NFL Trade Block Big Board Entering Week 6

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While things haven't gone according to plan for every NFL team in 2020, the league is entering Week 6 with some level of normalcy. This means there will likely be a full season. It also means that we're closing in on the trade deadline.

After 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 3, the trade market will be closed until the offseason.

No one should be shocked if teams make significant moves over the next couple of weeks. Injuries to guys like Dak Prescott, Saquon Barkley, Courtland Sutton and Nick Chubb have left some of the sport's top players on the sidelines. And supposed contenders such as the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers have found out that their rosters aren't as strong as expected.

The trade market is one way to fix these issues. Of course, the question is: Which players could provide the most aid? That's what we'll determine here, using factors such as roster makeup, cap space and the likelihood of player movement to guide us.       

Steve Helber/Associated Press

To get our top 10, we first determined 15 likely trade candidates based on prior speculation and common sense. Losing teams like the 0-5 New York Jets, for example, could look to dump salaries and gain draft capital before the deadline.

The New England Patriots (2-2) don't fall into the category of lost teams, so we're removing franchise-tagged guard Joe Thuney for now. He could return to the list if New England racks up losses between now and Nov. 3, but the Patriots appear to be poised to push for a wild-card spot.

Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. is replacing Thuney for reasons we'll get into shortly.

Running back Le'Veon Bell is also off the list after the New York Jets announced they were releasing him. Taking his place is veteran wideout Golden Tate. The 32-year-old has two years remaining on his contract but may not be valued by the likely soon-to-rebuild 0-5 New York Giants.

The new initial list, in no particular order, is as follows:    

• Cameron Brate, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
• David Johnson, RB, Houston Texans
• Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
• Dwayne Haskins Jr., QB, Washington Football Team
• Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
• Ryan Kerrigan, EDGE, Washington Football Team
• Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis Colts
• DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Denver Broncos
• Denzel Perryman, LB, Los Angeles Chargers
• Kenny Stills, WR, Houston Texans
• Haason Reddick, LB, Arizona Cardinals
• Trent Murphy, EDGE, Buffalo Bills
• Vic Beasley Jr., EDGE, Tennessee Titans
• Golden Tate, WR, New York Giants

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is always going to generate some degree of trade buzz, and he'll be on lists like this as long as his chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield appears to be lacking.

However, it's becoming less likely that the Browns will want to part with him in 2020. This is because Cleveland keeps winning and is playing like a legitimate playoff contender.

Beckham is not regularly a huge piece of the offensive game plan; he had five catches and 58 yards in Week 5. So the Browns would likely entertain a can't-refuse type of offer. If a title contender ends up losing a top receiver between now and the deadline, such an offer could come.

Beckham proved against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 that he can still be a game-breaker, with 81 receiving yards, 73 rushing yards and three touchdowns.     

Kamil Krzaczynski/Associated Press

Unlike the Browns, the Giants have not been winning. They're sitting at 0-5 and most likely looking at a lost season. That could lead New York to ship off some of its expendable assets, and Tate is one of them.

In his little more than a year with the Giants, Tate has largely been an offensive afterthought. He did have 49 catches in 2019, but he made those on 85 targets and produced 676 yards. Through four games this year, he's caught 18 of 23 targets, but they've gone for just 145 yards. His 8.1 yards-per-reception average is a career low.

Tate is set to carry a cap hit of nearly $11 million in 2021, so the Giants would likely love to part with him if possible. It would be even better for New York if it can get a team to take on the $4.7 million in guaranteed money remaining on his deal.

At the right price, a team could be intrigued by Tate's potential as a third or fourth receiver for the stretch run. As recently as 2017, he produced more than 90 catches and 1,000 receiving yards.

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The Houston Texans fired head coach/general manager Bill O'Brien last week, and while the team picked up its first win of the season Sunday, it still feels like a significant rebuild could be on the horizon.

If the Texans don't start ripping off some wins, they could be serious sellers at the deadline, and running back David Johnson could be one player they are willing to move.

He hasn't been the do-it-all playmaker O'Brien hoped he was getting in the DeAndre Hopkins trade. He's averaged a good-not-great 4.3 yards per carry and has 11 receptions on the season.

However, he did have a strong outing against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He averaged 5.7 yards per rush in Week 5 and showed that he can be an effective ball-carrier.

If a running back-needy contender comes calling, Houston might seize the opportunity to get out from under Johnson's three-year deal worth $39 million.               

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Dwayne Haskins Jr. hasn't even played 16 regular-season games in the NFL, and Washington may already be done with him. The Ohio State product was benched ahead of Week 5 and wasn't the backup. When Kyle Allen went down, veteran Alex Smith took over.

According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora, many around the league believe that Washington will move Haskins before the deadline.

"Some rival executives have already begun looking at film of the former Ohio State star," Canfora wrote.

While Haskins hasn't put a ton of good play on film and has a career passer rating of 77.8, he has just 11 starts under his belt and has had three head coaches, including interim coach Bill Callahan late in 2019. Also, he hasn't been surrounded by premium talent.

Just as the Miami Dolphins were willing to take a flier on Josh Rosen in exchange for a second-round pick and a fifth-round selection last offseason, some team will likely want to see if it can unlock Haskins' potential.

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At this point, it feels almost inevitable that the Philadelphia Eagles will try to move wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. He has yet to play a down in 2020, and he is set to carry a cap hit of $18.5 million next year. 

With young wideouts like Greg Ward and Travis Fulgham starting to emerge, there's little reason for the Eagles to continue investing in Jeffery. Convincing a team to take on his contract could be difficult, but in the past, Jeffery has been a high-end possession receiver.

He had 843 yards and six touchdowns just two seasons ago, and he could put up similar numbers as a No. 2 option in a different offense.

If a receiver-needy contender comes calling with a reasonable offer—and is willing to take on some of the dead money in Jeffery's contract—Philadelphia will likely race to submit the trade to the league office.  

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The Arizona Cardinals could deal linebacker Haason Reddick in an effort to recoup some of their investment. Despite being the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Reddick is merely a role player. 

Through five games, he has played just 51 percent of the defensive snaps.

However, Reddick has shown the ability to play multiple positions and could provide a boost to a contender's defense that is lacking at the second level. He's racked up 2.0 sacks, 10 tackles and two pass breakups in his limited action this season.

Arizona declined Reddick's fifth-year option in May, so it's unlikely the team views him as part of its future. If another team is interested in the 26-year-old linebacker, the Cardinals will likely let him go for a reasonable return.          

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

The Cincinnati Bengals have maintained that everything is copacetic with wideout A.J. Green—even after there was speculation he asked for a trade on the sideline of Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens.

"A.J. has been nothing but positive," head coach Zac Taylor told reporters when asked if Green had expressed frustration with him.

The reality, though, is that if the Bengals aren't shopping their franchise-tagged receiver, they should be. Green has been woefully ineffective, catching just 14 of 34 targets for 119 yards through the first five weeks.

It would make sense for the Bengals to free up reps for younger receivers like Tee Higgins while getting something in return for a 32-year-old player not likely part of the franchise's future.

Green's trade value certainly isn't at an all-time high. He exited Sunday's game with what the team called a hamstring injury and only played nine games last season. However, a change of scenery might help Green recapture some of his Pro Bowl form.

Cincinnati should be willing to let him go on the cheap, and at the right price, he could be a tremendous value for a receiver-needy team.                      

Daniel Kucin Jr./Associated Press

Washington Football Team edge-rusher Ryan Kerrigan is in the final year of his contract, and he could be one of the biggest trade chips at the deadline.

While Washington is treading water at 1-4 in a weak NFC East, it isn't likely to move defensive building blocks like Jonathan Allen, Montez Sweat and Chase Young. However, moving the 32-year-old Kerrigan would make a good deal of sense.

And Kerrigan would likely bring something of value in return. While he's firmly in the back half of his career, he can still be an effective situational pass-rusher. He's played just 41 percent of the defensive snaps this season and has two sacks to go with four pressures and five tackles.

It would be a shock if multiple teams didn't at least kick the tires on Kerrigan over the next couple of weeks.

AJ Mast/Associated Press

In terms of pure value, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett is at the top of the list—and he was at the top of last week's big board.

He plays the game's most important position and has 32 career starts. Should another team lose its starting quarterback for the season, Indianapolis will likely be one of the first franchises it calls.

With Brissett in the last year of his contract, Indianapolis might be happy to get something in return while it can.

However, Brissett got bumped down a couple of spots because the Colts might not be as eager to move him as they were a week ago. Starter Philip Rivers made several key mistakes against Cleveland that contributed to his team's 32-23 loss, including a pick-six and an intentional-grounding safety.

If Rivers continues to make mistakes, the Colts might want to hang on to Brissett as insurance.       

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As previously mentioned, the Texans could be headed toward a fire sale. If this happens, wideout Kenny Stills could be one of the first players on the trade block. 

In Romeo Crennel's first game as interim head coach after the firing of O'Brien, Stills was targeted just once. He has a mere eight receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown through five weeks, and he's in the final year of his contract.

It's fairly safe to assume that Stills, 28, is not going to be a long-term building block in Houston.

However, this doesn't mean that he cannot be valuable to another franchise. He has already proved that he can be a productive complementary receiver. He served as the No. 3 option behind DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller V last season and finished with 40 catches, 561 yards and four touchdowns.