NFL Trade Deadline: 10 Key Deals to Make Before Deadline

The NFL season is well under way and several teams have jumped out of the gates to fast starts, with the Lions and Packers near the top of the entire league and the NFC North.

You have teams that have came out and just performed much better than expected; the Bills, Redskins and 49ers have all overachieved. 

Then the Colts, Dolphins and Rams have sputtered out the gates losing game after game.

With the trade deadline looming, there are teams that are a couple key moves away from really making a strong push for the playoffs. 

The season is still a long way from over. Due to injuries and other unfortunate circumstances, there are plenty of teams out there that will be sellers this trade deadline.

I am looking for teams like the Colts and Jaguars to be big sellers, and for many teams that are still in the playoff hunt to make moves to make strong pushes for the postseason. 

The Texans Still Need Help on the Defensive Line

The Texans are playing in a division that is wide open with the Colts falling apart, Jaguars team with no identity and an overachieving Titans team.  

With Andre Johnson coming back off of injury, Owen Daniels, Kevin Walter, Arian Foster and the addition of Derrick Mason, this Texans passing attack has weapons.

The offensive line is not terrible and they have depth all over the offense. The missing piece is the nose tackle position in their 3-4 scheme.

A player that could be available to help fill the void would be Aubrayo Franklin. I know the Saints are winning and he is a starter, but I am sure they'd be willing to part for a nice draft pick.

With Franklin, the Texans get a great 3-4 defensive lineman who can free up and aid the play of Brian Cushing and Demeco Ryans immediately.

Mario Williams was a tough loss and they could definitely use another pass-rusher, but Franklin would be an upgrade over Shaun Cody. 

The Cleveland Browns Need a Veteran Presence

The Browns are a young team that are on the cusp of having a great thing with Colt McCoy, but their weapons around him are mediocre.

With Peyton Hillis upset about his contract and no real No. 1 receiver, this team has a lot of work to do.  

There are players that can step in and really contribute for the Browns immediately, and this team needs a gritty vet who can help develop the younger receivers on the roster.

The Colts seem to have some small success with their younger receivers, especially Pierre Garcon early this season, and they are winless.

Reggie Wayne would be a nice upgrade on this young Browns roster and is definitely frustrated with the current quarterback situation. The Colts can get a draft pick for Wayne and Wayne can help Cleveland.

Try to bring in an established veteran with a little left in the tank to help motivate the younger players.  

The Arizona Cardinals Still Looking Fof Consistent Offensive Weapons

The Cardinals have a pretty solid team wishing that they still had Anquan Boldin. A move to really make them contenders for the future would have to be a blockbuster move, but a good one.

Going to Denver and getting Broderick Bunkley, Eric Decker, Knowshon Moreno and Kris Kuper for some draft pick compensation is an idea.

These players are hard working players and would represent upgrades and a positive step in the right direction for both teams.

I am sure if linemen Zane Beadles or Orlando Franklin could be in the trade somehow, the Cardinals would love it to help boast their weak offensive line.

The Cardinals have a lot of talent; Larry Fitzgerald, Early Doucet and Todd Heap are good, but they definitely need more to be a playoff team. 

The "Dream Team" Without an Identity Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles need linebacker help, and they need it now. The team's linebackers are very inexperienced and have not shown they are yet ready for the NFL level.   

A deadline deal that should happen, that won't happen, is for the Bears to trade Lance Briggs and Brandon Meriweather to the Eagles for Asante Samuel or Nnamdi Asomugha and Nate Allen.   

This deal would help bring a little more to the Eagles defense though. They would get a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker to help mentor the other players and bring intensity to a relatively flat defense.

Brandon Meriweather provides speed in the back end opposite of Nnamdi Asomugha—the same type of support he had in Oakland. 

Asante Samuel would be the one they would most likely ship out in this deal as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is young and already considered one of the better corners in the game.

The Bears Still Without a No. 1 Receiver, Why Not Try This Guy?

The Bears need some depth at receiver and some decent linemen, and they have an unhappy running back they may not be able to negotiate a contract extension with.

A trade that could help two ball clubs would be for the Bears to trade running back Matt Forte, wide receiver Roy Williams and safety Chris Harris to the Miami Dolphins for WR Brandon Marshall, RB Daniel Thomas, WR Brian Hartline and OT Nate Garner.

Imagine the Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall reunion party in Chicago. Mike Martz would get a receiver that could definitely help out in his system, depth on the offensive line and a solid young running back.

I think the Bears need a huge shake-up, but they can still win the wild card this year. Cutler just needs guys to start getting open and catch footballs.

Lovie Smith and his staff are on the hot seat anyways—why not try some big moves to ignite something on both sides of the ball?

Rams Still Need Firepower on the Outside to Be Relevant

The Rams have already made moves to help upgrade their receiving corps.

Adding Brandon Lloyd for a sixth-round pick that will definitely become a fifth-round pick would be great. He is familiar with the system and has the work ethic to immediately make an instant impact. 

Even with that addition, the Rams still have a receiving corps that lacks enough talent to help QB Sam Bradford reach his full potential.

What better way to fully upgrade their corps than to spend a second or third-round pick on Dwayne Bowe. He possesses the skill-set that is needed for Josh McDaniels' offense to thrive. 

Bowe runs the deep and intermediate routes across the middle, he is big threat, and his ability to run after the catch makes him a threat on every play.

With the release of Mike Sims-Walker, there is still a void at the opposite Bowe.

The Raiders Still Need a Starting Caliber QB to Be a Playoff Contender

The Raiders have the opportunity to get the quarterback that most fits their team. 

Carson Palmer has that Raiders QB feel to his game. He has a gun-slinger's mentality and is only 31 years old, so he has some years left in the tank. 

Carson Palmer gets receivers that will definitely suit his game and is a guy that throws a good deep ball. He solidifies them as a playoff team with a high football IQ.

When comparing him to Jason Campbell, Palmer is an upgrade at the position. Campbell's athleticism was definitely something that benefited him early, but the offensive line is much more improved. 

Campbell has backup upside at best, and Oakland should go for the better starting quarterback in Palmer. The addition of another playmaker to the mix could make them a Super Bowl contender.

Palmer has had success before and he can definitely be the starter for a team in QB despair. 

The 'Skins Going Big with a Huge Deadline Blockbuster Acquisition

The Redskins are a team that was a QB away from really being a contender this season. The team now needs a playmaker in the WR corps to really make an impact in the NFC East down the road. 

Now that the St. Louis Rams have added Brandon Lloyd, I would not be surprised for the 'Skins to make a move at another big-name receiver (and they are clearly out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes). 

I would love to see the 'Skins acquire a big-play threat like Vincent Jackson. He is a player they were definitely keen on last year and there is nothing to suggest otherwise right now.

Jackson could come at somewhat of a discount due to his inconsistent play this season. 

Looking at David Garrard would also have been an answer, until he revealed he needed surgery on a herniated disc. But he could still be in the cards. They will have to slowly work him in and hope they are still in the picture.  

With their improving defense, adding Garrard and Vincent Jackson makes this team formidable.

One More Weapon Gives the Falcons a Potent Passing Attack

The Atlanta Falcons are a team that looks like they have it at times, and then Matt Ryan begins to underachieve. 

He has the talent to be an elite QB in the NFL, but he does not always display that at times. I like his current receiving corps, but I feel that he needs another option going across the middle for him. 

They have plenty of options they can acquire at a reasonable price via player or draft pick compensation. 

The option that I would think appeals to them the most would be Green Bay's Jordy Nelson. The most logical would be Brian Hartline from the Dolphins, Santana Moss and possibly LaRon Landry from the Redskins. 

With more underneath options, that will really free things up for Ryan to go over top with Roddy White and Julio Jones. The Falcons are one weapon away from having a dangerous offense.   

The Team a Quarterback Away from Greatness

The Seattle Seahawks are a team that is a good quarterback away from being a playoff team.  

Seattle has an offense with weapons that can operate on all levels. They have plenty of potentially dangerous weapons waiting on a starting caliber quarterback to get them the ball.

Sidney Rice and Zach Miller were brought in to help ignite the offense, and Matt Hasselbeck must be regretting the decision from a weapons stand point. 

A couple options that I would like to see in Seattle are either Kyle Orton or Carson Palmer.

Chicago Bears QB Kyle Orton is a player that fits more of a West Coast style offense and lacks the arm strength Palmer has, while Palmer looks to lacks the accuracy that Orton has on short and intermediate passing routes.

The Jets' Mark Sanchez is struggling in this offense which significantly differs from the offense of his USC days. He is more of a West Coast quarterback and is not fitting in well with the Jets thus far.

Could this be the season that the Jets faithful give up on Sanchez? Maybe the Seahawks' Pete Carroll would be interested in acquiring him for a couple draft picks.