NFL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Matt Forte Trade, T.J. Ward and More

The impending cut-down frenzy in the NFL means a revival of the trade market.  

Though brief, this return to form for the trade block can provide some interesting scenarios. We've already seen a few examples, such as Tuesday when the Cincinnati Bengals shipped linebacker Marquis Flowers to the New England Patriots, according to Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. 

At the least, it will be interesting to see what Bill Belichick does with a guy like Flowers after trading for him at a time when every team trims rosters. The bigger story, though, is the Bengals receiving compensation for a player they weren't going to keep at all.  

The latter point there is the focus of a few big names on the market right now, so let's take a look at the top items making the rounds.  

Cameron Erving

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The culture change in Cleveland continues, this time with the team trying to get something in return for 2015 first-round pick Cameron Erving. 

Erving has played multiple positions with the Browns since entering the league before seemingly settling on right tackle—until he lost that job a season ago to 2016 third-round pick Shon Coleman.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns have slapped Erving on the block even though he is under team control for two more years. Besides an inability to win and keep a job, though, Erving has battled health issues and went down with a calf injury this preseason. 

Even though he has had a false start of sorts to his career, Erving is likely to find a new home elsewhere one way or another. A No. 19 overall pick who is all of 25 years old isn't going to have a hard time latching on, especially when he has played multiple positions across the offensive line at the pro level. 

Whether the Browns can find a trade partner is a different conversation. The front office just threw in the towel on a similar scenario and cut cornerback Joe Haden, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Erving situation might unfold in a similar manner, barring a team wanting to guarantee they get him by sacrificing a late-round pick.

T.J. Ward

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Count Denver Broncos safety T.J. Ward in the going-to-be-cut category. 

Ward, who turns 31 in December, put up a strong season a year ago but only has one year left on his deal. If the Denver front office doesn't want to shell out the cash for a guy over the dreaded age of 30, then trying to move him now when teams seem more willing to wheel and deal makes sense. 

Rapoport reported the Broncos have had conversations about their starting safety, who has given them three years of service: 

Ward tallied 69 total tackles, three forced fumbles and eight passes defended a year ago without losing a step to his game. He didn't make a Pro Bowl, but had in each of the three prior years. 

Still, a development like this isn't overly out of the ordinary for a team making major coaching changes. Denver lost Gary Kubiak and Wade Phillips recently, with defensive coordinator duties now falling to Joe Woods, who will have his own preferences as to who runs in his unit and how. (Kubiak has since returned to the Broncos as a scout after retiring as head coach due to health reasons.) 

That said, it is a little strange to see the following quote from head coach Vance Joseph, per Mike Klis of 9News: 

Either way, plenty of teams should have an interest in grabbing a starting safety like Ward, even if it results in his being a one-year rental at best. 

With the emphasis on defensive backs these days in a pass-happy league, Ward won't have a hard time going somewhere else if necessary and fighting for snaps. Denver clearly has a youth movement in mind along the back end of its defense. 

Matt Forte

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It didn't seem like the relationship between running back Matt Forte and the New York Jets would last long. 

With the Jets clearly headed for a massive rebuild, it was interesting to see the two sides come to an agreement on a contract before the 2016 season, which resulted in all of five wins. 

The Jets have put out feelers, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero‏: 

It isn't hard to see why the Jets might want to clear the cash from the books and feed snaps to younger backs. Forte is 31 years old coming off a season in which he missed two games and rushed for 813 yards, a 3.7-yard-per-carry average and seven touchdowns. 

We haven't seen Forte at his best for a few years now, though it is hard to fully tell if the blame falls on him or if he has simply had problems escaping the quagmire around him. The Jets were miserable a year ago with a 5-11 record, and Forte's last season with the Chicago Bears didn't exactly have the team in contention. 

Forte feels like someone who could interest a contender as a member of a backfield committee. He is, after all, the guy who rushed for 1,000 yards and caught more than 100 passes as recently as 2014. He is still versatile and can contribute, but he isn't a workhorse capable of carrying a bad team without a threatening passing game. 

As Pelissero notes, though, money will come into play. With teams understanding this marriage won't last much longer, coughing up an asset to inherit a big contract like this won't make sense for most teams. 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com.