The Chiefs and Rams are involved in the Brandin Cooks market, and both clubs are also seeking upgrades to their pass rushing contingent. Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Kansas City and Los Angeles would like to add a pass rusher prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline.
The most notable pass rusher that has the best chance of being moved within the next several days appears to be Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com classifies the 2-5 Broncos as the most likely team to make a trade, and he further reports that one club has offered Denver a package headlined by a first-round pick in exchange for Chubb. Even though two of Chubb’s first four professional seasons were marred by injury, his fifth season has proven that, when healthy, he is one of the game’s better edge defenders. Through seven games in 2022, he has posted 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
As Jones points out, Denver would almost certainly not trade Chubb to the division-rival Chiefs, though the Rams would be a viable trade partner. LA, however, lacks a 2023 first-round pick due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade, so it remains to be seen if it would be able to present Broncos GM George Paton with a winning offer. Jones says the Rams, as is their custom, are willing to trade future first-rounders.
Since Chubb is in the final year of his rookie contract, any acquiring club would want to work out a contract extension with him, according to Schefter. Of course, if Paton holds onto Chubb, he would want to come to terms on a multi-year pact as well (as Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes, Chubb is amenable to a contract that keeps him in the Mile High City for the long haul). Regardless of where he ends up, Chubb’s next deal is expected to pay him more than $20MM on an annual basis.
Other pass rushers that could be available for the Chiefs and Rams include players like the Panthers’ Brian Burns and the Jaguars’ Josh Allen. Jones echoes recent reports that Carolina seems unwilling to move Burns, and the NFL.com trio of Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo report that Jacksonville wants to retain Allen, whom it views as a foundational piece.
While Chubb could be dealt, Schefter says the Broncos do not plan to trade wideouts Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, meanwhile, is still likely to be traded, per Troy Renck of Denver 7 (via Twitter). The asking price on Okwuegbunam is “minimal.”
No way is he worth a 1st
Rams need offensive line help. They’re going to get Stafford killed. Luckily for Rams fans, we have no draft picks.
Why would KC “be in on” Cooks?
Kelce is WR1. After him, WR2 is “Hot Hand”
Juju
MVS
Hardman
Moore
Toney
Just not getting the improvement/upgrade trading for Cooks? Pass Rusher I understand
Hardman is in a contract year.
Moore sucks.
Toney is an experiment.
Also, JuJu is only signed for this year.
Kelce is TE1 not WR1.
I have always wondered why football never pursues 3-way trades like other sports, i.e., three teams all have something to offer up that can solve a problem that would ordinarily scuttle the usual 2-way trade (division rivalry in the case of Chubb).
If another team offered Denver a 1st rounder for Chubb, the trade should have already been made. Not going to get a better deal than that. And it shouldn’t matter if it’s a division rival.
It does matter, because 1st of all that 1st rd pick would be closer to a 2nd rd pick from KC. 2nd to trade a player that can complete a division opponents defense that you’ll have to play twice a year with Chubb revenge factor would not be worth it.
I don’t see how the Broncos can improve themselves that much without a 1st rounder. They might as well keep him, and trading Jeudy/Kamler is just moving backwards.
There’s all this talk about Denver trading assets, but they don’t need 3rd and 4th rounders. They’re stuck. They need Russell play better, they can’t really trade their way out of this one without ruining the team. That’s why the CEO publicly backed Hackett/Wilson, financially they have to right now.