Tag: trade

Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth top target to be traded during draft

Pat Freiermuth is our top veteran who could be traded during the 2024 NFL draft.

We have had some fun this offseason with some NFL draft trade speculation regarding some of the team’s top players in our mock drafts and it has been great to see how passionate fans are about it. It’s all in good fun.

But on Thursday the 2024 NFL draft kicks off and at that point, the aggressive Steelers front office is going to take the gloves off and could make some big moves.

In terms of which players could be on the trade block during the draft, I keep coming back to tight end Pat Freiermuth. He’s a top talent at his position but has been grossly underutilized during his tenure in Pittsburgh. He’s also in the final year of his rookie contract. In addition, the Steelers have Connor Heyward and Darnell Washington on the roster just waiting for their opportunities.

The tight end class in this year’s draft is pretty average after Brock Bowers so a pass catcher like Freiermuth could be in demand on the second day. The Steelers are in win-now mode and if trading Freiermuth could land them draft capital to improve the offensive line or secondary we are all for it.

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NFL Draft Rumor: Colts ‘making calls’ about potentially trading up

In a recent article from Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN, it is mentioned that the Colts are ‘making calls’ about potentially trading up.

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire? There are more pre-draft rumblings about the Colts looking to trade up in the first round.

On Tuesday, NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah mentioned that he heard that the Colts were potentially looking to trade up for cornerback Quinton Mitchell.

Now, Dan Graziano of ESPN mentioned in his recent NFL intel article with Jeremy Fowler that the Colts are among a few teams making calls to potentially trade up. Other teams doing the same are Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here is what Graziano had to say:

“For the Colts and Jaguars, the target would most likely be a cornerback, which might be interesting to a team like Chicago at No. 9 or Denver at No. 12. Having two division rivals battling it out to trade up for the same guy (maybe Alabama’s Terrion Arnold?) could drive up the price.”

With a focus on the cornerback position, the Colts are either eyeing Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell or Alabama’s Terrion Arnold at this stage of the draft.

According to ESPN analytics, Mitchell has a roughly 30 percent chance to be available at pick 15, and Arnold has a 55 percent chance. ESPN’s data suggests that Arnold is the most likely pick for the Colts at 15th overall if they were to stay put.

Graziano mentions the Bears at pick 9 and the Broncos at pick 12 as two teams who could look to move down.

If the Colts were to jump to pick 9, using the Rich Hill trade value chart as our guide, they would have to potentially give up picks 14, 46, and 117 in return for pick nine and the Bears’ third-rounder.

If the Colts were to make a trade with Denver, they could have to part with picks 117 and 191.

“I think it would depend,” said GM Chris Ballard this past Friday on trading up. “There would have to be someone within striking distance we felt was really unique and a difference-maker for us.”

Cornerback is the biggest need that the Colts have to address in this year’s draft. This was a young position group last season that experienced ups and downs, with too many big plays being surrendered and not enough plays on the football being made.

Ballard recently discussed the optimism that he has for this young position group, mentioning that JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones were no longer rookies and that getting Dallis Flowers back will be important.

However, those are unknowns and not certainties, which makes cornerback an upgradeable position for the Colts.

Mickey Loomis walks back response to Marshon Lattimore trade question

Mickey Loomis walked back his response to questions focusing on a possible Marshon Lattimore trade at Tuesday’s pre-draft press conference:

Just how confident is Mickey Loomis that Marshon Lattimore will be playing for the New Orleans Saints this year? The team’s general manager fielded questions from local media during his pre-2024 draft press conference on Tuesday, and the topic of Lattimore’s status came up.

So how did Loomis react when asked whether he was confident Lattimore would be on the roster this year?

“Yeah,” Loomis said, but when asked if he’d have responded with anything but a positive confirmation, he replied with “What do you think?”

When asked a follow-up question, Loomis tried to tamp it down, saying that he was “trying to avoid” the topic of player availability. But his next observation was a little more telling.

“Everybody is tradeable,” Loomis continued, “It depends on the offer you get. I don’t like trading players that have been contributors. There’s too many variables.”

That sure doesn’t make it sound like the Saints are open for business and shopping Lattimore around. They set the stage for this speculation back in January with a unique contract restructure that made Lattimore’s contract easier to trade, following reports of friction between the team and its star cornerback behind the scenes.

After he averaged 14.6 starts per year with four Pro Bowl appearances in his first five seasons, separate injuries have limited Lattimore to just 17 games over the last two years. Sources within the organization let it be known to the media that they were frustrated with a player they perceived as being injury-prone and slow to recover. Fair or not (we’re inclined to downplay it; a lacerated kidney and sprained ankle have nothing to do with each other), that’s how the relationship began to fray.

So it’s relieving to see that things have settled down now. The trade market for veteran corners is terrible right now and the Saints would be moving Lattimore at a big loss. It’s still possible they could trade him, as Loomis acknowledged, but it doesn’t appear to be as likely as it did a few months ago. We’ll see if that changes on draft day or in the summer months ahead.

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Tom Pelissero reacts to Broncos trading for QB Zach Wilson

“If anybody can get the most of out Zach Wilson, it’s going to be Sean Payton,” Tom Pelissero said of the Broncos landing QB Zach Wilson.

The Broncos have a new starting quarterback in Zach Wilson. Or do they?
Denver agreed to trade for Wilson, the Jets’ former first-round pick, on Monday. New York didn’t come away with much: they received a sixth-round selection (No. 203) in this week’s NFL draft from the Broncos, who, in addition to Wilson, will get a seventh-round pick (No. 256) from the Jets.

After news of the trade broke, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network joined Colin Cowherd’s FS1 show, The Herd, and gave his thoughts on Wilson now donning the navy and orange. He believes that if there is one coach who can maximize Wilson’s talents, it’s Broncos headman Sean Payton.

With Wilson solidified as a potential option, should the Broncos still pursue a quarterback in this year’s draft? Bo Nix and Michael Penix are the names that come up and could be solid options if the Broncos choose to go that way. Nevertheless, we will see what Payton and the front office do this Thursday.

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2024 NFL mock draft: Broncos trade for QB Dak Prescott

Touchdown Wire’s latest NFL mock draft has the Cowboys trading quarterback Dak Prescott to the Broncos.

In Touchdown Wire’s latest NFL mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys trade their star quarterback, Dak Prescott, to the Denver Broncos for their 12th pick, allowing the Broncos to have a franchise QB and draft edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 24th pick.

“So. Now that the Broncos have Dak Prescott under center, it’s time for general manager George Paton to address another roster issue, and that’s the lack of edge talent at the highest level,” Doug Farrar and Jeff Risdon wrote on Touchdown Wire. “Taking Dallas Turner with the 24th pick would certainly solve that problem to a degree.”

Farrar and Risdon believe that he could be a great asset to the Bronco’s defense due to Turner’s production last season as a part of the Alabama defensive front. A comparison to Brian Burns would make Denver head coach Sean Payton smile.

“Last season, Turner had 11 sacks and 53 total pressures for the Crimson Tide, and he projects well as an ideal speed-rusher with the quickness and bend to beat tackles around the arc in multiple ways. At his peak, I would compare Turner to Brian Burns (formerly of the Carolina Panthers, now with the New York Giants) as that super-flexible speed end who can just blow things up in the passing game.”

Although this is hypothetical, the above scenario is plausible. We’ll find out what draft days holds on Thursday.

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Sean Payton comments on how QB evaluations have changed

Sean Payton: “I think offenses have changed a little bit and yet, we’ve never not valued a quarterback that can beat you with his feet.”

During a press conference at the NFL combine in February, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked if his priorities for evaluating quarterbacks have changed over the years. This was his answer.

“I don’t know that a lot has changed relative to prioritizing what’s most important for the quarterback position,” Payton said on Feb. 27. “Certainly, there has been change. I think accuracy is important and I think leadership comes in a lot of different ways. Historically speaking, we’ve had quiet, successful quarterbacks and we’ve had outspoken, successful quarterbacks. We’ve had tall and short [successful quarterbacks]. So there are a lot of things that make you understand shapes and sizes and personality traits, but there are some constants that go with successful players at that position.

“I think offenses have changed a little bit and yet, we’ve never not valued a quarterback that can beat you with his feet. That goes back to [Steve] Young and [Joe] Montana. Historically, that’s nothing new. We are seeing more in the college game, and then we get to evaluate that and then we’re seeing more of that come into our game. I think it’s good.

“I think fourth-and-one in overtime in the Super Bowl — the play we saw Kansas City run — I don’t know that we see that play 10 years ago. That doesn’t mean we don’t see a conversion, but I don’t think we see that RPO option with a few different reads. Those are some of the things that I think have evolved.”

Really, not much has changed for evaluating the QBs, but some teams have gotten better at utilizing their strengths, including taking advantage of a QB’s mobility, as Payton noted.

Perhaps of note: Oregon quarterback Bo Nix rushed for 1,613 yards and 38 touchdowns in college. The Broncos hold eight picks this year, including the 12th overall pick in the first round. The NFL draft will begin on Thursday in Detroit.

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2024 NFL draft trade value chart: How much are Commanders’ 9 picks worth?

A look at how much each of Washington’s nine draft picks is worth.

The Washington Commanders enter the 2024 NFL draft with nine selections, beginning at No. 2 overall. Washington is well-equipped to make a major impact with six picks in the top 100, including two picks in the second round and three in the third round.

The Commanders desperately need an offensive tackle and have been rumored to be interested in going back into the first round. Washington certainly has the draft capital to make a significant move up the board.

This will be the first draft for new general manager Adam Peters. Will he be aggressive moving up or down the board? Peters could choose to add an offensive tackle in the first round in order to get the fifth-year option on two premium positions.

Based on the trade value chart from Rich Hill, below is a look at the value of each pick held by the Commanders this year. Let’s look at what each Washington pick is worth:

  • Round 1, Pick No. 2: 717 points
  • Round 2, Pick No. 36: 166 points
  • Round 2, Pick No. 40: 149 points
  • Round 3, Pick No. 67: 75 points
  • Round 3, Pick No. 78: 59 points
  • Round 3, Pick No. 100: 35 points
  • Round 5, Pick No. 139: 15 points
  • Round 5, Pick No. 152: 11 points
  • Round 7, Pick No. 222: 3 points

Here’s a look at the trade chart:

Broncos and Jets will split QB Zach Wilson’s salary in 2024

The Broncos and Jets are splitting Zach Wilson’s contract in 2024, each paying the quarterback about $2.72 million this season.

The Zach Wilson trade truly is a low-risk move for the Denver Broncos.

The Broncos only gave up a sixth-round draft pick (and they got a seventh-round pick back), and Wilson won’t cost much in 2024.

Wilson is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. Denver and New York have agreed to split his salary this year, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Schefter’s math does not seem to completely check out. It’s possible he just rounded up to $5.5 million and split that in half to get $2.75 million.

If OverTheCap.com’s figures are accurate, the actual number is $5,453,274. Split in half, that would be $2,726,637 paid by each of the Broncos and Jets in 2024 (for what it’s worth, that’s the number listed on Spotrac.com).

The Broncos, of course, know what it’s like to pay a QB to play for a different team. They are still paying Russell Wilson $37.79 million this season while he earns just $1.21 million from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Bringing in (Zach) Wilson was a low-cost move for Denver to acquire a 24-year-old quarterback with some upside. Even if he’s nothing more than a backup for the Broncos, the trade makes sense.

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How the Zach Wilson trade could impact Broncos’ draft plans

After trading for Zach Wilson, should the Broncos still select a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft?

The Denver Broncos finally have their new quarterback! Kinda.

The Broncos sent a sixth-round pick to the New York Jets on Monday to acquire Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick in a pre-draft trade. The cost makes it a low-risk move for Denver.

As things stand now, Wilson is set to compete with Jarrett Stidham for the starting quarterback job this summer. How the trade impacts the team’s draft plans remains to be seen.

Logically, it would be reasonable to assume the Broncos are now less likely to select a quarterback when they go on the clock with pick No. 12 in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday evening. That’s just an assumption, though.

Apparently, the Wilson trade will not deter the team’s efforts to trade up for a top quarterback prospect in this year’s class.

“Expect the Broncos to continue working behind the scenes to see if they have enough to move up in the draft for a QB, otherwise all other options are on the table,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic tweeted on Monday.

It remains to be seen which quarterback(s) Denver might be targeting in a potential trade, but the Broncos obviously view those top rookie prospects as more promising options than Wilson.

What remains to be seen is whether or not Denver feels Bo Nix (24) or Michael Penix (23) is still worth drafting after the team acquired Wilson (24). He hasn’t lived up to his pre-draft hype, but Wilson still has potential.

Using deductive reasoning, it seems fair to assume the Broncos will still move up for a top QB if the price is right, but the team won’t reach for a quarterback at No. 12 after landing Wilson. Right now, all we can do is speculate. We’ll get answers when the draft begins on Thursday.

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Broncos trade late-round pick to Jets for QB Zach Wilson

The Broncos are trading a 6th-round pick to the Jets in exchange for QB Zach Wilson and a 7th-round pick.

The Denver Broncos have agreed to trade a sixth-round draft pick (No. 203) to the New York Jets in exchange for quarterback Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick (No. 256), according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The compensation makes it a low-risk move for the Broncos. At worst, they got a backup quarterback by dropping from the sixth to the seventh round. At best, they got a young quarterback who still has potential to improve.

Wilson (6-2, 214 pounds) entered the league as the second overall pick out of BYU in the 2021 NFL draft. He started 33 games in New York, completing 57% of his passes for 6,293 yards 23 touchdowns against 25 interceptions. The Jets will now move forward with Aaron Rodgers.

Wilson is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. Before the trade, he was set to have a salary cap hit of $11.18 million in 2024. The Jets agreed to split his guaranteed camp roster bonus ($4.39 million), according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. It remains to be seen how all of the financial details will break down, but Denver won’t have to pay all of the QB’s contract.

Wilson (24) will join a Broncos quarterback room that already features Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci. Denver coach Sean Payton said earlier this offseason that Stidham will get an opportunity to compete for the starting job this summer.

It remains to be seen if the Broncos will still select a rookie quarterback in the NFL draft later this week. Denver holds eight draft picks, including the 12th overall pick in the first round on Thursday evening.

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