Tag: trade targets

NFL Trade Deadline: Ranking Commanders’ needs ahead of Tuesday

We rank the Commanders’ needs ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.

The Washington Commanders are ahead of schedule. Remember when head coach Dan Quinn was first asked about Washington’s rebuild? He hesitated to call it a rebuild, instead using the word recalibrate.

It’s a word he’s used since, too, which make s

At 6-2, Washington is in first place in the NFC East and has answered many roster questions midway through the season. Remember the offensive tackle concerns? What about wide receiver and edge rusher? And cornerback?

With Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline approaching, we rank Washington’s needs. We recently previewed eight realistic targets, but now, we’ll focus on the positional needs from lowest to highest.

4. Offensive tackle

Imagine calling this the Commanders’ fourth-biggest need in August. Andrew Wylie has been a much better player at right tackle this season. And the combination of rookie Brandon Coleman and veteran Cornelius Lucas at left tackle has been outstanding. General manager Adam Peters will listen, but it’s doubtful he will make a move here. Washington is set with its top three. Lucas will miss the Week 9 game at New York but is not dealing with a long-term injury.

What if a struggling team gives up a tackle that hasn’t yet lived up to its potential? Would Peters throw a late-round pick to that team, hoping a change of scenery would help. Think Cleveland’s Jedrick Wills.

The Commanders will certainly look to add an offensive tackle in the offseason, but that’s not a priority now.

3. Wide receiver

Washington traded former first-round pick Jahan Dotson in August, and Peters may have stolen a third-round pick from Philadelphia. The subtraction of Dotson and the addition of Noah Brown have changed this group. The Commanders love this room built around Terry McLaurin. Rookie Luke McCaffrey feels close to a breakout. The analytics prove his separation skills are elite. Dyami Brown hasn’t put up big numbers but has proven reliable when his number is called. Veteran Olamide Zaccheaus was an underrated pickup.

Peters will keep tabs on all available receivers. What if there was a chance he could land Tee Higgins? Higgins is big, young, and could serve as Washington’s 1b to McLaurin’s 1a. Additionally, the Commanders have the cap space to pay Higgins the contract he demands. This is doubtful, but it wouldn’t shock anyone to see Washington add a receiver to the room.

2. Edge rusher

The Commanders have a solid group here, but no pass rushers who can take over games. Realistically, that option doesn’t exist on the trade market unless Peters can convince the Browns to part with Myles Garrett (not happening) or the Raiders to part with Maxx Crosby (unlikely). Head coach Dan Quinn is excellent at creating pressure, and players like Dante Fowler Jr., Dorance Armstrong, Clelin Ferrell, rookie Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Jalyn Holmes have all produced at times this season. A realistic option here is Browns veteran Za’Darius Smith. Smith would be in a part-time role for Washington, where he could thrive in limited snaps.

1. Cornerback

This is Washington’s most significant need. There should be options available. Could the Commanders swing big and land Marshon Lattimore (Saints), Jalen Ramsey (Dolphins), or Denzel Ward (Browns)? The smoke around Washington is that Peters is checking on cornerbacks. Emmanuel Forbes hasn’t taken the next step in his career, and the team clearly lacks confidence in him. Benjamin St-Juste is better than some want to admit. However, he’s not a No. 1 corner and a free agent at season’s end.

Noah Igbinoghene was an excellent low-cost pickup. He’s played well. Rookie Mike Sainristil is already the Commanders’ top cornerback. He’s had to play out of position some and has still thrived. Whether it’s a veteran like Jonathan Jones or someone like Lattimore, this feels like the move for Washington.

DeAndre Hopkins headlines 5 AFC South trade targets Cowboys must ask about before NFL deadline

If the Cowboys are going to contend, they’ll need to reinforce several problem areas. Here’s who the AFC South has to potentially offer. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys need help. Sure, they were able to stem the tide with their 20-15 win over the New York Giants on Thursday, but things are far from righted. Dallas has two victories on the season, over two teams that, as currently constituted, don’t seem very capable of winning many games.

They played two teams which look like contenders and were blown out. Through four games, clear deficiencies have appeared. There’s little depth behind All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb. The running backs are moving behind a work-in-progress offensive line and aren’t breaking tackles. The defensive line doesn’t appear capable of stopping a top rushing attack. Add it all together and what does it spell? Trade for help.

Picks are a commodity for the Cowboys more so than most teams. That makes it unlikely they want to part with any unless the price is in their favor. But with four comp picks on deck for 2025, perhaps the Cowboys would be willing to part for any of these players who could help.

We first examined the AFC North for help, where entering the weekend, three of the four teams are below .500. The same can be said about the AFC South, with only the Houston Texans looking like legitimate playoff contenders. That means the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans might be willing to part ways with soon-to-be free agents in exchange for draft compensation.

Here are five players the Cowboys should make calls about, to see if there may be a trade that can be worked out.

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10)

Hopkins is dealing with yet another underdeveloped quarterback and the veteran simply doesn’t have that much time left in his career to waste. Now in his 12th season, he bounced back in 2023 to haul in 75 catches and surpass the 1,000-yard plateau for the seventh time in his career. Getting him to Dallas would solve the issues Dallas has had with Brandin Cooks, although the two aren’t similar in size or role. Pairing Hopkins with Lamb and TE Jake Ferguson would give the Cowboys an imposing arsenal at Dak Prescott’s disposal.

DT Taven Bryan, Indianapolis Colts

Christine Tannous USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Bryan has been a part-time starter since coming into the league in 2018 and is set to hit free agency next summer. He’d be a nice rotational pickup who could log some time at either position despite not being the prototypical size for a Mike Zimmer DT (6-foot-4, 291 pounds).

DE Dayo Odeyingbo, Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (54)

Sitting behind Kwity Paye in the rotation, Odeyingbo has notched 13.5 sacks across the last two seasons. In Dallas, he may be helpful as a rotational 3-tech as opposed to an edge player, but he certainly offers more in both departments over draft classmate Chauncey Golston.

RB Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars

[Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
This one’s more likely a pipe dream, but closed mouths don’t get fed. The Jaguars owner said he expects to win now and the team is winless. They drafted an impressive Tank Bigsby last year and perhaps they’d be interested in recouping a second-round pick for a talented back that will require a second contract before the club gets good again. If things fall down further in Jacksonville, the Cowboys should be prepared to make an offer for the exciting dual-threat runner with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons and who’s under the fifth-year option for 2025.

RB D’Ernest Johnson, Jaguars

 Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

More than likely the Jaguars are going to hold on to Etienne, so if rebuffed Dallas should focus on the backup’s backup in D’Ernest Johnson. He’s proved his worth as a depth piece over the years with a strong 3.07 yards-after-contact per attempt metric throughout his career, including 4.29 this season, albeit on only seven carries through Week 3.

Amari Cooper headlines 5 AFC North trade targets Cowboys must ask about before NFL deadline

If the Cowboys are going to contend, they’ll need to reinforce several problem areas. Here’s who the AFC North has to potentially offer. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys have, temporarily, stopped the bleeding. Playing on short rest, it wasn’t a pretty exercise defeating the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football in Week 3. They paid a steep price, too, losing both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence to lower-extremity injuries and likely for multiple weeks.

Beyond those injury issues, the Cowboys have other needs as well. There has been very little contributions to the passing game beyond All-Pro CeeDee Lamb, and although they were able to shut down the Giants’ run game, it’s been less than a week since they allowed 464 combined rushing yards across two games. There is a need to improve the roster and they should consider trading to do so.

The Cowboys extended both QB Dak Prescott and Lamb before the season started, opening up a large amount of 2024 cap space to make in-season moves. If they are so inclined, Jerry and Stephen Jones have over $25 million of space to bring in help from the outside. Blessed with a minibye to sit back and watch other teams operate, it makes sense to identify teams which may be looking to cut bait on players in exchange for draft picks.

Picks are a commodity for the Cowboys moreso than most teams. That makes it unlikely they want to part with any unless the price is in their favor. But with four comp picks on deck for 2025, perhaps the Cowboys would be willing to part for any of these players who could help.

Our first look is at the AFC North, where entering the weekend, three of the four teams are below .500. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0, but both Baltimore and Cleveland are 1-2 and the Bengals are winless. The Ravens aren’t going to stay bad, so the focus of these trade offers will be on Cincinnati and the Browns’ talent.

WR Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5)

Higgins is currently playing on the franchise tag as he and the Bengals were unable to work out an agreement all summer. Playing on the fifth-year option, he’s earning $21.8 million a year, so he’d cost Dallas a large chunk of their remaining space at $1.2 million for each week left in the season when acquired.

But the Bengals are struggling, already at 0-3 for the year. If they don’t win a few games in a row, the season is lost and it would make perfect sense to give up Higgins for a fourth rounder in 2025. The kicker? The two-time 1,000-yard receiver be a free agent rental that will likely get his next team a 2026 third or fourth-round comp pick.

DT BJ Hill, Bengals

 (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Another potential Bengal to keep an eye on is interior defensive lineman BJ Hill. Hill is the player Dallas was hoping Jordan Phillips was, a 310-plus three-tech with pass-rush and run-stopping ability. The 2018 Giants’ third-round has three different seasons with at least 4.5 sacks.

DE Trey Hendrickson, Bengals

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Likely a non-starter, but the Cowboys have a need at the position. This becomes more true if Lawrence is out for much of the season as the team has been a bit cryptic on exactly what is wrong with his foot.

Hendrickson is a similar build to Lawrence, though a more prolific sack artist and not as good at setting the edge. He’s not the best fit as he has only played on the right side, Parsons’ side, and rarely kicks inside. He’s also signed through 2025 and won’t be a free agent like the others on this list, but he’s too good of a talent to not ask about if the Bengals go Fire Sale.

WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns

Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper celebrates after scoring on the team’s first drive during the first half against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland.

Cooper made waves this summer, threatening a holdout and got the final year of his contract (originally written by the Cowboys) guaranteed. But if the Browns continue to flounder, perhaps the Cleveland front office would bite the bullet and send him back down south.

Cooper had a career high in yards in 2024, 1,250, and would make a great compliment to Lamb; they’ve proven what they could be as a duo already.

DT Quinton Jefferson, Browns

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Jefferson is a traveling veteran three-tech who just signed with the Browns for about $4 million in the offseason. A lost season means he should be able to be acquired for little draft compensation and would help in a rotation in Dallas.

 

Should the Chicago Bulls target Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant?

For at least one league analyst, it is something that the Bulls at least ought to consider.

Should the Chicago Bulls target Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant to add an impact wing to their roster this coming 2024 NBA offseason? For at least one league analyst, it is something that the Bulls at least ought to consider. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently proposed that Chicago look to trade for the Blazers star this summer in a recent article.

Noting the limited assets that the Bulls have to add talent to the team in terms of both contracts and draft picks, Buckley suggests Grant, whose large contract makes him a less-desirable (but very good) player for many teams on the trade market. “The second Damian Lillard decided he was done with the … Blazers, Grant immediately looked overpaid and out of place,” the B/R analyst writes.

“The 30-year-old isn’t quite finished with the first season of the five-year, $160 million deal he signed last summer. That’s a massive amount of money for someone who never quite made it to stardom.”

“Portland wouldn’t just give him away, but it would have to factor that contract into its expected return,” he adds. “So, a protected future first could potentially headline the package to get Grant if the Bulls had the right sweeteners in that exchange.”

“It would be a risk, but if Chicago really wants this core to breakthrough, a high-end, two-way forward like Grant might be its best hope for doing so.”

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Could the Chicago Bulls convince the New York Knicks to part with center Mitchell Robinson?

We’re skeptical the Bulls have a player that would interest New York, but the deal proposed might be what it would take to pry him loose.

Could the Chicago Bulls convince the New York Knicks to part with center Mitchell Robinson III? In the eyes of Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale, it is certainly a trade target that the Bulls ought to at least try to pry loose from the Knicks. “Chicago has good size up front with Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond, but there’s hardly any bounce between the two bigs,” writes the B/R analyst.

“An aggressive deal for … Robinson, who’s perhaps been made expendable by the rise of Isaiah Hartenstein, would change that in an instant. Robinson possesses the kind of hops you almost never see in a 7-footer, and he routinely puts it to good use as a shot-blocker, glass-cleaner and above-the-rim finisher.”

“He’s had his share of injury issues, though, and the … Knicks could conceivably be willing to let him go if they plan on paying what it takes to bring Hartenstein back as an unrestricted free agent.”

“A straight-up swap with Vucevic for Robinson wouldn’t do much for the ‘Bockers, but a three-team deal that sends Vucevic elsewhere and delivers assets to New York (probably including at least one first-round pick from Chicago) could work,” he adds.

We are skeptical that the Bulls have a player that would interest New York enough to make sense, but the framework proposed by Favale might just be what it would take to pry the defensive big man loose.

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Should the Chicago Bulls target Orlando Magic big man Jonathan Isaac?

The Bulls could use some younger, more reliable frontcourt depth able to stop opposing offenses.

Should the Chicago Bulls target Orlando Magic big man Jonathan Isaac? The Bulls could use some younger, more reliable frontcourt depth able to stop opposing offenses, and Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has a player in the NBA’s Eastern Conference in mind to do the job for the Bulls next season.

Pointing out just how bad Chicago’s offense can be this season compared to last, the B/R analyst suggests that “the Bulls should still be in the market for more stoppers, especially a hyperactive, all-purpose defender like … Isaac. He has played a big part in the ascension of Orlando’s defense, but given his lengthy injury history, you wonder whether the Magic want to keep relying on him going forward.”

“They desperately need more offense, too, so it feels like they might be one of the few teams actually interested in Zach LaVine,” adds Buckley.

He proposes that “if there is a blockbuster deal to be made between the teams, the Bulls would be wise to want Isaac included in it,” and for our part, we’d have to agree.

The Magic big man has not had the best injury luck in his career thus far, but with other parts coming back in such a deal, could be one of the better options to retool the roster in a hurry.

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Should the San Antonio Spurs pursue Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young?

The basic framework takes the Hawks and Chicago Bulls as partners for San Antonio.

Should the San Antonio Spurs pursue Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young to pair with French rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama? Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently put together a hypothetical three-team deal to explore what such a pursuit might look like for all parties, and it is no minor trade for any of the three teams he envisions in the deal.

The basic framework takes the Hawks and Chicago Bulls as partners for San Antonio, and has the Spurs send Tre Jones, Devonte’ Graham, and five first round picks to Atlanta, and Sidy Cissoko from the Bulls. Chicago gets the Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter, and the Spurs Young, Jevon Carter (from the Bulls), and a first round pick from Atlanta.

In a sense, this deal could be seen as a delayed Trae Young swap for Dejounte Murray, according to Pincus.

The deal would also help, in theory, give a spark to a Hawks rebuild that has started to sputter.

It would also give the Bulls a way to shuffle the deck without starting a major rebuild, which may be exactly what all three parties are after.

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Rumor: Celtics interested in trading for surprise Utah Jazz forward

Fontecchio fits the bill of a bigger forward Boston is reportedly looking for.

There has been plenty of ink spilled on the possibility of a reunion between the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk. But rumbles of the Celtics having interest in trading for another member of the Jazz’ roster have begun to percolate.

According to The Athletic’s Tony Jones, Italian forward Simone Fontecchio has caught the eye of Boston’s front office. “Utah’s starting small forward has emerged as a serious trade target for two contending teams,” writes Jones, naming the Celtics and Phoenix Suns as those teams. “Both teams need to strengthen their respective second units, and Fontecchio has an easy salary number for Phoenix and Boston to get to as he is in the final year of a contract that pays him $3.1 million annually.”

“Fontecchio has emerged this season as an effective rotation-level player,” he adds. “He has shot the ball well, particularly since being inserted into the starting lineup. He’s also proven to be at least an adept wing defender.”

“The Celtics need frontcourt depth,” Jones rightly notes, “and Fontecchio would be a good fit there. He’s a shooter with size and length, which will allow him to play in lineups with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. He’s fearless on the floor.”

“The Celtics are in a better spot and have a few firsts at their disposal,” he adds, though we feel anything beyond this coming draft’s first round pick would be too much — and then, only if no players were going out in the deal.

More likely, an array of three or even four second-rounders feels fair for both parties in our estimation, and Fontecchio fits the bill of a bigger forward Boston is reportedly looking for.

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Should the Boston Celtics try to trade for the Brooklyn Nets’ Lonny Walker IV?

Does Walker offer anything Pritchard does not?

Should the Boston Celtics try to trade for the Brooklyn Nets’ Lonny Walker IV ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline? They could certainly use a bit more scoring off the bench, but how is the fit of Walker’s game with what Boston would need from him in such a role? Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently weighed in on this question, and was not impressed with the potential of such a pairing despite the Nets wing being linked to Boston in recent reporting.

“His production is erratic, but his good nights can be hugely helpful,” writes Buckley. “He has netted 20-plus points six times this season, and he logged fewer than 28 minutes in all but one of those tilts. However, he is basically a (6-foot-4) scoring specialist.”

“What are the chances he could actually crack the playoff rotation?” asks the B/R analyst, and while we are higher on that potentiality, we have to admit, it wouldn’t likely be the minutes he has been used to in Brooklyn.

Buckley asks us “what would make Walker’s quick-strike scoring the better choice than Pritchard’s superior shooting and ball-control?”, and it’s a fair question. “Walker is bigger and a better athlete, sure, but his physical tools have never translated to consistent defense.”

That a 6-foot-1 guard already on Boston’s roster is a better defender and less prone to miss time injured has the B/R analyst suggesting the Celtics stay clear, and we concur.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics Lab 239: Previewing Boston’s 2024 NBA trade deadline possibilities with Jack Simone

What can the Celtics do to get better? Which moves are more likely, and which make little sense?

The NBA’s 2024 trade deadline now perhaps better measured in hours than in days. And knowing what the range of possibilities that exists for the Boston Celtics to choose from to make moves to bolster their roster for a push to the 2024 NBA Finals is a good place to start.

What can the Celtics do to get better? Which moves are more likely, and which make little sense? Who are the likely targets, and which ones might surprise us? More importantly, what is off the table for Boston’s front office, and which trade targets should the Celtics be pursuing?

To get our bearings for what should be an impactful if comparatively quiet trade deadline for Boston, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast linked up with “How Bout Them Celtics!” cohost Jack Simone to talk ourselves through his recent trade deadline primer for Celtics Blog.

We also touch on the news, recent games, Marcus Smart’s return, Joel Embiid’s knee, and a ton more, so be sure to tune in.

The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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