NFL Trade Talk: A Closer Look at 20 Possible Trades
Welcome to the hot corner, where predictions are made about some of your favorite and not so favorite NFL players. There are rumor mills (which I never really understood), and/or little birdies who fly around to spread news, and not always good.
The last article I wrote was somewhat controversial, so please allow me to be the cat among the pigeons...uh, more obvious on this one. The title clearly states trades are "possible," not necessarily a truth, so before you hit that response button with spits of vile assumptions or suppositions, let me say, this is neither scientific, nor is it fact. It is simply one man's opinion in a world full of them.
Whew, I feel better. Okay, with the lockout still ruining my month of May, which by the way they better get straightened out quick, I have a $20 bet with Jimmy "the Greek" that it would end by the end of this month. Just kidding, Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder died in 1996. He was a Vegas oddsmaker for you younger folk.
So let's get to it, right? Here are my thoughts on 20 guys where some trade buzz might or could be up in the air once the lockout is over.
Let's Get This Party Started with a Bang
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Jimmy Clausen: Why? Isn't it obvious? The Carolina Panthers drafted Cam Newton No. 1 overall. Can you imagine if he goes into camp, and as he battles Jimmy, not only for his jersey number, but for the starting role, that he doesn't beat out the Notre Dame four-year starter?
Imagine the whisperings flowing through Bank of America field as the (perhaps) $50 million man stands on the sidelines wearing No. 5, or something like that, and holding a clipboard?
The Panthers would do well to trade Clausen and get some decent value for him. At that point it will be all about Cam and some crusty old guy they bring in, like Sage Rosenfels, or someone like that to show Cam where the bathroom is, that actually watching film is good for you, that there are plays more complicated than left 99 jet zip fly, and you don't have to have a wall-to-wall mirror-filled locker.
I am just kidding. I am sure Cam is an extremely modest guy and doesn't have an all-mirror locker.
To trade Clausen would be to do away with any rumors, controversies or confrontations, because I would have to say that if I am Jimmy Clausen, I am not going down without a fight, and the only way Cam wears No. 2 is if I get traded or released.
J-E-T-S, Jets Jets Jets
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Kellen Clemens, QB, Jets: Let’s see, Mark Sanchez is 17, and they draft Greg McElroy, the quarterback genius from Alabama, so I wonder where that leaves Kellen Clemens? How about a trade, y’all?
Yeah, you could say, well they drafted McElroy in Round 7, so that doesn’t necessarily mean he is going to make the team, true. But, this is what-ifs, so what if McElroy goes in there and surprises the heck out of "Tyrannosaurus” Rex? Sorry, couldn’t resist that one.
Clemens is a marketable QB. He is only 27. He has shown that he can toss the rock to even members of his own team, and he holds a clipboard really cool, have you seen him?
Clemens is from the Great Northwest, so why not call the Super Sonics, oh wait, that’s basketball and they are now the Thunder. I meant to say, call Pete Carroll. He seems to be in the John Gruden camp of, “You can never have enough quarterbacks.”
Carroll might be on the phone for another quarterback later in my analysis, but back to Clemens.
Clemens actually has trade value because chances are there is some NFL executive sitting in his chair saying, “You know what, that kid was a helluva player at Oregon. He’s just been in the wrong place.”
That’s all it takes for a trade to happen. It’s possible.
A Bungle in the Jungle
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Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: There are enough reasons for the Bengals to trade Palmer, but one seriously has to look at the Bengals' mindset and wonder what the heck they are doing. Listen, note to management, if a guy wants out bad enough, let him go.
How much sense does it make for the Bengals to “send a message” that they will not be intimidated and trade Palmer? What is Carson Palmer, a terrorist? Seriously, the guy doesn’t want to be there anymore. This is not a ploy for more money. He simply wants out of Crazyville, Ohio.
Palmer would garner great interest and the Bengals could actually reap the benefits by trading him. What do they reap if the man retires? Nothing, something the Bengals usually end up with in the end anyway.
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Hey, I Tell Ya I Don't Get Any Respect Around Here
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Kyle Orton, QB, Broncos: I don’t think I have a corner on this phrase, but I have repeatedly said that Kyle Orton is the Rodney Dangerfield of football. No matter where he goes, he does not get respect he deserves.
This man was putting up good numbers in Denver last year when a freakish injury sidelined him for a bit, and when Tim “the Godsend” Tebow stepped on the field a rush of cheers ascended to the heavens and God himself was pleased. I joke there, but get the point? Tebow is most likely going to be their man, and that makes Orton expendable, and less of a distraction.
If the Broncos could ever get Brady Quinn out of the weight room, maybe they could actually have a competition between two young guns.
Little Thunder
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Steve Smith, WR, Panthers: Let us return to Carolina and to the little disgruntled mighty man. Every time I think of Steve Smith, the song Thunderstruck by AC/DC comes to mind. As a defender you often feel like you’ve been thunderstruck when this guy embarrasses you to the point of YouTube infamy. You know the kind of video that gets thousands of hits because everyone just needs to see it.
Yes, the mighty man is longer in the tooth, but he still got bite, yo. To say the Carolina Panthers could get a second-round pick might be somewhat of a stretch, but a third is certainly within the negotiating boundaries.
The Panthers are basically starting from scratch. Seriously, why not scrap about five to eight guys and start piling up draft picks? Steve Smith is tired of vacuuming the bottom of the NFC South pool; trade the man so he has a chance elsewhere to at least relax in a chaise lounge, man.
Always the Bride's Maid, Never the Bride?
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Kevin Kolb, QB, Eagles: Ah yes, the golden child, or so it seems. There hasn’t been a quarterback since Matt Cassell that has generated this much buzz on the trading block, and with such little playing experience. If you listened to the Philadelphia Eagles' propaganda, err, I mean, media department, the Eagles are absolutely broken up about having to trade this young man who has so much potential.
My honest opinion is that the Eagles’ Michael Vick will not be able to match last season’s success, and when Philly general manager Jeffrey Lurie trades Kolb to some team he helps to improve, the Eagles fans, in usual fashion, will yell, “What the hell were you thinking Lurie?”
I wish Vick continued success, but it will be hard to duplicate last year's incredible run; sort of like Bret Favre in 2009. How do you top that?
There’s no doubt the Eagles have a good situation because they really do have two starting quarterbacks, and because Vick had that incredible year, they had no choice but to take Vick over the younger Kolb. Only time will tell if this works out for the Eagles, or the team that acquires Kolb. Hey, maybe it will be a win/win for both.
I Still Got What It Takes
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Donovan McNabb, QB, Redskins: Poor McNabb, I mean what do you do? The Redskins look like they have their guy for the next several years and within a year Shanahan is ready to kick the guy to the curb. True, McNabb’s statistics are getting worse, but seriously, have you seen what he has to deal with there in DC? The Redskins are more dysfunctional than the ladies on The View.
Here is the rub on McNabb. The man is going to be 35. His legs are “kind of” gone. His arm strength has diminished as evidenced by his occasional 10-yard throw on a 13-yard route. And now the Redskins are saying his conditioning is not where it should be. Oh yeah, kick a man while he’s down why don’t you?
There have been rumors that Donovan and Shanahan could make up. Yeah, and Khaddafi is going to go quietly into that good night. The Redskins will attempt to trade Donovan before they have to release him. After all, they traded for the highly touted John Beck, you know, last year’s Kevin Kolb.
Okay, last rumor. Shanahan is high on Beck because Beck supposedly speaks fluent Portuguese, and rumor has it Kyle Shanahan is looking for new ways to disguise his “obvious” offensive play calling by inventing a new language of verbiage. But that’s just a rumor.
Bye, bye Donovan, don’t let Snyder’s oak doors hit you on your way out.
A Cheesehead No More?
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Matt Flynn, QB, Packers: Ah, surprised you, huh? Who? Matt Flynn is Aaron Rodgers' backup in Green Bay, and the last time I checked that Rodgers kid is pretty good and resilient, and at only 27, he figures to be around for a long time. If the Packers want to capitalize on being a Super Bowl champ, then why not trade one of your players other teams might feel the Super Bowl glitter will rub off of?
Flynn was drafted in Round 7, but has played like a Round 3 pick. Flynn is young (25), shows great potential, and the Packers signed Graham Harrell due to their mistake of drafting Brian Brohm in Round 2 the same year they drafted Flynn.
Flynn has good trade value, and the Packers could always take a page out of the Belichick file and trade for future draft picks, thereby keeping the window of opportunity open for more rather than fewer years.
Of course, Flynn could always go the way of Gary Kubiak, sit back, stay healthy, collect paychecks and maybe Super Bowl rings, then coach one day. Eh, you never know a man's motivation.
The Young and the Restless
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Vince Young, QB, Titans: I don’t know why I have Vince here. Sometimes I feel as though I am watching an episode of that soap when it comes to Vince.
It looks more and more likely the Titans will simply release Young, but let’s suppose that some executive out there feels his coach can rehabilitate the lost child, then certainly the Titans could get some form of return.
There is no denying Young’s talent and he did have a winning record, but sometimes dealing with Young is like dealing with that two-year-old in the toy store. When you tell them they can’t have everything then the tears and screams emerge.
I am not saying that Young is that immature, but the point is, this guy needs to go to maturity school and the NA—narcissists anonymous therapy. There is trade value for Young, but the Titans are going to have to be really savvy in order to pull it off.
You Ain't Seen Nothing Like the Mighty Quinn
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Brady Quinn, QB, Broncos: No one has been more disappointed in Quinn than me, from a football standpoint that is—you'd have to talk with former girlfiends to get their perspective on the other thing. Anyhow, I digress. As a tried and true Fighting Irish fan, I have two ND alums posted here, and my heart aches, I tell ya.
So, why Brady you say? Well, let’s say the Broncos decide to keep Orton for one more year, as an insurance policy, and the fact that Tebow might need one more year to watch and learn. Trading Quinn makes sense because he was a starting quarterback at one time, and most would agree, for a bad team.
Quinn could warrant a fourth-round pick and go to a team where he could compete for the starting job. In Denver he is not going to have that opportunity regardless. If they trade Orton, there is still no way that Quinn will have an opportunity to start unless he suddenly shows a more consistent ability to perform week in and week out.
Again, that is from a football perspective.
The Same Old Song and Dance
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Albert Haynesworth, DT, Redskins: This is a tired story, but since the guy is still under contract, we can safely say that the big man is most likely on the “outs” in DC, and will soon be looking for a new home.
Haynesworth has been unhappy since day one, and the big cry baby who was resistant to switching alignments is a typical athlete who feels he is more important than the team. Is there any worse teammate than one like that?
I think the right team would still pay a hefty price tag for the disgruntled, stubborn proponent of the three technique because one, he is a former Pro Bowl player, and two, he is still only 29.
With the added legal problems Albert has, and his childish antics in DC, he certainly has not made a lot of friends. Going to a new team there has to be a leader on the defense who can speak over Albert and take control of his selfishness and “suggest” to him the game is much bigger than his waistline.
I am done talking about this "fat bastard."
No Mas, Por Favor
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Chad Ochocinco, WR, Bengals: Ocho-nono is a good receiver, most would agree, and he seems to be a likeable teammate, but do you really want a guy like this in A.J. Green’s ear?
In a way, the Bengals sent a message to Chad and the “out the door” Terrell Owens, by drafting Green and Ryan Whalen (Stanford). Also, the Bengals have a slew of young receivers in Jordan Shipley, Andre Caldwell, Quan Cosby and Jerome Simpson. Is this the time to part ways with the so called "Batman and Robin" comedy team?
There is trade value for an experienced receiver. Ocho is treinta y tres years of age (33), and a team that stands on the cusp of playoffs or possibly the Super Bowl could strike a deal that would have Chad doing the Riverdance in a different uniform.
Evans, Lee Evans
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Lee Evans, WR, Bills: Evans is an interesting choice here. The Bills aren’t exactly bloated with receiver talent, and keeping Evans makes sense. Evans’ productivity has declined the last few years: 2008, 63 receptions; 2009, 44 receptions; and 2010, 37 receptions in 13 games.
Now, one could suppose that the reason for his numbers being down is due to the quarterback position; a position not very stable recently. But if you look at the roster of receivers, it’s pretty much a bunch of “who is that?” with only Steve Johnson being the notable name of the group.
Evans is 30 and enters his seventh year. He signed a five-year contract in 2008; ironically, his numbers have declined since. Needless to say, Evans could bring a third- (a stretch) or fourth-round choice, but that’s a far cry from the No. 13 pick in the 2004 draft.
Is It Time to Swim with the Dolphins?
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Will Allen, DB, Dolphins: Injuries have plagued the big free-agent signing from 2006. Allen has one year left on his contract and a $19 million guarantee. That will surely get the Dolphins attention to pawn him off on someone.
Allen, when healthy, is a great cover corner. He does not have the greatest hands, but he has the ability to make the opposing receiver have a long day.
Another thing hurting Allen is age. He will be 33 when the season starts. There are plenty of corners who have stuck around longer than that, but coming off back-to-back knee injuries will surely put a strain on the Dolphins' ability to move him.
Allen has trade value and could be a valuable nickel corner with the next team he lines up with.
I Want to Go Home, or at Least Close to Home
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Steve Slaton, RB, Texans: The Texans backfield is pretty full and Arian Foster seems to have emerged as the guy, and this makes Slaton expendable. Slaton is not and never was a full-time, carry-the-load guy, but he is a good change-of-pace back.
The onetime starter and 1,200-yard rusher seems to have fallen out of favor in a backfield that features Foster, Derrick Ward and Ben Tate.
Slaton was a third-round selection in 2008.
The Texans would do well to trade him to the Redskins for a fourth- or fifth-round selection.
A Bird in the Hand Is Worth Two Reggie Bush
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Reggie Bush, RB, Saints: There are many reasons the Saints should do whatever they can to keep Reggie Bush on their team, but all too often money talks, and Reggie, like Will Allen, has $11.8 million waiting for him for the 2011 year.
Bush has been relatively productive. Although he has yet to make it through 16 games since his rookie campaign, he brings fans to the stadium, albeit not as much as he used to.
Bush brings very good trade value, and sometimes teams that want to stay on top will occasionally have to trade someone of good value to keep their hopes alive. How many times have we seen teams have a window of opportunity last for only a year or two and then close on them because of a lack of vision?
Bush could easily bring second-round value, and the Saints could replace Bush’s high price tag with a lower-priced free agent (Darren Sproles or Kevin Smith) who could offset his loss as basically a third-down back.
You Can Ring My Bell
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Mike Bell, RB, Browns: The Cleveland RB, who was part of a trade with the Eagles in 2010 when the two teams swapped RB’s Harrison for Bell, has not lived up to expectations so far.
It looked as though Bell had found a home where he could get carries and be effective, but with the emergence of Peyton Hillis, and the drafting of Montario Hardesty in Round 2 of the 2010 draft, it makes sense to move Bell.
What could Mike Bell bring in trade value? Well, with the swap for Harrison last year, making the Browns his third team, and the fact that Bell’s best year was 2006 when he rushed for 677 yards for Denver, doesn’t bode well for trade material, but you never know. We have talked repeatedly how GM’s see things differently than most fans or football crazies.
Inconsistent Battering Ram
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Brandon Jacobs, RB, Giants: The big guy has seen better days. Just a few years ago, Jacobs put together back-to-back thousand-yard seasons, and in 2009 got himself a four-year, $25 million extension, but his trade demands and lack of stellar play may have just put the big man on the block.
Jacobs could command some decent trade value. He is a big, bruising back with surprising speed. You would like to think Jerome Bettis but faster, but the man just doesn’t have the heart of Bettis. Plus, Jacobs' inconsistent play drives Tom Coughlin crazy, so it seems likely Jacobs is being shown the door.
The fourth-round draft choice in 2005 is still young enough to make an impact for several years, and old enough to offer a team some stability; however, which team will be willing to roll the dice on a player who has given coaches more headaches than they care to have?
I think the Giants would be happy with a fourth-round choice as a return value.
This Ain't No Lo Jack, This Is V Jack
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Vincent Jackson, WR, Chargers: Do they or don’t they? That is the burning question for the San Diego Chargers. I have always been of the thinking, if a man doesn’t want to be there, or feels he is not being properly compensated, show him the door.
I certainly understand a player wanting what they feel is compensation commensurate with performance, but sometimes it just goes too far. Jackson took a big gamble last year by sitting out, and then when he did come back he had to serve a suspension for his DUIs, so it’s safe to say that Vincent hasn’t exactly been a Boy Scout throughout all of this.
Jackson could do the professional thing and come back, play in his final year, and then pursue free agency, but if the Chargers were smart they would do one of two things: Give him the contract because the man has been a very effective receiver and can give defenses fits, or two, trade him and get what you can and move on.
I think I would sit down with Philip Rivers and ask him his thoughts, after all Rivers is the face of the franchise, and it’s always important to try and keep the signal-caller happy. If he feels they should do what they can to keep him, then do so, and have Philip try to talk sense into the diva. Or if Philip feels the Chargers can get someone else, then get someone else.
There is a path of least resistance and both sides need to figure who will be the first to go down that road.
Time to Plow an Aker?
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David Akers, K, Eagles: Rarely do you see the trade of a kicker, but in a day and age where so many games come down to a field goal, it is now acceptable to look at this.
Akers has had a stellar career in Philly. He is very reliable, but the Eagles drafted Alex Henery in Round 4 of this year's draft, and sometimes that indicates the handwriting on the wall.
Here is a kicker who has a career 81.9 percent accuracy rate, and recently made the 2010 Pro Bowl. Now, Akers could be a free agent, or the Eagles could place a transitional tag on him, and if a team decides they want Akers, then the Eagles can at least get some form of return.
Saving the Best for Last?
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Aaron Smith, DE, Pittsburgh: Smith has been a steady performer for the Steelers since he was drafted by them in 1999, and most conventional wisdom believes that there is no way they would trade one of their most liked players. But like Survivor, it’s a game; we’re not here to make friends.
I am a huge Smith fan, but at 35 his days are numbered and the Steelers have a few youngsters waiting in the wings to take over. Smith would offer good trade value despite his age. He would bring veteran leadership to a defense, and still has a few good years left in the tank.
It seems unlikely the Steelers would do something like this because it doesn’t reflect their style, but if the Steelers want to stay up there with the likes of the Patriots, Ravens, Colts and now Jets, they have to make some bold moves.
When you are constantly in the bottom third of the first round, the choices are not always what you want; that is why the Patriots move all over the draft board like a drunk trying to walk up a serpentine walkway. They wish to remain on top and do whatever it takes to stay there.
This would be a bold move by the Steelers, and one where the locals would most likely want to “strike” the team's home games, but like a loyal dog, they’ll just keep coming back.
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