NFL Trade Rumors: Which Early Rumors Will Gain Steam After the Draft?
As of now, you have all heard some of the popular names floating around this year's 2011 NFL trade rumors.
Players such as Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer, Vince Young and Albert Haynesworth have been hot names in trade talks, but when will these guys be traded, and an even more intriguing question is: What kind of role will April's NFL Draft have to do with these names moving places?
Kolb and Palmer are two of the hottest names out there on the trade market, but my guess is that those two won't get traded unless draft picks are included in the exchange. On the other hand, guys like Young and Haynesworth have a shot at getting dealt without having to throw in draft picks.
Let's break this down and take a look at which early trade rumors will pickup momentum after the conclusion of April's NFL Draft.
10. Marion Barber To The Detroit Lions
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WIth Kevin Smith's career all but finished in Detroit, the Lions will be looking to bring in a running back this offseason who can complement Jahvid Best. The ideal candidate here will be a power back, who can take on goal line carries and form a good one-two punch with the speedy Best.
Look no further than Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber.
Rumors have actually been floating around that the Cowboys might even consider releasing Barber as they commit to a two back system of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. If Detroit plays their cards right, they should be able to land Barber from free agency or for a cheap price.
After year's of questionable moves, the Lions have actually been making what appears to be some positive moves as of late. Signing Barber would only add to that list of positives.
9. Martellus Bennett to the St. Louis Rams
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After putting in his time as a backup tight end behind Jason Witten in Dallas, Martellus Bennett has shown that he is clearly ready to be a starter for another NFL team.
In fact, with great size, strength and catching ability, Bennett very well could be the biggest steal of this offseason, considering his value is not extremely high due to limited playing time.
St. Louis is one of those teams that is on the rise and needs to surround Sam Bradford with as many pieces as they can. All signs point to the Rams keeping their first round pick and using it on a playmaker, most likely Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.
If they do get a guy like Jones, adding Bennett to the mix after the draft would make this a dangerous offense.
8. Plaxico Burress to the Baltimore Ravens
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This is a prime example of taking a huge risk, with the possibility that it could bring a huge reward in return.
Plaxico Burress has been out of the league for two years now, but he is scheduled to get released from prison in June and will be looking for a new NFL team to take him in.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told NFL.com that he isn't opposed to considering Burress for 2011, and why not? This is a guy who was one of the top wideouts in the game before he was sent away to the slammer.
At 6'5" and a set of great hands, Burress still has what it takes to be one of the top targets in the league. Don't expect anything to happen anytime soon, but once he is released from prison this summer, you will hear a lot more about this developing story.
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7. Kyle Orton to the Tennessee Titans
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It should be fair to say that the Denver Broncos are moving towards making Tim Tebow their starting quarterback for 2011 and beyond.
With that said, Kyle Orton is way to valuable, and way to expensive to be a backup quarterback on the Broncos roster. Therefor, Orton needs a new home come next season and Tennessee would be a nice fit for the veteran signal caller.
The key here is to see if Tennessee reaches out and takes a quarterback with their first round pick. If not, it has to be apparent that they are going to make a move for a guy like Orton via trade.
Vince Young is all but gone, Kerry Collins is too old, and the Titans need to address the quarterback position in one way or another. This makes perfect sense is you ask me.
6. Steve Smith to the New England Patriots
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The Carolina Panthers are clearly in a position where they are looking to build towards the future and Smith represents the past and everything that has gone wrong with this team the past year or two.
Despite having a down year last season, Smith does still possess some value, and the Panthers should trade him now while that is still the case. Carolina's lack of a quarterback does not help Smith's value in any way, and it's only going to get worse.
New England is a team that needs a No. one wide receiver and they have some pieces that they could deal for Smith, especially on the offensive and defensive line, where Carolina does need some help.
5. Brandon Jacobs to the Miami Dolphins
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Let's face it, the Miami Dolphins' offense is in shambles and they need to act fast in order to get it back in tact.
Chad Henne is not an NFL starting quarterback, that is obvious. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams might both leave town and take their talents elsewhere this offseason. That means that the Dolphins have to address the quarterback and running back position, likely through free agency and the draft.
At quarterback, I see the Dolphins making a push for either Vince Young or Carson Palmer. At running back, adding a guy like Brandon Jacobs would make a lot of sense here and the Dolphins could get this deal done without surrendering any draft picks.
It's fair to say that either Ahmad Bradshaw or Jacobs will be dealt this season, and the odds on favorite has to be Jacobs at this point. His value should not be too high, which makes this deal a strong possibility for both teams.
4. Albert Haynesworth to the Philadelphia Eagles
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Here is the scoop on why this trade is a legitimate possibility.
The Eagles hired former Titans defensive line coach Jim Washburn to run their defense. Washburn is the guy who coached Haynesworth in Tennessee and both sides have a ton of respect for one another.
Haynesworth was asked about the hire and praised Washburn, saying that he is the reason that he is as successful as he is.
Haynesworth has such a massive contact for any team to take on, but the Eagles need help on their defensive line and this very well could be a nice fit. It doesn't look like this is a deal that will happen anytime soon, which is what makes me think that it could pick up some steam after the draft has already concluded.
3. Reggie Bush to the Seattle Seahawks
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If you can't beat em', join em'.
Reggie Bush has not lived up to the hype that came along with him when he was the second player drafted in 2006 out of USC.
New Orleans has not been the ideal home for Bush, and now it looks like it could be his time to move on. So we ask, what could be a better fit for Bush than heading West and joining his former college coach, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks?
The New Orleans Saints have a bit of a logjam at the running back position, with Chris Ivory, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush. One of those guys are going to have to go, and all signs point to it being Bush.
2. Vince Young to the Miami Dolphins
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He might not be the most level-headed player in the NFL, but Vince Young has the athleticism to make any team a contender if he can consistently play up to his ability.
Like mentioned earlier, Miami is in need of a running back and a new quarterback. With Vince Young being shipped out of Tennessee, the Dolphins seem like a perfect fit.
Unlike Kevin Kolb and Carson Palmer, who will all but surely get dealt before the NFL draft takes place, Young has a chance to slip through the cracks and pick up some trade momentum later on in the year. Young would have Brandon Marshall to throw the ball to, and if you can add Mark Ingram in the draft and sign another running back, perhaps Brandon Jacobs, this team will get a major boost on the offensive side of the ball.
1. Donovan McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings
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Here is the deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
They have the No. 12 overall pick in this year's draft, and by that point, Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert should both be off the board. If those two are gone, there really isn't any reason for the Vikings to take a reach at Jake Locker or Ryan Mallett with that first round pick.
The Vikings are a team that despite their poor record last season, have the makeup to be a playoff team right now, if they find the right quarterback. With that said, what would make more sense than signing a proven veteran like Donovan McNabb?
His time didn't work out in Washington, but McNabb could step right into this system and instantly make the Vikings a playoff contender. If you are the Vikings front office, the best move here is to wait until down the road to find your quarterback of the future and trade for McNabb right now. He is still an elite quarterback and chances are he has a lot more to offer then Tavaris Jackson or Joe Webb.
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