NFL Trade Rumors: Latest on Odell Beckham Jr., Demaryius Thomas and More
October 30, 2018
With the 2018 NFL trade deadline just hours away, players around the league anxiously await their future as teams look to make deals before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.
New York Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. and Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas are among those players who have had their names come up in the rumor mill.
Below is a look at the latest buzz.
Odell Beckham Jr.
When Beckham signed a five-year, $95 million extension prior to the regular season, it appeared as though he would remain with the team for years to come.
However, a 1-7 start by the Giants coupled with off-the-field drama has put his future in the Big Apple in question.
Fox Sports' Jay Glazer (via Ryan Dunleavy on NJ.com) reported on Sunday that teams have approached New York with "decent offers" for the three-time Pro Bowler. The Boston Globe's Ben Volin added that Beckham could be one of the potential players discussed by the Giants and the New England Patriots.
New England previously brought in some help for the position by adding former All-Pro Josh Gordon in a trade with the Cleveland Browns earlier this season.
Even as New York has lost seven of its first eight games and five in a row heading into Week 9, Beckham is still putting up his usual numbers. Coming off an ankle injury last year, the 5'11", 200-pound wideout leads the team with 61 catches for 785 yards and two touchdowns.
He also has a 57-yard touchdown pass.
Although having a healthy Beckham has provided the Giants with a dynamic threat on the outside, it hasn't helped them win many games. And after his squad got off to a 1-3 start, the 25-year-old questioned his team's heart and made headlines while telling ESPN's Josina Anderson that it was a "tough question" as to whether he was happy in New York:
That's not what a team wants to hear after giving a player a record-setting extension.
It's not clear how motivated or willing the Giants are to move Beckham. At the very least, though, they have reportedly been listening to calls ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
Demaryius Thomas
While a Beckham trade may come as a surprise at this point, Thomas could soon be changing uniforms for the first time in his nine-year career.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on Tuesday that he believes there is a "better chance right now that he gets traded than he doesn't":
The 30-year-old Thomas is making $8.5 million this season and has a base salary of $14 million in 2019, per Spotrac.
Rapoport reported the Broncos may trade Thomas in order to get second-round pick Courtland Sutton more action on the field moving forward. He also mentioned the Patriots, the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans are all among teams in the market for receivers.
The veteran hasn't been able to help but think about the rumors swirling around him. As he recently told The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala, Thomas believes there is a "50-50" chance he gets moved:
"How would you feel at your job (if) your boss, whoever, said they wanted you someplace else? And you come into work every day and have to think about it? How would you feel? But I had to do it for my team, like it was normal, act like it was normal. It just kept coming up, from left and right. … I had to think about it. ...It’ll be interesting to see what happens in next couple days.
"I think it should have never gotten out, to tell you the truth. I would have never been thinking about it if it never got it. Nobody would be talking about."
To his credit, Thomas continues to produce even with plenty of noise surrounding him. The 6'3", 229-pound receiver ranks second on the Broncos in receptions (36) and yards (402) while also tied for the team lead in touchdowns (three).
Thomas had three catches for 30 yards in a 30-23 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. While that could have been his final game wearing a Broncos uniform, he is focused on playing football, wherever that may be.
"I'll be on a squad. I’ll be able to play ball," Thomas told Jhabvala. "I'll be able to do what I love. If it’s the Broncos, I would love it. But if it’s not, it’s a business. I gotta deal with it."
One year after snapping a 17-season playoff drought, the Buffalo Bills have taken a giant step back in 2018, stumbling to a 2-6 start.
As a result, running back LeSean McCoy has found himself in the rumor mill. Then again, it doesn't appear as though he is going anywhere.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that the Bills will not trade the six-time Pro Bowler unless they get an offer they can't refuse. Schefter noted Buffalo has talked to three teams about a potential trade, but it has not received any offers compelling enough to make a deal.
McCoy entered 2018 having rushed for 1,100-plus yards in four of the past five seasons and has six 1,000-yard campaigns on his resume. He has not rushed for fewer than 840 yards since 2009, when he rushed for 637 yards as a rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles.
This year, though, has not been the smoothest to the 30-year-old running back. McCoy has just 244 yards and has yet to find the end zone in seven games. He also missed Week 3 due to a rib injury, and although he was able to give it a go this past week, he had to go through concussion protocol prior to Week 8.
He has just 14 rushing yards on 14 carries in his last two games, although he did record six catches for 82 yards against the Patriots on Monday.
McCoy is making $6.075 million this year and is owed $6.175 million in 2019, per Spotrac.