We are a mere two weeks away from the mid-way point of the NFL season because time is a make-believe construct placed upon us by the man, which I believe is one of the reasons why the people of France are protesting.
The trade deadline is the Tuesday after Week 9, and there will be players on the move within the next handful of weeks. But rather than just throw names and teams into a random generator and tell you why they would be a fit, how about we make actual connections – both in terms of fit and previous relationships that could lure teams to players currently on the trade market.
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WR Brian Thomas Jr to the New York Giants
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Thomas has as many catches as you and I over his last two games, and it’s clear that he is at the bottom of the totem pole. This stems from last season when Thomas missed time due to injury. Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers, and gave him a three-year, $60 million extension after a hot start with his new team all while Parker Washington was blooming into a star receiver. Washington has remained the team’s top target with Meyers as the No. 2. Thomas isn’t even the No. 3 option, though. Or the No. 4. Or the No. 5. Tight end Brenton Strange is tied for the team lead with 26 catches, and Josh Cameron has out-snapped Thomas over the last two games. Plus, Travis Hunter had a potential breakout game on both offense and defense in Week 6 against the Texans. It’s a matter of when Thomas gets traded, not if he will.
So why the Giants, you may ask. Well, they have a big need at receiver. Outside of Malik Nabers, their next-leading wide receiver is Malachi Fields with 12 catches. Thomas would instantly become the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart. To continue, the New York Giants’ wide receivers coach is Chad Hall, who was Thomas’ position coach in 2024 with the Jaguars when he put up nearly 1,300 yards and was a Pro Bowler as a rookie. And I’m sure that Nabers and Thomas would love to run back their LSU days playing side-by-side.
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Not to ramble on about this one trade in particular, but it would also help the Giants win a wide open division, but also evaluate J.J. McCarthy and Jaxson Dart. Everyone loves Dart, but he spends more time in the blue tend then under center. If Thomas comes in and helps the Giants’ offense look good and win games under McCarthy, the Giants enter next spring with a quarterback battle on their hands. Having a pair of weapons like Nabers and Thomas would make it much easier to see who the best of the two quarterbacks is, and elevate whomever the starter ends up being.
WR Stefon Diggs to the Pittsburgh Steelers
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The writing is on the wall for the Commanders. They’re 1-4-1, although Dan Quinn probably thinks they are 2-3-1. Jayden Daniels’ health, and overall demeanor are becoming real issues that have real question marks.
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Steelers fans would likely prefer the younger Thomas, but assuming he ends up in New York, Diggs could be a name to whom they shift their attention.
Yes, he will turn 33 at the end of November, but Diggs is coming off a 1,000-yard season and playing good football for Washington. Through six weeks, he has 24 receptions and four touchdowns. 62.3 percent of his snaps have come from the slot this season, which could lead to the Steelers going with DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard on the outside with Diggs inside as their top three receivers, while also rotating in Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson.
To make a similar connection to that of Thomas and Chad Hall, Steelers wide receivers coach Adam Henry was with Diggs in Buffalo in 2023 – a year in which Diggs caught 107 passes.
EDGE Josh Sweat to Green Bay Packers
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This one is pretty cut and dry. Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon coached Sweat when he was the head coach in Arizona. When Micah Parsons returns, a pairing of he and Sweat would give the Packers a tremendous duo off the edge that would help supplement the loss of Edgerrin Cooper.
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S Derwin James to Dallas Cowboys
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The Chargers are a tire fire and should immediately begin a fire sale with James at the top of the list.
As fun as it would be to see James reunite with Jesse Minter in Baltimore to play alongside Kyle Hamilton, the two safeties share a lot of similar responsibilities defensively, so I’ll go with the Cowboys, whose defense continues to give up big play after big play. Dallas has already traded for cornerback Joey Porter Jr, and if there is one thing Jerry Jones isn’t afraid to do, it’s make moves if it gives Dallas a better chance at winning.
The connection for James to Dallas is Derrick Ansley, who is the Cowboys’ defensive backs coach and served as the defensive backs coach with the Chargers from 2021-22 and their defensive coordinator in 2023. This is a Cowboys team that has started very slow due to inconsistencies in large part on defense, and a proven All-Pro like James could help clean up some of those issues.
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EDGE Khalil Mack to Buffalo Bills
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The connection to Mack isn’t on the coaching staff, but in the city itself. He is a Buffalo native and went to the University of Buffalo. Considering the nine-time Pro Bowler has yet to appear in a Super Bowl, going back home and playing alongside Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb could help both he and the Bills get over the hump.
RB Jonathan Taylor to Chicago Bears
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This would be a case of the rich getting richer. The Bears’ offense is already incredibly dynamic, and the Colts are floundering after a loss to the Titans. They fired GM Chris Ballard, and head coach Shane Steichen could be next sooner than later.
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The Bears making a play for Jonathan Taylor would remind me a lot of the 49ers trading for Christian McCaffrey. Granted, Chicago has yet to reach a Super Bowl, but they also have a better quarterback than the 49ers did at the time of the McCaffrey trade. Putting Taylor behind Caleb Williams would give the Bears a bump in the run game, which they currently rank 16th in success rate.
The connection is a bit of a reach, admittedly, but current offensive coordinator Press Taylor was an offensive assistant with the Colts in 2021, the year Taylor ran for over 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns. Seeing what he and Ben Johnson would do in the run game with Taylor is something we all deserve to see, and they could be a sneaky team that makes a big move for the All-Pro running back.
