NFL Trades We Wish We Would Have Seen at the 2021 Deadline

The 2021 NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon, and as is often the case, the market closed without a flurry of blockbuster trades.

We did see eight-time Pro Bowler Von Miller traded from the Denver Broncos to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday. However, that was pretty much the highlight of deadline week. As is par for the course in the NFL, weeks of trade speculation ended with little action.

Of course, the speculation is part of the fun of the NFL trade deadline—just like with the draft and free agency. With this in mind, we're going to examine seven hypothetical deals we wish we would have seen.

While these trades obviously didn't happen, we'll keep them in the realm of possibility. Factors like player role, roster depth and 2021 production played factors here, as did any relevant pre-deadline buzz.

So, let's have a little fun and look at what might have been at the 2021 NFL trade deadline.

Cincinnati Bengals Acquire Xavien Howard

Matt Durisko/Associated Press

The Cincinnati Bengals were the hottest team in the AFC heading into Week 8. They then ran into the New York Jets and got picked apart by quarterback Mike White—who was making his first-ever NFL start. Cincinnati surrendered 414 passing yards, 511 total yards and 34 points in one of the biggest upset losses of the year to date.

The Bengals now rank 23rd in passing yards allowed and 17th in total defense.

It would have been fun to see the Bengals make a win-now move and add a premium cover corner at the trade deadline. Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard—who has 30 passes defended since the start of last season and requested a trade during the summer—would have been an ideal trade target if he were actually on the block.

According to FanSided's Matt Lombardo, he was not.

"One name that appears off the trade market, according to sources, is Dolphins CB Xavien Howard," Lombardo tweeted. "... Miami has no plans on moving him."

Cincinnati likely would have had to offer a 2022 first-round pick at a minimum, but a player of Howard's caliber would justify that. The Bengals have not been shy about spending on their defense, and adding Howard would have ensured that letdowns like the one in Week 8 don't happen to Cincinnati often.

If the Bengals hope to become an elite team, they cannot lose games to non-contenders.

Cleveland Browns Acquire Andre Dillard

Jacob Kupferman/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles sit at 3-5 and were in seller mode long before the deadline, as they traded tight end Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals in mid-October. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, they also received interest in backup left tackle and 2019 first-round pick Andre Dillard ahead of the deadline.

"Dillard hasn't been in the starting lineup, and recently, he has been taking reps at guard in practice," Rapoport wrote. "So, teams have been calling with trade interest. ... The Eagles won't give him away, and there are scenarios where he's a part of their future, anyway. But teams believe a quality second-day pick would be enough to pry Dillard away."

The Eagles opted to keep Dillard, but we would have loved to see him land as a depth option with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns' season has been ravaged by injuries, including ones along the offensive line.

Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and right tackle Jack Conklin have both missed time. Conklin is expected to miss "multiple weeks" after suffering a dislocated elbow in Week 8.

This would have been a win-win trade for Dillard and for the Browns—whose general manager, Andrew Berry, was Philadelphia's vice president of football operations when Dillard was drafted.

Cleveland would get a high-upside bit of tackle depth, while Dillard would have gotten to develop under respected offensive line coach Bill Callahan.

Seeing as how Dillard has only eight starts in Philadelphia, a third- or fourth-round pick likely would have been fair compensation here. Dillard has upside but not a ton of proven production.

Dallas Cowboys Acquire Von Miller

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Let's be honest. It's going to be a lot of fun watching Von Miller attack opposing quarterbacks alongside Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd in the Rams defense.

Miller, who has 110.5 career sacks, 142 tackles for loss, eight Pro Bowls and one Super Bowl MVP on his resume, is most likely a future Hall of Famer. He's also still playing at a high level with 4.5 sacks and 16 quarterback pressures this season. In L.A., he joins a defense that already leads the league with 25 sacks.

Unsurprisingly, the Rams were not the only ones interested in acquiring Miller.

"The Buffalo Bills called about Von Miller. The Dallas Cowboys called about Von Miller," Peter Schrager said on Good Morning Football (h/t K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire).

It would have been great to see Dallas land Miller at the deadline to improve a pass rush that has totaled just 12 sacks through seven games.

In short, the Cowboys needed a boost to their pass rush more than the Rams. Adding Miller would have been worth the 2022 second- and third-round picks that L.A. surrendered—if only to make one big Super Bowl run. Plus, it would have been exciting to see the numbers that turnover machine Trevon Diggs (seven interceptions, two touchdowns) might produce with Miller helping to pressure opposing quarterbacks.

Diggs is halfway to matching Dick Lane's single-season record of 14 interceptions, which was set back in 1952.

Green Bay Packers Acquire Evan Engram

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

New York Giants tight end Evan Engram might not be the most consistent pass-catcher—he was credited with 11 drops in 2020—but he's an athletic marvel who can add potency to a passing attack.

Engram was still a Pro Bowler last season, and he had an impressive 722 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a rookie in 2017. The Green Bay Packers were reportedly interested in acquiring him before the deadline.

"The Packers have been 'asking around' about tight ends over the last few days, according to an NFL source, and have signaled an interest in all of the top names believed to be available," SNY's Ralph Vacchiano wrote. "That includes Engram, the Giants tight end who many around the league believe could be traded by 4 p.m. on Tuesday if the price is right."

The Giants didn't deal Engram, and that's unfortunate for a Packers team that has lost starting tight end Robert Tonyan to a torn ACL. Green Bay is now looking at a tandem of Josiah Deguara and the 37-year-old Marcedes Lewis atop the depth chart—players with only 13 combined receptions this season.

Adding Engram would have helped Green Bay overcome the loss of Tonyan, likely at a reasonable cost. Engram is in the final year of his rookie contract and probably would command a late Day 2 selection at most.

We love to see great players achieve great things, and the 2021 season may represent Aaron Rodgers' last best chance to win a second championship with the Packers (Jordan Love is still waiting in the wings, after all). At 7-1, Green Bay is still a major factor in the NFC, but it passed on a prime opportunity to boost the roster at the deadline.

Kansas City Chiefs Acquire Marlon Mack

Jed Jacobsohn/Associated Press

The Kansas City Chiefs did make a couple of moves at the deadline, acquiring pass-rusher Melvin Ingram III and flipping guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif for New York Jets tight end Dan Brown.

It would have been great to see the Chiefs also make a move for Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack. The Chiefs have been without running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire since he suffered a knee injury in Week 5. Darrel Williams has been serviceable, and Derrick Gore (48 yards, 1 TD) showed some promise during his first significant action in Week 8.

However, neither Williams nor Gore is a proven NFL starter. Mack, who rushed for 1,091 yards and eight touchdowns in 2019, is.

Unfortunately, Mack suffered a torn Achilles in 2020 and has since fallen behind Jonathan Taylor and receiving back Nyheim Hines on the depth chart. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Colts and Mack were interested in making a trade happen, while Kansas City did show early interest.

"The feeling around Indianapolis is the Colts want to do right by running back Marlon Mack, who has requested a trade," Fowler wrote last month.

Mack has only logged 28 carries with Indianapolis this season, and it would have been enjoyable to see him get another starting opportunity. At the same time, he could have strengthened a Chiefs rushing attack that probably should be a bigger part of the offense.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes seems to be pressing for the big play and currently leads the NFL with 10 interceptions.

At a likely cost of a very late pick—again, the Colts and Mack were both interested in parting ways—Mack would have been a tremendous budget pickup for Kansas City.

New England Patriots Acquire Brandin Cooks

Eric Smith/Associated Press

The New England Patriots may only be 4-4, but with an improving defense, a dangerous rushing attack and some steady play from rookie quarterback Mac Jones, they are starting to look like a real threat in the AFC.

One of New England's biggest weaknesses, though, is the lack of a true No. 1 receiver. Jakobi Meyers leads the Patriots with 427 receiving yards, but he is averaging just 9.5 yards per catch and has yet to find the end zone this season.

Meyers is also providing a passer rating of just 83.4 when targeted.

The Patriots would have benefited from adding a premium wideout at the deadline, and who wouldn't have liked to see Brandin Cooks make a return to New England? He played for the Patriots in 2017 between trades from the New Orleans Saints and to the Los Angeles Rams. He produced 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns that season.

Now with the Houston Texans, Cooks remains a reliable downfield target.

The 28-year-old has amassed 585 receiving yards and two touchdowns this season while averaging 11.5 yards per catch. While he was arguably Houston's biggest trade chip, the Texans were keen on keeping him for the long term.

"Cooks is the kind of player the Texans want to build around, not trade. Don't expect him to be available," Rapoport wrote.

Acquiring Cooks probably would have cost New England a second- or third-round pick, but if the Patriots believe they can make a postseason run now, it would have been worth it.

New Orleans Saints Acquire Odell Beckham Jr.

David Richard/Associated Press

Things just haven't worked out for Odell Beckham Jr. and the Cleveland Browns. Not only is he not the playmaker he was with the New York Giants, but he has also become a complete afterthought in Kevin Stefanski's offense.

Beckham appears at least close to fully recovered from last year's torn ACL. However, he has seen only 34 targets and 17 receptions in six games this season.

The lack of chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield continues to be a problem, one that may be weighing on both the signal-caller and the pass-catcher.

"Odell Beckham wants out," Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweeted. "His relationship with Baker Mayfield is beyond repair."

We would have loved to see both parties get a fresh start, and it seems the New Orleans Saints came close to making that happen.

"I'm told there were discussions re: Odell going to the Saints but both sides couldn't agree on a workable deal, given how much OBJ is owed the rest of the year," ESPN's Kimberley A. Martin tweeted.

Beckham is carrying a cap hit of $15.8 million this season, which would have been problematic for New Orleans—which has just $1.2 million in space available. Considering the money involved and Beckham's role in Cleveland, New Orleans might have been able to swing a deal for an early Day 3 pick.

If the Saints could have made the financials work, it would have been a valuable move. Michael Thomas remains sidelined following June ankle surgery, the Saints just lost quarterback Jameis Winston to a torn ACL, and they lack playmakers aside from Alvin Kamara. Yet, at 5-2, New Orleans is very much in the NFC South mix.

*Cap and contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.