Tag: NFL Trade Rumors

Browns DE a hot commodity on the trade market

Could the Browns sell more of their 30-and-up players at the trade deadline? One defensive end is all over trade rumors right now.

While the Cleveland Browns are not going to trade defensive end Myles Garrett, his running mate Za’Darius Smith continues to be named in trade rumors.

With names like Garrett and Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders being told they are not for sale, Smith is the next man up. Under contract through 2025 as well, the acquiring team would not be getting just a rental either.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith has “drawn some attention across the league.”

The Browns are sitting at 1-6 and taking on the red-hot Baltimore Ravens. Their season is essentially already over. Recouping some draft capital for aging veterans over 30 years old may be their best move. With the emergence of second-year player Isaiah McGuire, the Browns may want to see what they have in him the rest of the way out.

Tee Higgins addresses Bengals trade speculation

Yes, Bengals WR Tee Higgins sees all the trade rumors and speculation.

As expected, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has constantly come up in speculation as the NFL’s trade deadline looms closer.

No credible reporting has come out suggesting teams have called the Bengals about Higgins or that the team would ever consider it — they aren’t trading the franchise-tagged star for anything.

Yet that hasn’t stopped the endless onslaught of noise around Higgins in the speculation department.

Asked about whether he pays attention to trade rumors and speculation on “Up & Adams,” Higgins responded about how fans would expect.

“I’m locked in with the guys and ready to keep it pushing,”  Higgins said. “Let’s hope we don’t lose and none of that will have to come up. That way we don’t have to worry about anything like that. Obviously, I heard it the last few weeks when my name’s come up in the trade talks, but I just in one ear and out the other.”

This tracks with how Higgins has handled everything from Day 1. He signed the franchise tag earlier than expected this summer to shut down noise, then reported to training camp without a holdout. He’s blatantly been playing 100 percent when healthy despite the lack of long-term security.

Unfortunately for Higgins, one of the reasons his name comes up in trade speculation is because it seems obvious the Bengals won’t be able to keep him and Ja’Marr Chase on big contracts.

And unfortunately for Higgins, his injury woes play a part in that — he was just a surprise addition to the injury report before Week 8 after already missing games this season.

The Bengals won’t trade Higgins, but he is right — if the team can keep winning, it will quiet some of the noise. Losing gives analysts an excuse to suggest the Bengals might be sellers (they won’t, fans know better).

Winning, as they say, cures all. Or at least most.

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NFL trade rumors: 49ers unlikely to have shot at best WR on market

The San Francisco 49ers may need to trade for a WR, but the best available player is probably not in their reach.

Brandon Aiyuk’s season-ending knee injury puts the San Francisco 49ers firmly in the front of the line for teams in need of wide receiver help.

They may look to find that help in the trade market, but the best available wide receiver may not be a player they’re able to get.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini on Tuesday reported the Los Angeles Rams are open to trading star WR Cooper Kupp, and they may be willing to take on some of his salary to execute the trade.

It’s hard to find a deal that makes more sense for the 49ers from a football and financial standpoint. Kupp, 31, is an outstanding, versatile WR who would fit in any offense, much less one as loaded as San Francisco’s. He’d also give quarterback Brock Purdy a reliable go-to target in the short and intermediate areas of the field.

He’d be affordable too, especially since the Rams are willing to take on some of his salary.

The overarching problem here is the Rams are in the NFC West and intra-division trades rarely happen, especially when they involve a player of Kupp’s caliber.

San Francisco might have a shot if there weren’t other WR-needy teams that might be willing to unload a second-round pick (or more) for Kupp. The Pittsburgh Steelers could use help at WR. So could the Kansas City Chiefs. Both of those clubs are not only not in the division, they’re not even in the conference.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another club that may now be in need of a top-end WR following injuries to their top two receivers in Week 7.

Fortunately for the 49ers there should be a handful of quality receivers available for trade that can help them make up for Aiyuk’s absence. They’re just unlikely to be in the mix for perhaps the best trade target at the deadline.

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Don’t expect Bengals to chase $45 million player at NFL trade deadline

No, the Bengals aren’t going to be in on big names at the NFL trade deadline.

The Cincinnati Bengals will likely lean on depth at positions of need as opposed to making a move at the NFL trade deadline.

That is something already apparent even after injuries at cornerback and given the issues along the defensive line.

Meaning, the Bengals won’t exactly enter trade sweepstakes for big names like Haason Reddick of the New York Jets.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, though, does list the Bengals as a “potential suitor” for Reddick:

“If Reddick is in any way available, the Bengals should also be interested. Cincinnati’s defense finally showed up in Week 6, but it still lacks a high-end complement to Trey Hendrickson.”

The point about needing to help Trey Hendrickson is very, very true, even after guys like Sheldon Rankins returned from injury, boosting the production of other names like Sam Hubbard.

But Reddick is an especially no-go for the Bengals. He’s 30 years old and has yet to actually report to the Jets after being traded because he wants a new contract.

If the Bengals are going to add help at a position of need, it will come in the form of a low cost from a proven player who has been on the field this season.

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NFL expert proposes savvy trade idea Bengals should consider

This is a trade idea that would make a lot of sense for the Bengals.

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t likely to make a “blockbuster” deal ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.

A smaller, measured move that presents good value, though? That’s certainly on the table.

One such idea comes from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who proposes the Bengals ship veteran tight end Tanner Hudson to the Philadelphia Eagles for a late-round draft pick:

“Twenty-nine-year-old tight ends with limited track records of production aren’t going to transform an offense, but Hudson could be a reliable pair of hands in an offense that uses multi-tight end sets. The Eagles were using 12 personnel on a league-high 33.6% of their snaps before Dallas Goedert went down because of a hamstring injury Sunday, which is expected to cost him time.”

The Bengals currently enjoy a great problem to have at tight end — they have too many, rostering five.

Cincinnati brought on Mike Gesicki in free agency and rookie Erick All Jr. has forced his way onto the field, to the point he outsnapped Gesicki last week. Drew Sample’s value as a blocker has him playing more snaps than anyone at the position and the team doesn’t want to lose its other promising rookie, Tanner McLachlan.

That leaves Hudson as the odd man out. Yes, the team would like to have him available if Gesicki needs to miss time. But keeping five tight ends isn’t feasible—especially when that roster spot could have gone to areas struggling with depth such as pass-rusher and cornerback.

Trimming the roster in one area to open up space at another and receiving a draft pick? The Bengals should call the Eagles and give his idea a finder’s fee.

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49ers have one glaring need to address at NFL trade deadline

The trade deadline is just a couple weeks away and there’s a clear need the 49ers need to address.

The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching and the San Francisco 49ers have a handful of positions they could address via the trade market. However, there’s one clear need they should aim to cross off first.

Before the trade deadline passes on November 5 at 1:00pm Pacific Time, the 49ers should add at least one additional edge rusher. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they added multiple the way they did last year when they acquired Randy Gregory from the Broncos and Chase Young from the Commanders.

There are arguments to be made that linebacker is a position of need. Safety could become an issue, and offensive line help is something every team needs.

An injury could change the entire calculus at the deadline for the 49ers, but going into Week 7 it’s clear that defensive end help is at the top of their list of needs.

This season the 49ers have registered only 13.0 sacks. Only 7.0 of those have come from defensive ends, including 3.0 from Nick Bosa, 2.0 from Leonard Floyd and 2.0 from Sam Okuayinonu. But even those sack totals are a little misleading.

Bosa has racked up 35 pressures and has a 20.2 percent pass rush win rate per Pro Football Focus. That’s the seventh-highest rate in the NFL among players with at least 100 pass rush snaps.

Floyd has accounted for 20 pressures, but his win rate is just 10.1 percent. Okuayinonu has nine pressures and a 14.8 percent pass rush win rate.

Yetur Gross-Matos wasn’t having a ton of success due in part to a knee injury that wound up landing him on IR. He had just five pressures and a paltry 10.4 percent win rate.

Robert Beal has yet to register a pressure in 22 pass rush reps.

It’s not a deep group for a club that built a defense where the pass rush is supposed to be the tip of the spear. They’ve had to make some adjustments with a higher blitz rate, and some strong play in the secondary has made up at times for a lack of pass rush. That unit cannot stay as presently assembled though or eventually the wheels are going to fall off.

Perhaps the 49ers make multiple additions. Perhaps they get hyper aggressive and go after a big name that comes available as teams fall further out of the playoff hunt. Either way, they need to make a trade to bolster their DE depth by the trade deadline or they may see their season come to an end sooner than they’re expecting.

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Tyreek Hill ‘just trolling’ with tweets: ‘I ain’t going nowhere’

Tyreek Hill gave fans a reminder that he doesn’t want to get traded, he just likes trolling.

A few cryptic tweets from Tyreek Hill have caused some to believe the eight-time Pro Bowler doesn’t want to be part of the anemic Miami Dolphins offense anymore. On Tuesday, he told fans to pay no mind to his social media posts.

“You said you’re a Phins fan, you’re hoping I don’t leave,” Hill said Tuesday on a Twitch stream. “I ain’t going nowhere, bro. Don’t listen to my Twitter. that Twitter account just be trolling.”

https://twitter.com/FinsXtra/status/1846234454991274457/

It wasn’t just his Twitter account that generated some chatter. Earlier in October, Hill posted a lengthy reel of highlights from his days with the Kansas City Chiefs, including a photo with Patrick Mahomes that read “This connection was special.”

http://twitter.com/NotWahomes/status/1844208580226056645/

And Hill has posted a couple tweets that raised eyebrows.

https://twitter.com/cheetah/status/1841518459911295096/

https://www.twitter.com/cheetah/status/1835486765261402144/

 

Adding fuel to flames is the fact that the tweets have coincided with one of the worst stretches of Hill’s career. With Tua Tagovailoa sidelined, Hill has been held to 156 yards and no touchdowns in the Dolphins’ last four games.

But getting people worked up on social media is one of Hill’s favorite pastimes. A Hill trade isn’t happening and his social media posts are far from any kind of indication that he wants a deal to get done.

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Should Panthers consider trading Chuba Hubbard when Jonathon Brooks returns?

Panthers HC Dave Canales was asked if the team might have to consider trading Chuba Hubbard when Jonathon Brooks hits the backfield.

Will there soon be too many cats in the Carolina Panthers’ backfield?

On Monday, head coach Dave Canales provided quite an exciting update on 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks. He told reporters that the 21-year-old running back, who has started his rookie campaign on the reserve/non-football injury list, is expected to hit the practice field starting this week.

Brooks, due to the ACL tear he sustained last November, has yet to receive the full green light as a pro. Despite the initial belief from April that he’d be ready for training camp, the youngster remained sidelined during both spring and summer workouts.

But now that Brooks has taken another real step towards his NFL debut, will his presence crowd the running back room? Will the organization’s desire to see him result in a trade, say, of Chuba Hubbard?

Canales was asked that this afternoon.

“Again, we just gotta get Jonathon out there, see where he’s at, take a good evaluation of him playing football, moving around with confidence and then we’ll make those decisions,” he replied.

Those decisions would be a lot easier if not for the recent success of Hubbard, who is currently the NFL’s third-leading rusher. Much of that production has come over the last four weeks, where the fourth-year back rushed for 407 yards and two scores.

Aside from the numbers, Hubbard’s also been the engine in Carolina’s pursuit of an identity on offense. He has helped justify the front office’s huge investments along their offensive line and has led the charge in establishing the run—one of the main focuses for Canales in his first season.

So, do you just trade that away?

No, of course you don’t.

Perhaps a deal makes sense at the most superficial level. Not only was Brooks the first running back selected in the 2024 draft, but the Panthers coveted him enough to trade up the board to solidify that honor.

Oh, and Hubbard is a free agent at season’s end. Why not ship him off for something if the future belongs to Brooks?

Well, for one, the Panthers might not get anything worthwhile in return. Although Hubbard is playing the best ball of his career, good luck finding a team who will hand over a real asset for a veteran running back in today’s NFL.

Heck, look at what happened with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just yesterday. Against a normally tough New Orleans Saints defense, 2023 undrafted free agent Sean Tucker ran for 136 yards while 2024 fourth-rounder Bucky Irving ran for 81.

Good rushers don’t grow on trees, but they’re not exactly low in stock either.

Plus, what Carolina could possibly get in exchange for Hubbard probably won’t be worth the contradiction that would follow.

Canales—since the spring—has heralded Hubbard for his attitude, his approach and his leadership. In fact, he praised him again today.

“It’s just the way that he comes to work every day with the focus and mentality to get better. He truly has that mentality that I love, that I wish we can all grow to as a group,” Canales said of Hubbard stepping up in 2024. “And he improves—every day in practice, game to game in the different ways he presses runs or picks up protection or runs certain routes. He’s in this relentless pursuit to find his best, and that’s the leadership that we need.”

In the grander scheme of Carolina’s current situation, Canales is out to establish a much-needed culture—not just the run.

It’s what pushed him to make the tough decision to throw in veteran quarterback Andy Dalton for Bryce Young, who simply wasn’t up to snuff. Although the Panthers would love to see the 2023 No. 1 overall pick eventually “get it,” his play was dragging down the work of his teammates.

Selling off Hubbard, a player who the head coach firmly believes has done everything the right way, would be like selling off a piece of the team’s soul. What kind of message would that send to rest of the locker room?

Instead of looking at Brooks’ impending return as an urgent problem, look at it as a good one. After all, isn’t having two capable running backs better than having one?

That’s a strategy that certainly works in the NFL, and one that this very franchise has its own memorable history with. Remember when Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster helped run Carolina to Super Bowl XXXVIII? And remember when Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams smashed and dashed their way through a handful of seasons together?

These Panthers will not make this year’s Super Bowl like Davis and Foster did. They won’t even be as competitive as most of those teams Stewart and Williams were on.

They do, however, have a culture to build—and Hubbard is a big part of it.

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NFL insider oddly names Bengals’ Tee Higgins in trade speculation

Let the odd Bengals-Tee Higgins trade speculation begin…

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t trading star wide receiver Tee Higgins.

Fans know that much — but they also know that it won’t stop his name from coming up in trade speculation talk ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline in November.

Case in point, Higgins is one of the names proposed by The Athletic’s Dianna Russini while talking about what the Kansas City Chiefs might do to replace the injured Rashee Rice:

The question now: Will the Chiefs roll the dice again as they chase a three-peat? Names I’m keeping an eye on before the NFL trade deadline:

• Amari Cooper, Browns
• Tee Higgins, Bengals
• George Pickens, Steelers
• Christian Kirk, Jaguars
• DeAndre Hopkins, Titans

The Bengals especially aren’t trading Higgins to a team like the Chiefs, for what it’s worth.

Alas, Higgins’ name will come up anyway because he’s playing this year on the franchise tag and will likely leave via free agency the following offseason.

But the Bengals aren’t prone to trading away any players, let alone their best — even if the return might be huge, as it could be in the case of Higgins.

Further harming any outside Higgins trade ideas is the fact that a sliver of hope remains that the two sides find a way to keep him in town on a long-term extension.

While extremely unlikely because of the Ja’Marr Chase extension drama and other factors, NFL teams have done wilder things with cap space in the past. And the Bengals won’t be ignorant of the fact that the offense has looked incredibly better since Higgins got back from his hamstring injury over the last two games.

Despite the tag, Higgins worked throughout training camp and continues to be a key piece. Even if the Bengals were at 0-4 and counting, a move feels extremely unlikely.

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Ian Rapoport shoots down Tyreek Hill trade rumblings

A Tyreek Hill reunion with the Chiefs isn’t gonna happen any time soon, says NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Las Vegas Raiders appear close to trading star wide receiver Davante Adams. Could the Miami Dolphins, who have limped out to a 1-3 start to their season, be inclined to do the same?

Chatter of the possibility started this week after the Kansas City Chiefs lost Rashee Rice to the injured reserve, leaving Hill’s former team pretty light at the wide receiver position. Hill stoked the flames with a cryptic post on social media too.

But on Thursday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport slammed the door shut on any talks of a deal involving Hill.

“No, Tyreek Hill is not getting traded,” Rapoport said definitively on The Insiders. “I never say never in the NFL. I feel pretty comfortable saying never-ish on this one.

“First of all, they just signed him to that new deal … the cap hit would be astronomical. The other thing is, yes, I know the Dolphins this year are not having the greatest season of all-time. I’m not sure it’s going to turn around even when Tua Tagovailoa comes back in the lineup, although I guess anything is possible. They didn’t sign Tyreek Hill for this year. They signed him for this year, the next year, and the year after, and the year after.”

Hill, 30, also made it clear Wednesday that he has no intention of trying to get out of Miami.

“We’ve got a beautiful team here and I want to be a part of it,” Hill said. “Obviously, my parents always taught me control the controllables, and I only can control so much. So with that being said, we all know the NFL is a business. Whatever happens, happens. Moving forward, I would love to be here. I love being here.”

So what was that cryptic post about? That was just Tyreek being Tyreek.

Hill is in the midst of one of the worst stretches of his career with only 87 receiving yards across the last three games. He was also seen yelling on the Miami sideline, although he later explained that he wasn’t mad and was “just motivating teammates.”

While times are tough for the Dolphins and they may be inclined to sell off some players closer to the trade deadline if their slide continues, it seems Hill isn’t one hitting the block any time soon.

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