The NFL trade deadline is just a few days away, as Tuesday, Oct. 29 will mark the final day for teams to make trades with other teams.
Here are trades that would make sense for five teams in the playoff hunt.
Cleveland Browns acquire LT Nate Solder from the New York Giants in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick
The Cleveland Browns will acquire an offensive lineman, and with Trent Williams supposedly unavailable, taking Solder and his contract off the Giants’ hands seems like a very possible scenario. Solder, 31, is a former first-round pick of the New England Patriots, for whom he played for seven seasons before inking a four-year, $62 million deal with the Giants prior to the 2020 seasons. Solder has been on the field for every single one of the Giants’ offensive snaps since they landed him, so there isn’t much of a concern about his stamina. He has also started all 105 of the games he’s been active for, so when he’s able to play, he will play. A haul for Williams presumably would’ve included a first-round pick and a fifth-round pick, so the decrease from Williams to Solder is likely enough to drop the asking price to a second-round pick.
Green Bay Packers acquire WR A.J. Green from the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a 2020 third-round draft pick and a 2020 sixth-round pick
The Green Bay Packers appear poised for a deep playoff run this winter, but as of now, their wide receiver room is a bit shaky. Davante Adams is hurt and continues to miss games while Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Geronimo Allison are also having trouble staying healthy. Adding Green would provide more depth at the position and give Rodgers yet another weapon to utilize, making this offense nearly unstoppable. Of course, it’s worth noting that Green himself is working his way back from an injury that has kept him out of commission for the first half of the season, but he is due to be back any week now. Green is a proven star and Cincinnati is on the decline, so this trade makes a lot of sense.
Detroit Lions acquire RB Kenyan Drake from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2020 sixth-round pick
This was a really tough trade for me to think about because the Lions, while without Kerryon Johnson and are lacking at running back, are close to falling very much out of playoff contention, which would eliminate their need for Drake. However, as of right now, they remain very much in the running back market, and with Miami tanking and looking to deal Drake, the Lions are an ideal trade partner. Drake has shown promise on multiple occasions with Miami but has struggled to break out and shine due to their inconsistency and lack of passion. Throwing Drake into an offense with veteran Matthew Stafford and an offense that is on the verge of being electric could be what both he and the Lions need going forward.
Buffalo Bills acquire CB Logan Ryan from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2020 sixth-round pick
The Buffalo Bills have been one of the lesser-discussed teams in football so far (mostly because they play in the same division as the almighty New England Patriots), and it’s really a shame, because they are off to an amazing 5-1 start. Their offense is coming together really well thanks to a group of unlikely yet dominant heroes in Josh Allen, Frank Gore, Cole Beasley, and John Brown. The Bills could make an offensive improvement at the deadline, but I’d really like to see them bolster an already-terrifying secondary. Logan Ryan of the Titans has a history in the AFC East (he’s a former Patriot) and his defensive abilities have yet to translate to playoff optimism in Tennessee. Therefore, it would be wise of the Bills to check in on the asking price for Ryan and pursue him ahead of the deadline.
Philadelphia Eagles acquire WR Robby Anderson from the New York Jets in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2020 seventh-round pick
Talk about trades making sense! The Philadelphia Eagles have been interested in Robby Anderson since last year’s trade deadline, and now they have even more reason to pursue him. First of all, their wide receiver staff is shaky, as Nelson Agholor, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, and Alshon Jeffery cause Philly fans to hold their breath every time a pass is thrown the way of one of those aforementioned receivers. Additionally, speedster DeSean Jackson has been injured since Week 1 and has yet to find his way back to the field. Second, the Eagles now have a closer connection with the Jets, whose general manager is Joe Douglas, the Eagles’ former Vice President of Player Personnel. A pair of late-round draft picks should do the trick as Philadelphia tries to pry Anderson from the Jets, who are planning on another losing season.
