NFL: The latest trade rumors
As the early signs of summer emerge, NFL fans are starting to look forward to the new season which will be with us before we know it. And with plenty of unresolved questions as to where some players will be kicking off their 2022 season, there is still a lot of work for the rumor mill to get through. Some teams have significant holes on their rosters waiting to be filled by either a free agent or a major trade. Some players have just a couple of months to figure out their immediate futures, and are running out of options as to where to sign.
This is a rare NFL offseason, in which there are still plenty of open questions to be asked about the future destinations of key players even after the initial free-agent period and the draft. Below, we’ll look into some of the names waiting on a big move, and consider how this could impact teams’ chances of winning both individual games and bigger prizes such as a shot at the playoffs. Many of the best live betting sites will be watching the market as closely as any fan, or indeed the punters who will need to factor the changed rosters of the clubs involved before making the smartest live bets. So without further ado, let’s look at some of the names the rumor mill is throwing up.
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco
Having seen Mike McDaniel, the offensive coordinator credited with expanding his game and making him the “wide back” he has become, leave for MIami, Samuel is strongly believed to see his future elsewhere too. Not with the Dolphins, in all likelihood, as they’re currently more likely to be reducing the numbers in both the RB and WR rooms at Sun Life Stadium. Samuel was a key factor in the 49ers’ run to the NFC Championship, and losing him would hurt their chances of a repeat. He has attracted interest from the Jets and Cowboys, and his experience and quality would immediately make the former a more serious proposition while he could be the final piece for a team like Dallas.
Robert Quinn, Chicago
The Bears don’t look like they’re a team about to make a stride forward, but their lack of progress might turn into a big chunk of regression if pass-rusher Quinn departs Soldier Field this summer. Quinn has every reason to believe he could be playing at a top contender, given his career stats and repeat Pro Bowl appearances. At the age of 32, he’s also got reason to want to accelerate that process, and there is a vacancy at Kansas City with Melvin Ingram having flown the coop. Quinn would add productivity to the Chiefs, and the Bears may be willing to do business for a few draft picks or one high-rounder in 2023 – they’re not going to the Super Bowl with or without him this season.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco
Either side of playing in a Super Bowl, Garoppolo has spent much of his career being overlooked. First in New England, where he was permanent backup to Tom Brady, and now in San Francisco, who used their 1st round draft pick (3rd overall) in 2021 to pick up Trey Lance. Lance is expected to start for the 49ers this year, which means if Garoppolo wants to enter his thirties as an NFL starter, he’ll need to find a new club soon. The Steelers might be willing to take him in after the tragic offseason death of Dwayne Haskins, and the 48ers might be very easy to deal with, as they don’t want the salary of two starters on their books.
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland
Mayfield is another quarterback with reasons to believe he doesn’t enjoy the full trust of his club. How do we know this? Because they went out and traded a lot of draft capital for Deshaun Watson, a quarterback with legal troubles, who sat out the entire 2021 season and will likely be suspended for the first few weeks of this one. Mayfield was #1 overall in the 2018 Draft and took the Browns to a playoff appearance and win two seasons later. He’s certainly a viable NFL starter, but where? Carolina have been reported as showing an interest, but have balked at paying his full salary and meeting the Browns’ trade demands. The impending new season and salary cap calculations may concentrate minds, though.
