NFL Trade Rumors: Breaking Down Buzz over Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin and More

With the NFL deadline fast approaching at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon, more than a few big names are being spread around as potential trade bait. While the NFL's version of the trade deadline is never as hectic, chaotic, and exciting as those in the NBA, NHL and MLB, a few huge deals could potentially shake things up this season. 

The team that appears to be at the epicenter of the trade buzz is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and for good reason. The Bucs are currently 1-6 and have more than a few players teams would have interest in acquiring. 

Adam Schefter of ESPN addressed two of those players over the weekend:

And then Ed Werder of ESPN followed up with this tweet:

The Vincent Jackson buzz is hardly surprising. He's 31 years old and has a cap hit of just over $12 million in both 2015 and 2016, according to Spotrac, so for a Bucs team that seems likely to rebuild this offseason (again), getting free of that contract should be a priority. 

On the other hand, how many teams are going to give up a valuable draft pick for a 31-year-old with a huge cap hit? The Bucs likely want a second-rounder—Jackson is no slouch, after all—but most teams probably wouldn't be willing to give them more than a fourth. 

Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

The Doug Martin rumor is an interesting one. After a brilliant rookie season, Martin has struggled both on the field and battling past injuries, as he's averaging an atrocious 2.9 yards per carry this season and has faced a slew of injuries over the past two seasons.  

The problem with trying to deal Martin seems to be that every other NFL team can see his struggles, too. In a league that has trended toward running back committees, would any team be willing to give up much, if anything, for Martin? 

It doesn't seem likely.

And then there's Mark Barron. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2012 draft generally hasn't lived up to his billing, with just three interceptions in his career, but for teams in need of safety help, inquiring about Barron would make some sense. 

The Philadelphia Eagles might be such a team, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk:

"

The 5-1 Eagles aren’t fully content with the roster that got them there. With the trade deadline two days away, the Eagles are looking to add a starting-caliber safety, according to a league source. 

The Eagles are happy with free safety Malcolm Jenkins, but they’d like to upgrade at the strong safety position, where Nate Allen...is currently the starter.

"

After watching John Brown burn them for a long fourth-quarter touchdown on Sunday that ultimately was the decisive play in their loss to the Arizona Cardinals, you could hardly blame the Eagles for addressing the position. 

On the other hand, Chip Kelly publicly squashed the notion that Philly would make a deal, per Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer:

More often than not, you can take such public declarations with a grain of salt. Coaches and general managers aren't about to tip their hand one way or another. But the Eagles also have shown in two offseasons under Kelly to be more interested in building through the draft and finding smart deals or bargain signings than making big, splashy moves.

In that regard, it might be prudent to take Kelly at his word. After all, the Eagles are 5-2 and reached the playoffs last season just a year-and-a-half into Kelly's regime. The Birds are a very good team, but the plan likely never was to win a Super Bowl in Year Two. 

The Eagles have the luxury of some patience as they look to build a true Super Bowl contender. It's hard to see them making a splashy move Tuesday afternoon.

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