In the offseason, Maxx Crosby was the biggest name on the trade market. Now, he is back in trade conversations, even though the Las Vegas Raiders have not confirmed it.
By contrast, the rebuilding Indianapolis Colts have made it clear that star running back Jonathan Taylor is available.
The two teams are in different situations. On one hand, the Raiders are a .500 team, and within striking distance of a wild card spot. However, they are working to figure out whether Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza is the next step forward.
On the other hand, the Colts are struggling with a 2-6 record, which has prompted owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon to first fire GM Chris Ballard and then initiate a rebuild with the target of amassing draft picks.
All-Pro guard Quenten Nelson and star D-tackle . Therefore, Taylor might not be the only one who could leave the franchise before the end of the trade deadline.
Along with them, a few other big-name players are still in the mix as teams race to negotiate the perfect compensation to improve their position before the second half of the season starts.
When the Raiders sent Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, the two first-round picks made absolute sense. A 29-year-old with some injury concerns for that draft capital is a winning deal.
However, everything changed since the . Not only has his market cooled down, but the franchise winning games now and then may have given him the impetus to stay.
On top of that, the Michigan native has never demanded a trade and continues to be the .With the organization still thinking over their choice of quarterback, Crosby is not a problem for them.
Therefore, the only way they could be enticed into another trade is if a team comes calling with a similar deal. Two first-round picks for Maxx Crosby still make sense for the Raiders since they do have areas of need.
The Indianapolis Colts have a clear goal in mind. With the , offload high-priced veterans to release cap space and bring in draft picks they can use in the coming years. That is why a 32-year-old DeForest Buckner and a standout guard in Quenton Nelson had to go.
There are still some highly paid older players left. That means that the roster reset is not complete. Among all of them, the name doing the rounds is three-time Pro Bowler running back Jonathan Taylor.
He accounts for $16.1 million of their cap and is tied to the franchise for the next two seasons. Therefore, considering his prowess on the field, the franchise can expect teams to offer a decent return.
The only problem is that they have not been offered anything more . It seems they are holding out for a first-rounder. Maybe a desperate team will come calling in the coming days.
A week earlier, Jacoby Brissett was still for the Arizona Cardinals. Now, they have demoted him to QB3, which means he has suddenly become expendable.
For a franchise moving on with Gardner Minshew at the helm and Carson Beck waiting in the wings, it makes no sense for them to hold on to a third-string passer with a $15.5 million salary hanging around.
The team with the most obvious need at the quarterback position is the Baltimore Ravens. With Lamar Jackson , the franchise needs some stability at the quarterback position, unless they are ok with losing quite a lot of games.
Brissett did have his . But considering that the QB market is void of tantalizing options, the DMV organization might have to go with him to finish out the season respectably.
A couple of seasons ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars felt that they had struck gold with Brian Thomas Jr. After eight weeks, the LSU alum has fallen down the receiver hierarchy and is firmly in trade rumors.
Many believe that a change in scenery could help him revive his career. However, it will take similar compensation to what Marvin Harrison Jr. drew to pry Thomas Jr. from the Jaguars.
They are a potential playoff team, which means keeping Thomas Jr. in the event of injuries makes a lot of sense. They could still offload him next season if he continues to regress.
However, a team with a , such as the Kansas City Chiefs, could tempt them into giving him up. Maybe Thomas Jr. can revive his career with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball in Eric Bieniemy‘s system.
In the preseason, the overall consensus was that the Los Angeles Chargers, with their stud defense and improving offense, would be a force to reckon with. Half a season later, there are rumors that the team could go all in on a fire sale.
Derwin James earns $24.6 million and is 30 years old. However, the franchise could first look at offloading Khalil Mack. The pass rusher is 35 and accounts for $18 million on the team’s cap.
Sure, they will not have that amount on their cap next season. But if they can get any form of compensation, the time is now. Mack could still be impactful as a pass rusher and a leader on a contending team.
However, that salary is hard to justify for a player whose presence has not really resulted in consistent winning. Despite that, there could be that one desperate team that could give Mack a chance.