• Chase Claypool heads to Titans: The Steelers wideout is reportedly being shopped, and Tennessee is in need of a player with his skill set.
• Packers land Jerry Jeudy: It's no secret that Green Bay needs help at receiver, and Jeudy provides exactly that while getting a fresh start.
• Buccaneers acquire Dalton Risner: Rookie Luke Goedeke has struggled in pass protection, making the Bucs buyers at the deadline.
Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins
We are one week away from the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline, and we’ve already seen a few deals finalized — notably with the Carolina Panthers' fire sale beginning. While the NFL’s trade deadline is relatively tame compared to, say, MLB’s, we’ve seen teams become more willing to make “all-in” deals to put them over the edge. The Los Angeles Rams added Von Miller before the deadline last season, and there’s no telling whether they’d have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy had they not.
Here are the deals that could be the missing pieces for contenders around the league this year.
Tennessee Titans Receive: WR Chase Claypool
Pittsburgh Steelers Receive: 2023 2nd-Rounder & 2024 3rd-Rounder
Claypool has reportedly been at the center of trade talks for the Steelers following their 2-5 start. He’s fallen out of favor a touch with the emergence of rookie George Pickens. With a year and a half left on his rookie contract, Claypool could still fetch a hefty deal on the open market.
At 6-foot-4 and 238 pounds, Claypool also fits the ethos of the Titans' offense. He’s a big-bodied, big catch-radius receiver who can work the middle of the field while also stretching the field. That's what Tennessee hoped Treylon Burks could be out the gate, but the rookie has taken a while to get going.
San Francisco 49ers Receive: CB William Jackson III
Washington Commanders Receive: 2 2023 7th-Rounders
The 49ers have not responded well to the loss of Emmanuel Moseley the past two weeks. Over that span, they’ve allowed 38 catches on 50 targets for 552 yards, five touchdowns and one interception for a 136.4 passer rating. The Christian McCaffrey trade already signaled that they’re all in this season.
From the Commanders' side, they just want to get rid of Jackson at this point. His benching and public trade request means he’s torpedoed any trade value he may have had previously, so the 49ers wouldn’t need much to secure his services. Jackson would be a much better fit in the single-high coverage DeMeco Ryans is fond of out in San Francisco.
Green Bay Packers Receive: WR Jerry Jeudy
Denver Broncos Receive: 2023 2nd-Rounder & 2023 4th-Rounder
The Broncos could very well be in fire sale mode like the Panthers have been following their embarrassing 2-5 start. Jeudy hasn’t had the start to the season he was hoping for, with 387 yards on 24 catches in seven games. The former first-round wide receiver was caught on camera complaining with Melvin Gordon III a week ago and shortly after Gordon himself publicly opined to get out of Denver.
Jerry Jeudy ranting to Melvin Gordon after the Broncos offense crumbles yet again 😬pic.twitter.com/ofhOYygPoG
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 18, 2022
The Packers' receiver struggles are no secret themselves. They’ve backed themselves in a corner with Aaron Rodgers contract situation to where it’s unlikely they can take on bigger cap hits via trade for players such as the Panthers' D.J. Moore or the Texans' Brandin Cooks. That means they might pay a premium for a player still on their rookie deal, such as Jeudy, whom they’d still have control over for the next two and a half seasons.
Los Angeles Rams Receive: OT Isaiah Wynn
New England Patriots Receive: 2023 2nd-Rounder
Wynn looks destined to depart from New England. He was moved from left tackle, where he’s excelled the previous three seasons, to right tackle this offseason and is in the midst of the lowest-graded season of his career (59.8 overall) because of it. There were reports of him being unhappy early in the year, and that came to a head when he was benched last week.
Wynn is still very much a quality left tackle, though, with overall grades of 74.9 and 82.6 the previous two seasons. That would be a godsend for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who’s had to suffer behind the third-lowest graded pass-blocking line that’s already lost left tackle Joseph Noteboom for the season. With the Rams' propensity to deal picks for proven players, this just makes too much sense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Receive: OG Dalton Risner
Denver Broncos Receive: 2023 3rd-Rounder
The Broncos are already flush with options at guard — so much so that they are currently paying Graham Glasgow $10 million a year to sit on the bench when everyone is healthy. Risner is in the last year of his rookie deal and could fetch the Broncos some much-needed draft capital they don’t have after the Russell Wilson trade.
Risner isn’t a superstar by any means, but he’s consistent. In every single season of his career, he’s earned a pass-blocking grade between 69.0 and 74.0. The Bucs would kill for that the way rookie Luke Goedeke has performed at the left guard position. The second-rounder is tied for the most pressures allowed of any guard in the league this season (21) and has earned an ugly 29.8 pass-blocking grade.
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