Tag: trade scenarios

Potential Lions trade target: Browns CB Greg Newsome II

The Cleveland Browns have an abundance of outside CBs, and one might be available in a trade. Could the Lions make a move?

The Cleveland Browns have a strange surplus of starting cornerbacks. Their abundance could be a potential solution for the Detroit Lions and their stark lack of overall talent and depth at outside corner.

The Browns could be looking to move one of their trio of starting-caliber cornerbacks. Writing for The Washington Post, Jason La Canfora noted:

“Multiple GMs said the Cleveland Browns made it clear they are open to dealing one of their top cornerbacks as they try to balance salaries after years of heavy spending.”

The Browns have three premium CBs: Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson and Greg Newsome II. All three are outside cornerbacks by nature. The one to focus on for potential Lions trade purposes is Newsome, who is entering his fourth season and due a new contract after the year if the Browns choose not to exercise his fifth-year option.

This was a popular discussion point at the NFL Scouting Combine, with Newsome the most likely candidate to bring back anything worthwhile in return for Cleveland. The 2021 first-rounder from Northwestern has been forced to play inside in the slot and has struggled compared to how well he performed earlier in his career while aligning outside. He’s not exactly endeared himself to the Browns fan base either.

If the Lions are interested, it goes beyond simply trading a draft pick or two to the Browns to acquire the 23-year-old Newsome. Detroit would also need to sign him to a new contract. Those salary negotiations would figure to begin at the fifth-year option value of $13.37 million as a base price per year.

Hypothetical deal

The Lions send No. 73 overall in the 2024 NFL draft and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Browns for Newsome.

Detroit signs Newsome to a three-year, $41.5 million contract with $22.5 million guaranteed. That figure is above what Over The Cap currently projects as Newsome’s value but is commensurate with the rate for a starting outside cornerback in free agency.

Potential trade-up scenarios for Packers in first round of 2022 NFL draft

Highlighting five potential trade-up scenarios for the Packers in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst admitted there is a real “temptation” to move up or down the board during the 2022 NFL draft, especially with so many early picks (five in the top 100 and two each in the first two rounds).

Trading out of the first round (from No. 28 overall) could give the Packers even more ammo during Day 2 of the draft and allow Gutekunst to dominate the second and third rounds. But his modus operandi during his first four drafts has been to move up aggressively to target specific players. And he has a strong roster overall with a few big and obvious needs, so a trade-up to get a top player could be in the cards.

What could a trade-up during Thursday night’s first round look like for the Packers? Here are some potential scenarios.

4 potential trade targets for the Lions before roster cutdowns

Every Wire team editor named one player who could be traded in the roster cutdown period. These four players make the most sense for the Lions.

The roster cutdown period will see hundreds of players suddenly available in the coming days. If the Detroit Lions are seeking a specific player or position that is expected to be cut by another team, making a minor trade instead of waiting through the waiver wire claim or open market is a shrewd way to build up the bottom of the roster.

Our Wire network of editors listed one player from each team who is a good candidate to be traded in the next few days. Obviously, not all will be dealt, but it’s a good look at what types of players and positional talent will be available after the final preseason games this weekend.

Here are four players whose names came up on the Wire list who would make sense as trade targets for the Lions.

Gardner Minshew, QB, Jaguars

Minshew is the best young quarterback available. He’s never going to get ahead of No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville and the Jaguars like what they’ve seen from veteran C.J. Beathard too. While Minshew isn’t a likely successor to Jared Goff, he does represent a more skilled and feisty backup option than either David Blough or Tim Boyle in Detroit. Neither has impressed enough to avoid being replaced.

N’Keal Harry, WR, Patriots

The sales pitch to acquire Harry isn’t a great one. A former first-round pick who has not panned out at all in New England, harry is also battling injury issues this preseason. A conditional late-round pick would secure his services at a position where the Lions are clearly seeking long-term potential, and Detroit does have the cap room to take on the remainder of his rookie contract.

Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Football Team

Gandy-Golden is the victim of circumstance in Washington. The Football Team’s fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Liberty lost most of his rookie campaign to injury and COVID-19, and the team appears to have moved on already. His size and playing style are quite similar to ex-Lions WR Kenny Golladay. While it was a different regime, the Lions did coach Gandy-Golden in Senior Bowl week in 2020.

Taylor Rapp, S, Rams

Rapp is a hyper-athletic box safety who bagged 100 tackles as a rookie in 2019. Lions GM Brad Holmes knows him well as the leader of the scouting staff that tabbed Rapp in the second round of that draft. The Rams defense doesn’t really use that kind of player anymore. Rapp would be an instant upgrade over Will Harris in that “big” safety role and can even play some hybrid LB/S.

Lions have ammo needed for Deshaun Watson trade but don’t expect Detroit to be involved

The Lions have the package of picks and players the Texans would want, but don’t expect Detroit to be in the Watson trade talks

The drama in Houston involving embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson appears set to come to a resolution soon. Watson reported to Texans training camp, and now the team is moving forward in attempting to trade the Pro Bowl quarterback.

Per Chris Mortensen of ESPN and other reports, the Texans will ask for three first-round draft picks and two starting-caliber players in exchange for Watson. It’s a steep price for Watson, the NFL’s passing yardage leader in 2020 and one of the league’s most dynamic young stars but one whose immediate availability is uncertain. Watson is facing undetermined league discipline over multiple allegations of sexual assault from several female masseuses.

The Detroit Lions have the required ammunition to make a strong offer for Watson. Detroit has extra first-round picks in both the 2022 and 2023 NFL drafts, meaning they could deal three picks and still keep a first-rounder to help build around Watson. Players like Jamie Collins, Tyrell Crosby, Amani Oruwariye and Trey Flowers all have some real value to a team like the Texans as trade bait, too.

Don’t expect the Lions to be actively involved, or directly mentioned, in the trade scenarios, however. Watson’s uncertain status, the nature of the allegations against him and the steep price to pay to acquire him all make the situation very difficult to envision Lions GM Brad Holmes, or owner Sheila Ford Hamp, having a strong interest.

Most sources indicate the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers as the most likely teams to bite the bullet and trade for Watson — pending the NFL’s expected disciplinary action on the young star.

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Lions have ammo needed for Deshaun Watson trade but don’t expect Detroit to be involved

The Lions have the package of picks and players the Texans would want, but don’t expect Detroit to be in the Watson trade talks

The drama in Houston involving embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson appears set to come to a resolution soon. Watson reported to Texans training camp, and now the team is moving forward in attempting to trade the Pro Bowl quarterback.

Per Chris Mortensen of ESPN and other reports, the Texans will ask for three first-round draft picks and two starting-caliber players in exchange for Watson. It’s a steep price for Watson, the NFL’s passing yardage leader in 2020 and one of the league’s most dynamic young stars but one whose immediate availability is uncertain. Watson is facing undetermined league discipline over multiple allegations of sexual assault from several female masseuses.

The Detroit Lions have the required ammunition to make a strong offer for Watson. Detroit has extra first-round picks in both the 2022 and 2023 NFL drafts, meaning they could deal three picks and still keep a first-rounder to help build around Watson. Players like Jamie Collins, Tyrell Crosby, Amani Oruwariye and Trey Flowers all have some real value to a team like the Texans as trade bait, too.

Don’t expect the Lions to be actively involved, or directly mentioned, in the trade scenarios, however. Watson’s uncertain status, the nature of the allegations against him and the steep price to pay to acquire him all make the situation very difficult to envision Lions GM Brad Holmes, or owner Sheila Ford Hamp, having a strong interest.

Most sources indicate the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers as the most likely teams to bite the bullet and trade for Watson — pending the NFL’s expected disciplinary action on the young star.

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Top potential trade destinations for Matthew Stafford

There are a few NFL teams who could trade for Stafford

Now that the reports are out there indicating the Detroit Lions and Matthew Stafford are ready to end their long-term relationship this offseason, it’s time to try and figure out where the quarterback could wind up.

There are several NFL teams that could use a 32-year-old quarterback with Stafford’s impressive resume. Not all of them can absorb the considerable salary over the next two seasons ($20 million and $23 million including roster bonuses), but it’s possible he could restructure to accommodate a trade too.

Here are a few early ideas on where Stafford might get traded, in no particular order.

Trading Matthew Stafford won’t be easy if the Lions choose to even try

Breaking down why it’s hard, but not impossible, to see another team trading for Lions QB Matthew Stafford this offseason

There is a growing sentiment in the Lions fan base that it’s time for the team to move on from quarterback Matthew Stafford. After his uninspiring performance in the Week 9 loss to the Vikings and the long-term inability to ever get over the proverbial hump in Detroit, it’s an understandable position.

If the Lions do choose to move on from Stafford after the 2020 season ends, it might not be so easy to have a clean break.

Stafford is under contract through the 2022 season. Technically it’s through 2023 but that last year is a voidable window dressing to spread out the cap hit from his five-year, $135 million extension he signed in 2017.

The most recent restructure added to his cap figure for 2021. Stafford now counts $33 million between salary and bonus proration. It also jacked up Stafford’s cap figure for 2022 by $3 million, to $26 million.

No matter how much anyone dislikes Stafford or thinks he needs to go, the Lions are not eating $59 million in cap room over two years. That would represent a paralyzing move that would destroy any (hypothetical) new regime’s ability to make needed changes across the rest of the roster.

Trading Stafford is also unlikely, but it’s at least a realistic possibility. A trade, depending on the date, would remove the salary portion of Stafford’s cap hit as well as his roster and workout bonuses, which totals $20 million in 2021 and $23 million in 2022. A deal before June 1st would still cost the Lions $19 million in a cap hit for 2021, per Over The Cap.

But losing $19 million is at least conceivable, whereas swallowing $33 million simply is not. Finding a trade partner, on the other hand…

Any team trading for Stafford will have to have the cap room to onboard his salary and the associated bonuses. They will also have to be willing to part with significant draft and/or personnel assets to make it happen. In a season with an uncertain salary cap due to the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of revenues, that’s asking a lot.

There are also two exceptional QB prospects at the top of the draft class in Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields. North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and BYU’s Zach Wilson also project as potential top-10 QBs and they have age and longer-term financial stability on their sides.

Read as: No QB-needy team picking in the top 10 in its right mind is giving away that opportunity to acquire Stafford.

Put the shoe on the other foot for a minute and (gulp) pretend you’re a fan of the Washington Football Team. They’ll be picking above the Lions–barring an unexpected hot streak from the 2-6 team on its third-string QB. Would you want your team to bypass taking Fields to trade for a 33-year-old with an injury history who has never won a playoff game? Yeah, me neither.

Don’t expect there to be a clamoring for his services. The same reason so many fans are ready to move on from Stafford — the age, the injuries, the years of playoff futility, the inexplicable cold streaks within games — are valid reasons why other teams won’t be all that excited about giving up a lot to acquire him, in a buyer’s market, no less.

The only real chance is for a mid-level team that feels like they are a QB upgrade away from competing for multiple playoff wins to take a shine to Stafford. That would be the Colts if Rivers retires, Steelers if Roethlisberger retires, Patriots (maybe), Browns (maybe) or 49ers (who would have to send Garoppolo away to make it work). The Giants and Cowboys probably merit mention, though at this point I don’t buy either of them having interest. The Bears and Vikings might also fit but trading viable starting QBs within a division is akin to divorcing a spouse only to have them marry your more successful sibling a week later.

In short, don’t expect a trade. That doesn’t mean one will not happen, but it’s a lot more complicated than just screaming “trade Stafford” at the sports radio call screener.

My take: I would not get rid of Stafford but if another team calls, I’m at least listening to the offer. I respect the fans who are ready for a break. I’m not there yet, in part because I know how difficult it is to find a capable QB and I don’t trust the current regime to find one if they let Stafford go.

I do believe having Stafford in place is attractive for any new head coach, too. Keeping him doesn’t preclude Detroit from drafting his potential successor, a la Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City, and I’m ready to explore that option, too. I expect Matthew Stafford to be the starting QB for the Detroit Lions in 2021 no matter who is in charge of the team.

3 trades Cowboys should make to own the 2020 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys can improve the most by trading most of their draft capital in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Draft week is here and the Dallas Cowboys have seven chances to improve their team. However, having seven picks doesn’t necessarily mean the Cowboys need to use all of them on college players.

In a year where teams don’t have the access to players like they normally do, trading for established players might be the best path for the Cowboys. Why chance the unknown when they can add good players who’ve been in the league.

Here is a path where the Cowboys can get better by maximizing their draft capital and coming away with talent. Let’s call it the trade-away draft.

First Round No. 17: Trade to NY Jets
Receive: Safety Jamal Adams

Perhaps this is wishful thinking for getting him somewhat cheap, but if the Jets are willing to trade Adams, the Cowboys should revisit the idea after the two teams spoke about a deal last October.

A first-round plus something in next year’s draft (as has been discussed in this space) would also be acceptable. Adam is an All-Pro safety who is still just 24-years old and would solve the team’s long standing need at safety. He’s quite simply a better option than anyone they can draft at 17.

The best part of obtaining Adams is that he’s on his rookie contract and the Cowboys can get him on the cheap for a few seasons. Adams is angling for a new contract, but with two years remaining (assuming team picks up fifth-year option, a no-brainer) he arrives at a sweet cost for the next two seasons before he banks big money. When the time comes, the NFL’s cap will be much higher than and the Cowboys should have no issues doling out the money for Adams’ services.

Second Round No. 51 and Third Round No. 82: Trade up to…

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CBS Sports lists deal with the Vikings, Ravens among most likely first-round trade scenarios

A possible deal where the Vikings give up the 22nd pick for the 28th and 92nd overall picks is a trade scenario that CBS Sports predicts could happen.

The Vikings acquired the 22nd pick in the NFL draft from the Bills this offseason, and CBS Sports thinks that pick could be on the move.

The outlet listed the Ravens receiving the 22nd overall pick from the Vikings for the 28th and 92nd overall picks in return as a likely trade scenario in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft.

Here’s some of what it said about the choice:

“The Vikings, who are also expected to move around in the first round, would pick up an extra draft pick while also keeping both of their first-round picks. Minnesota needs both of those picks to address their needs at receiver and cornerback after losing Stefon Diggs and Trae Waynes earlier this offseason.”

If those picks are indeed used on corner depth, I don’t hate the choice of trading back and accumulating more picks. However, I think the team can find value at corner in the second round, and draft talented players who fit positional needs with the 22nd and 25th overall picks.