NFL Rumors: Rounding Up Top Trade and Free-Agency Buzz Before Market Opens

When folks parade out cliche chatter about there being no NFL offseason, this is exactly what they mean. 

The "legal tampering" period opened what seems like just a few hours ago, yet there are already Photoshopped and Madden versions of major faces in new places floating around after alleged deals that will go live once the market opens Tuesday.

It's just the beginning, too, as the crafty person known as "sources" can't unearth every nugget of information concealed in the dark corner of negotiation rooms around the country.

Right?

In an effort to match the frantic pace of the staggering information reveals, let's take a look at some of the biggest nuggets making the rounds.

Jeremy Maclin to Kansas City?

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Shocker alert—the Kansas City Chiefs want to spend big on wideouts a year removed from watching helplessly as no receiver caught a touchdown.

Even more shocking—coach Andy Reid, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, is in on his former wideout Jeremy Maclin. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, the two sides have a deal in place that will go final when the market opens:

It's poetic in a way. Maclin is a legitimate No. 1 wideout coming off the best year of his career.

Folks will point out that it came under guru Chip Kelly, but the signs of an explosive player have always been there. The numbers are smaller than they could be, thanks to usage:

SEASON	REC	TGTS	YDS	TD
2009	56	91	773	4
2010	70	116	964	10
2011	63	97	859	5
2012	69	122	857	7
2014	85	143	1,318	10

If the deal goes through, now Maclin will be the top target on a potent offense for the second year in a row. In Kansas City, though, he will play with a quarterback in Alex Smith who makes smart decisions and will be free to run wild while defenses focus on Jamaal Charles in the backfield.

Call the Chiefs the biggest winners of free agency, a relative thing based on need. ESPN Stats & Info puts it into stark perspective:

Maclin and his reported $11 million per season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, is likely too rich for all others, including the Eagles.

Not for the Chiefs, though. Not with a need that desperate.

Colin Kaepernick...on the Move?

Michael Zito/Associated Press

Oh boy.

The San Francisco 49ers are in a state of upheaval after a .500 campaign and Jim Harbaugh's departure.

Dwarfing all other white noise by a gap that would make the distance from Earth to the moon blush is a report by Jayson Braddock of SportsTalk 790 that suggests the team has placed franchise quarterback Colin Kaepernick on the trade block:

It's a league-altering report if true.

Kaepernick struggled last year, sure, but who didn't on that team? He still completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 3,369 yards and 19 touchdowns to 10 interceptions with another 639 rushing yards and a score on the ground.

Never mind the financial implications for any team involved. Kaepernick is in the early goings of a six-year deal worth $114 million that pits him as a cap hit of at least $15 million in each season through 2020, per Spotrac.

For their part, the 49ers have been quick to swat at the rumors. General manager Trent Baalke put out a statement denying the rumblings, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com: "Colin is our quarterback and we are excited to have him. He is not going anywhere. The media reports suggesting otherwise are without merit and, quite frankly, ridiculous."

Ridiculous or not, sometimes there is fire where there is smoke. It's hard to imagine the 49ers are shopping Kaepernick in such a horrible league-wide quarterback environment, but if it does happen, now it won't be as big of a surprise.

Justin Houston and Tag Trauma

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

Despite a one-year tender worth about $13 million, Kansas City linebacker Justin Houston is not happy.

Perhaps the Chiefs aren't big winners after all.

Houston spent the first four years of his career with the Chiefs after the team selected him in the third round of the 2011 NFL draft. All he has done since is rack up 48.5 sacks and rank as the No. 1 3-4 outside linebacker in the league at Pro Football Focus last season.

It makes sense, then, that Reid and Co. want to keep Houston under contract as long as possible. As Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio points out, though, Houston may have other plans:

"

Second, he’s motivated to move on. Per multiple sources, Houston is very upset with the Chiefs. It’s believed that he’ll actively solicit an offer sheet in the hopes the Chiefs won’t match it.

"

It's semi-ridiculous, but Houston may have some leverage here.

Perhaps the best in the league at what he does, this may turn out to be one of those rare cases where another team does offer a franchised player an offer sheet once the market opens—meaning they give him a massive contract and surrender two first-round picks.

Is Houston worth that much? It's all in the eye of the beholder. As Florio notes, Houston may not have an issue sitting out in protest until Week 10, which hurts the Chiefs in a big way, for obvious reasons.

Reid and the front office need to find an extinguisher for this fire. Fast.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of March 9. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.