NFL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on John Ross III, Will Fuller V and More

The 2020 NFL trade deadline is mere hours away. At 4 p.m. ET, the window will close, and any teams looking to deal will have to wait until the coming offseason.

While the past week has seen a number of trades—players like Carlos Dunlap, Everson Griffen and Desmond King have been dealt—there has been a notable lack of action thus far on Tuesday. However, this doesn't mean that we won't see a couple of deals done right at the deadline.

Here, we'll examine the latest trade-related buzz as the clock continues to tick.

John Ross III Not Expected to Be Traded

David Richard/Associated Press

Wide receiver John Ross III has fallen out of favor with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the former first-round pick has made it clear that he isn't happy with his reduced role.

"It's not a secret that I have requested a trade," Ross tweeted.

While the Bengals were happy to deal Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks, it appears that they won't be letting go of Ross before 4 p.m.

According to Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati's plan is to allow Ross to play out his contract and send him to free agency in the offseason.

While it makes little sense for the Bengals to hang onto a player they aren't using, it's unlikely that they would get a significant return through an in-season trade. They may view the added depth at receiver as more valuable than a late-round draft pick—especially with the development of Joe Burrow as this year's top priority.

Houston Has Not Received Desired Offer for Will Fuller V

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

While Ross appears to be off the trade table, Houston Texans wideout Will Fuller V may still be available—for the right price.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Green Bay Packers are among several teams who have shown interest in the speedster.

However, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle recently reported that the Texans have not received the sort of offer that would get a trade done. Per Wilson, the Texans are looking for a second-round pick at a minimum but have only receiver mid-round offers thus far.

On one hand, Houston's decision not to deal seems curious. Like Ross, he is scheduled to be a free agent in the offseason. The Texans, meanwhile, are without first- and second-round picks in the 2021 draft.

On the other hand, Fuller has been both healthy and productive this season, amassing 490 yards and five touchdowns through the first eight weeks. He has an established chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson, and it would make sense for the Texans to keep him for the long term.

While the 1-6 Texans are likely looking at a lost season in 2020, hanging onto Fuller and hoping to retain him in the offseason could be the right play—unless, of course, that second-round offer comes down the pike.

Cowboys Won't Trade Aldon Smith

Daniel Kucin Jr./Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys traded Griffen to the Detroit Lions. They also tried to deal Dontari Poe and Daryl Worley before releasing them, according to Patrick Walker of CBS Sports.

However, if there's a team interested in snagging pass-rusher Aldon Smith from Dallas, it appears to be out of luck. Owner Jerry Jones recently revealed that Smith is a player he considers untouchable.

"That's definitively correct. We're not interested in doing anything in Aldon Smith," Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning.

Smith is an obvious trade target for contending teams, as he's been quite productive since making his return to the NFL this season. After not playing since 2015, Smith signed with the Cowboys, has started every game and has five sacks to go with 13 quarterback pressures.

While the Cowboys sit at 2-5 and have lost quarterback Dak Prescott for the season, hanging onto Smith makes sense. He's 31 years old and can be a piece of the defensive puzzle for the next few seasons—assuming Dallas is able to re-sign him in the offseason.

For Smith, the rest of 2020 will be all about building his market value.