The Blockbuster NFL Trades We Want to See This Offseason

Wild as it sounds, the Los Angeles Rams' acquisition of Matthew Stafford in exchange for Jared Goff and multiple first-round picks could be a warm-up for blockbuster trades to come this NFL offseason.

Many teams need better quarterback play, and big names like Deshaun Watson may be up for grabs, creating a heightened sense of urgency.

Add the usual suspects of trade speculation and a handful of others, and there are plenty of hypothetical blockbusters to dream up.

Based on rumors or salary-cap and team needs, here are the blockbusters we want to see this offseason. 

Browns Send Odell Beckham Jr. to Washington Football Team

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Cleveland Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. is one of those usual suspects, and he won't leave the speculation realm until a move happens.

He only played seven games in 2020 and was absent as Cleveland won six of nine games to close the season before winning a playoff game. The offense didn't seem to skip a beat, which puts the star wideout's $15.8 million cap hit in 2021 under the microscope.

Given how the offense performed without Beckham and the fact that the Browns could acquire assets while teams still value him, a deal makes sense.

Look at a weapon-needy franchise like the Washington Football Team, which was heavily involved in the Amari Cooper sweepstakes last year in free agency. Head coach Ron Rivera and Co. want a running mate for Terry McLaurin as they search for an answer under center, so the two teams could mutually benefit from shifting Beckham back to the NFC East.

Carolina Panthers Move Up for a QB

Brian Westerholt/Associated Press

The Carolina Panthers are quietly one of the NFL's more quarterback-needy teams.

Teddy Bridgewater didn't provide a spark in 2020, completing 69.1 percent of his passes over 15 games yet only throwing 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Panthers offered the eighth pick and other assets to Detroit in a proposed deal for Matthew Stafford before the Lions shipped him to Los Angeles.

The well of available quarterbacks who could perform better than Bridgewater may dry up quickly, so a more interesting possibility is that the Panthers move up on draft day.

Leveraging that eighth pick and more to move up to No. 5 (Cincinnati) or No. 4 (Atlanta) for one of the non-Trevor Lawrence passers (Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance) could be the biggest trade of the draft.

Carson Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts

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The Indianapolis Colts have a big need at quarterback. The Philadelphia Eagles have a seemingly expendable one. The teams are linked thanks to a coach in a prominent position.

Sounds perfect, right?

Carson Wentz to the Colts is a hard idea to shake this offseason. The second pick in 2016 imploded this season, throwing 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions over 12 games before losing starts to Jalen Hurts. Now a new coaching staff is in place, and it isn't tied to Wentz.

Colts head coach Frank Reich does have ties to Wentz. He needs a quarterback after losing Philip Rivers to retirement, and he oversaw the best years of Wentz's career as the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.

To top it all off, the Colts are one of the few teams that could trade for Wentz's monster contract thanks to $68.5 million in cap space. There's no guarantee he would get back to form under Reich, but there's an out built into his contract after 2021 that the Colts could exercise, which sweetens this potential blockbuster.

J.J. Watt to the Green Bay Packers

Matt Patterson/Associated Press

Houston Texans star J.J. Watt feels like one of the next major dominoes to fall.

The Texans have spiraled out of control, beginning with the inability to end the Bill O'Brien era when necessary, and the hiring of new head coach David Culley hasn't solved things. Watt's time with the team is likely coming to an end, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

Watt is 31 and would probably like to play for a contender rather than hang around for a significant rebuild.

Landing near his hometown with the Green Bay Packers could be a happy ending for all parties. The Packers are $31.9 million over the salary cap, but moves like the restructuring of Aaron Rodgers' deal could allow them to add Watt's $17.5 million cap hit (which could also get restructured or extended beyond its final year).

Any defense would make room for a player like Watt, and a move by the Packers to keep pace in the NFC arms race by acquiring one of the league's best defenders is a fun blockbuster.

Adam Thielen to the Miami Dolphins

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

After Odell Beckham Jr., Minnesota Vikings wideout Adam Thielen is one of the most interesting trade candidates.

In November, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the Vikings did not want to trade Thielen amid rumors, even after the 1-5 team shipped away edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue. However, a disappointing season, negative cap balance and the right offer could change their minds this offseason.

The Miami Dolphins feel like the team to make it happen.

Miami has a top-eight cap number, two first-round picks, four selections in the top 50 and a big desire to upgrade the weapons around 2020 first-rounder Tua Tagovailoa. Thielen is 30 years old, but he's posted 925 or more yards in four of his last five seasons and scored 38 times.

Thielen feels like the perfect addition around Tagovailoa, and the dead money in his contract lessens by the year, so the Dolphins won't be hamstrung if he doesn't keep up the level of play. That's worth the risk if it means helping a quarterback develop. For Minnesota, the urge to get younger, if not rebuild, spurs the move.

Deshaun Watson to San Francisco 49ers

Zach Bolinger/Associated Press

The Texans figure to partake in several blockbusters this summer. Like the DeAndre Hopkins trade last year, most figure to get panned as hurting the team.

Biggest of all will be a Deshaun Watson trade, which seems guaranteed since the hiring of David Culley as head coach reportedly doesn't change the star quarterback's stance on a trade request.

While Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported Watson has the New York Jets at the top of his list, a more interesting option than a rebuilder is a contender like the San Francisco 49ers.

Watson posted an elite season in 2020 with a 70.2 completion percentage, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He would be an amazing fit in a Kyle Shanahan attack with weapons like Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.

The 49ers could make the trade package interesting with the 12th pick this year, future first-rounders and Jimmy Garoppolo. He was drafted in New England by director of player personnel Nick Caserio, now the general manager of the Texans.

To recap, the 49ers get a 25-year-old top-10 passer by parting ways with assets they won't need given the jump to contention. The Texans get a drove of picks and a stopgap quarterback starter they can cut loose with few cap ramifications.