The NFL is nearing it’s opening week kickoff, but there is still expected to be plenty of offseason action on deck for us. Teams are in the process of trying to fine-tune their rosters, and there are some trades to help them accomplish that could take place.
Even if those trades don’t take place before the 2021 NFL season or before the trade deadline, next offseason should be hectic. Plenty of players want to leave their current teams and there are some big names available.
Let’s take a look at five star NFL players who could be traded away over the next year.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is fresh off of an MVP season in 2020 where he single-handedly dominated the entire league, but that hasn’t prevented him from expressing his desire to be traded. Rodgers is unhappy in Green Bay and with the way things are being ran and it’s no surprise that he wants to be traded to a team that would value him and his input.
Rodgers has been swirling in offseason trade speculation, and the fact that he is skipping mandatory workouts could be the breaking point in dealing him to a different team. I fully expect a trade that involves Rodgers to be done in the near future.
Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s looking more and more like Gardner Minshew’s tenure in Jacksonville is going to come to an end, as the team recently announced that they have been fielding trade offers for him. The Jaguars are obviously going to roll with number one overall NFL draft pick Trevor Lawrence at the quarterback position in 2021 and there has been growing speculation that the Jags could move on from Minshew as a result.
Minshew is a talented quarterback who could certainly compete for a starting job on a QB needy team like the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, or Houston Texans. He is a very intriguing name to keep an eye on.
Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns
The Odell Beckham Jr. trade rumors have been ongoing for a few years now, and it seems like a trade really should happen. Beckham missed out on most of the 2020 season with a torn ACL, and the Browns honestly played better without him.
Baker Mayfield and Beckham have failed to gain any chemistry on the field, and as a result Jarvis Landry has emerged into the clear-cut number one option for Mayfield to target. The Browns could get a nice return investment for Beckham, and some teams around the NFL to keep an eye on for a potential trade partner could include the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, or Chicago Bears.
Jaylon Smith, Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly been shopping their Pro Bowl linebacker, Jaylon Smith, around since the NFL Draft, and it doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering their current linebacker corps. The Cowboys are loaded at linebacker right now, and considering Smith’s expiring contract, trading him away for some draft compensation or an impact player in a position of need could make a lot of sense.
Teams like the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, or New Orleans Saints are all in need of some linebackers and could be potential trade partners. Smith is still a star and would be well worth a contender acquiring.
Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have been at the center of attention this offseason, but not for any good reasons. The Texans quickly established a culture of losing games and wasting talent and their quarterback Deshaun Watson wants out before his talent goes down the drain as well.
Watson has verbally requested a trade from the team, but the Texans have not granted his request to this point. While the Texans don’t want to trade Watson away, they really need to consider doing it anyway, as there is seemingly no way Watson will finish out his contract as a member of the Texans. Several teams could be in the mix for Watson, but the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos seem the most logical.
