We’re just a couple of short weeks away from the 2023 NFL Draft, and most of the attention has shifted towards the annual event as teams look to grab their franchise cornerstones for the next few years.
However, there are still a handful of players in the NFL who could find themselves on different teams prior to the draft. Whether it’s due to the player wanting to move on, or the team, there are going to be moves made. But which players could we see getting traded?
DeForest Buckner, DT
Defensive tackles don’t usually find themselves at the center of trade negotiations, but DeForest Buckner is no stranger to it. After four impressive seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Buckner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 13 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and was handed a four-year extension by the Colts. Since then, Buckner has remained one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL and could be on the move yet again.
Buckner has been linked with a trade away from Indianapolis over the last couple of weeks and was rumoured to want to play for a contender. He’s since debunked those whispers on Twitter, but that doesn’t definitively mean he won’t get traded. Buckner is now 29 years old and if the Colts are serious about rebuilding around a rookie quarterback, he might not fit the timeline for doing so.
He still has two years left on his deal and is set to carry a cap hit of $19.75 million in 2023 and $20.25 million in 2024. If the Colts were to move him, they’d save close to $20 million against the cap. While that money wouldn’t find its use until the next free agency, it would at least give the Colts the time to plan for their future. Interestingly, if the Colts make a run at Lamar Jackson, they might have to move Buckner to make room for the mega-contract that Jackson will receive.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR
The first of two receivers, DeAndre Hopkins has been a trade candidate since the Cardinals’ season ended with a whimper. Even at 30 years old – he’ll be 31 once the season rolls around – Hopkins is a playmaker and one of the best receivers in the NFL. He’s a big safe target, can run every route, and is a legitimate red zone threat, even if he lacks burner speed.
And he’s on the hunt for a new team. Hopkins has been linked with the Bills, Patriots, Jets and Chiefs over the last few weeks. All three teams have a need for another wide receiver on the roster and Hopkins is a viable candidate. His 2022 season was plagued by a six-game suspension at the start of the year, but he came back strong with 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns across nine starts thereafter.
The price for Hopkins won’t be considerably high, considering his age and contract, which is why numerous teams have been linked to him. If Hopkins lands anywhere, you have to assume it will be with a contender.
Jerry Jeudy, WR
The free-agent receiver market wasn’t plush with star talent so when news broke that Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton could be on the move, you would have expected several teams to be throwing themselves at the Broncos’ pair. Out of the two, Jeudy is the more enticing option for potential suitors, though, even if Sutton isn’t short on talent himself.
As the No. 15 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s fair to say that Jeudy hasn’t fully lived up to his potential. But his 2022 season was nonetheless impressive considering the circumstances. Jeudy featured in a dysfunctional Broncos offense that finished 32nd in the NFL in points per game and 29th in offensive DVOA, catching 67 passes for 972 yards and 6 touchdowns – all career-highs across the board.
Jeudy’s problem has been consistently staying on the field. If he can sort that out, then there’s a top-25 receiver in there somewhere. Of course, the Broncos have made it clear that they have no intention of trading Jeudy or Sutton – potentially because no one is willing to meet their asking price – but if the right offer did appear, they might just reconsider that stance.
Derrick Henry, RB
The Tennessee Titans are in a precarious position. The team seems firmly headed towards a rebuilding year – or a retooling year of sorts if you refuse to believe they tear it down – and as a result, might be looking to shed some players and some contracts in the process. The list of players who could realistically be traded is pretty thin, though. The outstanding safety, Kevin Byard, is an option, but the Titans have only recently restructured his contract, so that seems unlikely now.
Another option is Derrick Henry. With just a year left on his contract and entering his age-29 season, Henry might not have much left in the way of upper-echelon play at the running back position. Even now, with 1877 career touches on his resume, Henry is already an outlier among running backs. Father Time is slowly creeping up on the two-time NFL rushing leader.
If the Titans want to get some value out of him, now might be the time to pull the trigger. Henry has reportedly drawn interest from some teams around the NFL – including the Bills who may be in the hunt for a running back that could change the fortunes of their ground game. Taking into consideration his age and contract, it might be tough for the Titans to get much more than a late Day 2 pick as compensation, but Henry’s time with the team could be over by the time the draft rolls around.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.