Five Veterans that will be Traded During the 2020 NFL Draft
OL Trent Williams Washington Redskins
Williams’ unhappiness in Washington is well documented sitting out last year’s training camp than being placed on the non-football injury list during the season. Williams is Pro Bowl caliper starting left tackle that would have netted several draft picks if he was traded last offseason or during the season.
This may speak more about the Redskins organization as a whole holding on to an asset during the season knowing that one, his value could not have been higher, and two a loaded draft for tackles (five tackles projected to go in the first round with four more in the second round.), and three last season he would have had two years left on his deal. Meaning the Redskins could have demanded a higher trade package, with only one year left on contract his net worth is significantly lower.
The Redskins missed the window to capitalize on accumulating the most assets and now will have to settle for mid-round pick once the dust settles on the first and second round. Teams that valve veteran players whose value has taken a hit will be interested in Williams. Offensive line needy teams such as the Vikings, Patriots, and Seahawks come to mind has potential trade partners.
DE Yannick Ngakoue Jacksonville Jaguars
Speaking of unhappy Pro-Bowl players, Yannick Ngakoue of the Jacksonville Jaguars has requested a trade. Unlike Williams, Ngakoue has value and could net a first-round pick. Last off-season Defensive ends Frank Clark and Dee Ford were both traded for late first-round picks. Teams that need a pass-rusher that miss out on Chase Young and K’Lavon Chaisson sweepstakes in the first round or do not have the cap room to sign a veteran could trade for Ngakoue.
One characteristic of Ngakoue that may drive the price down is his contract. He has one year left at seventeen million. Signing the twenty-five-year-old pass rusher would cost a team similar to what Dee Ford and Trey Flowers got last season. Teams like the Falcons and Raiders could be interested in bolstering their pass rush.
TE OJ Howard Tampa Bay Bucs
Howard seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one end he will play with the greatest quarterback of all-time in Tom Brady who loves to utilize tight ends, a pass-happy offense with Bruce Arians, and two Pro Bowl caliper receivers to occupy defensive backs leaving Howard one on one.
On the other hand, Howard has not been that productive during his time in Tampa Bay. Tampa is in win-now mode with Brady on deck and could use every available piece to improve the roster. Minnesota and Dallas could offer a mid-round pick to acquire the 2017 first-round pick.
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QB Josh Rosen Miami Dolphins
Tough times for veteran quarterbacks this offseason with Cam Newton and Jameis Winston still available on the free-agent market, Andy Dalton and Derek Carr’s could be up for trade as their futures are in doubt with the upcoming draft. So, why would a team trade for a twenty-three-year-old who has been traded twice since entering the league in the 2018 draft?
A few reasons, when Rosen was drafted by the Cardinals tenth overall he was going into a hot mess of a franchise. Head Coach Steve Wilkes would only last one year and the Cardinals finished 3-13, after being traded to the Dolphins after Arizona drafted Kyler Murry number one overall in last year’s draft Rosen landed in another franchise that was seemingly attempting to “Tank for Tua”.
A third reason is the cost. Signing Newton or Winston will surely cost a pretty penny or trading for Dalton or Carr is cost significant draft capital. Taking a chance on Rosen will only cost a team a fifth-round pick at best. Put Rosen in a better situation on a team with a strong veteran quarterback to mentor him could change things. Pittsburg or Indianapolis would be ideal.
QB Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys
This is a bit of a wild one but bear with me. I can explain. Much like Kirk Cousins a few years back, Dak bet on himself during his contract year and responded by having a career year. Dallas rewarded Prescott by franchise tagging him. This move is up for debate as franchise tagging means you are paying the average salary of players at that position.
Quarterback is the most expensive position in football, you do the math. To avoid another Cousins situation the Cowboys should trade Prescott while his value is incredibly high. The Chargers have the opportunity to win now and could look to package the number sixth overall pick to entice the Cowboys to trade Dak. Using the sixth overall pick the Cowboys can draft a young quarterback to lean on the offensive line and running game for the upcoming season.
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