2011 NFL Trade Rumors: Power Ranking the Top 15 Players Who Could Be Moved
2011 NFL Trade Rumors won't mean anything if the owners and players can't reach a new collective bargaining sometime soon.
But I'm going to take the optimistic—or maybe stupid—approach and say that the two sides will meet in the middle at some point, and we'll actually have a 2011 NFL season.
If that does happen, though, an 18-game schedule and a rookie wage scale won't be the only things that are different in 2011.
Plenty of players could be swapping jerseys prior to next season.
So who are they?
Well, I'm glad you asked, because here are 15 players who could be traded before the 2011 NFL campaign.
15. David Garrard, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
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This seems like a rather moronic move considering the way David Garrard played at times last year, but the Florida Times-Union speculates that the Jacksonville Jaguars could draft a quarterback with the No. 16 overall pick in the NFL draft.
The Jags could choose to go with someone like Jake Locker, Cam Newton or Ryan Mallett with that selection, and that could leave Garrard out of the team's plans.
If Jacksonville does choose to go in another direction at QB, Garrard would draw a ton of interest.
Though not the sexiest option out there, he did help the Jaguars win more games than they probably should have last season.
14. Reggie Bush, RB, New Orleans Saints
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The New Orleans Saints have a bit of a logjam at the running back position right now, with Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush as options in the team's backfield.
Ivory will definitely be back in 2011, but Thomas is a free agent and the Saints aren't willing to pay Bush the $11.8 million he's owed next season.
While Bush will likely be brought back if he agrees to a pretty significant pay cut, the Saints could choose to re-sign Thomas instead and roll with an Ivory-Thomas duo in 2011.
As a Saints fan, I'd argue that Bush is the least complete back of the three, but there will be no shortage of potential suitors out there if New Orleans looks to move him.
13. Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
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As much as the Cincinnati Bengals want to hold onto Carson Palmer, he really doesn't want to play there in 2011.
I mean, the guy would rather retire than play in Cincinnati, which is really saying something.
And though the Bengals maintain that they won't trade him, there's no guarantee that they won't.
In my fantasy trade world, I like to think Cincinnati could send Carson Palmer to Carolina in exchange for the No. 33 overall pick, with a few other factors thrown in of course.
This would only work if the Bengals were really high on Blaine Gabbert and were willing to take him with their first pick, though.
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12. Martellus Bennett, TE, Dallas Cowboys
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A few weeks ago, Martellus Bennett tweeted that he had heard trade rumors about himself and was "ready to be the guy."
The Dallas Cowboys tight end even suggested that the team ask for a third or fourth-round pick in return.
Well, considering Santonio Holmes was traded for a fifth-rounder, I'd say Bennett's value is a little lower than that.
But he could be an option for a number of teams who need a tight end, like Denver or Buffalo.
11. Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos
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Champ Bailey is 32 years old, he's in the final year of his contract, and he was very outspoken when the Broncos pulled a contract extension off the table earlier this season.
The Denver Broncos have the No. 2 overall pick, and we could see them take LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson with that selection.
If that's the case, I'd look for Denver to move full steam ahead with trying to trade Bailey.
Essentially, Peterson would be the team's "next Champ Bailey" anyway, making Bailey expendable.
Any team looking for a short-term upgrade at cornerback—Houston maybe?—could be in line for a potential Bailey deal.
10. Marion Barber, RB, Dallas Cowboys
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ESPN Insider is reporting that Marion Barber could actually be cut by the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, as the team plans on moving forward with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice at running back.
But I find it hard to believe that Dallas would just let Barber walk and get nothing in return.
At the very least, it seems like the Cowboys could ask for a sixth-round pick in exchange for the goal-line back.
Perhaps someone like the Detroit Lions (to pair with Jahvid Best) could be a potential trade partner.
9. Tim Tebow, QB, Denver Broncos
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When Tim Tebow was drafted by the Denver Broncos, he had one main supporter in the organization: head coach Josh McDaniels.
But now that McDaniels is gone, the Broncos could look to move Tebow elsewhere.
There was speculation that Tebow could follow McDaniels to Minnesota, but McDaniels wound up in St. Louis as the offensive coordinator of the Rams instead.
Tebow nows finds himself in a sticky situation in Denver, though a pretty solid showing in his few starts at the end of the 2010 season could make him more appealing to quarterback-needy teams.
8. Kyle Orton, QB, Denver Broncos
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If Tim Tebow isn't moved via trade, then there's a good chance that Kyle Orton will be.
Orton has just one-year left on his contract, which makes him a valuable trading piece for the Denver Broncos and a potential high risk, high reward player for a team looking for a starting quarterback.
According to the Denver Post, the team will be asking for a second-round pick in exchange for Orton, which isn't a high price for a guy who had a decent 2010 season but might be for a guy who could just be a one-year rental.
Still, Orton has plenty of potential suitors and has been heavily rumored to be on the Titans radar, though that may change now that Jeff Fisher is gone.
7. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers
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The San Diego Chargers and Vincent Jackson seem destined for a split at some point, and it would be less than surprising to see San Diego slap him with the franchise tag, then try to trade him.
The bottom line is that the Chargers don't want to get nothing in exchange for one of the league's better offensive playmakers.
Wide receivers with Jackson's height, speed and ball skills are hard to come by, and about half the teams in the league are drooling over the prospects of acquiring him.
6. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
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If you listen to the guys over at NESN, Larry Fitzgerald is available via trade for the "right price."
Though the Arizona Cardinals aren't actively seeking to trade him, they are willing to entertain trade offers.
So name your price.
My guess is that Arizona will be seeking at least a first and a third-rounder or two second-rounders, but probably something more like a first and a second-rounder.
New England is one of the few teams who can offer that, but that just wouldn't be fair.
5. Albert Haynesworth, DT, Washington Redskins
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To put things in simple terms, Albert Haynesworth and the Washington Redskins were an awful fit from the beginning.
Haynesworth can't get along with Mike Shanahan, he doesn't like playing in a 3-4 defense, he was suspended for the Redskins' final four games and his general demeanor has screamed, "Get me the hell out of Washington."
So unless Haynesworth has a sudden change of heart—don't hold your breath—he'll be gone from the Redskins sooner rather than later.
If Washington can ease up on its demands and maybe accept a third or forth-round pick in return, we could see Haynesworth in a different uniform next year, possibly even back in Tennessee.
4. Kevin Kolb, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
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Whether it's with a contract or a franchise tag, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Philadelphia Eagles will stay with Michael Vick at quarterback next season.
Though I personally think the Eagles should hang on to Kevin Kolb no matter what—why not have two starting-caliber QBs?—it'd be hard for the team not to move him if they get what they want in return.
Much like Fitzgerald, Kolb could probably net a first and a third-round pick, two twos or even more if some team gets really desperate.
Because from the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee, multiple teams want Kolb as their starting quarterback in 2011.
3. Chad Ochocinco, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
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Can I call Chad Ochocinco "Chad Johnson" again yet?
Anyway, Ochocinco is owed $6.5 million in 2011, but it's not looking like he'll be getting paid that hefty salary by the Cincinnati Bengals.
He and Marvin Lewis are almost ready to duke it out in a cage match, and Ochocinco has recently been linked to the Patriots and the New York Jets.
I'm convinced an Ochocinco-Jets pairing would be awful, but I do believe Ochocinco will wind up playing somewhere other than Cincinnati next season.
2. Donovan McNabb, QB, Washington Redskins
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The Redskins couldn't get along with Albert Haynesworth, and Donovan McNabb's been the sequel to the Washington's "We can't handle our stars" story.
McNabb was actually benched in favor of Rex Grossman...twice. And ESPN has reported that the Redskins are really high up on Grossman and John Beck for reasons that are beyond me.
There's also a good chance that Washington will choose a quarterback of the future with the tenth overall pick.
So when you think about it, does anyone really believe McNabb will be a Redskin next year?
1. Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans
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Jeff Fisher just got the boot from Tennessee, but the Titans are still going to move Vince Young, too, whether that's through a trade or by straight up releasing him.
It'll probably be the former, just so the team can at least get something in return for a guy they chose with the third overall pick back in 2006.
But that doesn't mean the Titans are going to get much value for Young.
If you're a team like Minnesota—the current favorite to land him—or even someone like Buffalo, Young might be worth giving up a fourth-round pick for.
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