Over the last couple of years, the NFL has begun to closely resemble the NBA when it comes to the abundance of activity around the trade deadline.
In 2018, we saw the Oakland Raiders send Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys; the Denver Broncos deal Demaryius Thomas to the Houston Texans; the Detroit Lions ship Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles; the Green Bay Packers trade Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins; and the Jacksonville Jaguars send Dante Fowler Jr. to the Los Angeles Rams.
And this year, we’ve already seen Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars to Rams), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Dolphins to Steelers), Mohamed Sanu (Falcons to Patriots), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos to 49ers), Marcus Peters (Rams to Ravens), and Kenyon Drake (Dolphins to Cardinals) get dealt.
Here is a look at five more big-name players who could be dealt before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Chris Harris Jr., CB, Denver Broncos
Harris is one of the more underrated and under-appreciated NFL players in recent memory.
On paper, trading the former undrafted free agent seems like a no-brainer for the Broncos. He is still playing at an All-Pro level, the Broncos clearly need to rebuild, and his contract expires following the 2019 season.
If the situation were based solely on football, Harris likely would have demanded a trade already. He’s too good to waste the remainder of what could be a Hall of Fame career playing for a team that won’t be competing for anything anytime soon.
But, there is more to it than that.
The three-time All-Pro and his wife are expecting their fourth child to be born any day now, which is why Harris would prefer to finish out the season in Denver.
When it comes down to it, the odds of Harris re-signing with the Broncos next offseason are slim-to-none. If another team offers up a second-round pick or a package of picks (Harris leaving as a free agent will likely net the Broncos a third-round compensatory pick in 2021), general manager John Elway will likely be forced pull the trigger.
It’s also worth pointing out that Von Miller’s interaction with Harris in the locker room following Denver’s 15-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts may have been a sign that Harris may have played his last game for the Broncos.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
This much we know: Gordon’s time with the Chargers will either be coming to an end at the trade deadline or next offseason. With that being the case, trading the former first-round draft pick makes the most sense for Los Angeles — especially with the emergence of Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson.
There is still a vast market for Gordon’s services, according to multiple reports.
Trent Williams, LT, Washington Redskins
Washington GM Bruce Allen has maintained his stance that he will not trade Williams until next offseason, unless he is blown away by a massive offer. Likewise, Williams has remained steadfast in his assertion that he will not play for the Redskins, period.
Williams’ stance comes with a minor caveat, though.
The seven-time Pro Bowler reportedly plans to report to the Redskins before Week 10 (if he isn’t dealt before Tuesday’s deadline) to ensure he gets a credited season towards free agency in 2019 (he will have one year remaining on his current deal if he does).
There are plenty of contending teams with a need at left tackle. Will they be willing to part ways with a first-round pick? Time will tell.
Leonard Williams, DT, New York Jets
The Jets drafted Quinnen Williams with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, making the possibility of Leonard Williams, who is in the final year of his rookie deal, staying with the team beyond this season highly unlikely.
The Jets are clearly rebuilding and Leonard Williams, still only 26-years old, definitely has value on the trade market.
Update: Williams has been traded to the New York Giants.
Nate Solder, LT, New York Giants
The Browns reportedly have their sights set on Solder if they are unable to swing a deal for Trent Williams. Cleveland made a strong push for the 31-year old tackle during free agency during the Spring of 2018, but were ultimately out-bid by the Giants.
For New York, the idea of adding a Day 2 draft pick while also unloading Solder’s massive contract has to sound appealing.
