Last week saw Pro Bowl wide receivers Amari Cooper and Davante Adams traded from teams that were disappointing at running back to teams looking for something more.
Will someone else join them between now and the NFL trade deadline on November 5?
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports on a cadre of players who have been featured in trade rumors around the league. The list is headlined by Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, includes New York Jets wide receiver Mike Williams, and includes seven other players at various positions. Rapoport’s report casts a wide net and is worth your time if you’re trying to get a feel for the hype surrounding the NFL as the 16-day trade deadline approaches.
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It’s also worth noting that Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert and offensive lineman Nate Davis are among the other players Rapoport has name-checked as potential players who have reportedly sparked interest in NFL trade talks. We discussed the Herbert and Davies rumors in this post earlier on Sunday.
NFL trade rumors are heating up
It’s hard to imagine the Rams parting ways with Cooper Kupp. The Super Bowl LVI MVP is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL when healthy. Kupp has reliable hands and obvious ability to get on the route. When Cobb is healthy, he is a menace in the open field and difficult to guard. But injuries prevented Cobb from playing to his full potential. And with Rapoport noting that Cobb is due $20 million in cash in each of the next three years, it’s understandable why Los Angeles’ front office would try to clear some cap space and pull some draft capital from a receiver-needy team.
If the Rams decide to trade Cobb, this is the type of move that could have a ripple effect on a number of playoff contenders. With the Bears looking for a spot in the postseason, I find myself more interested in this year’s NFL trade deadline than in the past.
Check out other names reportedly sparking interest in trade talks from Rap Sheet:
Preston Smith, Green Bay Packers defensive end Andre Dillard, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants fullback Quinton Jefferson, Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Sanders, Carolina Panthers running back.
Although offensive and defensive linemen are likely to be on the Bears’ shopping list at the trade deadline, I don’t see Chicago and Green Bay dealing each other. But with that being said, potential trades for Preston Smith and Andre Dillard could impact the Bears’ pursuit of players at those positions on other teams. Something similar can be said about Miles Sanders, whose position on the trade block could impact the market for teams that could target Khalil Herbert in a trade.
Of the names Rapoport mentioned above, I feel as though Azeez Ojulari and Quinton Jefferson are reasonable fits as potential targets for the Bears to trade at the NFL trade deadline. In a world where you can’t get a lot of pass-rushing help, the 24-year-old Ojulari could be a useful addition. Ojulari has just 11 sacks in 24 games since he had 8 sacks in 17 contests as a rookie in 2021, but adding another experienced pass rusher could be on Bears GM Ryan Poles’ agenda. As for Jefferson, the 31-year-old defensive tackle could complement the depth among the team’s interior defensive line.
Ultimately, it will be interesting to see which teams continue to float names on the trade block. I fully expect the NFL trade rumor mill to keep turning over the next 16 days. And part of me thinks the Bears will make (and receive) the calls.
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