Saints head coach Sean Payton has said his team has no interest in trading star receiver Michael Thomas, though Thomas’ camp was recently said to be looking for potential deals. There has been no movement towards a Thomas trade, and whether that’s because New Orleans has no interest in dealing him or because the club has not received an offer it likes, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Thomas will stay put.
With the trade deadline two days away, let’s round up a few more rumors on players who could be on the move:
- The Browns don’t want to trade tight end David Njoku, but Njoku has renewed his request to be dealt, and Rapoport says Cleveland has been fielding calls on the former first-rounder. It may take at least a fourth-round pick to get a deal done, but with Austin Hooper set to return and with the emergence of rookie Harrison Bryant, the Browns may elect to move Njoku.
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that the Texans are at the center of the trade market, with one executive saying Houston could move as many as five players if it wants to. Rapoport expects the Packers‘ interest in Will Fuller — which dates back to the summer — to ramp up, but it will likely take a high pick to convince the Texans to move Fuller. Fellow WR Kenny Stills has also drawn some interest, though rival clubs see the contracts for Stills and Randall Cobb as prohibitive. DE J.J. Watt may be receptive to a trade, but considering his contract and age, other teams probably don’t value him like the Texans do.
- The Jets have received calls on LB Avery Williamson, OTs George Fant and Chuma Edoga, and CB Quincy Wilson, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says the Steelers — who recently lost Devin Bush for the season — could be in the market for Williamson, and Edoga also seems like a good bet to be dealt since he does not look like a fit with the current regime.
- La Canfora says teams have also called the Jets about WR Breshad Perriman and TE Chris Herndon, though Breer notes that safety Marcus Maye has not drawn much interest.
- Rapoport names Dolphins RB Jordan Howard and Seahawks TE Jacob Hollister as two other players who could be moved. And though the Bengals are shopping disgruntled wideout John Ross, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com says there hasn’t been interest in Ross (Twitter link).
Ross and Njoku > NE if they beat Buffalo
NE does not need another injury prone project. Never works out. Njoku would be cool if Cam can remember how to throw.
Then they just have to hope Njoku learns how to catch.
“Fellow WR Kenny Stills has also drawn some interest, though rival clubs see the contracts for Stills and Randall Cobb as prohibitive.” Thanks again for the great GM work Bill O’Brien.
Stills is too one dimensional to be worth picks and that contract in my eyes. A team would sign him if he were a free agent, but it’s unlikely that he’d draw significant picks.
Chance of GB making any significant move (aka TRADE) before the deadline: Less than 1%.
If BG has to give up a high draft pick I just don’t see it happening, unless he can get a 6th or 7th rounder back in a deal.
Will Fuller for 6th rounder seems reasonable…only be getting 8 games for a #2 receiver rental
From what I’ve been reading thats nowhere near enough. Just saw an article this morning that made me believe a 2nd or maybe a 3rd is what Houston wants. I just don’t see Gute doing that.
The cap situation likely prohibits a deal for Fuller.
Fuller would be great for the Packers, but his injury history (not even considering the in game injuries he has that have him miss snaps) are prohibitive in my eyes. Also, given the fact that he is in a contract year and would have to learn a new offense with new teammates, it would be silly to give up what the Texans would likely want.
The ultimate nail in the coffin would be the sheer determination of Green Bay’s front office to not use any picks on helping their WR room, only to send a significant one in a trade for a half season rental of an injury prone but talented receiver. A trade for a position that the Packers could have addressed in the draft in the first or second round would automatically become tied to the Jordan Love debacle by media, fans, and possibly players-especially if that player didn’t work out. I’m not sure Gutekunst would subject himself to that, but he has demonstrated his willingness to waste his picks before, so who knows.