Buying or Selling NFL's Latest Buzz, Rumors amid 2024 Preseason
As NFL teams prepare for Week 2 of the preseason, the rumor mill has churned out captivating headlines.
Teams have inquired about disgruntled marquee players. Other star veterans have made it clear that they're willing to disassociate themselves or request a trade from their current clubs in contract disputes.
Aside from the holdouts, coaching staffs are also sorting out rosters in preparation for the regular season.
Let's dive into the latest buzz out of training camp with a buy-or-sell verdict on the latest rumblings across the league. To be clear, we're not questioning the veracity of the reports included—we're making the call on whether the reported buzz will happen or not.
Who could be on the move? Is there a new quarterback battle brewing? Will we see a first-round pick bounce back from an underwhelming rookie year?
Chargers Have Major Plans for WR Quentin Johnston
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In last year's draft, teams made a run at wide receiver on the back end of the first round. After the 19th pick, four teams selected a wideout in succession. The Los Angeles Chargers took Quentin Johnston, who went second among the group.
Johnston had an underwhelming rookie campaign, registering 38 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns. Though the loss of quarterback Justin Herbert adversely impacted the Chargers offense late in the season, he struggled with drops throughout the campaign.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Chargers believe Johnston can be a big-time playmaker.
"Quentin Johnston has had a few untimely drops in practices, but there's no reason to overreact to that. The Chargers still have major plans for him. He's best in an after-the-catch role, and Roman's offense will try to manufacture some of that for him. The Chargers' front office was very high on Johnston when the receiver was coming out of TCU, and he's playing hard and doing the right things from all I've gathered."
Fowler noted that Johnston still had issues with drops at training camp, which should raise some concerns.
Under Roman, whose offenses have ranked 28th or lower in pass attempts for nine out of 10 seasons, Chargers receivers may not see a ton of volume in the aerial attack.
Johnston will likely have to make the most of limited opportunities in the passing game. When you add in his tendency to drop passes, it's hard for anyone to believe that the Chargers have big plans for him this year.
Verdict: Sell
Cowboys Extinguish the Buzz Around CeeDee Lamb Trade Chatter
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have put his foot in his mouth when asked about CeeDee Lamb's contract situation.
"I don't have any urgency to get it done," Jones said to reporters.
Lamb scrubbed his X handle of Cowboys affiliation after those comments.
Jones clarified his statement during the Countdown to Kickoff show from SoFi Stadium before the Cowboys' preseason game with the Los Angeles Rams (h/t Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio).
"I think I got in trouble with the other day when I said, 'Look, we're not urgent about CeeDee,'" Jones said. "Well, no one appreciates CD being on the field any more than I do, but let me say this, he wouldn't be taking a snap out here today if he'd been here."
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones had an emphatic statement about Lamb while on The Doomsday Podcast with Matt Mosley and Ed Werder.
"CeeDee's not going to be playing anywhere but Dallas, but we want this to be a great situation for him when we're all said and done but also a good situation so that we can put a great football team on the field," Jones said.
The Cowboys have three to four weeks to work out a deal with Lamb, which gives them plenty of time to lock him into a long-term deal before their season opener with the Cleveland Browns.
With quarterback Dak Prescott entering a contract year, Dallas isn't going to sabotage him by trading his go-to receiver.
As we noted last week, other NFL teams should make calls to inquire about Lamb, but those clubs probably won't get anywhere in trade talks.
Dallas will likely make Lamb the league's highest-paid non-quarterback after his All-Pro-Pro Bowl 2023 campaign.
Verdict: Buy
Dak Prescott Is Asking for North of $55 Million Annually
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The Dallas Cowboys will have to carefully balance their checkbook with a few star players eligible and worthy of massive extensions.
While wideout CeeDee Lamb's holdout requires a more urgent response, the team's approach to negotiations with quarterback Dak Prescott will impact its short- and long-term future, the NFC landscape and perhaps the AFC playoff picture if he signs elsewhere.
On an expiring deal, Prescott has been upfront about the possibility that he may not play his entire career with the Cowboys. To complicate matters, he may want a record-setting contract.
According to The Athletic's Jeff Howe, Prescott wants a deal worth more than $55 million per year, which would top Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love on the quarterback average annual value (AAV) pay scale.
"For Prescott, he's seen quarterbacks with lesser statistical resumes soar past his contractual value, and the new standard is now $55 million annually. Because Prescott's timing is so advantageous, he's been asking for north of that number, which is his well-earned negotiating right."
As the Cowboys' primary starting quarterback, Prescott has helped lead the franchise to four NFC East titles and earned four Pro Bowl nods. With him as the centerpiece of the offense, Dallas has finished with a top-three passing attack in two of the last three campaigns and went 12-5 in each of those terms.
Based on the quarterback market trend, Prescott has done more than enough to command a record-setting deal. He could push for close to $60 million annually. The Cowboys will have to determine whether they want to pay that expensive bill or start over at the position.
Verdict: Buying that Prescott will get north of $55 million
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Haason Reddick's Holdout Could Linger into Regular Season
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The New York Jets made an offseason splash in a trade for Haason Reddick. They sent a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the two-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher.
Four months later, Reddick has yet to participate in the Jets' offseason program as he holds out for a new contract. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, he requested a trade on Monday.
Reddick has registered at least 33 pressures and 11 sacks in four consecutive campaigns. With that level of pass-rushing consistency, he could command $25-plus million annually on a new deal, which aligns with the top five highest-paid edge-rushers.
Before Reddick's reported trade request, The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt believed that this contract standoff could extend into the regular season.
"It feels like this could go into the regular season," Rosenblatt said on The Can't Wait Podcast. "I mean it just takes Haason showing up but nobody knows when he's going to do it."
The Jets have $19.8 million in cap space, and they'll have a projected $57.9 million next year. The front office can meet Reddick's demands, though the team may be willing to see if he'll allow the fines to pile up and miss game checks.
On Monday, the Jets released a statement, saying they're not going to trade Reddick.
In a logical scenario, Gang Green will likely put together a Band-Aid deal to get Reddick back in the fold for the regular season. The Jets can give him guaranteed money for the year left on his deal and return to the negotiating table next offseason.
Of course, Reddick would have to agree to that short-term fix, though it could be a reasonable compromise for both sides.
Verdict: Sell
Patriots Won't Be Able to Get Valuable Pick for Edge-Rusher Matthew Judon
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Haason Reddick isn't the only star edge-rusher in the trade rumor mill.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, multiple teams have inquired about Matthew Judon, who is entering the final year of his contract.
At the beginning of training camp, Judon had a spirited conversation with head coach Jerod Mayo and left practice. Since then, he's reported to practices and eventually participated in team workouts.
However, Judon's contract impasse with the Patriots remains unsolved, and as a rebuilding team, they may consider the best offer for him.
NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry has a similar perspective, but he doesn't believe the Patriots can get a premium pick for Judon.
"If they can't get anything done, they should look to deal him because the flip side to competing now is, 'Well, we're not winning anything this year whether he's here or not, and so let's see if we can get ourselves a valuable pick.' But I don't think they're getting a valuable pick for Matthew Judon."
Judon will turn 32 years old on Thursday. He's an aging veteran who missed 13 games last season.
Judon isn't going to draw early-round picks in a trade. Remember, the Jets acquired Reddick, who's two years younger than Judon and coming off an 11-sack season, for a 2026 conditional third-rounder.
Perry is probably right about the return for Judon, though the Patriots should still make a deal with an eye toward the future in the post-Bill Belichick era.
Verdict: Buy
San Francisco 49ers Will Retain WR Brandon Aiyuk
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After a week of swirling trade rumors around Brandon Aiyuk, he could remain with the San Francisco 49ers. At least, that's the team's preferred outcome in this neverending saga.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 49ers' "focus and emphasis" will be to keep Aiyuk in place.
Early in the offseason, Aiyuk made it clear that he wanted a new contract. If the two sides can reach a resolution, the team will probably have to agree to a lucrative multiyear extension.
According to The MMQB's Albert Breer, the Pittsburgh Steelers were willing to pay Aiyuk $28 million per year if they pulled off a trade with the 49ers.
Yet Breer believes the 49ers will get a deal done with their lead wideout.
"If San Francisco pulls it off, don't be surprised. Shanahan, GM John Lynch and cap-side mastermind Paraag Marathe went down this road with Samuel and Nick Bosa the past two years. That's why my guess would be that they find a way out of a deal with another star player. Again."
The 49ers have $52 million in cap space, but they will be $38.9 million over the threshold next year. While it may take some cap-space gymnastics to reach a long-term deal with Aiyuk, San Francisco has shown it can maneuver the cap to retain its star players.
Verdict: Buy
Steelers QB Battle Is Very Much a Competition
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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has been consistent with his comments about the quarterback room. He's slightly cracked the door open for Justin Fields to push for the starting job.
Back in March, Tomlin told reporters that Russell Wilson "has pole position" for the starting job and that Fields "will be given an opportunity to show his capabilities."
Tomlin's tone has remained unchanged up to this point, and he added context to what goes into the Steelers' quarterback battle.
"It's very much a competition," Tomlin said in a recent press conference. "What happens in stadium is weighted heavier than what happens in a practice setting, because it's more game-like."
Fields has practiced and played with the starters as Wilson nurses a calf injury. In the Steelers' first preseason game, Fields went five of six passing for 67 yards. Wilson didn't play in the contest.
If the Steelers have a true quarterback battle, Fields should have a leg up in the competition, though that doesn't seem like the case. Pittsburgh has Wilson listed as its starting quarterback.
In a chat with Steelers fans, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac said, "There is no competition. Justin Fields will be the backup."
Though ESPN's Dan Graziano believes that the Steelers are "open-minded" about Fields winning the job, Wilson seems like he's still in a comfortable pole position.
One can quibble about what Tomlin means about Pittsburgh's quarterback battle being "very much a competition." Unless Wilson isn't able to play because of injury, he's the safe bet to start against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.
Verdict: Sell
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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