10 NFL Trades That Must Happen by the End of the Draft

The NFL offseason has already brought significant change across the league. Stars like Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, Bud Dupree, and Kenny Golladay moved to new teams. There’s still plenty of time for other trades to happen even as the free agent pool has evaporated.

NFL trades are difficult to pull off due to cap constraints and how the league values veterans. Once the league knows a player could be a cap casualty, the best offer becomes a late-round pick. We rarely see big-name veterans fetch more than a Day 2 NFL Draft pick despite their ability to help in a major right now, and the low hit rate for Day 2 picks.

Here are 10 trades that must happen by the end of the 2021 NFL Draft. They make too much sense for all parties involved.

One team was always going to get the squeeze in the quarterback derby this offseason. There simply wasn’t enough money and assets for Chicago to go get a star of their liking, and now they’re stuck with few options. Signing Andy Dalton for three-times what he received last year to be a backup was a desperate move.

Ryan Pace can’t be stagnant in the draft. While it’s questionable whether Sam Darnold can develop beyond his inconsistent nature, his time in New York is almost over. The Jets will draft a quarterback at No. 2 overall, and it’s very likely Zach Wilson of BYU will be the man, per sources.

A Darnold deal should come soon after. The price will be prohibitive if Darnold can win the starting job and save jobs for Chicago.

The Patriots have been dangling the former All-Pro cornerback in trades for over a year in hopes to get a significant return. They missed their window to maximize his value as they tried to reach the playoffs with a barren roster in 2020. Gilmore is in the final year of his contract and will expect a new deal before the season, and he’s turning 31 in September.

He’s still worth trading for on a short-term deal. His game relies on physicality, ball skills, and length. His ability to play in zone as an outside corner and man in the slot will help him age gracefully like Richard Sherman.

The Browns have always made the most sense. They have the cap room and assets to afford Gilmore, and still have the need at corner even after signing Troy Hill. Hill, Gilmore, and Denzel Ward can each slide between outside and slot corner with ease, giving the Browns a versatile and highly talented trio.

The Falcons weren’t able to make any significant additions this offseason thanks to being cap strapped. This roster is lacking defensive talent and has few ways to get better. If the plan is to take a quarterback at No. 4 overall, who will sit for at least two years, they should trade Julio Jones now.

Jones is 32 and expensive for a non-competitive team. The Falcons only have so many avenues to improve the roster at this point and losing another year off Jones’ career would be wasteful when great offers will be on the table. The late first-round pick can fast track the defense’s rebuild.

Baltimore would be thrilled to make this deal after missing out on almost every receiver signing they tried. Lamar Jackson needs more help than Sammy Watkins and Hollywood Brown, and Jones would be the perfect receiver to help him reach the next level as a passer.

The writing seems to be on the wall that Michael Gallup’s time in Dallas is coming to an end. His role diminished in 2020 with CeeDee Lamb taking over as the No. 2 receiver. As nice as it would be to have Gallup as a third option for Dak Prescott in 2021, he’s a luxury and the Cowboys surely won’t be able to afford him beyond this year.

Getting a second-round pick to continue rebuilding the defense is more valuable than Gallup for Dallas. They’d have no shortage of interested parties since Gallup is on a cheap one-year, $2.38 million deal and he is a well-rounded receiver. He has low-end No. 1 receiver potential.

Green Bay sat out free agency and are still in need of a proven second receiver on the roster. They have the ability to move a second-round pick and afford Gallup, whereas other talented veterans usually cost upwards of $10 million per year. The Packers have long-term cap concerns, but Gallup can be a one-year rental with high upside.

It’s surprising we haven’t already seen Ertz traded or released to this point. His big $8.5 million base salary would be a welcomed subtraction off the Eagles’ cap sheet, and the franchise is ready to reboot without the veteran. There’s also a major need for tight ends around the league.

Philadelphia won’t get much in return for Ertz after injuries slowed the star in 2020. Teams know he’ll be cut if they wait, so getting a flier pick in return is the best they can expect. They may even give Ertz some power as to where he’ll end up.

Buffalo has been the obvious fit since rumors of Ertz wanting out started. General manager Brandon Beane has been clear they want more from the position, and they’ve shrewdly added veteran talent in the past to fill holes. They can afford to lose a Day 3 pick and gamble on Ertz’s upside.

It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a trade request when a player wants to move positions. Baltimore was put into a tough position when Brown requested a trade so he could play left tackle. This is financially beneficial for Brown, but also fulfills his father’s legacy as a legendary blindside blocker.

The Ravens don’t have to accommodate, but they can get quality assets if they do. We already have them acquiring Julio Jones, so finding a new right tackle of the future can help save them money right away. This roster doesn’t have many holes either so having a handful of Day 2 picks can be enough for this front office to work with.

Washington would love to fill their hole at left tackle with the massive Brown. They have the cap flexibility to afford a long-term deal, and it’s not difficult to justify moving a second-rounder to get a great, young player. Quietly, the Football Team would have one of the better rosters in the league after the trade.

The quarterback derby at the top of the draft now depends on what the Falcons do. If they go quarterback, there’ll be a race to trade up for Alabama’s Mac Jones. He’s the last quarterback with first-round talent available, and we likely won’t see another quarterback taken until Davis Mills on Day 2. The team with the most incentive to trade up is New England.

The Patriots wisely kept Cam Newton, and were able to do so at backup quarterback money. This roster is too good now to compete for a top 2022 quarterback, so moving assets to get the right fit at the position is appropriate. It’s easy to see Jones as a quality fit with Josh McDaniels since Jones fits the Tom Brady mold.

Jones has only a decent arm, but has solid accuracy, great touch, anticipation and leadership qualities. His lack of experience can be negated by Newton’s presence, and the Patriots can slowly integrate Jones before he takes over in 2022. The Patriots must jump the Panthers in this scenario.

Let’s say the Falcons pass on a quarterback at No. 4 then all of a sudden there’s less pressure on the following teams that desire a quarterback. Carolina would mainly benefit since they can sit tight and likely land either Mac Jones or Trey Lance, if neither is taken by San Francisco. Even a small trade up can be negated by moving Bridgewater.

While Bridgewater is a great stop-gap option, the Panthers may prefer to save the $12.9 million they’d get back from dealing his $22.9 million cap hit. Rolling with a rookie is dicey, but offensive coordinator Joe Brady has earned the trust to do so if he pleases. This Panthers regime has been unorthodox to this point and may continue that trend.

Putting Teddy B in Denver would give the Broncos a great quarterback competition. Drew Lock is far from a guaranteed success after his poor 2020, and Bridgewater is good enough to get this team to the playoffs if Lock falters. Giving up a mid-round pick for Bridgewater could be enough to save jobs in Denver.

The Bears already lost Kyle Fuller and could lose another defensive stalwart in Hicks. The tremendously talented end was already asked to take a paycut even though he wants a new deal, and was given permission to seek a trade. Contenders should line up their best offers to poach a great defender.

Hicks has a $12 million cap hit this season, and the Chargers can swallow that deal without blinking. Los Angeles has had a phenomenal offseason thus far. Trading for Hicks would show how serious they are about contending with Kansas City in 2021. He’d immediately play in a deep and versatile defensive line rotation with Joey Bosa, Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones, and Linval Joseph.

Keeping both Bosa and Hicks fresh would be a priority for the Chargers. This defense runs as smoothly as any with Bosa’s fierce pass-rushing on the field but sees a big dip without him. Hicks’ presence can ensure his availability and effectiveness.

Sometimes the timing is perfect for a trade. Barr has had a good stint with the Vikings in 2014, but the 29-year-old looks ripe for a new situation. Entering the final year of his contract and coming off an injury-shortened season, Minnesota should take this chance to clear future money off their books and get some value for the athletic linebacker.

Las Vegas has the reputation for overpaying veterans, but getting Barr at the right price would significantly help the unit. They lack athleticism and Barr brings steady production along with athletic versatility. He’d give defensive coordinator Gus Bradley someone who thrives in space.

The Raiders can then choose to extend Barr on a reasonable deal or use him as a rental. This regime in Las Vegas is starting to feel the heat from ownership, so sending a fourth-round pick to try to win is reasonable.