Trades around the National Football League may be a rarity, but it seems that they are becoming more prevalent as teams look to shed contracts throughout the offseason.
Over the past couple years alone, we have seen the likes of Percy Harvin, Anquan Boldin and Trent Richardson moved. While two of those deals didn’t work out too well for the teams on the receiving end, they do show a certain level of creativity when it comes to roster building.
This offseason is going to be filled with a whole bunch of drama. There are a ton of teams with ample salary cap room, which puts them in an enviable position to pick up stars in what has to be considered the best free-agent class in recent league history.
On the other hand, there are teams that are in less-than-stellar cap situations and must cut the fat somewhere. Short of releasing valuable players, they may attempt to work out a deal and obtain a draft pick.
On that note (and without running on too much), here are five NFL trades that just make too much sense as we enter the offseason.
1. Philadelphia Eagles Trade Nick Foles to the St. Louis Rams
With rumors persisting that Philadelphia will make a strong play to move up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in April’s draft, there’s going to be a lot of talk about Foles being moved in a potential deal. The primary issue with Philadelphia actually being able to land Mariota is the fact that it’s picking 20th in the draft and the reigning Heisman winner will likely land somewhere in the top five. This means that head coach Chip Kelly—now also in charge of player personnel—will need to make multiple trades in order to acquire enough assets to trade up for Mariota.
If teams like the Oakland Raiders or Washington Redskins are inclined to potentially move down, they aren’t going to have interest in Foles. That’s where the St. Louis Rams, who could offer a second rounder for the quarterback, come into play. And while the brass in St. Louis might seem committed to Sam Bradford, it’s readily apparent the team needs to at least find some competition for the much-maligned former No. 1 overall pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers Trade Vernon Davis to the Oakland Raiders
San Francisco can save about $5 million against the cap by releasing Davis. Though, it would rather work out a deal in order to take his entire salary off the books. Something legitimately isn’t right with Davis in San Francisco right now. Whether it’s a lack of effort or an inability to mesh with Colin Kaepernick, the former Pro Bowler struggled big time last year. With San Francisco’s current cap situation, it may need to move on from the struggling veteran altogether.
That’s where the Oakland Raiders—flush with cap room—come into play. Davis is still an elite-level talent at tight end and would provide a great target for young signal caller Derek Carr in the passing game. Oakland is also one of the few teams that can afford Davis’ salary at the tight end position and not flinch. It seems to be a match made in heaven for both sides.
3. Arizona Cardinals Trade Larry Fitzgerald to the New England Patriots
This is a rumor that has persisted for years now. In the twilight of his career and looking to win that elusive Super Bowl, the future Hall of Famer would be well suited for Tom Brady and the Patriots. This is made more possible now than ever before due to the current contract situation between Fitzgerald and the Cardinals. He set to count $23.6 million against the cap in 2015, a number the Cardinals simply can’t afford.
Talk has surrounded the possibility of the two sides working out a restructure which would keep Fitzgerald in a Cardinals’ uniform for the rest of his career, but that’s nowhere near a done deal at this point. If the two sides are not able to come to a fair conclusion, the franchise’s greatest all-time pass catcher will likely be moving on.
4. Kansas City Chiefs Trade Tamba Hali to the Chicago Bears for Brandon Marshall
A player-for-player swap in the National Football league? That’s almost as unlikely as most of these trades coming to fruition. However, this is a deal that makes too much sense for both sides. It’s also a deal that would require both players to take on new contracts in order for it to go down.
In terms of overall fits, Hali would be suited well for Vic Fangio’s 3-4 defensive scheme in Chicago. He’s among the best all-around pass-rushing outside linebackers in the NFL and would help that struggling defense a great deal. Hali would likely also love to go play for two defensive coaches in Fangio and John Fox in the Windy City.
As it relates to the Chiefs, their receivers did not catch a single touchdown from Alex Smith last season. And while the team is still on the hook for $14 million for Dwayne Bowe in 2015, teaming these receivers up could work out well. Marshall would provide a much more consistent receiving option opposite Bowe than what the team had last year. He also has a nice amount of tread left in those tires, so it’s not like Kansas City would be trading a player in his prime (Hali) for another player that’s over the hill.
5. Minnesota Vikings Trade Adrian Peterson to the Dallas Cowboys
In the likely scenario that DeMarco Murray departs the Cowboys in free agency, the team will most definitely look at Peterson as a stopgap option. At this point, it’s not a secret that there is mutual interest between the two sides here. Peterson would love to finish his career in Dallas, and acquiring him is the type of splashy move that has defined Jerry Jones’ tenure in Dallas.
Considering the Cowboys cap situation, Peterson would have to restructure his deal and take a rather small 2015 salary. But unlike other veterans who might just stay with their current teams under the same scenario, there’s no guarantee that Minnesota wants Peterson back next season. That also makes the bounty Dallas would have to give up less than under different circumstances.
Photo: USA Today