The Los Angeles Rams shocked the NFL by trading Marcus Peters away to the Baltimore Ravens and acquiring Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same day. Superstar trades are rare in the NFL, as a lot of draft capital goes into each trade. Here are some other stars that could potentially have a new home by the time the trade deadline comes.
Top 3 NFL Trade Candidates
AJ Green (Cincinnati Bengals)
AJ Green has been with the Cincinnati Bengals since being selected 4th overall in the 2011 draft. He was one of the top at his position from 2011-2015. However, the Bengals need to move on. Green is getting up there in age (31) and is on the downside of his career. No to mention his injuries the past two seasons. The Bengals are in a rebuild, and to rebuild they need draft picks They should send Green away to free up cap space and to develop a younger team. Cincinnati has solid receivers outside of Green, with Tyler Boyd becoming a reliable option and John Ross finally showing his first-round pick status. This has made Green more expendable than ever to the Bengals.
Teams that should trade for AJ Green: Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, New York Jets
Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers)
The first pick out of Auburn in the 2011 draft, Cam Newton has been the heart and soul of the Carolina Panthers. The former MVP has put up historically great numbers as a duel threat quarterback throughout his career. However, with Newton’s recent injuries, his play has fallen off a bit. He started the first two games of this season after recovering from shoulder surgery and ankle issue, and looked like a shell of his former self, leading the Panthers to a 0-2 start.
After reaggravating his ankle, they have started undrafted quarterback Kyle Allen and have seen better results. Allen is 4-0 as a starter showing great ball control, and now the Panthers are faced with a difficult decision; bench your franchise quarterback or start him over a quarterback that has yet to lose an NFL game. The Panthers should consider taking calls for Newton’s availability. They could get some draft picks and shed his contract as they ride the hot hand hopefully into the playoffs. However, if he ever gets healthy, Newton can be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but the Panthers do not have the luxury of waiting.
Teams that should trade for Cam Newton: Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Trent Williams (Washington Redskins)
7-time pro bowler Trent Williams has been a rock on the left side for the Washington Redskins since being drafted. Widely considered one of the top tackles in the NFL, teams should make a hard push to trade for the veteran. The advantage the Redskins have is that unlike AJ Green and Cam Newton, Williams is healthy. Although he has requested a trade and held out this entire season due to a disagreement about the handling of a previous injury, the Redskins seem intent on keeping him. They should not keep their disgruntled star, Washington is far from competing for a playoff spot. Whether they want to admit it or not, they are going through a rebuild and that starts by getting draft picks and cap space. Williams’ talent will have any team interested, and the Redskins need to be willing to sell.
Teams that should trade for Trent Williams: Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks
Concluding Thoughts
Any trade in the NFL is difficult. It is hard to determine how well will they fit. Are the draft picks enough? Is health a concern? Does their personality match the locker room? Teams that are in playoff contention give up the risks for a chance to compete with the best. Although the price for one player can be a lot, it is worth giving your team a shot and potentially keep them for the long run.
