2011 NFL Trade Rumors: Worst Case Trade Scenarios for All 32 NFL Teams
Sick of hearing all about the NBA trade talk and some of the outrageous rumors floating around before the deadline hits?
Well, let's change that up a little and start talking NFL trade talk while we're at it. It can never be too early to start speculating about what kind of moves your home team is going to be making this offseason.
With a number of big names out there on the trade market, guys like Kevin Kolb, Champ Bailey and Nnamdi Asomugha are likely going to be switching teams before next year's NFL season kicks off. But while it would be an ideal situation for some teams to sign an All-Pro cornerback or a pass happy quarterback like Kolb, what if those moves don't get done?
What if your home team makes the wrong move this offseason and it costs them in the future?
Let's take an inside look here and figure out what the worst case trade scenarios would be for all 32 NFL teams.
Atlanta Falcons
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When breaking down the Falcons roster, it appears from the initial look that this roster is pretty talented and deep all the way around.
Atlanta has a great young quarterback in Matt Ryan, a reliable running back in Michael Turner and perhaps the game's best receiver in Roddy White. But what about on the defensive end of the ball?
The Falcons had a memorable regular season, but got torched in the playoffs by Green Bay's offense. It's pretty clear that the Falcons aren't going to make a big move, but they need to look for another playmaker on that defense.
They aren't going to have a high enough pick to get a guy that will likely make an instant impact, so a trade looks like the ideal move here. If they are unable to add anyone on defense, this team will likely fall short again in the postseason because they failed to address that side of the ball.
Arizona Cardinals
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This might be the most simple team to figure out here as far as worst case trade scenarios go.
The Cardinals No. 1 focus this offseason has to be landing a quarterback. This year's rookie class has some promising guys like Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Mallett, but are any of those guys really ready to step in and start from day one, which is what they would likely be asked to do if they came to Arizona?
The worst case scenario for the Cardinals would be if they did not trade for a quarterback. In fact, it might not be a bad move to trade for a quarterback and draft a guy to groom for the future.
The bottom line here is that any solution right now would be better then choosing between Max Hall and John Skelton as your opening day starter.
All signs point to Kevin Kolb being the guy that Arizona targets this offseason and at this point, that looks like it could be a good move for this franchise.
Baltimore Ravens
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This is a team that has been so close to getting to the Big Game the past couple of years, but they just seem to come up short.
When you look at the Ravens roster, they have a up and coming offense and a hard-nosed, solid defense. But the one spot that should be addressed this offseason is the cornerback position. Chris Carr and Josh Wilson both have expiring contracts and the team needs to upgrade here.
With a guy like Nnamdi Asomugha out there in the open market, one would have to believe that the Ravens are going to make a push at getting him.
The worst case scenario here is if the Ravens stay calm and don't make a push for a corner. They need to get an elite corner to get back to being the best defense in the NFL.
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Buffalo Bills
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The Bills are a team that needs to make a number of moves this offseason if they have any hopes at being competitive in 2011.
When looking at the roster, they could use upgrades at quarterback, receiver, defensive end, linebacker and offensive tackle. There are some other holes, but those are the major ones that can be addressed through trade.
One has to believe that the Bills are going to draft either a quarterback or a defensive lineman with their top draft pick. With that said, this team has to make a move at improving these other spots.
The worst case scenario here would be if they did not address any of these positions. With the loss of Marcus Stroud, the No. 1 position that has to be addressed is defensive end.
Carolina Panthers
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The worst team in the league has a ton of holes to fill this offseason.
But if the Panthers are going to draft Auburn defensive lineman Nick Fairley with the first pick overall, they are going to have to address the quarterback position in one way or another. Jimmy Clausen is not ready to be an NFL starting quarterback, that is clear.
With guys like Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer and Kyle Orton likely to hit the trade market, the Panthers have to make a push at one of these guys.
Chicago Bears
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The Bears were one of the top teams in the NFL this season, but that does not mean that they are all set with the roster they have. In fact, there are two positions that this team desperately needs to address if they want to make a run at the Super Bowl next season. Those positions are offensive tackle and wide receiver.
The bottom line here is that whatever one of these two positions the Bears decide to go after with their first round draft pick, they need to go after the other position with a trade or free agency.
From the way the draft looks to play out, the Bears will be more likely to take a tackle with their pick, meaning that they need to make a push at giving Jay Cutler a No. 1 receiver. Devin Hester is a great playmaker, Johnny Knox has great speed, but neither of those guys are top-notch receivers.
The worst case scenario here would be if the Bears missed out on trading for a No. 1 wideout. A guy like Sidney Rice or Santonio Holmes would make a great fit with this organization.
Cincinnati Bengals
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To put this as lightly as possible, the Cincinnati Bengals are an absolute mess right now and it all starts with the Carson Palmer situation.
According to recent reports from The Cincinnati Enquirer, Carson Palmer has put his house on the market and he's also threatened to retire if he's not traded.
What makes this even more absurd is that Palmer's contract runs through 2014 and Bengals president Mike Brown has said the quarterback won't be traded. Something needs to give here.
If Carson Palmer wants out of Cincinnati, there is no point to keep a guy around that doesn't want to be there. The worst case scenario for the Bengals is that if they do not trade Palmer and try to get through this, because in reality, they won't get through it.
Cleveland Browns
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Cleveland has been consistently one of the worst teams in the NFL over the past decade. With a below average offense and an inconsistent defense, the Browns have a lot of holes to fill this offseason.
When looking at this team, they have to address the receiver position on offense and defensive end and linebacker on defense.
There are plenty of good receivers that are looking to change teams this offseason. The question is, do the Browns have what it takes to land one of them?
Dallas Cowboys
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No one saw it coming. With a roster filled with stars, the Cowboys had to believe that they were primed to make a run at this year's Super Bowl at their home field.
With that said, the Cowboys should have Tony Romo back and healthy this season. The offense looks to be in good hands, but what about that defense?
Most importantly, let's take a look at the Cowboys' pass defense. This unit allowed 243 yards per game through the air, which ranked 26th in the NFL this season. The team has to address the cornerback position, as well as signing or drafting another defensive lineman.
It would be a shame to see the Cowboys not land two guys to fill these positions, one through the draft and one through a trade.
Denver Broncos
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With the second pick in this year's NFL draft, the Broncos will have their shot to get a once in a decade player in Patrick Peterson.
Denver allowed over 30 points in half of their games this season, so obviously, they need to continue to build up their defense. The most eye-popping number here is that the Broncos allowed over 150 yards on the ground this season. That obviously means that this team needs to address the defensive tackle position.
The worst case trade scenario here would be if the Broncos fail to sign a defensive tackle. Perhaps a guy like John Henderson would fit nice with this group.
Detroit Lions
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Jim Schwartz's team had a tremendous finish to their 2010 season. But what are their needs heading into next season?
The Lions have three main areas of need: linebacker, offensive tackle and cornerback.
All sings point to the Lions drafting a linebacker or tackle in the draft, simply because after the top two corners in the draft, there is a huge drop of talent.
Champ Bailey, Nnamdi Asomugha and Antonio Cromartie are all guys that will be available through trade or free agency. It would be a shame to see the Lions not make a run at one of these top-name guys. They are an improving franchise and players should see that.
Green Bay Packers
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What a memorable season it was for the Super Bowl champs. So now the question arises, what positions do the Packers need to upgrade?
Well, here is the scary part. With the players they have coming back from injury, they should be even better in 2011.
The Packers look to be set pretty much everywhere, but what about the cornerback position? What if Charles Woodson decides that he is going to go out as a Super Bowl champ and signs his retirement papers? It's not likely to happen, but the Packers have to prepare for the future at the corner position, which means they might take a look at one of those top corner free agents.
The worst case scenario here would be if the Packers got foolish and traded away any of the major position players that helped lead them to the Super Bowl this year. This was a great group of guys and they need to make sure they keep the core of their team in tact.
Houston Texans
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Anyone who follows the NFL closely knows that Houston had an explosive offense, but an abysmal pass defense this past year.
Knowing that, it is obvious that it should be in the team's best interest to go after one, if not two defensive backs through the draft, trades, free agency or all three.
Guys like Champ Bailey, Antonio Cromartie, Nnamdi Asomugha and Chris Carr are all guys that this team should give a look to. With Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara likely gone by the time the Texans draft, they are going to have to be aggressive in the trade market.
It would be a huge disappointment if they did not upgrade this position, especially because this is a team that is right on the verge of being a playoff contender.
Indianapolis Colts
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The Colts need to get Peyton Manning some better protection. That is the bottom line when it comes to talking about this team's needs this offseason.
This group had a couple of freak injuries this season in their receiving core and with their running backs, but with everyone scheduled to recover, the unit should be good again in 2011.
One other aspect that we can look at, though, is how Reggie Wayne expressed his displeasure with the Colts' passing game in their season-ending loss. I know he has been there forever, but the worst case scenario for the Colts would be to buy into this matter and try and ship out Reggie Wayne.
Wayne is a top-notch NFL receiver and if the Colts are smart, which we all believe they are, Wayne should not be going anywhere this offseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
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On the offensive side of the ball, the Jaguars are clearly a run-first team and with Maurice Jones-Drew taking the carries, they are in good hands for this year and beyond.
Now, switching to defense, that is a bit of a different story. The Jaguars have to look to upgrade their secondary and on the defensive line. One has to assume that they will grab one of those two positions with their first-round pick, leaving the other to be looked at via trade.
The Jags' defensive unit managed just 26 sacks last season, which is a pretty slim number. Maybe looking at a guy like Jason Babin from the Titans would be a good move.
It would be a shame to see this team not address those two positions and settle for another year of average football and looking up at the Colts in the playoff picture.
Kansas City Chiefs
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The Chiefs had a phenomenal season this year, led by a dominant rushing attack and a solid defensive front.
The key here is that the Chiefs have to be active and continue to build this product to take that next step. They need to look at upgrading their second and third receivers, as well as add a piece or two on their offensive line.
Perhaps this team takes a look at a guy like Plaxico Burress. He comes with a lot of risk, but the rewards could be huge if he is anywhere close to his form before going to jail.
The worst case scenario is that they don't do anything as far as adding pieces. Another bad scenario would involve giving away Thomas Jones. They need to hold onto both him and Jamaal Charles because this was the best one-two rushing punch in the league this past season.
Miami Dolphins
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This is a team that needs to take a look in the mirror and seriously consider rebuilding their entire offensive system.
Chad Henne just doesn't cut it at the quarterback position. Ronnie Brown is a free agent and very well could leave, and Ricky Williams said he is ready to move on as well. All signs point to the team drafting running back Mark Ingram in the draft, which means that Miami should make a trade for a quarterback.
The No. 1 guy that comes to mind is Carson Palmer. He is a proven NFL starting quarterback that would be a nice fit with Brandon Marshall.
If the Dolphins fail to address the quarterback position, this would be a disaster for this team.
Minnesota Vikings
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What a letdown 2010 was for this organization. It looked like this team had all the pieces to be one of the top teams in the NFL, but apparently, that wasn't the case.
The most important thing for the Vikings in this offseason is that they have to land a quarterback. Whether it be through the draft or through free agency, that has to be Leslie Frazier's No. 1 priority.
When you're looking at a worst case scenario, that would be if the Vikings fail to land a quarterback and also let go of Sidney Rice, their top receiving target. If the Vikings are going to be a playoff team, they need to hold onto their best deep threat.
New England Patriots
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Despite having the best record in the NFL this past year, the Patriots do have some holes to fill this offseason.
The top positions that you have to look at here has to be defensive end, receiver and running back.
With the depth at defensive end in this year's draft, it looks like the Patriots will take one of them in the draft. That leaves running back and receiver to address.
Maybe trading for a guy like Michael Bush or Darren Sproles would be a good move to compliment the law firm at the running back position. The worst case scenario is if the Pats trade for a guy who is near the end of his career. New England has to continue to build their youth movement because their veterans and young guys seem to be fitting in very nicely together thus far.
New Orleans Saints
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The good news with the Saints is that free safety Darren Sharper will remain with the team for another year, which makes financial sense for the Saints. The not so good news is that the Saints defense isn't getting any younger.
One main position that the Saints have to address is their defensive line, which got exposed by the Seahawks in their playoff loss.
Guys like Shaun Rogers, Marcus Spears and Shaun Cody could all fit in nicely and help out this defensive line. Much like the Patriots, the worst case scenario is if this team doesn't bring in any youth and continues to get older. They need new blood on that defense if they want to remain a Super Bowl contender next season and beyond.
New York Giants
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In a little change of pace direction, the New York Giants' offseason is not necessarily about who they can get with a trade, but instead, who they can keep from being traded.
Names like Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Steve Smith and Mathias Kiwanuka have all been hot names in trade rumors so far this offseason. But in reality, these are four guys that are important to the Giants success' and they will need the majority of them if they plan to stay competitive in the NFC for this coming season and beyond.
The worst case scenario for the Giants is if they lose say more than one of those four guys just mentioned. Sure, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw might want the backfield to themselves, but the two-back system is what works in the NFL nowadays and if they want to remain a top-notch running football team, that two-back monster has to stay in tact.
New York Jets
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Just like the Giants, the Jets' No. 1 priority has to be making sure that they can keep their top-notch players.
Receivers Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes are both free agents and could be gone in a flash if the Jets are not careful. Antonio Cromartie was a key part at forming the best secondary in the NFL, but he might be gone as well.
The worse case scenario for this team would be if they let all three of these guys go, because chances are, they aren't going to get anything as valuable in return.
The Jets have to make it a top priority to re-sign their top-notch guys here. Otherwise, it is very tough to see them getting past that AFC Championship game anytime soon.
Oakland Raiders
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The chances of me winning the lottery are about the same odds as anyone guessing what the Oakland Raiders are going to do this offseason.
As long as Al Davis continues to run the show here, who knows what will happen next with this team?What we do know is that they need a big-play receiver on offense, and they need someone to replace Nnamdi Asomugha if he leaves to go elsewhere.
The worst case scenario here would be if they let Asomugha leave and then failed to trade for or sign another corner, and also failed to address the receiver position.
From the looks of it, drafting Darrius Heyward-Bey with a top 10 pick was a huge bust, and now they need to make up for their mistake if they are going to compete in 2011.
Philadelphia Eagles
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The Eagles allowed 49 sacks this past year, so it is no secret what their No. 1 offseason priority has to be. Now the question just becomes who?
Two names that come to mind are Donald Penn of Tampa Bay and Jared Gaither of Baltimore, both of whom should be on the trade market as of now.
After franchising Michael Vick and making it more than clear that he is their quarterback going forward, it would be quite a shame not to surround him with more protection.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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The Steelers have one of, if not the most talented roster in the NFL from top to bottom.
They have a great quarterback, running back and receivers on offense. They have superior linebackers, defensive backs and linemen on defense. So where does this team go from here to improve? How about getting some youth on that defensive line?
Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith have all been in the league for 10 or more years now. This is a great group, but the worst case scenario would be if the Steelers just sat on it and didn't try to get more youthful on their defensive front.
Seattle Seahawks
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On offense, the Seahawks need to begin their search for a new quarterback, because the Matt Hasselbeck era is going to come to an end sooner rather than later.
But while the quarterback position is an important value, perhaps even more important right now is trying to improve their abysmal secondary. The Seahawks' two starting cornerbacks combined for just two interceptions last year, which speaks for itself.
It would be extremely unfortunate to be a Seahawks fan and not see this team address their needs in the secondary.
St. Louis Rams
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This is a team that was oh so close to making the playoffs this past year, despite having a losing record.
When you look at this roster, if they can find a way to surround Sam Bradford with a few more weapons on the offensive end, they could become a force in their weak division. It all starts with landing a top-notch wide receiver for Bradford to throw to.
All signs point to the Rams targeting Alabama's Julio Jones with that first round pick, but if they aren't able to land Jones, the Rams front office has to address the receiver position in a trade.
The worst case scenario for this team would be to not land a receiver and have to go through another season with Bradford throwing to a no-name crew of guys.
San Diego Chargers
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The Chargers are in a position where they need to find some help on the defensive side of the ball, but that could come through the draft.
As far as trades go, they should do all they can to keep Darren Sproles. Despite not putting up huge numbers this past year, he is more than just a running back. He is a valuable asset on special teams and will likely be highly coveted by other teams around the league looking to improve their return game.
The worst case scenario for San Diego would be to let both Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert go through trades, and then not get anything as valuable in return. If they are smart, they will hold onto one, if not both of those guys.
San Francisco 49ers
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The San Francisco 49ers have three needs this offseason: a quarterback, defensive end and corner back.
Most importantly, this offseason has to start with finding their quarterback of the future. Alex Smith is a bust, end of story there. With guys like Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb hitting the open trade market, it would be in the 49ers' best interest to either go after one of those guys, or take their quarterback of the future with their first-round draft pick.
The worst case scenario for this team would be if they failed to address the quarterback position and were left with Alex Smith or Troy Smith as their starting quarterback. Both of those guys need to be sent packing this offseason and the team needs to bring in a new signal caller for next year and beyond.
Tampa Bay Bucs
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This is a team that has a lot of average to good players, but really, no great players.
If the Tampa Bay Bucs want to compete and take that next step into the playoffs, they need to go out and trade for a guy that is a great player, someone who is going to make an impact right away.
On the offensive side of the ball, you have to look at the Bucs' receiving core and assume that they are going to improve that unit in some way. How about shelling out the money and bringing in a guy like Sidney Rice, Steve Smith or maybe even take a chance with Randy Moss?
On the defensive end, the Bucs decided to let linebacker Barrett Ruud and guard David Joseph test free agency. Neither were franchised, and there's no guarantee either will be given offers. They need to address the linebacker position then as well.
Ronde Barber just agreed to come back for one more season, but the Bucs have to remain active and go after an impact player through a trade. If they don't, they won't be a playoff team in 2011.
Tennesse Titans
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The Titans have already shaken up the NFL offseason with the departure of head coach Jeff Fisher, and now they plan to release or trade Vince Young.
With that said, this team's No. 1 priority this offseason has to be at the quarterback position. Kerry Collins is too old to keep doing this, and it's about time they bring in their quarterback of the future. A lot of draft experts have the Titans selecting a quarterback with that top 10 pick.
The worst case scenario here is that they trade Young, do not get another worthy starting quarterback in return, do not draft a quarterback and settle for Kerry Collins starting another year. That is not the way to go, Tennessee.
Washington Redskins
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This team has the potential to make the most noise of any team this offseason.
If the Redskins truly are going to get rid of Donovan McNabb, which it looks like they will, they have got to get something valuable for him in return. The same has to be said for Albert Haynesworth.
The Redskins need a quarterback, they need a running back, they need to rebuild. The worst case scenario is if they let these two big name players go and do not get some good, young value in return.
This should be a huge story heading into the NFL trade deadline and all we can do is sit back and watch how it all unfolds here.
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