Piece by: Tyler Deakin
I’m going to be honest here, there’s not much left to talk about at this point of the NFL offseason. Until training camps & preseason games begin, there will be a lack of breaking news & exciting announcements to discuss. That being said, there are a few players on the trade block around the league that would make headlines if they were traded. I don’t necessarily expect any of these moves to happen, but things would get very interesting if any of the following players got traded. Without further ado, let me introduce the 2021 NFL preseason trade candidates list.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Packers
The only team that realistically makes sense to acquire Rodgers at this point is the Broncos, and that’s if Rodgers forces the Packers hand in trade negotiations. Why is that? Denver is one of the few teams with an unsettled QB situation after the draft (despite acquiring Teddy Bridgewater) and enough cap space to make this work. There will surely be several teams interested in trading for Rodgers, but I’m not sure that I see many other team fits. It is worth noting that Rodgers doesn’t have a no trade clause, meaning he has no control over his potential trade destination. He does have leverage though, as he’s made enough money to where he could holdout throughout the preseason & call the Packers bluff on starting new QB Jordan Love.
WR Julio Jones, Falcons
This one hurts for me to acknowledge as an invested Atlanta Falcons fan; however, I believe that the trade rumors are legitimate. The Falcons have the following options to choose from in order to free up money & sign their rookie class this offseason: trade Julio, restructure Julio, extend DT Grady Jarrett, or restructure Grady Jarrett.
Unfortunately, the Falcons haven’t yet approached Grady Jarrett about an extension or restructure. Restructuring Julio would give us some money in the short term; however, the team would be dealing with the exact same issue next offseason as they would basically be just moving money around. June 1st is a key date to watch for this trade, as the Falcons would save a bunch of money when trading him after this date. Teams like the Ravens, Patriots, & 49ers make sense as suitors in trade negotiations.
QB Deshaun Watson, Texans
This has been the storyline of the offseason, what is Deshaun Watson’s future with the Texans? Clarity on this situation has been even harder to come by after legal processes involving the QB began a couple months ago. The Texans have decided to stockpile QBs with Watson’s future with the team in doubt, trading for Ryan Finley, drafting Davis Mills, and acquiring Tyrod Taylor & Jeff Driskel. None of these options are very inspiring, but the team’s intentions signal that a reunion with Watson seems unlikely.
Team executives haven’t been as outspoken & supportive of Watson as their franchise QB since the incident either, though that’s natural after legal charges involving a player are pending. I believe that Watson is already on the trade block, waiting for a resolution to his legal situation. It’s worth noting that he has a no trade contract, although I doubt that he would reject a trade to teams like the Dolphins, Raiders, & Broncos.
LB Jordan Hicks, Cardinals
The Cardinals have reportedly given LB Jordan Hicks permission to seek a trade after drafting 1st round LBs Isaiah Simmons & Zaven Collins in consecutive years. He’s still a solid player after playing in all 16 games last year & recording 118 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1 INT, & 4 pass deflections. Interestingly enough, there’s rumblings about Hicks being traded for Eagles TE Zach Ertz who is also on this list. Teams like the Saints & Dolphins also make sense.
TE Zach Ertz, Eagles
Zach Ertz is reportedly frustrated with the Eagles after they have failed to trade him this offseason. Ertz is a veteran player on an expiring contract playing for a rebuilding team, and he’s more interested in contending at this point in his career. That’s why it’s puzzling that the Eagles couldn’t get a deal done during the draft. Maybe a player for player swap (like the Jordan Hicks scenario mentioned above) would be enough to persuade the Eagles to finally trade him?
RB James Robinson, Jaguars
Call me skeptical, but I believe that the Jaguars drafting Clemson RB Travis Etienne in the 1st round this year could signal the beginning of the end for James Robinson. The Jaguars had team needs at literally every position besides QB & WR, yet they ignored them to draft Etienne with the 25th pick in the draft. I guess it’s possible that Etienne & Robinson could share the same backfield this year; however, it wouldn’t shock me if Robinson is traded before the season. Teams like the Dolphins, Jets, & Bills would make sense as potential suitors for the talented RB.