, Collins' production left something to be desired. The right tackle gave up five sacks and was flagged for eight penalties across his 951 snaps, earning a lowly 57.9 PFF grade for his performance. It was a stark decline from the 82.0 mark he earned in 2021, his final season of a six-year run with the Dallas Cowboys.
While there is still a chance Collins bounces back from this poor showing, it's unlikely he'll get that opportunity in Cincinnati. With Jonah Williams and Brown set to bookend the offensive line, Collins is likely to be relegated to the bench in 2023. Rather than keep him around as a pricey swing tackle, the Bengals should be working to trade him to a team that could use some immediate assistance on the offensive line. If they can't find one, they would save nearly $8 million by cutting him.
Any trade will likely hinge on Collins' health. The veteran is still working his way back to full strength but appears to be progressing nicely. He recently told AllBengals' James Rapien that "it's all great signs. Every day I come in. I do a little more. I feel a little better. I get a little stronger. So we've just been stacking good days on top of good days."
If Collins can show his knee is healed, there may be enough interest to get a Day 3 pick in his return for his services.
Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
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Zach Ertz has had an impressive NFL career and it'd be a shame for him to waste the twilight of it on a team projected to finish with one of the worst records—if not the worst—in the league this year. The 32-year-old was brought over via trade two years ago to bolster the Arizona Cardinals' tight end room. While he assisted in bringing the squad to the playoffs that season, the franchise has since entered rebuilding mode.
Ertz is coming off a significant knee injury that cost him seven games last season. After signing a three-year extension worth over $10 million annually, the tight end went down in Week 10 with a torn ACL and MCL. While NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Ertz was recently cleared for a return to football activities and is in line to see the field in the season opener, his presence won't be enough to make the Cardinals a contender.
With star quarterback Kyler Murray recovering from a knee injury of his own and still without a concrete timeline for a return, Arizona will likely flounder through the upcoming campaign with aging backup Colt McCoy or rookie Clayton Tune under center. The team already parted ways with other another impact veteran, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, this offseason and could make Ertz the next to go.
Though the Cardinals may not be able to recoup the type of draft capital they gave up for Ertz—he cost the team a fifth-rounder and cornerback Tay Gowan—even a conditional, late-Day 3 selection would be worth it to get another pick to rebuild with. Failing that, cutting Ertz would save around $600,000 while also clearing a roster spot for a younger prospect who has a better chance to still be here when the Cardinals re-emerge as a competitive squad down the line.
Christian Kirksey, LB, Houston Texans
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Christian Kirksey is one of the elder statesmen on a rebuilding Houston Texans team loaded with youthful prospects. The 30-year-old linebacker has been with the organization since signing as a free agent in 2021, but his play hasn't justified his pay over the last two seasons.
Kirksey has been a liability against the run and is weak in coverage. He hasn't exactly made up for those glaring weaknesses with his pass-rushing prowess either. He didn't record a single sack during his initial campaign in Houston and only managed to notch three across 17 contests in 2022.
While Kirksey did record a career-high 124 tackles last year and secured a pair of interceptions, the veteran's best days appear to be behind him. PFF gave the Iowa product a concerning 56.1 grade for his efforts last year, a marginal improvement over the 50.3 he scored the previous season. Those aren't marks worthy of taking up a roster spot that could go to a player with more upside, let alone the sheer amount of the playing time Kirksey has been logged over the last two years.
Kirksey's experience and limited skill set would fit better with a roster that has more proven talent. He's too much of a liability with this iteration of the Texans, however, and releasing him is an option the franchise should explore. Houston could save more than $5 million by doing so, making it the best option if a suitor doesn't emerge for a player about to enter his 10th NFL season.
Logan Thomas, TE, Washington Commanders
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Logan Thomas' longstanding tenure with the Washington Commanders has been marred by health issues and poor production. Although he's shown some elite potential on plenty of occasions, he's never been able to harness that talent with any consistency. A fresh start for both sides may make the most sense here.
While the team inked Thomas to a three-year extension in the summer of 2021, he went on to miss 11 games that year. He returned in 2022 to record a meager 323 yards and one touchdown on 39 receptions while sitting out another three contests. Thomas' best NFL campaign came while playing on an expiring deal in 2020, a season in which he tallied 72 catches for 670 yards and six touchdowns. The Virginia Tech product has just two seasons with at least 200 yards in his career.
The Commanders have options if they do decide to move on from Thomas. The club utilized a 2022 fifth-rounder on Cole Turner and a 2021 fourth-rounder on John Bates, players who could both push for more snaps this coming season. Bates in particular has been showing out during training camp, with beat writer Zach Selby noting that the 25-year-old shined in 11-on-11 drills last week. The performance prompted praise from head coach Ron Rivera, who said he's "very pleased" with the young tight end.
Given Bates' noticeable improvements and Turner's potential, the Commanders should be shopping Thomas around right now. The team would benefit more from clearing the path for these younger prospects to shine while also clearing almost $7 million off the books by dealing or releasing Thomas.
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