Earlier this afternoon, we passed along a report indicating that the Jets may be shopping defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. However, those aren’t the only trade discussions said to be taking place around the league. Here’s the latest on a few others:
- 49ers general manager Trent Baalke confirmed on Tuesday that the team has given Colin Kaepernick‘s representatives the go-ahead to talk to other teams about a possible trade. But the Niners are “nowhere near” getting a deal done, Baalke tells Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Asked why the 49ers are allowing Kaepernick to explore trade options if they want him back, the GM explained: “I think sometimes it helps players work through anything they may have. It gives them a chance to see what their options really are. It also gives us a chance to say we didn’t hold you back from doing that.”
- Chargers GM Tom Telesco confirmed on Tuesday that multiple teams have approached San Diego about acquiring the No. 3 overall pick. Telesco isn’t sure if anything will come of those discussions, but says he’s all ears, as Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune details. “They usually ask if I’m interested, and I say, ‘Yes,'” Telesco said. “I’ve had multiple teams ask. That’s where it starts. … It’s certainly an option. We’ll just follow it through and see where it goes.”
- Like San Diego, the Titans remain open to trading their first-round pick, with GM Jon Robinson suggesting today that he had “a couple of conversations” at the owners’ meeting about the No. 1 selection (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). As Schefter outlines, Robinson tried to downplay his recent comments about wanting a “king’s ransom” for that first overall pick, noting that it doesn’t mean the team isn’t willing to move down.
- Although it still appears that linebacker Stephen Tulloch isn’t in the Lions‘ plans for 2016, the team is trying to trade him rather than release him, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The fact that the Lions plan to cut Tulloch if they can’t find a trade partner means that it may be difficult for the team to find an offer.
It sounds like Baalke believes Kaepernick has an inflated opinion of himself, but he makes a good point. If Kaepernick ultimately returns to the 49ers, both sides will have a lot of fences to mend, but at least Kaepernick can have some peace of mind if he ultimately realizes that he didn’t have better opportunities elsewhere.