The Trade Each NFL Team Could Make That Would Best Affect Their Next 5 Years
If each NFL team were given one trade to improve their chances of making the Super Bowl in the next five years, one somewhat realistic trade that is, what move would they make?
Would the New England Patriots send their two 2012 first-round picks in exchange for a marquee player? Would the Tampa Bay Buccaneers find a cornerback to replace Aqib Talib? And what about teams like the Bills and Panthers, who are far from contending right now?
We take a look at each NFL team and list one trade that could change their futures.
Buffalo Bills
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Defensive end Osi Umenyiora
The Buffalo Bills have a lot of needs to fill this offseason if they hope to contend immediately. One move they could make is to trade for defensive end Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants.
Umenyiora has recently called the Giants "liars" and could easily be traded, as he's the odd-man out in the three-way defensive end battle including Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck.
Umenyiora has never played in a 3-4 before, but the Bills have plans to use both the 4-3 and 3-4 schemes. He should be able to acclimate well to the change.
Miami Dolphins
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Quarterback Matt Flynn
The Miami Dolphins might need running backs, and perhaps even help in the secondary, but where they need help the most is at quarterback.
While I have been a long-time proponent of Chad Henne, it remains to be seen whether or not he can ever develop into the type of quarterback who can win big games late in the season.
Matt Flynn has not shown the ability to do so either, but he is more of a blank canvas and would give the Dolphins a young, malleable quarterback to work with.
New England Patriots
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Outside linebacker Tamba Hali
How hard would it be for the New England Patriots to trade for Tamba Hali, the Chiefs franchise player?
Hali would command compensation of at least a first-round pick, the Patriots have two next year alone.
Hali is not expected to go anywhere, but what if the Patriots called former personnel guy Scott Pioli and offered two first-rounders for Hali?
It would be tough to say no to.
Hali would add an element that the Patriots sorely lack. His 14.5 sacks in 2010 would have eclipsed the Patriots' leading sacker by nine sacks.
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New York Jets
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Wide receiver Steve Smith
The Jets face a potential of losing three wide receivers to free agency this summer. They can combat that by trading for the Panthers' disgruntled wide out.
Steve Smith has asked to be traded if the Panthers cannot win in 2011, and he may very well be traded away this offseason.
If Smith is traded, it will be to a contender, something the New York Jets certainly can be if they are able to replace any losses at receiver.
Baltimore Ravens
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Wide receiver Lee Evans
The Baltimore Ravens are this-close to becoming a legitimate Super Bowl contender. What they must do is get better at wide receiver and hope their additions at cornerback pan out.
Anquan Boldin was a superb pick-up for the Ravens last year, but now they must add a complementary receiver opposite him. Lee Evans could be that player.
The Bills are a legendarily bad roster, and the ability to move their No. 2 wide receiver in exchange for a mid-round pick would help them out as well.
Cincinnati Bengals
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Quarterback Carson Palmer
The Cincinnati Bengals most needed move involves not an addition, but a subtraction.
Carson Palmer has asked to be traded, and he has threatened to retire if the team does not move him. Instead of holding Palmer on the roster and forcing him to retire, the Bengals could move him and get a draft pick in return that they can build around for the future.
Palmer should draw a solid second-round pick if traded; Miami and Seattle have to be considered potential targets. An early second-round pick in addition to the Bengals' own selections would be a massive haul for them.
Cleveland Browns
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Wide receiver Vincent Jackson
You have to feel good about what the Cleveland Browns are doing via the draft and free agency since the team hired Mike Holmgren as president.
The Browns have their quarterback of the future in Colt McCoy, a great running game headlined by Peyton Hillis and in front of them, a very good offensive line.
All that is missing on offense is a game breaking wide receiver.
Vincent Jackson of the San Diego Chargers could be had for the right price. The Chargers have placed the franchise tag on Jackson, but he sat out most of the 2010 season over a contract dispute and could easily be traded for.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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Guard Carl Nicks
The Pittsburgh Steelers are good enough to make the Super Bowl; what do they need to do to get over the hump and win another ring?
Getting better in the secondary and the offensive line are keys for the Steelers.
Carl Nicks is a restricted free agent in New Orleans, and depending on what happens with the lockout, he could be signed to an offer sheet and traded for.
The asking price would be high for one of the NFL's best young guards, but is a Super Bowl ring worth a late second-round pick?
That's a no-brainer.
Houston Texans
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Cornerback Aqib Talib
The Houston Texans have the offense to make noise in the playoffs. It's their defense that is keeping them from pushing the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South.
One move the Texans could make to help immediately and in the future is to trade for troubled cornerback Aqib Talib.
Talib, who has been arrested recently and indicted by a federal grand jury, could be traded from Tampa Bay, as the team should move him while he does have some value.
In Houston, he would become the No. 1 cornerback and shore up a weakness on the Houston roster.
Indianapolis Colts
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Running back Chris Johnson
This may rank on the far end of the "unlikely" spectrum, but with Chris Johnson threatening to hold out if he is not given a "historical" new contract this offseason.
Should Johnson even hint at holding out, there will be a multitude of teams lining up to inquire about his availability.
Should that scenario even come close to happening, the Indianapolis Colts should make a call and offer all of their 2012 draft picks in exchange.
ALL of them. Maybe even their 2013 first-rounder.
The Colts have a good team. Chris Johnson would make them Tony Tiger great.
Jacksonville Jaguars
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Cornerback Mike Jenkins
The Jaguars defense was among the worst in the NFL during the 2010 season, and trading up to draft a quarterback No. 10 overall did nothing to help.
A move the team should make this offseason is to trade for an experienced cornerback who can not only tutor their young stars but help right away.
Jenkins would not come at the high price tag of an Aqib Talib, but he is good enough to have an impact right away. There is some baggage that comes with Jenkins, as he's been labeled as troubled, but he remains a Pro Bowl caliber cornerback when he's on his game.
Tennessee Titans
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Quarterback Vince Young
Much like the Cincinnati Bengals, for the Tennessee Titans to improve in the next five years, they need to deal quarterback Vince Young as soon as humanly possible.
Young has become a bit troubled in the Titans' lockerroom, and the team has plans to trade him before a $4.25 million bonus is due on the 10th day of the league year.
Young will not command much on the trade market, but moving him out of the locker room and keeping his influence away from rookie Jake Locker is incredibly important.
Denver Broncos
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Quarterback Kyle Orton
Addition by subtraction. That's what is at play here.
Denver has a three-headed quarterback situation with Tim Tebow, Brady Quinn and Kyle Orton entering in to an open quarterback competition this summer.
As the old adage goes, when you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. Three is a whole 'nother mess altogether.
Of all the quarterbacks on the roster, Orton is the one who will receive the most attention on the open market.
Orton has experience and could right the ship in cities like Seattle and Miami, where a veteran quarterback is needed.
Kansas City Chiefs
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Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco
The Kansas City Chiefs have done an incredible job filling their needs through the draft over the last several offseasons. Picking up Jonathan Baldwin in the first round was big, but he may not be ready to make an impact as a rookie.
There is also the possibility of adding a veteran wide receiver with the speed to run past defenders and the experience to mentor younger receivers Dwayne Bowe and Baldwin.
Ochocinco has been a very vocal, at times troubling, receiver in the past, but would fit in well in a strong locker room like the Chiefs have currently.
Oakland Raiders
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Wide receiver Steve Smith
There are many places the Oakland Raiders could improve, but most of those are filled with young players who have yet to show their NFL value.
One area where the Raiders truly lack talent is at wide receiver.
Steve Smith would become the Raiders true No. 1 wide receiver, allowing Jacoby Ford to play in a role as a slot receiver and return man and moving Louis Murphy to a secondary role and Johnnie Lee Higgins to the No. 4 role.
Those four wide receivers lining up with Darren McFadden and Michael Bush in the backfield would provide for a very scary offense in Oakland.
San Diego Chargers
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Wide receiver Vincent Jackson
The Chargers have fought with wide receiver Vincent Jackson for two seasons now. After Jackson sat out the first nine weeks of the 2010 season, it seemed that things would finally come to an end after the season. And then the lockout started.
Jackson was quickly tagged with the franchise tag before the lockout began, assuring San Diego will get compensation if the trade away the disgruntled receiver.
San Diego is weak at wide receiver, but they could trade Jackson and still pick up a wide receiver in free agency to help the team.
Dallas Cowboys
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Cornerback Aqib Talib
Dallas needs cornerbacks, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a Pro Bowler they need to unload.
Aqib Talib might be troubled, but he is a capable and talented cover man, and that is what Dallas needs as they transition to Rob Ryan's blend of 3-4 defense.
Dallas is likely to trade either Mike Jenkins or Terence Newman, opening up a spot for Talib on the Cowboys' roster.
New York Giants
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Running back Reggie Bush
What do the New York Giants need? If Ahmad Bradshaw leaves via free agency, the No. 1 need on their list will be at running back.
Reggie Bush might not be a featured running back by any means, but he is an athletic runner who can add the lightning to Brandon Jacobs thunder.
He's also an upgrade over Tiki Barber, who may be returning from a four-season break from football to dabble in broadcast journalism.
Bush is likely to be the odd man out in New Orleans with Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory and newly drafted Mark Ingram in town.
Philadelphia Eagles
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Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth
The Philadelphia Eagles have done a good job taking on troubled players. Look at what they got out of Michael Vick.
Their next project should be defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who may rank as the biggest free agent bust of all time after signing a $100 million deal with the Washington Redskins.
An All-Pro in Tennessee, Haynesworth has sorely underperformed over the past three seasons. That will result in his being traded to the highest bidder.
In Philadelphia, Haynesworth would be reunited with defensive coach Jim Washburn, the last man to get any production from Big Al.
Washington Redskins
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Quarterback Vince Young
The quarterback situation in Washington is as bad as any that we can remember in recent NFL history. I mean, John Beck?
Washington should be looking at all available quarterbacks to find a mobile, strong-armed passer to fit in Mike Shanahan's offense.
As luck would have it, the Tennessee Titans are hoping to trade a player that fits the bill perfectly.
At 28 years old, Vince Young is far from a young player, but he is youthful enough for the Redskins to build around for the future.
Chicago Bears
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Wide receiver Steve Smith
Take a quick look at the Chicago Bears roster, and you will see few holes, especially on defense, but you may also notice that the team desperately needs help at wide receiver.
Chicago made it to the NFC Championship game after the 2010 season without a game-changer at receiver. To win big in 2011 and defeat their division rival, Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, they'll need to find a true No. 1 wide receiver.
If Panthers wide out Steve Smith wants traded to a contender, few teams would be more enticing than Chicago.
Detroit Lions
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Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
One of the unsung heroes of the 2010 NFL season was Lions' cornerback Alphonso Smith. The one-time second-round pick of the Denver Broncos was traded to Detroit, where he blossomed in to a starting cornerback. While Smith looks like a future star, he is not ready to be a No. 1 cornerback.
Across the country in Arizona, the Cardinals used the No. 5 overall pick on a cornerback (Patrick Peterson) when they already had a Pro Bowler at the position. Does this mean that starter Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is available?
Recent history proves the Cardinals will let marquee players leave, whether it's by trade or free agency. DRC could be next.
Detroit would be happy to have him.
Green Bay Packers
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Quarterback Matt Flynn
The Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl and have a roster built to win in the future. So, what's missing?
How about additional draft picks in the 2012 draft?
The Packers would love to add selections to their class next fall, and they have an asset on the roster that could bring future draft picks in.
Quarterback Matt Flynn has just one year left on his current contract. Flynn showed during the 2010 season that he has potential as a starting quarterback when he was forced to fill in for an injured Aaron Rodgers. That spot duty was enough to put Flynn's name on the tip of NFL tongues.
Green Bay has to realize that they can either trade Flynn and get something in return, or watch him walk away after the 2011 season for free.
Minnesota Vikings
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Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco
Minnesota's offesason thus far has been defined by their draft class, which included future franchise quarterback Christian Ponder. All that is missing in Minnesota now are a few re-signings on defense and a rejuvenated offensive line.
Oh, and a replacement for Sidney Rice if he leaves via free agency as expected.
Minnesota has one star receiver in Percy Harvin, but who will line up on the outside while Harvin is in the slot and in the backfield?
Chad Ochocinco could be that man. He's talented enough to start in Minnesota, even as a veteran, and could provide an immediate punch to the Vikings offense.
Atlanta Falcons
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Defensive end Osi Umenyiora
The Atlanta Falcons are widely expected to pursue defensive ends this offseason, but what if they could make a trade for a Pro Bowl defensive end?
Atlanta is just a few moves away from seriously contending in the NFC, and Umenyiora could be the guy to put them over the top.
While Ray Edwards (Minnesota) is an intriguing prospect in free agency, he has never produced at the same level that Umenyiora has, even with two All-Pro defensive tackles and an All-World defensive end opposite him.
Carolina Panthers
26 of 32
Quarterback Jimmy Clausen
Some might say the Carolina Panthers best move would be to trade wide receiver Steve Smith to the highest bidder. We say "no thanks."
The Panthers should do all they can to hold on to Smith and hope he finds a quick chemistry with quarterback Cam Newton.
One move they can make is to trade No. 2 quarterback and 2010 second-rounder Jimmy Clausen.
With so many teams in the NFL looking for a starting quarterback, or at a minimum a young quarterback to develop, Clausen should have some value on the open market.
In Carolina, where they are short on talent, any extra draft picks would be great.
New Orleans Saints
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Linebacker Keith Rivers
To date, linebacker Keith Rivers has been a disappointment in Cincinnati. The Bengals spent the No. 9 overall pick on Rivers and expected an All-Pro linebacker. What they have received in return is a very average, but highly talented, linebacker.
Rivers may benefit from a change of scenery, and Cincinnati would certainly benefit from the draft picks brought in by the deal.
While Rivers has not produced as expected, he should still carry third or fourth-round value on the market.
In New Orleans, where the linebackers are all quite slow, Rivers' athletic ability and speed would be a welcome change.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Cornerback Aqib Talib
If you scanned the rest of the slides here, you know that Aqib Talib has been mentioned many times as a fix for other NFL teams. He would also be a fix in Tampa Bay.
Talib has been trouble off the field since being drafted into the NFL, something the Buccaneers are tiring of. Talib could be had for the right price, but in reality, anything is worse ridding themselves of the headache of Talib and his off-field antics.
Arizona Cardinals
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Quarterback Kevin Kolb
In just seven career starts, Kevin Kolb has been perfectly adequate. His career rating of 73.2 is also very adequate.
But that does not mean NFL teams aren't lining up for the chance to acquire Kevin Kolb. The Arizona Cardinals should be No. 1 on that list once the NFL lockout ends.
Kolb may not be a statistical wonder of the world yet, but he does show the potential to be a very good starter in the NFL for a long time. In Arizona, where the team has hung in the dumpster since Kurt Warner's retirement, a talented young quarterback is needed.
St. Louis Rams
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Wide receiver Vincent Jackson
Fans in St. Louis have to feel good about the progress made by the Rams and rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. In just one season, things appear to be turning around in St. Louis.
One area where a need still exists is at wide receiver. As great as Bradford could be, he will only be as good as the talent around him.
The Rams should be making a call to San Diego for wide receiver Vincent Jackson the second the NFL free agent period begins.
Jackson is the type of talent that could, when combined with Bradford and Steven Jackson, bring a Super Bowl back to St. Louis.
San Francisco 49ers
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Cornerback Mike Jenkins
The San Francisco 49ers have been waiting a decade for a playoff appearance; could 2011 be the year things get turned around in the Bay?
To make a run at the playoffs, the 49ers must figure out their secondary, and doing so means bringing in a No. 1 cornerback like Mike Jenkins.
Nate Clements is over the hill and overpaid, and he's either moving to safety at a reduced rate or moving to a new team. Stepping in to his shoes could be Jenkins, a talented and young cornerback with the tools to bring a winning season back to Candlestick Park.
Seattle Seahawks
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Quarterback Carson Palmer
The Seahawks shocked the football world when they made the playoffs in 2010 on the strength of a 7-9 record. History will not repeat itself in 2011 if the Seahawks do not figure out their quarterback situation.
Matt Hasselbeck has been the starter since 2002, but he is 36 years old and a free agent. Charlie Whitehurst looked good enough in two starts to warrant a look as a starter, but the team should bring in competition for him.
Reuniting coach Pete Carroll with his Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Carson Palmer seems like the obvious move. The two need each other, and like Palmer did back at USC, he could make Carroll look like a true winner in the NFL.
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