6 players who might (or might not!) be traded during the NFL Draft
Calls are being fielded, trades are being demanded. Which ones will actually happen?
I don’t know if I’ve ever been more impatient for the start of the NFL Draft. Every year, the rumors and the anonymous sources and the discourse become exhausting, but this year is on another level entirely — and not in a good way.
I need a break from writing about, or even thinking about, the prospects. Luckily, enough is going on with current NFL players to take my mind off of the soon-to-be NFL players.
A couple of days ago, the trade we’ve all been waiting for finally happened. I am, of course, referring to the Rams sending receiver Allen Robinson to the Steelers. OK, so that one didn’t require an ESPN “breaking news” push notification, but maybe the next NFL trade will, whether it happens in the lead up to the draft or during the draft itself.
On that note, I picked out six players who could be dealt during the draft, though I did not discuss every possible trade candidate. For example, as far as we know, Aaron Rodgers will still wind up with the Jets, and I don’t have much more to add to the conversation at this point until that transpires. Just get it done, so everyone can move on!
As for the players I chose to single out, I also included potential landing spots for each one. Here they are, in order of least likely to be traded to most likely.
Trey Lance, QB
Current team: 49ers
Potential destinations: Texans, Titans, Colts, Vikings
Earlier this week, I had reached the point where I had accepted that I have no idea what the first round of this year’s draft will entail. I mean, at least the speculation couldn’t get any wonkier, right?
Wrong, says Ian Rapoport, who just had to throw it out there that the 49ers are receiving calls about Trey Lance:
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1648674618012491784?s=20
So now we have a week of wondering if any of the QB-needy teams will decide against drafting a rookie and instead try to swing a deal for the 22-year-old Lance. Greaaaaat, more chaos! Thanks, Rapsheet.
But before I curse Rapoport too much, let’s quickly review a few reasons the 49ers wouldn’t trade Lance:
1. Two years ago, the Niners handed over a considerable draft haul to select Lance, who hasn’t had the chance to prove if he’s capable of being the full-time starter yet. Are they going to quit on that investment after just four starts?
2. Lance is still on his rookie deal, so it’s not like his contract is a huge burden on the team, which would have to sign or draft another quarterback if it parts ways with Lance. The two other quarterbacks currently on the roster are Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold, who have injury concerns of their own.
3. While Purdy is also on a rookie deal, he said himself that it’s possible he could miss the entire 2023 season after sustaining an elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game. Besides, there’s no guarantee that the seventh-round pick will be able replicate his mostly successful rookie season, especially after undergoing surgery.
In short, it’s a long shot. But clearly someone, presumably from San Francisco’s camp, leaked that the Niners were open to listening for a reason. Another team would have to be willing to give up not-insignificant draft capital to land Lance, and it’d be a pretty big gamble considering Lance’s recent injury history and small sample size of games the past few years.
Dalvin Cook, RB
Current team: Vikings
Potential destinations: Broncos, Bills, Bengals, Dolphins
Dalvin Cook has been the Vikings’ leading rusher every season since 2018, including four straight 1,100-yard campaigns and four straight Pro Bowls. Yet, due to both his salary cap hit ($14.1 million), age (27, well past middle-aged for a RB), recent surgery, and the devalued position he plays, Cook’s time in Minnesota seems like it’s winding down.
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported, the Vikings are trying to find a trade partner but are willing to release Cook if one fails to materialize. Cook is still a productive back who averaged 3.18 average yards after contact last season, but any team that might be interested in adding him could wait until he becomes a free agent. Why give up draft picks and take on a hefty salary when you could potentially sign him in a couple weeks on a cheaper deal?
That is, unless the Vikings can get a taker who believes Cook could be a big upgrade to the position, one that it wouldn’t find in the draft (or among the undrafted free agents). And perhaps Cook would be amenable to take a pay cut for another squad, like if he had the chance to play alongside his brother, James.
Jonah Williams, OT
Current team: Bengals
Potential destinations: Colts, Bucs, Titans, Jets
Soon after the Bengals signed Orlando Brown Jr. to serve as Joe Burrow’s blindside protector, Jonah Williams, the incumbent starting left tackle, asked for a trade:
https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1636738270347374592?s=20
Williams, Cincinnati’s first-round pick in 2019, hasn’t quite lived to his billing so far. He missed his entire rookie season due to injury and then, after starting 10 games in 2020, finished the year on injured reserve. He was the Bengals’ steadiest offensive lineman in 2021, but his play declined a bit in 2022. Williams allowed 12 sacks and then missed the final two playoff games due to a knee injury. On paper, Brown is the better option at left tackle.
Nevertheless, given the Bengals’ frequent health and performance issues at OL, Williams can be a useful player, particularly if he wins the right tackle job. Zac Taylor said he expects Williams to compete for the starting spot — Williams has experience at RT from his college days — and stay in Cincinnati.
Right now, Williams, who has not attended the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, doesn’t appear to be interested in that. The Bengals are publicly committed to taking the “best player available” approach to the first round of the draft, and with this year’s strong OT class, that could very well be a tackle. In that case, maybe they’d be open to trading Williams … if another team is willing to pay the right price for a young if inconsistent left tackle.
Devin White, LB
Current team: Buccaneers
Potential destinations: Eagles, Vikings, Chargers, Giants
Unlike the previous players on this list, Devin White is a member of a team that just hit the reset button. Following Tom Brady’s retirement — it better be for real! — the Bucs said goodbye to several other starters, including LT Donovan Smith (released), RB Leonard Fournette (released), K Ryan Succop (released), RG Shaq Mason (trade), S Mike Edwards (signed with the Chiefs), and CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (signed with the Titans). Even after all that, Tampa remains at the bottom of the league in salary cap space (less than $1.9 million).
Trading White, the No. 5 overall pick in 2019, would certainly help with the salary cap crunch considering he has the third-highest cap hit on the team. It’s what he supposedly wants, too: Last week, ESPN reported that White was frustrated with his contract negotiations and requested a trade.
But general manager Jason Licht has pooh-poohed the idea, saying there are no plans to trade the linebacker. Still, the Bucs will be in a transitional year, and White isn’t irreplaceable. When he’s on his game, he’s a superstar, like when he was the biggest playmaker on the field in Tampa’s Super Bowl win over Kansas City. When he’s not, then, well, he’s getting called out by Warren Sapp.
White just turned 25, and the off-ball linebacker could yield the Bucs more draft picks for their mini-rebuild. It’s at least worth Licht’s time to take some calls.
Budda Baker, S
Current team: Cardinals
Potential destinations: Eagles, Steelers, Broncos, Packers, Bengals
Similar to the Bucs, the Cardinals will be focused more on the future than the present in 2023 — or, in other words, they’ll be in contention for the 2024 No. 1 pick.
No one expects the Cardinals to be all that competitive this coming season (not that they were last season), especially when quarterback Kyler Murray could miss significant time while he recovers from a torn ACL.
Arizona might be averse to trading its most vocal leader and the cornerstone of its defense, Budda Baker. But the six-time Pro Bowler isn’t happy with the team after it declined (for now) to make him the NFL’s highest-paid safety because he still has two years remaining on his contract.
However, there might not be a better time to recoup value for Baker: The Cards will be in rebuilding mode, this is not a deep draft class at the safety position, and Baker continues to perform at a high level.
It’s also possible that, if he were to end up in a more appealing situation, Baker wouldn’t ask for a reworked contract. Maybe a reunion with his former defensive coordinator or a spot on a Super Bowl-caliber roster would sway him.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR
Current team: Cardinals
Potential destinations: Bills, Ravens, Chiefs
About a month ago, I made several predictions, none of which I’ve been right about yet. DeAndre Hopkins could help end my losing streak, if he’s traded during the draft. Or maybe he’ll be traded before the draft and my record will fall to 0-3.
Either way, Hopkins should be packing his bags, if they aren’t already packed:
https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1649236345632485376?s=20
In the past two seasons, Hopkins has missed a total of 15 games, due to a combination of injuries (hamstring, knee) and a suspension (PEDs). That, plus his age and the Cardinals’ often inept offense, led to the two least productive seasons of Nuk’s career. Despite those issues, Hopkins is still a sought-after playmaker because of what we’ve seen him do when healthy. Even if he’s no longer in his prime, he can absolutely rebound in the right situation.
As it so happens, the three teams most tied to him are all contenders because, well, an almost 31-year-old who was at one time the best receiver in the NFL deserves a chance to win a ring.
Just this week, the rumor mill has linked Nuk to the Ravens, Bills, and Chiefs. Hopkins would have to restructure his current contract, due to his large base salary ($19.45 million). The Cardinals would also likely have to chip in on some of that money, which they’d be willing to do to save them from his enormous cap hit (nearly $30 million!). But in the end, all sides should get what they want, no matter where he lands.