NFL Rumors: Rounding Up Trade Buzz Ahead of 2020 Free Agency

Though the start of 2020 free agency is still nearly two weeks away (March 18), NFL teams are already busy laying the foundation for their plans. Teams can officially begin contacting agents on March 16, and you can bet that many will be ready to do so the moment the "legal tampering" period begins.

This is because teams have already been sniffing around pending free agents, at the NFL Scouting Combine and through other means. It's technically illegal, but the league tends to turn a blind eye to minor offseason transgressions.

The trade market is also in full swing, and rumors are already swirling. Here, we'll dig into some of the latest.

Chargers, Panthers Swapping Linemen

Though trades cannot be made official until the start of the new league year, the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers have reportedly laid the foundation for a notable one.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Chargers will send offensive tackle Russell Okung to the Panthers in exchange for guard Trai Turner:

The move could be seen as a cap-saving one for the Chargers. Okung has one year remaining on his contract with a salary of $13 million.

Adding Okung should give the Panthers an upgraded pass-blocking unit to protect Cam Newton or whichever quarterback Carolina starts for the 2020 season.

Jaguars Looking to Trade Their Quarterback

John Raoux/Associated Press

While the Panthers may or may not stay the course with Newton, the Jacksonville Jaguars appear ready for a change at quarterback. 

According to Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Jaguars would like to trade Nick Foles and roll with second-year quarterback Gardner Minshew II as their starter. 

"In Jacksonville, word is the Jaguars want to go with Gardner Minshew II as their starting QB and, ideally, find a trade partner for Foles," Graziano and Fowler wrote. 

Jacksonville signed Foles to a hefty four-year, $88 million deal last offseason, only to lose him to injury in Week 1. Though the 31-year-old did eventually return to the starting lineup, Minshew proved to be the superior option.

Minshew made a total of 12 starts, finishing with 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions.

While this move seems logical for the Jaguars, it could be a difficult one to pull off this offseason. Quarterbacks like Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston and Tom Brady are expected to hit the open market. Trading for Foles could be down the list of a team's desired options.

Rivers Could Have a Surprise Suitor

If Brady wasn't scheduled to be a free agent this offseason, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers might be viewed as the biggest prize. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler at the game's most important position. Players of his caliber don't hit the open market often.

Like Brady, the 38-year-old will likely only appeal to teams with an open playoff window.

"I can say for certain that if I'm playing, it's a two-year maximum," Rivers said, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

ESPN's Adam Schefter has already linked the veteran to the Indianapolis Colts, who remain unsold on Jacoby Brissett as a long-term starter.

"There are many, many people who think Philip Rivers is going to ultimately end up as a member of the Colts," Schefter told NFL Now.

There could be another surprise candidate interested in him as well. Fox Sports' Peter Schrager said on The Heard (h/t Bleacher Report's Mike Chiari) that he has heard there is a "crazy dark horse" in the mix to sign Rivers.

Schrager didn't go into specifics about who that might be, but there are some notable candidates. The Patriots could be interested if Brady does not return, and the Tennessee Titans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be looking for a quarterback in free agency.

However, the mystery team's status as a "dark horse" seems to suggest that is a less obvious possibility. Presumably, this could lead to a starter being traded and/or other trade options being off the proverbial table.

49ers Could Trade Garoppolo, Pursue Brady

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Brady's future remains cloudy, and an early talk with head coach Bill Belichick did not go well, according to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston.

"It wasn't particularly productive, a source told me," he wrote. "How long they talked and whether they got into discussions about money, length of term or any contract details isn't known. Belichick, according to the source, was all business."

If Brady is available on March 18, the San Francisco 49ers might just make a run at him. It seems unlikely, but Curran said on SiriusXM Radio (h/t Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald) that the Niners are "closing hard on the outside."

According to Guregian's sources, Curran "might be onto something."

"If the 49ers trade Jimmy G before April 1, they’d only get hit with a cap charge of $4.2 million, thanks to a low signing bonus. They would also free up $22.4 million in cap space," Guregian wrote. "So it’s not outlandish for them to kick the tires on Brady, see what he might be looking for, and go from there."

San Francisco has Jimmy Garoppolo under contract through the 2022 season. It also has a Super Bowl-ready roster, though, and could look to upgrade its most important position.