Former NFL GM: Teams Use 'Media Sources to Flush Out Trade Targets' Ahead of Deadline

The 2023 NFL trade deadline is right around the corner, and several players could be on the move as teams aim to make upgrades in pursuit of a Super Bowl title.

As teams scout which players might be available ahead of the deadline—which is on Oct. 31 this year—those franchises exhaust all of their options, including using the media to their advantage.

Teams across the league "use their pro scouting departments and even some media sources to flush out trade targets and options," former NFL general manager Randy Mueller wrote in a piece for The Athletic on Wednesday.

"Gathering intel takes time, and it's something that teams are doing as I write this. Pro personnel scouts spend entire days watching film, organizing thoughts and ranking players," Mueller added. "They do the lion's share of the homework on these exercises. As a GM, you trust and value their opinions just like you do the college scouts when preparing for the NFL Draft."

This season, for example, Denver Broncos wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have been linked in numerous trade rumors.

New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook has also been mentioned as a potential trade candidate, with ESPN's Rich Cimini reporting earlier this week that teams are "curious" to see what Gang Green will do with the veteran ahead of the deadline as he hasn't been as effective as they anticipated.

As the trade deadline inches closer, there should be more movement on the trade front, and all eyes will be on the general managers.