NFL No Trade Clause: 5 Reasons No Team Will Make a Trade in 2011

No team will make any trades in the NFL in 2011 once the lockout ends.

There, I got your attention, didn't I?

Okay, so there's not much chance that would ever happen. But with NFL lockout negotiations still putting a big damper on the offseason, many are wondering if there will be a season at all (which would mean no trades, obviously).

While that scenario is also unlikely, the effects of the lockout on the season could end up being profound in several ways.

So here are five reasons why trades might not be on the agenda for NFL teams once offseason activity can finally begin—if there is any activity at all.

Sources: Wikipedia.com, FootballRumblings.com, ESPN.com

Fewer Trades in 2011 NFL Draft

While some experts predicted an increase in trades during the 2011 NFL Draft, there actually ended up being significantly fewer than there were in the 2010 Draft.

This could be interpreted in a couple of different ways.

First, it could mean that teams made fewer trades because they're planning on executing the bulk of their trades in the offseason and in-season with more established players.

Second, it could mean that teams are nervous about the lockout and are hesitant to make any trades at all. 

Yeah, I like that second one.

Owners Won't Be Allowed to Trade Players

Before I begin, I'd like to express my condolences to the owners of all NFL franchises.

These poor men have to deal with hundreds of selfish players who just want more money.  And even though most of these men are billionaires, they deserve more money and shouldn't have to pay greedy players so much.

Now that that's out of the way, the NFL will not have a season this year unless all NFL players are allowed an automatic no-trade clause in each one's contract.  DeMaurice Smith and his evil minions will make sure of it.

What can I say? The NFLPA plays hardball.

Since the owners will all be struggling to make ends meet by then, they'll have to agree. 

Players Will Ask for No-Trade Clauses

OK, let's get a little more serious.

The chances that more players will want no-trade clauses in their contracts have to be pretty good.

The NFL lockout will likely have a lot of players, coaches, owners and executives alike uneasy about the coming season. It's not hard to imagine players wanting a little bit of stability following a tumultuous offseason.

Owners might be more willing to dish these out as well. Teams with less movement usually have more stability, and the security of a no-trade clause may persuade players to accept a little less money as well.

Naturally, more no-trade clauses would mean fewer trades. That's one step in the right direction for my flimsy argument.

Randy Moss

Let's be fair: Randy Moss is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time. But frankly, he shouldn't come back to football after the year he had in 2010.

Moss became a journeyman in 2010, starting on the Patriots and then getting traded to the Vikings before being dropped and picked up by the Titans. When Tennessee acquired the former star, ESPN acquired a real nugget of wisdom in the process. 

"Timing is everything," coach Jeff Fisher told The Associated Press on Wednesday night. "I really think the quicker we get him on the field, the longer he's here, the more productive he'll be. We think that he can help us, and I'm looking forward to seeing him run under those deep balls."

How'd that work out for ya, Fish?

Throughout that process, Moss' arrogance and greed shined through.  After underachieving for the Patriots and then alienating the Minnesota locker room before being waived, Moss was a huge disappointment for Fisher and the Titans.

The trade severely damaged Minnesota's franchise, and the Patriots were lucky to get rid of him.

The whole situation was so unbelievably bad that it might scare off anyone from ever making any trade in 2011.

Extended Lockout Means Less Time

The NFL lockout is probably going to affect a lot of this coming season, even when it ends, and it'll be talked about throughout the year.

One way it could affect this particular situation is timing.

If the lockout lasts until just before the beginning of the season, teams will not have much time to make deals before the trade deadline. And because teams will more than likely be focusing on filling needs through free agency rather than through trades, there is a remote possibility that no deals get done before that deadline.

And that's only assuming the NFL gets a deal done.  There has been talks of progress, but until a collective bargaining agreement is finalized, trades cannot be made.