Five NFL Teams That Should Already Be Looking Ahead to 2023 Trade Deadline
We're still only two weeks into the 2023 NFL season. It might seem like it's too early to give up on any team quite yet.
But fewer than 10 percent of teams that have lost their opening two games have gone on to make the playoffs since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, according to Evan Bleier of Inside Hook.
Outside of some extreme exceptions, an 0-3 start has traditionally been a death knell for a team's playoff aspirations.
With that being the case, let's look at a handful of teams that should start thinking of selling ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline—especially if they lose this weekend.
Denver Broncos
1 of 5
The Denver Broncos aren't quite toast after two close losses to start the season. But they're now a clear-cut underdog against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, which means they're staring down an 0-3 record.
If they lose Sunday, that might already put an end to their playoff hopes. The AFC is too deep, and the AFC West is too strong in general.
Does that mean they should trade Russell Wilson? Probably not. He and new head coach Sean Payton need some time, likely even beyond the 2023 campaign. And unless a Wilson trade were to involve major contractual changes, it would leave the Broncos in an untenable dead-cap scenario.
But trades for both Wilson and Payton resulted in significant blows to draft capital. This might be the time for Denver to sell off some expensive parts to refresh the roster in the 2024 offseason.
The top candidate in that regard might be wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. The 2020 first-round pick still hasn't taken off, and he's already at risk of being overshadowed by rookie Marvin Mims Jr. at that position.
The Broncos might prefer to focus on Mims and Courtland Sutton and pawn off Jeudy to a team that feels it can get more out of him of a $13 million contract year in 2024.
New England Patriots
2 of 5
Like the Broncos, the New England Patriots could easily be 2-0 instead of 0-2 right now. Both of their losses came down to the wire against strong opponents.
However, they're likely facing a 1-3 start at best with road matchups with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys on deck.
If they lose to Gang Green on Sunday afternoon, the Patriots can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye. Regardless, they're a deeply flawed team with a lack of talent across the board in comparison to the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins within the AFC East.
The Pats can't solve their potential quarterback issue overnight, so it couldn't hurt to continue seeing what they have in third-year signal-caller Mac Jones. But if Bill Belichick is sticking around past this season, the Patriots should see who might be willing to pay a premium for some of their older players.
Left tackle Trent Brown is currently in a contract year, while 31-year-old edge-rusher Matt Judon and 31-year-old center David Andrews will be free agents after the 2024 season.
New York Jets
3 of 5
The New York Jets are 1-1, but Aaron Rodgers' Achilles injury effectively ended their season. Zach Wilson was horrific against the Dallas Cowboys last week, and there's little reason to expect that to change.
After facing the New England Patriots this weekend, the Jets have to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles ahead of their Week 7 bye. At best, they'll likely enter the bye at 3-3.
Their focus should shift—especially if they lose to the Pats on Sunday—to ensuring the 2024 roster is as stacked as possible to a 40-year-old quarterback who will be returning from a major injury.
It could be a good time to load up on offensive talent and/or draft capital by offloading 31-year-old linebacker C.J. Mosley ahead of a contract year in 2024. Veteran edge Carl Lawson also hasn't quite taken off in New York and might be worth dealing before he hits free agency this upcoming offseason.
.jpg?w=256 "Bills Broncos Football")
.jpg?w=256 "Titans Camp Football")
Minnesota Vikings
4 of 5
The Minnesota Vikings somehow won 13 games despite allowing more points than they scored last season. But that was unsustainable, especially considering some of the personnel losses they suffered in the 2023 offseason.
We're seeing that play out now. The law of averages has not been kind to the Vikings, who have already lost six fumbles in two games.
That's bad luck, but the football gods were bound to turn on a team that won an NFL-record 11 one-score games last season. Sure enough, they've lost two one-score games right out of the gate.
There's a good chance that they fall to 0-3 with the desperate and talented Los Angeles Chargers coming to town on Sunday.
The Vikes must realize by Monday—if not already—that they aren't going anywhere this year. They should stop wasting their time on this version of the team and move on from 35-year-old contract-year quarterback Kirk Cousins, who isn't good enough to carry this flawed roster but could come in handy elsewhere, especially if more quarterbacks get hurt for contending teams in the weeks to come.
Chicago Bears
5 of 5
The Chicago Bears aren't likely give up on third-year quarterback Justin Fields anytime soon. But this team doesn't have the talent or ability to go bounce back from its 0-2 start and challenge for the playoffs.
With a visit to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on deck, the Bears will likely be 0-3 on Monday. They should thus start thinking now about how to take advantage of contenders ahead of the trade deadline to maximize their chances of Fields finally putting it all together in 2024.
That could mean saying goodbye to veteran offensive lineman Cody Whitehair, who may have peaked a few seasons ago and looks to be declining at age 31. (His contract also expires after next season.) And although safety Eddie Jackson probably has more left in him than Whitehair, he should command a nice return in his age-30 season.
Will those guys be around (or at their best) for Chicago's playoff window in the years to come? Probably not, so the Bears might as well get something for them now.
.jpg?w=480 "Bills Broncos Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Titans Camp Football")
.jpg?w=480 "49ers Eagles Football")
