Editor’s note: The Tennessee Titans are working to complete a trade of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Trade season started early this year with the New York Jets acquiring wideout Davante Adams just before the Buffalo Bills counterpunched with receiver Amari Cooper.
There are still a couple of weeks to go before the Nov. 5 deadline, and recent history suggests more stars will be on the move.
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NFL trade deadline: Why have teams been so much more aggressive lately?
So, for the third year in a row, The Athletic’s Mike Jones and Jeff Howe each concocted three high-profile trade proposals they’d like to see. Keep note of that qualifier. These are trades they’d like to see happen because they move the needle and help teams now and/or in the future. It doesn’t necessarily mean the star involved is known to be on the trade block.
Along with each trade proposal, the other writer explains why the move doesn’t actually make sense and won’t happen.
Let’s get to it.
Mike Jones’ three trade proposals
New York Jets trade Haason Reddick to Detroit Lions for a 2025 fourth-round pick
Why it makes sense
Jones: After the devastating loss of Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions need pass-rushing help for their defense to remain a formidable unit. New York, which acquired Reddick from the Eagles last offseason, refused to meet Reddick’s demands for a long-term deal and instead agreed over the weekend to a reworked short-term deal so it can finally get him on the field. But the Jets are a dumpster fire and are going nowhere. So, it still might benefit New York more to trade Reddick and regain a portion of what was lost when it traded a third-round pick to acquire Reddick. Now, that pick would turn into a second-rounder if he were to be traded, so the Jets might not get the full return for their offseason investment, but this would avoid a renewed standoff with the pass rusher this offseason.
Why it won’t happen
Howe: The Jets are all in with Rodgers and finally — finally — got Reddick to report. They aren’t exactly controversy-averse, either, so they probably don’t care about giving up on Reddick at this point. Plus, if the Jets don’t get this thing turned around and make the playoffs, general manager Joe Douglas has to recognize he could get the Robert Saleh treatment. He won’t want to gift the next guy an extra fourth-rounder on his way out the door. Reddick would be a good addition to the Lions with his big-game experience, but the Jets are far too desperate to win games while Rodgers is on the roster.
Sunday night was an exercise in program-building.
Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, rock-solid, adjusted with Russell Wilson under center and put up a season-high in points.
The Jets? Well…@DMRussini and @ChaseDaniel have more.https://t.co/fWZswwShCM pic.twitter.com/pHuOYGBNNQ
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 22, 2024
Tennessee Titans trade DeAndre Hopkins to Baltimore Ravens for a 2025 fourth-round pick
Why it makes sense
Jones: The 32-year-old Hopkins has not played a major role in the Titans’ offense (15 catches on 21 targets for 173 yards and a touchdown). This dip in production comes a year after he had 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. But part of that has to do with the struggles of Will Levis, who hasn’t even eclipsed the 700-yard passing mark in his five games. Hopkins may not possess the speed he once did, but he’s still a savvy veteran who can pair with receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman to give QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens additional help at wide receiver. Hopkins is in the final year of a two-year, $26 million deal, so moving him would ensure the Titans get something for him now rather than losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Why it won’t happen
Howe: I actually love this idea for the Ravens, but I already agreed that I’m supposed to shoot down your trade proposals, so I’ll do my best. I’m not convinced the Ravens need him. They’re loaded with their ground attack and have enough passing options for Lamar Jackson with the tight ends and receivers, including a budding star in Flowers. How many balls are there to go around? I wouldn’t worry about Hopkins needing heavy targets at this stage of his career, but I wouldn’t want Jackson feeling like he has to feed Hopkins because of his talent. Jackson has been so dominant at playing within the offense that I wouldn’t want him predetermining where he needs to go with the ball.
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Jets trade Mike Williams to L.A. Chargers for swap of conditional 2025 fifth-round picks
Why it makes sense
Jones: The Jets view Williams, whom they signed to a one-year deal this offseason, as expendable now that they have Adams in the mix. Williams’ original team, the Chargers, badly need talent around Justin Herbert. Their offense ranks 26th in yards per game (300) and 25th in points per game (17.7), and they don’t have a single pass catcher in the top 50 in the league in catches or yards. The Chargers let Williams walk this offseason as he was rehabbing from knee surgery, and he has spent the first third of the season getting his groove back. His comfort with Herbert could prove valuable and help boost an L.A. team that sits third in the AFC West behind Kansas City.
Why it won’t happen
Howe: You’ve done it again. I can’t see why either team would decline this idea, but I’ll give it a go. Yeah, the Chargers’ passing numbers are down, but coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman designed it that way. They want to be ground heavy and win games with toughness on both sides of the ball. If they can develop receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston along the way, that’s even better, whereas there’s no guarantee the Harbaugh-Williams marriage would stick beyond 2024.
Jeff Howe’s three trade proposals
Raiders trade DE Maxx Crosby to Lions for a 2025 first-round pick and 2026 third-round pick
Why it makes sense
Howe: Hutchinson’s broken leg changed the complexion of the Lions defense. They still have Super Bowl potential, but general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell can’t be afraid to go on the offensive. Crosby would be an aggressive move. He’d also be expensive. He’s one of the best defenders in the league, just turned 27 and is under contract through 2026, so he’d be playing through the prime of his career in Detroit. But Detroit shouldn’t let expense be prohibitive in a clear Super Bowl window. Holmes has hit on so many draft picks that the Lions can afford to give up some of their future capital. I don’t think they’d have any regrets over the compensation next season when Hutchinson and Crosby are lined up across from each other. With the Raiders, they aren’t going to be jumping at the idea of trading away their best player, but they aren’t going to hit the next phase of their rebuild without a quarterback. They need to maximize their draft assets to forge as many paths as possible to find one.
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Why it won’t happen
Jones: Landing Crosby would definitely be a home run for the Lions, and it would be smart for the Raiders. But Las Vegas owner Mark Davis would not go for this. He shot down such talk last week. It’s true the Raiders are far from contending and need as many draft picks as possible. But Davis doesn’t seem willing to acknowledge just how far off his team is. He seems to believe a turnaround is just around the corner. Also, when it comes to Crosby, there are also a lot of sentimental ties there for Davis. Crosby is the unquestioned leader and face of this team. Davis would struggle greatly to part with the fan favorite, even if sending him somewhere he could contend in the prime of his career would be the right thing to do for a player who has sacrificed so much for the franchise.
When you consider the opponent and what he’s being asked to do for this offense, Sunday’s win was one of the most impressive performances of Jared Goff’s career. @QBKlass talked about Detroit’s big win and much more in our Week 7 recap.
Full show: https://t.co/z1SXQJYlSo pic.twitter.com/gbarjnK2pp
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) October 21, 2024
Cleveland Browns trade RB Nick Chubb to Dallas Cowboys for a 2025 third-round pick, a 2025 sixth-round pick
Why it makes sense
Howe: The Cowboys are last in rushing yards, touchdowns and yards per attempt. Why? Because they’re 30th in attempts. They don’t have the personnel, and Mike McCarthy hasn’t shown a lot of commitment to the ground game. Being completely out of balance has led to three of their games getting out of hand early. Chubb has the star power team owner Jerry Jones covets. Although it’s a risk with Chubb just getting back from a huge knee injury, the reward could be massive if Chubb closes the season as a top-10 back. For the Browns, it would be a gut punch to give up such an impactful piece of their franchise, especially considering the way he was received upon his season debut. And they probably don’t want to take the public relations hit after the fan base turned on quarterback Deshaun Watson, but Watson’s deal is about to dramatically squeeze the books. Chubb, who turns 29 in December, is going to be a free agent after the season, and it’s going to be a stretch to keep a highly paid running back on the roster with the cap gymnastics on the horizon. Whether or not the Browns are prepared to admit it, they need to give serious consideration to drafting a QB, and the extra third-rounder could aid that endeavor.
Why it won’t happen
Jones: This is a move that would make a lot of sense for Dallas. It would fill a huge need and potentially save the Cowboys’ season. Yet I don’t think the Browns are ready to throw in the towel just yet. At 1-6, they’re in a far bigger hole than where they found themselves last season when they turned to QB Joe Flacco and mounted their march to the playoffs. However, hot-seat coach Kevin Stefanski needs to turn this thing around even without Watson, and to do so, he’ll certainly need Chubb to help carry the offense and ease pressure on whoever is playing quarterback. Cleveland is only 0-1 in the AFC North and has five division contests remaining. So, if things start clicking for the Browns as they continue to get healthy, they could certainly make things interesting in the second half of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers trade QB Justin Fields to Miami Dolphins for a 2025 fourth-round pick
Why it makes sense
Howe: The Dolphins are getting Tua Tagovailoa back, but his latest concussion-related absence was another reminder of how they’ve failed to develop a backup quarterback. Since coach Mike McDaniel arrived in 2022, the Dolphins are 2-6 without Tagovailoa, and they’re averaging 13.1 points per game, compared to 26.8 with him in the lineup. They’re already in trouble in the playoff race, but Tagovailoa might be able to keep them afloat. If he goes down again, though, their playoff hopes are dead. Consider the long-term lens, too. Fields is a free agent after the season, so he’ll be looking for an opportunity to start. But those chances tend to dry up, and his best-case scenario might be competing for time against a highly drafted rookie. If Fields likes working with McDaniel and the Dolphins see him as a fit, this would be an early opportunity to gain experience in the system. On the Steelers’ side, Russell Wilson played well enough in his debut to earn an extended look. It would be a gamble to move Fields in case Wilson regresses, but the Steelers would be upgrading the pick they surrendered to initially acquire Fields.
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Why it won’t happen
Jones: The Dolphins probably should have made a move for Fields in the offseason rather than enter the 2024 campaign without a legitimate insurance policy for Tagovailoa. Getting him now would certainly represent an upgrade of the depth chart. I don’t think the Steelers are done with Fields just yet, however. Yes, Wilson provided a spark that helped carry Pittsburgh over the Jets. But if this revival is short-lived, or if the 35-year-old Wilson were to suffer a setback, coach Mike Tomlin would want to have the luxury of returning to Fields — a quarterback he knows he can win with despite his limitations.
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(Photo illustration by Dan Goldfarb and Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; photos of Mike Williams, Maxx Crosby and Justin Fields: Luke Hales and Brooke Sutton / Getty Images and Jordon Kelly / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
