Veteran Trades That Could Shake Up 2016 NFL Draft
The 2016 NFL draft is just one week from Thursday, which means speculation of what will happen is at an all-time high. The event is inherently unpredictable, as the smokescreens fade when the 10-minute clock expires. Months of rumors and analysis build into a dramatic and important decision for each franchise.
The most difficult scenarios to project in the draft are the trades that seemingly come out of nowhere. Trading a quality veteran player for a draft pick is a gamble for both teams involved but can aid a rebuilding effort or Super Bowl contender. We’ve found six veterans who should be traded before or during the NFL draft as their respective teams look to improve their unique situations.
We’ll break down why each potential trade makes sense for both teams, as well as the cap ramifications and proper value. Would you make these trades? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
New York Jets Trade Muhammad Wilkerson to Indianapolis Colts
1 of 6
The trade: New York Jets receive No. 18 overall and 2017 conditional third-round pick; Indianapolis Colts receive defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson
What do you get when one team has a surplus of talent at one position, a tight cap situation and a star angling for a $100 million contract? It usually doesn’t take long for that logjam to be separated and for the star to be paid. The New York Jets find themselves in this very pickle with defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson.
Wilkerson is a dynamic interior pass-rusher fit for a 3-4 defensive front. He logged 12 sacks in 2015, giving him 36 total in five seasons. He’s now in line to score a massive contract the Jets cannot afford to pay.
The Jets have just $2.8 million in cap space, which isn’t enough to re-sign quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick or sign their draft picks. Something has to give. Trading Wilkerson would open another $15.7 million with zero dead money.
According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, the Jets would like to use Wilkerson to move into the top 10 and land a quarterback for the future. But considering the cost for a prospective trade partner in terms of a new deal and draft capital, it’s unlikely the Jets will find a real offer. Their best option is to sell Wilkerson to the highest bidder this year and try to combine their picks to move up.
The best fit for Wilkerson is the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are fighting to win right now and desperately need to add impact talent. Wilkerson fits into their space, as they have $17 million in free cap. They can open millions more by trimming expensive veteran salaries with the June 1 designation.
General manager Ryan Grigson has proved to be aggressive in trades, and this is a home run deal. Giving up the 18th overall pick in a weak class for a Pro Bowl talent is a fair price. If he can sign Wilkerson to an extension, the conditional third-round pick will come to fruition for the Jets as well.
Cleveland Browns Trade Joe Thomas to Seattle Seahawks
2 of 6
The trade: Cleveland Browns receive No. 27 and No. 90 overall and 2017 third-round pick; Seattle Seahawks receive left tackle Joe Thomas
As the Cleveland Browns embark on another new regime, the mountain for head coach Hue Jackson and his front office staff is steep. Things looked promising for the franchise earlier in the offseason, but then the team lost all of its homegrown talent to free agency. Despite the team having almost $40 million in cap space, tackle Mitchell Schwartz, wide receiver Travis Benjamin and safety Tashaun Gipson walked away with little resistance.
Losing quality starters in their mid-20s is a horrible start for Jackson’s tenure. While much has been made of the Browns’ analytical approach, the realization that this team just took steps backward is what could lead to a major trade. The Browns should trade All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas to the Seattle Seahawks.
The 31-year-old has been the best player the team has had since rebooting in 1999 and is a future Hall of Famer. But he’s also in the second half of his career and doesn’t fit the Browns’ timeline to win. With uncertainty at most positions on both sides of the ball, the Browns may not field a winner until 2018.
As great as Thomas is, he’s not a major difference-maker for this team. Recouping draft assets for him could help this roster become more well-rounded and add impact talent.
For the Seahawks, who have traded each of their previous three first-round picks, adding Thomas is a no-brainer. He’s owed just $9.5 million in 2016 and $10 million the following two seasons. He’s an affordable and elite talent.
There’s not a player on the board at No. 27, No. 90 or next year’s third-round pick who could help like Thomas will over the life of those rookie contracts. Even after Marshawn Lynch’s retirement, the Seahawks will need to clear up some extra cap space to comfortably sign their rookies and absorb Thomas’ deal, but an extension for tight end Jimmy Graham or restructure for Doug Baldwin would open some room.
Kansas City Chiefs Trade Jamaal Charles to Dallas Cowboys
3 of 6
The trade: Kansas City Chiefs receive No. 101 and No. 189 overall; Dallas Cowboys receive running back Jamaal Charles
The Dallas Cowboys are in win-now mode like few other teams across the NFL. They are armed with the fourth overall pick this year, and the time is now to add as much elite talent as possible. Quarterback Tony Romo gives this franchise a window to win that cannot be wasted.
Four of Dallas’ nine draft picks are compensatory selections that cannot be traded. Since the Cowboys need immediate contributors, using their fourth- and sixth-round picks to acquire a game-breaking running back could put them over the top in the NFC East. Luckily for them, Kansas City Chiefs star Jamaal Charles could be available for that price.
Charles is coming off a torn ACL injury and is 29 years old, so there’s risk involved with trading for him. But this is a buy-low on a tremendous player who could alter the conference’s landscape if he’s at even 90 percent of his maximum ability in 2016. Charles has never averaged fewer than five yards per carry throughout his eight-year career.
The Cowboys could take Charles’ $5.3 million salary in the deal and would need to adjust only one or two veteran contracts. They currently have $7.6 million available, but several veterans could be restructured to free up to $10 million more if need be.
For the Chiefs, this is their chance to unload some salary and ensure they receive value for Charles. There’s no guarantee he’ll return to form. Head coach Andy Reid has done well with unheralded backs throughout his career and recently re-signed Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware to multiyear deals.
Kansas City currently has just $6 million of cap space, and moving Charles would free $5.3 million to use next year. Ending the Charles era wouldn’t be easy, but it’s a forward-thinking move that could help bolster this roster.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Denver Broncos Trade Aqib Talib to Miami Dolphins
4 of 6
The trade: Denver Broncos receive No. 147 and No. 231 overall; Miami Dolphins receive cornerback Aqib Talib
One trade that could set the stage for another deal to happen (we’ll get to that, I promise) revolves around cornerback Aqib Talib. The Denver Broncos cornerback is set to earn almost $10 million this season, per Over the Cap. While the Broncos wouldn’t save any money by releasing him, they’d free $6.9 million by trading him.
Opening another chunk of cap space is critical for the Broncos to upgrade their quarterback situation. The defending Super Bowl champions have the worst quarterback depth chart in the league, and even a competent signal-caller could make them a legitimate threat to repeat. Moving Talib would give them $14.8 million to re-sign their rookies and acquire a quarterback.
The 30-year-old Talib is still a quality starting cornerback, and his contract becomes much friendlier after this season. His dead money totals just $3 million between 2017 and 2018, with zero cap charge in the final year of his deal, per Over the Cap. Denver has the depth to replace Talib with Bradley Roby, who is already becoming a star cornerback in his third season.
The Miami Dolphins are a natural fit for Talib in terms of scheme, need and desire for star power. Executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum has always chased after big names to stack his rosters, going back to his days with the New York Jets. That’s continued with Miami in the last two offseasons.
That being said, giving up a fifth- and seventh-round pick for this salary dump would help the Dolphins. Miami has $16 million in cap space open, and two late-round picks are mere fliers unlikely to make a difference. Talib helps this franchise fill its biggest weakness and go for the best player available with its first-round pick.
San Francisco 49ers Trade Colin Kaepernick to Denver Broncos
5 of 6
The trade: San Francisco 49ers receive No. 94 overall in 2016 and 2017 conditional fifth-round pick; Denver Broncos receive quarterback Colin Kaepernick and No. 145 overall
The stalemate between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos regarding quarterback Colin Kaepernick could come to an end during the draft. The 49ers have little to gain by keeping Kaepernick on their roster moving forward, and the Broncos desperately need a more talented option than Mark Sanchez. Thanks to their aforementioned trade of Aqib Talib, they have more room to accommodate this deal.
Kaepernick is a solid game manager who can execute a run-heavy offense that features receivers who can create after the catch. Considering the Broncos have head coach Gary Kubiak and receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, there’s no better landing spot for him. All he has to do is sustain drives and mix in big plays to give the Broncos defense some rest.
The 49ers have the most cap space in the NFL and could open an additional $8.4 million by trading Kaepernick. They may need to pay for some of Kaepernick’s salary to make this deal work financially for the Broncos, but that should be the least of their concerns. Maximizing their draft assets is priority No. 1.
A third-round pick this year and fifth-round pick in 2017 that will come if Kaepernick is on the Broncos roster next season would give them more ammunition to make moves. They have a league-high 12 picks this year, which means they’ll be active.
Dallas Cowboys Trade Ronald Leary to Baltimore Ravens
6 of 6
The trade: Dallas Cowboys receive No. 182 overall and 2017 conditional sixth-round pick; Baltimore Ravens receive left guard Ronald Leary
One deal that would allow the Dallas Cowboys to open some cap space for running back Jamaal Charles is moving backup left guard Ronald Leary. Midway through 2015, rookie La’el Collins overtook Leary’s position, leaving the run-blocking specialist as a top backup. But the Cowboys don’t need to spend $2.55 million on a backup left guard.
Leary is a good starter in a zone-blocking system, but he needs protection on pass plays. The Baltimore Ravens are the perfect situation for him in terms of opportunity and scheme fit. He’d immediately challenge and likely beat John Urschel in a competition.
Baltimore may revamp its offensive line this draft if Laremy Tunsil is available with its No. 6 overall selection. Tunsil and Leary would inject athleticism and reliability into a unit that has underachieved because of injuries. Losing Kelechi Osemele this offseason stung even more.
The Ravens currently have $12 million in cap space to work with. Acquiring Leary would cost them a late-round pick and another late-round pick in 2017 should they re-sign him. Their ideal offseason would land them Leary and Tunsil, which would in turn allow general manager Ozzie Newsome to terminate Eugene Monroe’s contract. With a June 1 designation, that release would open an additional $6.5 million, per Over the Cap.
All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.
Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
