The most logical trade chip for every NFL team

Probably already beyond bust status, Reddick has hovered on the trade block for a while now. The Cardinals declined the 2017 first-rounder's fifth-year option, benched him in multiple seasons and acquired two new starter-caliber linebackers -- including 2020 top-10 pick Isaiah Simmons. Patrick Peterson profiles as Arizona's best trade chip, but Reddick is the team's most logical going into the season. The return will not be enticing, though it may be a late-Day 3 pick-or-nothing scenario at this point.

This qualifies as more of an in-season swap. And it is only logical if the Falcons are again a non-contending operation. One of the cornerstones of Atlanta's Super Bowl LI lineup, Mack has made six Pro Bowls -- three as a Falcon. But he will turn 35 this season, is in the final year of his contract and saw the Falcons draft his potential successor -- Boston College's Matt Hennessy -- in Round 3. This is a historically bad year for rookie O-linemen to develop, but if the Falcons are again sub-.500 at the trade deadline, they could look to move Mack in the same way they shopped Vic Beasley last year.

The Ravens employ several big-ticket players and have a looming glut of extension candidates ahead of 2021's expected record salary cap decline. Were they a rebuilding or mid-pack team, they would carry a host of high-profile trade chips. But Baltimore is a Super Bowl frontrunner. Its crowded backfield is a place to look for a trade piece. The Ravens' record-setting rushing attack featured three 700-yard rushers last year, and Edwards has cleared 700 yards (and 5.0 yards per carry) twice. With J.K. Dobbins and 2019 draftee Justice Hill also behind Mark Ingram, Edwards could be attractive as a starter or sidekick elsewhere. 

The Bills lost their top two sackers from 2019 but are sneaky-deep on the defensive line. They added three defensive ends in Mario Addison, Quinton Jefferson and second-rounder A.J. Epenesa. Trent Murphy's $9.78 million cap number may be superfluous, especially after two unremarkable years in Buffalo. He could be a fit for a contender in need at this premium position. The former Washington cog is a plus run-stopper on the edge and has a nine-sack season (in 2016) on his resume. 

Based on the Panthers purging their roster of many veterans, Kawann Short is the tempting pick. But the dead-money bloodbath that would ensue (north of $17 million) makes that less likely. Samuel does not fit as well on the roster, with the Panthers having reunited Matt Rhule with ex-Temple pupil Robby Anderson, as he once did. Samuel has shown flashes as a pro, and a strong first half of the season would increase the former second-round wide receiver's trade value ahead of the deadline. With Samuel in a contract year, a mid-round pick may be more valuable to the rebuilding Panthers.

Unless the Bears can find a team crazy enough to acquire Mitchell Trubisky or take Jimmy Graham's preposterous contract, they are trade chip-limited. Allen Robinson and Tarik Cohen are in contract years, but the Bears' Nick Foles trade would make less sense if key weapons were shipped out. But the team drafted Riley Ridley in last year's fourth round and traded up for Darnell Mooney in this year's fifth. If one of the young receivers proves ready, Ginn is expendable. The veteran deep threat could conceivably fetch a late-round pick from a team dealing with receiver injury issues.

John Ross is more likely to be traded, but the Bengals could land much more for Green. The seven-time Pro Bowler re-establishing his value in September and October would entice contenders. He is 32, on the franchise tag and playing for a rebuilding team -- one that just drafted a 6-foot-5 wideout in Tee Higgins. The Bengals could use Green for the first two months to work with Joe Burrow, which they've wanted for months, before flipping him for a decent return. With the cap set to decline in 2021, Green could walk next year. This could be the Bengals' last chance to move an injury-prone star.

For now, the fourth-year tight end has retracted his trade request. But the Browns still gave Austin Hooper a then-record tight end contract and drafted Harrison Bryant in the fourth round. Njoku believers around the league are surely monitoring this situation; the former Miami Hurricane posted 639 receiving yards in 2018. But after injuries limited Njoku in 2019, the Browns would be wise to see if he can rebound -- for stock-rebuilding purposes. Signed through 2021, Njoku may help the 2020 Browns. But as of now, he does not appear in the team's long-term plans.

Sam Bradford once fetched first- and fourth-round picks from the Vikings after two ACL tears. If a quarterback goes down, the Cowboys would be in prime position to dangle their acclaimed backup. The nine-year Bengals starter is attached to a one-year, $3 million deal and has shown he can be successful if surrounded by upper-class talent. Just 32, Dalton is in limbo at the moment as the quarterback position resides in a rare buyer's-market stretch. That would change if a contender or even a fringe playoff threat's QB suffers an untimely injury, and it could considerably help Dallas' draft portfolio. 

Walker has not been able to establish himself in Denver, but the former second-round pick did record four sacks last season. The Broncos still drafted McTelvin Agim in Round 3 and signed Christian Covington. Those two look to be the fifth and sixth players in Vic Fangio's defensive line room. Former Walker coaches Vance Joseph and Joe Woods are the defensive coordinators in Arizona and Cleveland, respectively. The Broncos possess a glut of wide receivers as well, but Walker may have slightly more trade value than underwhelming slot holdover DaeSean Hamilton.

Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn are in make-or-break years, so the Lions may hold onto all the assets they can. But Davis has underwhelmed and is in a contract year. The former first-round linebacker also stands in front of 2019 second-rounder Jahlani Tavai, whom Pro Football Focus graded far north of Davis last season. The Lions cutting their losses would at least procure them a draft pick and clear a path for Tavai to potentially provide an upgrade in Quinn and Patricia's pivotal season.

The Packers drafted three cornerbacks in the first or second rounds between 2017 and '18. Jackson may be the low man here. Despite being healthy for 14 games, the 2018 second-rounder played just 10% of Green Bay's defensive snaps last season. Green Bay has more stock in Jaire Alexander and Kevin King. That said, the Packers do not have tremendous depth at corner (few teams do) and may give the Iowa alum another chance. 

The Texans have a historic expense sheet at wide receiver. Their top four wideouts account for almost $40 million this year. None of those players are surefire Pro Bowlers. With trigger-happy GM Bill O'Brien signing Randall Cobb and trading for Brandin Cooks, and with Will Fuller being key to Deshaun Watson's success, Stills appears the odd man out. The Saints and Dolphins have traded the deep threat, and the 28-year-old auxiliary wideout would be of better use to another team. However, it would be fun to see Houston deploy a Fuller-Cooks-Cobb-Stills quartet after their DeAndre Hopkins trade.

With second-round pick Jonathan Taylor not having a true offseason to acclimate to the Colts' offense, trading Marlon Mack ahead of his contract season does not make as much sense as it would in another year. The Colts plan to feature a Mack-Taylor tandem, with receiving back/return man Nyheim Hines having carved out a key role as well. The Colts used ex-practice-squadder Jonathan Williams over Wilkins in a nationally televised Mack-less game last year, but the former fifth-round pick has averaged 6.0 and 5.6 yards per carry in his two seasons. Wilkins would look interesting in another uniform. 

Having waged a months-long battle with the Jaguars, Ngakoue is the only member of this year's 14-man franchise-tagged contingent not to sign his tender or an extension. The Texans dealt unhappy tag recipient Jadeveon Clowney days before the 2019 regular season, and while the best time for the Jags to deal Ngakoue would have been before the July 15 tag deadline, this saga does not look to be over. The rebuilding Jags have nearly dismantled their "Sacksonville" D-line in the past two offseasons. Acquiring high-level draft capital for the standout defensive end seems like the endgame.

The Chiefs have a decision to make on Speaks. In addition to starters Frank Clark and Alex Okafor, they signed former first-round pick Taco Charlton (the Dolphins' 2019 sack leader) and have 2017 second-rounder Tanoh Kpassagnon. The latter has outperformed Speaks to this point. The Chiefs drafted Speaks in the 2018 second round, but he missed all of last season due to injury. With a four-game Speaks suspension also looming, the Chiefs would not pry a high pick in such a trade. But the defending Super Bowl champs may not have room for Speaks, who was drafted during Bob Sutton's run as D-coordinator.

The Raiders shopped Jackson this offseason but went to camp with their longtime right guard in place. This is one of the previous Raider regime's final holdovers, but Jackson has been a quality interior lineman for most of his career. This Clemson-infatuated Raiders regime drafted ex-Tiger guard John Simpson in Round 4. If Jon Gruden deems the latter a starter-caliber player by the trade deadline, the Raiders could collect a decent haul for their 29-year-old incumbent. Enhancing Jackson's value: his team-friendly contract that runs through 2022.

Perryman once looked like the future for the Chargers at linebacker, but the Bolts benched the former second-round pick last season and spent a first-round selection on the position this year. Younger draftees without Perryman's injury track record flood the Chargers' linebacking corps -- one now led by rookie Kenneth Murray. Drafted for the Bolts' previous defensive system, Perryman would benefit from a scenery change. The Chargers would not save much by dealing the contract-year 'backer, but they could get something in return for a player who no longer appears in their long-term plans.

The Rams have lost numerous auxiliary starters in free agency over the past two years. GM Les Snead's top-dollar extensions forced tough decisions. Everett, however, may not be a difficult loss for the Rams. Despite being a second-round pick and playing a key role in one of the great NFL games of all time, Everett has been inconsistent. Tyler Higbee signed an extension and resides ahead of the former second-round pick within Los Angeles' tight end hierarchy. The Rams also drafted Brycen Hopkins in Round 4 this year, pointing to an Everett trade or 2021 free agency exit.

Dealt by far the worst hand of the five 2018 first-round quarterbacks, Rosen should be considered a trade chip yet again. Playing for a depleted Cardinals team as a rookie and one of the least talented NFL squads in memory last season, the current Dolphins backup may have seen his career irrevocably altered. But two years and two sub-$1 million base salaries remain on Rosen's deal. The current Miami third-stringer could use one or two seasons to develop as a backup on another team, but the Dolphins will obviously not land a second-round pick (Rosen's 2019 price) in a trade.

This sounds insane, but evidence supports a sell-high move. Cook made the 2019 Pro Bowl and looked explosive in the Vikings' zone-blocking attack last year. However, he has dealt with injuries in each of his three seasons, may want a now-untenable $15 million-per-year contract and plays in a system that has seen numerous backs excel. Look back on some of Gary Kubiak's past charges -- Justin Forsett, Steve Slaton, Reuben Droughns, Olandis Gary -- to see how replaceable running backs can be. The new Vikings OC could probably get by with Alexander Mattison and Mike Boone, and the Vikings would benefit financially long-term.

Hoyer could be squandered backing up Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham, or the Patriots could send the veteran backup/frequent starter to a team in need of QB2 help. Several teams would upgrade with the journeyman/three-time Patriot as their backup. Unless the Pats are holding onto the 34-year-old veteran as insurance if Newton goes down again -- which would be understandable -- the 38-game starter would have value on the trade market.

Robinson enjoyed an odd age-32 season, playing on just 11% of the Saints' defensive snaps. P.J. Williams usurped Robinson in the slot, despite the accomplished veteran signing a four-year deal to return to New Orleans in 2018. The Saints re-signed Williams in April. A former first-round pick, Robinson also agreed to what amounted to a pay cut earlier this year. A team that trades for Robinson would be picking up just a $2 million base salary. With the Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2017, Robinson rated as Pro Football Focus' No. 6 overall cornerback.

One of the Giants' two Goldens -- Tate or Markus -- makes sense here. But Markus represents a thin edge rush's most accomplished player. With Darius Slayton's emergence as a rookie last year and Sterling Shepard signed long-term, Tate may be entering his final season as a Giant. A PED suspension voided the guarantees on Tate's four-year deal, so a team that acquires the proven wideout would have a manageable through-2022 contract on its books. Conversely, embattled Giants GM Dave Gettleman keeping Tate to help his job security would make sense too. But the veteran on a downtrodden team should be a trade chip.

Another in-season trade candidate, Bell would be a welcome subtraction for Adam Gase. The second-year Jets coach has been reported to have not wanted the former All-Pro in free agency and to have complained about him during the 2019 season. It may take some Jets financial assistance to convince a team to trade for Bell, but the ex-Steelers superstar has non-guaranteed seasons (2021 and '22) on his four-year contract. Bell, 28, looking closer to his Steelers version -- behind what should be an improved Jets O-line -- would increase his chances of leaving a rebuilding team by Halloween.

Suddenly in a contract year, Jones has not panned out to the Eagles' liking. The former second-round pick was a first-round talent before suffering a pre-draft injury, but he has not played more than 31% of the Eagles' defensive snaps in either of his two healthy seasons. The Eagles acquired Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman, and both Avonte Maddox and Rasul Douglas played more than Jones last year. This is a reclamation project, with Jones needing a big 2020 emergence to secure a reasonable contract for 2021 and beyond. 

It would be interesting to see the Steelers roll out a receiver quartet of Washington, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson and rookie Chase Claypool this year. But Claypool, a second-rounder out of Notre Dame who blazed to a 4.42-second 40-yard dash despite weighing 238 pounds, may force a transaction. The Steelers have an unrivaled pedigree of wideout development, as evidenced by Johnson leading all wideouts in average separation last season. Washington, who posted 735 receiving yards in a semi-breakout 2019, may be the expendable party. He would carry trade value. Two years remain on his rookie contract. 

The 49ers' signings of Tavon Austin and J.J. Nelson last week increase the chances of Pettis' departure. The former second-round pick enjoyed a strong finish to his rookie season but fell into Kyle Shanahan's doghouse quickly in 2019. Although Deebo Samuel may land on the reserve/PUP list, the 49ers have several players who would see time before Pettis. Two years remain on the ex-Washington receiver/returner standout's contract, and he may desperately need a new team. 

Trailing only the Packers in odds to sign Antonio Brown , the Seahawks may be on the cusp of a wide receiver surplus. (These odds bizarrely favor Green Bay despite Seattle being closely connected to the polarizing wideout throughout his free agency stay.) The Seahawks signed former first-rounder Phillip Dorsett and have Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf entrenched as starters. Moore is entering a contract year and has not eclipsed 500 yards in a season but averaged 17-plus yards per catch in each of his two healthy slates. He could be a midseason move to watch, if the suspended Brown signs.

The Buccaneers may need both Howard and Cameron Brate -- in what would be an all-time tight end group -- because of Rob Gronkowski's injury past. But if the team sought help at another position or a pick ahead of Tom Brady's age-44 season next year, moving Howard would be its best bet at a quality trade haul. Bruce Arians' offense has not featured much from the tight end position during his stays in Tampa or Arizona, but Howard was on track for a strong season before a 2018 midseason injury. The ex-first-rounder is signed through 2021 and is more talented than most teams' TE1s.

There is not a good trade candidate on this team, which has intriguing depth at some spots (tackle, cornerback) and little at others (quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker). The Titans signed Sambrailo after extending longtime swing backup Dennis Kelly. The latter looks like the player who would start at right tackle if first-round pick Isaiah Wilson is not ready. But if the Georgia product is, Sambrailo could be a candidate to move. But with the sixth-year vet has guard experience as well. Again, this contender's roster is thin for trade-chip purposes.

Fellow edge rusher Ryan Anderson may be a slightly better candidate to move, but Washington dealing its Pro Bowl edge rusher during his contract year should not be ruled out. Under new management, Washington is rebuilding. And the team invested consecutive first-round picks at edge rusher -- in Montez Sweat and Chase Young -- which could expedite the process. Kerrigan, who needs one sack to tie the franchise's career record at 91, could net Washington a decent return. A contender in need of edge help figures to be interested in the 32-year-old standout-turned-backup.