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Are More High Profile Trades on the Way?

Photo courtesy of the Denver Broncos

I can’t remember the last NFL preseason that had this much player movement through trades, but with plenty of talent apparently on the block, the moves might not be over yet.

This preseason we’ve seen the Buffalo Bills deal Sammy Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams who, in turn, sent a starting corner, E.J. Gaines to Buffalo. The Bills sent their own starting corner, Ronald Darby, to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for wide receiver Jordan Matthews. Not done there, Buffalo shipped last year’s second round pick, Reggie Ragland, to Kansas City for a draft pick.

Just Tuesday the San Francisco 49ers traded tight end Vance McDonald to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a pick. There have plenty more moves since the end of last seasons, but some of the biggest trades may be coming soon here in the final week of the NFL preseason.

The biggest name floated on the trade block may be Denver Broncos safety T.J. Ward. According to the NFL Network, the Broncos have been actively involved in talks and offers for the former Pro Bowler. Ward is entering the final year of his current contract and is due to make $4.5 million this season. There is obviously interest in Ward’s services and you’d think his former defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, down in Los Angeles would love to bring his talents to Hollywood. Last season Ward started and played in 14 games with 87 tackles, one sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, eight passes defended and one interception.

While I didn’t think Ward would be on the block, I predicted this off-season that the New York Jets would try to move Matt Forte and that’s exactly what’s happening. The NFL Network is reporting the Jets have put trade feelers out to move Forte, who just turned 31. With the emergence, and much cheaper price tag, of Bilal Poweell last season, it makes  a lot of sense for the tanking Jets to dump Forte’s salary and his ability to possibly win a game for them. Powell carried the ball 131 times in 2016 for 722 yards and three touchdowns while catching 58 passes for 388 yards and two touchdowns. Forte had 218 carries for 813 yards and seven touchdowns and 30 catches for 263 yards and one touchdown.

The Cleveland Browns are looking to trade multiple players, including two time Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden. Haden has struggled with injuries for the last two seasons  after signing a big contract. Last year he started and played in 13 games with 48 tackles, 11 passes defended and three interceptions. He’s looked and played healthy this preseason so there would, presumably, be a market for his services. Even if he never fully completes his transformation into a werewolf.

The bigger surprise is the Browns wanting to move center Cameron Erving, who they drafted in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Erving started 13 games at center and right tackle last season. It seems very early to cut bait on the former Florida State offensive lineman, but there’s some value to be had here for a team with a solid offensive line coaching staff. If I’m Seattle, I’m on the phone with Cleveland and dangling a late round pick right now.

To no one’s surprise, the Browns have not only put quarterback Brock Osweiler on the trade block, they’ve hung a banner across their stadium reading “Blowout SALE. All Osweilers Must Go!” Osweiler’s contract kills any straight trade scenario and there have been rumors that Cleveland has offered to eat half of its $16 million price tag to send Osweiler on his way. That would still be $8 million, so I don’t see that happening. Osweiler will most certainly be on an NFL roster this season, but teams looking to add his services will probably wait and see if the Browns cut him, which they probably will.

Last season Osweiler went 8-6 as a starter for the Houston Texans, completing 59 percent of his passes for 2,957 yards, 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Other NFL News

It’s good news for the Baltimore Ravens as quarterback Joe Flacco has finally resumed throwing in practice. The info comes just a day after his head coach, John Harbaugh, guaranteed Flacco would be ready for the team’s season opener on Sep. 10. Flacco has missed all of the preseason so far with a back injury. Last year Flacco led the Ravens to an 8-8 mark, completing 64.9 percent of his passes for 4,317 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

The Chicago Bears cut two players, linebacker Alex Scearce and defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore Tuesday. Scearce was an undrafted rookie out of Coastal Carolina. Lewis-Moore was a sixth round pick by the Baltimore Raves in the 2013 NFL Draft. He appeared in five games with the Ravens, all in 2015 and recorded three tackles.

Just a day after the NFL announced he would suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drugs policy, New York Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa is out of a job. The Giants cut Odighizuwa Tuesday. Odighizuwa was a third round pick for New York back in the 2013 draft. He appeared in 14 games last season and recorded one tackle and one pass defense.

The Cleveland Browns cut safety Ed Reynolds II and defensive lineman Cam Johnson. Reynolds was a fifth round pick out of Stanford by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014. Last year he started seven games for the Browns and recorded 40 tackles, one sack and one pass defense. Johnson was a seventh round selection out of Virginia in 2012 by the San Francisco 49ers. He’d spetn the last two seasons in Cleveland and started nine games at outside linebacker last year, recording 29 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defense.

The Buffalo Bills continued their salary dump and roster overhaul by cutting six players Tuesday, with the highest profile guy being safety Bacarri Rambo. Running back Cedric O’Neal, defensive end Jake Metz, offensive lineman Karim Barton, cornerback Jumal Rolle and special teamer Rashad Ross also were forced to hit the streets. Rambo was a sixth round pick for the Washington Redskins back in 2013. He spent last season with the Miami Dolphins where he recorded 39 tackles, three passes defended and one interception.

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Written by Adam Greene

Adam Greene is a writer and photographer based out of East Tennessee. His work has appeared on Cracked.com, in USA Today, the Associated Press, the Chicago Cubs Vineline Magazine, AskMen.com and many other publications.

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