NFL Trade Rumors: 3 possible moves for NFC teams before 2021 trade deadline
With three weeks into the season, every team now knows what their flaws are and where they should get better.
Midseason trades are never the best option, but sometimes they are absolutely necessary. For contenders who are looking to make a playoff run, a trade could be the difference between an early January exit or a path to the Super Bowl. For losing teams, a trade may be the perfect chance to get rid of an expensive player who's not playing up to their contract.
Whatever is your reason for making a midseason trade, the chances of acquiring a high-level player in September and him learning a new playbook are bleak. However, if you want to go to the Super Bowl, then every chance must be taken.
Three possible moves for NFC teams before the trade deadline
#1 - James Washington to the New Orleans Saints
The Saints' receiver room is dire right now, and even when Michael Thomas returns, there won't be a lot of reasons to get excited with the rest of the group.
Even with Sean Payton as a playcaller, it's tough for this passing offense to get it going with the pass catchers available. Washington would be a fantastic addition to the group. Not only will he be treated to a bigger role than what he currently has with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he will also be the perfect WR2 when Thomas gets back. It will help in stretching the field and making a ton of big plays.
Saints can absolutely use a WR like James Washington. Not a star, but a really solid role player who can stretch the field.
The Saints have to do something to help Winston play better and take this offense to the next level. A trade deal for Washington would be a great step in doing so.
#2 - Cameron Dantzler to the San Francisco 49ers
When the Vikings made Dantzler a healthy scratch for Minnesota's season opener against the Bengals, they received a call from the 49ers. The San Francisco outfit called asking for more information regarding whether the cornerback was available for a trade. It turned out he wasn't, but as the season goes on, he still doesn't have a defined role in Mike Zimmer's offense.
49ers cornerback condition:
* Josh Norman has a chest injury; Shanahan did not have a diagnosis
* K’Waun Williams has a calf strain
* Dontae Johnson suffered a shoulder stinger; He returned to the game.
Ambry Thomas and Dre Kirkpatrick were healthy scratches before the game.
Dantzler showed promise as a rookie last season, but he fell off the depth chart with the signings of veterans Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland. The 49ers would acquire a young cornerback option in a position of huge need following Jason Verrett's season-ending injury.
#3 - Clelin Ferrell to the Atlanta Falcons
When you watch the Atlanta Falcons play this year, you almost feel sad about how bad they are in the trenches, both offensively and defensively. There's also a huge salary cap problem for next year, so they have to find cheap solutions to be competitive.
Clelin Ferrell would be a fantastic option for the Falcons in that regard. The former fourth-overall pick is buried in the Raiders' depth chart. With Maxx Crosby and Yannick Ngakoue dominating the defensive end position, chances are his time in Las Vegas is over.
Atlanta wouldn't have to trade a high pick for him, and the team would acquire a young player with potential in a rookie contract. It's a gamble worth taking for a team that's suffering so much to pressurize opposing quarterbacks.