Only a couple of weeks are left before the trade deadline in the NFL. And although NFL trades aren’t as prevalent as they are in the MLB, we’ve already seen a few trades involving WRs, and over the next couple of weeks, we are sure to see a few more.
DeAndre Hopkins has been moved to the Chiefs, Davante Adams has been reunited with Aaron Rodgers, and Amari Cooper got his get-out-of-jail-free card in Cleveland and is now catching passes from Josh Allen in Buffalo.
There’s been a ton of chatter swirling around WR Cooper Kupp, but that was when the Rams were sitting at 1-4. They’ve won two games in five days and are only a game out of first place in the NFC West…and play the first-place Seahawks two days before the deadline. The Seahawks have a tough matchup this week against the Bills, and a loss would take them to 4-4 ahead of that matchup for first place. And HC Sean Mcvay has come out saying Cupp isn’t going anywhere. Frankly, when healthy there may not be a better QB/WR tandem than Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp.
With that said, even if Kupp stays in Los Angeles, there will be WRs on the move, and many teams need them. The Buccaneers could use at least one WR, and probably two. And suddenly, the 49ers could use a WR, too.
One of the teams who should 100% trade away part of their WR room is the Patriots. Now, a 1-6 team that only averages 14 points a game doesn’t have many offensive weapons, in theory. However, they do have an abundance of serviceable receiver options. The obvious choice is KJ Osborne, on a 1 yr deal worth $4M. They have Kendrick Bourne on a 3yr/$19.5M deal, with only $5.5M guaranteed. If they want to move one of their younger WRs, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte each have 4yr/$4M deals…but the guarantees on both deals are under $200K. And finally, they could cut bait with mouthy rookie Ja’Lynn Polk. The second-rounder proclaims to have the best hands in the league but can’t catch a pass, and he’s on a rookie 4yr/$9.6M deal with $8M in guaranteed money.
Aside from the potential trades over the next two weeks, the “pink slip watch” will be in full effect. Five games this week put the head coach’s job in real jeopardy.
Cowboys at 49ers: Last week, owner Jerry Jones had an embarrassing radio interview, threatening the interviewers’ jobs. He is losing it, which can’t bode well for HC Mike McCarthy. A loss in San Fransisco could be the final straw for Jones.
Giants at Seattle: The Giants are 2-5 and in last place in the NFC East. They have a tough road game in Seattle. Coming home 2-6 could be the end for HC Brian Daboll.
Saints at Chargers: HC Dennis Allen only wins about a third of his games, and after winning the first two games of the season, his Saints are now on a five-game losing streak. A six-game losing streak should be the end for Allen.
Packers at Jaguars: Doug Pederson got a one-week reprieve in London, thoroughly throttling the New England Patriots. But this week, they face a real opponent. It may not be fair to fire Pederson if they lose to the Packers, but if it gets ugly, Pederson could find a pink slip taped to his office door. One thing is certain: even if he survives a loss this week, he is a dead man walking.
Cardinals at Dolphins: Mike McDaniel has gotten the benefit of the doubt without Tua Tagovailoa. Well, Tua is back this week and cleared from concussion protocol. Hopefully, he’ll stay healthy and be able to spark the team to a well-needed victory. But another loss will add to the chatter that has already begun. The only reprieve he may get is that he has a fantastic relationship with Tua and may put his two cents in to save his HC’s job.
One Loss is a Hiccup, Two is A Trend: Finally, this week, the Vikings have now lost two games in a row. Just a week ago, some people had them No. 1 in their power ranking, ahead of the Chiefs and Ravens. They lost a tough game against the Lions, moving them down everyone’s power ranking and out of first place in the NFC North. They then had to go to Los Angeles on short notice and play football on Thursday night. It was the first game back for both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Matthew Stafford has proven that he can still be deadly when he has his weapons. Conversely, QB Sam Darnold is beginning to look like Sam Darnold again. They are still 5-2 and firmly in the playoff mix, but cracks are beginning to show, and they could be in jeopardy of falling out of the very competitive NFC if they don’t quickly right the ship.
