Bryce Young. is the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers.. for now. PHOTO USA Today Sports Images NFL trade season is in full swing after the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills landed wide receivers to aid their bids for the AFC East crown.
The Jets reeled in longtime Aaron Rodgers sidekick Davante Adams from the Raiders. Buffalo acquired Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.
Which front offices will get busy between now and the Nov. 5 trade deadline? Though it never gets as busy as the NBA, NHL and MLB deadlines, we can easily envision several top teams as deadline buyers (and a few teams with no chance selling off parts).
Here are three moves we’d love to see:
Kansas City Chiefs acquire New York Giants WR Darius Slayton
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) gets ready to score a touchdown during a 24-point Giants first half, Sunday, January 7, 2024. PHOTO USA Today Sports Images …or another wideout; take your pick. This is the one position we’ll have no shortage of at this year’s deadline, and who needs one worse than the banged-up Chiefs? Their top two receivers, Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, are both on IR.
Many fans seem to want DeAndre Hopkins to team up with Patrick Mahomes, but not only is he older and more expensive, he’s currently playing through an MCL tear. Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen of the Panthers and Jets fourth fiddle Mike Williams all could be fine fits, but the consistent Slayton offers the most upside to me. He’s been the Giants’ leading receiver in four of the past five seasons and can only improve if he goes from playing with Daniel Jones to playing with Mahomes. He’s low-risk as a half-year rental but could be worth re-signing if he looks the part this winter. The Chiefs and Giants have made a midseason receiver trade before, but Slayton is no Kadarius Toney-level bust.
Miami Dolphins acquire Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young
Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) prepares to pass in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Not all deadline trades have to be win-now moves. This perfect match would see the Dolphins land an inexpensive insurance option in the event Tua Tagovailoa walks away from football due to repeated concussions.
That’s not to say Young can’t also take the reins in the short term. The 2023 No. 1 pick, benched after Week 2 for Andy Dalton, may already be out of time to persuade Carolina that he’s playable, but he’s still better than every healthy option on the Dolphins’ depth chart. Miami is relying on Tyler Huntley and Skylar Thompson at QB right now, but at just 2-3, it isn’t like the team’s season is lost. Young could get a fresh start in Mike McDaniel’s system with star receivers and a dependable rushing attack.
Detroit Lions acquire New York Jets edge rusher Haason Reddick
Nov 20, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) celebrates after a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images You have to be so hell-bent on your position to carry a contract holdout deep into the season when it not only costs you almost $10 million between lost game checks and fines, but also causes your own agency to give up on you. After CAA dropped Reddick, he hired Drew Rosenhaus, who announced that Reddick “would like to be a New York Jet for years to come.” Sure! No reason to doubt that!
The Jets have been principled about not wasting their acquisition of Reddick, but this week Woody Johnson confirmed the team is letting him seek a trade. At least New York can recoup a draft pick or two lost in the Reddick and Adams deals. The Lions are a top Super Bowl contender and just lost sacker extraordinaire Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg. Reddick would make for an awesome short-term solution for a team in win-now mode; you just wonder if he’ll suit up without a long-term deal.
