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Six trade proposals, including Myles Garrett, plus: Healthy star return for the Rams-Vikings
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Six trade proposals, including Myles Garrett, plus: Healthy star return for the Rams-Vikings

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Yesterday we looked at nine receiver trades that should happen. Today: Other positions, including potential deals for Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett.


Six trades that should happen

Inspired by Browns beat reporter Zac Jackson's outlook on what it would take to deal Myles Garrett, I've come up with six potential trades that could shake up the NFL landscape before the deadline in two weeks.

We start in Cleveland, where Zac has “gone from believing that a Garrett trade is all but impossible to believing that the Browns must at least engage in the various discussions surrounding it.” đź‘€

Let’s say the Bears acquire DE Myles Garrettwhich sends the Browns two first-round picks (2025 and 2026) and rookie DE Austin Booker. Chicago has long needed help on its defensive line and was missing DE Matthew Judon this offseason. However, in retrospect, trading for DE Montez Sweat (second-round pick) last year was a smart move by GM Ryan Poles. There's no better help than Garrett, a one-man demolition team.

According to Spotrac, his cap hit is reasonable ($800,000 in 2024, $19.5 million in 2025 and $25.5 million in 2026) and — although his nagging foot injuries are concerning — teams have him rare chance to field the NFL's best defender in his prime. And of course, Cleveland would have to be willing to part ways with the future Hall of Famer. Do you remember what they had to put up with Joe Thomas?

Should that materialize, the Bears would still hold the Panthers' 2025 second-round pick, which could be as good as No. 33, and have $72 million in cap space next year, two reasons why not Khalil Mack would be a style play for Chicago. At 28 years old, Garrett should remain one of the league's best for another three to four years, which fits into the Bears' Super Bowl window since Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are on rookie contracts. Capitalize, Chicago!

Jets add Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley and… OK, I'm not counting this among our six actual suggestions. The only update on whether Aaron Rodgers' current team has ties to his old team? The Packers brought Robert Saleh into practice to gain insight on offense. Yes, you read that correctly. Insight into the offensive! Now back to the serious suggestions.

Acquire Eagles EN Maxx Crosbywhich sends the Raiders a 2025 first-, fourth- and fifth-round pick as well as a 2026 second-round pick. Listen to me. GM Howie Roseman has a track record of acquiring big-name talent — AJ Brown picked up a first and third in 2022 — and has two additional fifths this year as well as the Jets' third in 2026. Crosby would have to accept a contract restructuring , but he would give Philly the edge rusher it needs to improve its mediocre pass rush (15th in pass rush win rate) and give itself a chance at a Super Bowl.

Ravens add S Budda Baker, Sending 2025 third- and fifth-round picks to the Cardinals. Baltimore should receive four compensatory draft picks in 2025, giving them plenty of opportunity to improve a secondary that allows a league-high 287.1 passing yards per game. Free agent signing S Eddie Jackson didn't work out: PFF ranks him 127th out of 140 safeties. Baker (36th) offers a huge upgrade, and if the 28-year-old signs elsewhere as a free agent after the season, the Ravens could secure another compensatory pick.

Rams acquire QB Bryce Young, This gives the Panthers a sixth-round pick in 2025. Carolina removes Young's top hit – $10 million in 2025 – from its books and can move into a new rebuilding phase, while Sean McVay's Rams give Young a chance to develop behind Matthew Stafford through 2026, if the contract of the then 38 year old guaranteed to end. If Kupp's $29 million 2025 cap hit goes via trade soon, Young's salary wouldn't be an issue in LA. If anyone can figure out for sure whether the former No. 1 still has potential, it's McVay.

This week, Young gets another audition for his next team. After Andy Dalton's car accident (Dalton will be fine, Carolina says), Young returns to the field this Sunday against the Broncos – a nightmare matchup as Denver shoots a league-high 44.3 percent on dropbacks and allowing an NFL-low 4.4 yards per game and ranking third in defensive DVOA (-15.6 percent). A Panthers commentator on The athlete said it well: “Great, now we lose 45:3 instead of 45:20.”

Lions add DE Za'Darius Smith and a sixth-round pick that gives the Browns a 2025 fourth-round pick. As Colton Pouncy explains in his overview of the Lions' options to replace Aidan Hutchinson, “It's hard to think of anyone who's a better fit than Smith.” He's 6-4, 275 pounds, can defend the run, had 60 pressures and an 18.5 percent pass-rush win rate last year.” As a 32-year-old impending free agent, Smith fits the bill of a one-year rental, and while GM Brad Holmes isn't afraid of expensive moves, this fits the bill to his consistent approach in Detroit.

Cowboys acquire DT Dalvin Tomlinsonwhich gives the Browns a conditional fifth (or sixth) round pick in 2025. Despite the persistent narrative of a failed season, Dallas sits at 3-3, just a few games out of the division lead. The impending returns of Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland will help, but won't be enough to fix a run defense by far Worst in the league:

Tomlinson offers Dallas a 30-year-old defensive tackle who PFF ranks in the top 75th percentile at his position. With no guaranteed money after this season, a rental to help their running game would be a logical move.

That's six possible moves, done. Luckily, I'm sure none would be controversial in Cleveland, Las Vegas, Chicago or Philly.


What Dianna hears: After Saquon's revenge, the Giants hold firm

Three days after watching Saquon Barkley run through MetLife Stadium (the Giants co-owner's personal nightmare scenario), John Mara spoke Wednesday about the futures of GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll, saying he still has “confidence in both.” “

It's still early and things could change for 2-5 New York, but this is the first major support we've seen this year.

Back to you, Jacob.


Rams-Vikings: What to watch

Tonight's game begins at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with the 5-1 Vikings hosting the 2-4 Rams. At the time of publication, BetMGM has Minnesota as a three-point favorite. Here's one thing to keep in mind from every team:

How does the Vikings defense respond? In their game predictions, Alec Lewis and Jon Krawczynski note that the Lions last week had “the highest explosive play rate of any offense against Brian Flores since he became the Vikings' defensive coordinator in 2023.” Outlier, or can McVay and Stafford duplicate the results?

Cooper Kupp. He's healthy, reportedly on the transfer market and should return to production immediately, especially with WR Jordan Whittington sidelined with a shoulder injury. In Kupp's only healthy game this year, he scored 21 times and caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

We could also see the return of TE TJ Hockenson, who was limited in practice all week and remains questionable with a knee injury. As for Puka Nacua (knee, questionable), I doubt he'll play considering what Jourdan Rodrigue explained here.


Around the NFL

The Seahawks traded for LB Ernest Jones IV, sending Titans LB Jerome Baker and a fourth-round draft pick. Jones, a third-round pick in 2021, was Tennessee's second-leading tackler and has a PFF grade (62.5) that ranks 71st out of 150.

Most clicked yesterday: Jake Ciely's Week 8 Fantasy Rankings.


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(Photo: Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

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