NFL Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Heading into 2017 Free Agency

The 2017 NFL free-agency period opened up on Tuesday, as teams were officially allowed to begin negotiating with this year's free-agent class. Teams and players will be allowed to officially sign their new contracts when the 2017 league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. 

While much of the flurry of moves over the next few days will center around free agents, a few high-profile players will also be involved in trade discussions. 

There's a relatively short list of potential trade targets this year, but there are multiple quarterbacks on the block, which is a rarity and could lead to some blockbuster deals. 

Here's an rundown of the latest rumors surrounding some of the top players who could be sent packing over the course of the next few weeks. 

Trumaine Johnson, Los Angeles Rams

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Earlier this offseason the Los Angeles Rams placed the franchise tag on cornerback Trumaine Johnson, but that may not be the final chapter in his offseason. 

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network broke the news on Tuesday that Johnson could still be on the move:

The Rams are lacking depth in their secondary, which makes this a somewhat surprising development. However, the Rams are also lacking draft picks due to the trade up in the 2016 draft to land Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick. The Rams currently have just one selection within the top 100 picks (No. 37). 

By trading Johnson, the Rams may take a step backwards in the short term but speed up the rebuilding process by acquiring more picks. 

According to Rapoport (via NFL.com's Marc Sessler), the Cleveland Browns are expected to be among the teams interested in Johnson. New Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams coached Johnson with the Rams for the past three seasons. 

Trade negotiations for Johnson could potentially be difficult, however, due to his contract situation. Having already signed his franchise tender, Johnson is set to earn $16.7 million in 2017, according to FoxSports.com's Peter Schrager. 

While Johnson would be an upgrade in the Browns secondary, they and any other potential suitor will certainly be hesitant to part with a substantial package unless they can be certain of their ability to re-sign Johnson to a long-term deal. 

Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

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Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is another player locked up by the franchise tag who could be on the move in the coming weeks. 

According to NFL Media on Twitter, NFL.com's Mike Silver shared these thoughts on where Cousins would ultimately land:

It will likely take a substantial trade package to pry Cousins away from Washington, but the San Francisco 49ers could be motivated enough to make it happen. 

With Colin Kaepernick opting out of his contract, the 49ers are left without a single quarterback on their roster under contract for the 2017 season. 

Since Cousins is set to become a free agent after the upcoming season, the 49ers would likely want to negotiate a contract extension with Cousins prior to agreeing on a deal. According to ESPN.com's John Keim, Cousins is seeking a deal worth approximately $24 million per year, which is in line with what he will make in 2017 under the franchise tag. 

Jimmy Garoppolo, New England Patriots

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New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the most coveted players on the market, but the asking price may be too high for anyone to pry him away from Bill Belichick. 

Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer reported on Tuesday that the asking price could be as high as two first-round picks. 

Cabot reported the Cleveland Browns are among the teams interested in Garoppolo, but they would not be willing to part with both a 2017 and 2018 first-round selection.

If that is indeed the price the Patriots are demanding, it's unlikely that Garoppolo will be wearing a new uniform in 2017. 

Not only does Garoppolo not have the body of work to justify parting with two top picks—he has just two career starts on his resume—but he is also set to become a free agent after the 2017 season. It's difficult to imagine a team trading two first-round picks for a player who could potentially leave again after just one season.