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AFC Trade Rumors: Patriots, Broncos, Renfrow

October 31st, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots fielded lots of calls for trade offers during today’s trade deadline, but two of the bigger names on their roster reportedly received no interest. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, teams called New England to take the temperature on pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger, and tackle Michael Onwenu, while quarterback Mac Jones and veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott didn’t receive any nibbles.

Uche, Dugger, and Onwenu are all facing contract-years, so they all held a decent chance of being dealt. Uche was reportedly the most likely, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. After a couple quiet years to start his career, Uche burst onto the scene in 2022, combining with Matt Judon for half of the team’s 54 sacks last year. Mike Dugar of The Athletic reports that the Seahawks held serious interest in Uche “with talks going pretty deep,” but ultimately, landed Leonard Williams from New York instead. With Seattle filling their defensive line need with Williams, Uche will remain in New England.

As will, Jones and Elliott. It’s unclear how serious the Patriots were, if at all, about seeking trade partners for the two offensive contributors. The team will face a fifth-round option decision for Jones before next year, while Elliott will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting out West:

  • It was a similar scene up in Mile High, where the Broncos decided not to move any of their potential trade assets due to a lack of serious interest. While the team reportedly did receive offers on players like receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, they didn’t gauge the offers as good enough to move on, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Mike Klis of 9NEWS relayed that the team is “confident in its group of players.” While it seemed the team may be willing to dive into a rebuild, beating a sick Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs may have convinced them otherwise.
  • Remaining in the West, the Raiders were unable to find a buyer for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, to little surprise. Las Vegas gave Renfrow a big-money extension after his Pro Bowl season and has diminished his role severely ever since. So far this year, Renfrow has been on the field for over half of the Raiders’ offensive snaps in only three games. According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the remaining guaranteed money in Renfrow’s contract prevented any teams from fully following through on their interest in the veteran receiver. With Renfrow staying put and the many sources shooting down reports of wide receiver Davante Adams wanting out of Vegas, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Raiders stood pat at the trade deadline.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/31/23

October 31st, 2023 at 9:05pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are the NFL’s minor moves for today:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed off Bears’ practice squad: DT Travis Bell
  • Placed on IR: DT Grady Jarrett (story)

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kareem, who was just activated off of injured reserve, is being waived to make room for defensive end Montez Sweat, acquired by trade this morning. The Bears also announced a practice squad release, indicating a possible return for Kareem on that unit. The Colts are expected to do the same with Boettger.

O’Connor will lose his active roster spot to make room for quarterback John Wolford, whom Tampa Bay officially promoted today in order to ward off interest parties such as the Rams and Vikings, both of whom are experiencing injury issues at quarterback.

Teams Calling Patriots On Ezekiel Elliott

October 31st, 2023 at 11:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Sitting at 2-6 on the season, the Patriots are expected to be sellers ahead of this afternoon’s deadline. That has led to a short list of trade candidates emerging, but a new name can now be added to the mix.

Teams are calling New England to inquire about running back Ezekiel Elliott, Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report notes. Interested parties would of course be teams on the lookout for depth additions at the RB spot, a position which is not expected to see much (if any) movement today. Titans All-Pro Derrick Henry is the top backfield prize, but signs have increasingly pointed to him remaining in Tennessee.

Elliott saw his seven-year Cowboys tenure come to an end this offseason, with Dallas making the expected decision of releasing him. That move wiped out the remaining, non-guaranteed years on his deal and began a long-running free agent period. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declined to fully close the door on a reunion at a much lower rate, but talks on that front never truly took off. Dallas has publicly committed to standing pat with its roster overall, but also the RB position in particular.

Elliott ultimately signed with the Patriots in August. His one-year deal worth up to $6MM is incentive-laden, and any acquiring team would only be on the hook for a prorated portion of his $1.55MM base salary. The 28-year-old has seen a career-low 37% snap share in New England, and that limited usage has produced 260 rushing yards (on an average of 3.9 yards per carry) and a pair of touchdowns. Elliott has eclipsed 36 rushing yards once in eight games.

The Dolphins and Ravens have been named as teams to watch on the RB market, despite their respective success on the ground so far this season. Both 6-2 outfits should nevertheless be considered buyers, and adding Elliott would provide experienced depth ahead of a playoff run. With roughly three hours remaining until the deadline, New England will remain worth watching closely.

Commanders Taking Calls On Chase Young

October 31st, 2023 at 11:49am CST by Sam Robinson

Already unloading Montez Sweat in what may well have amounted to a numbers crunch, the Commanders seemingly have the franchise tag ready for Chase Young. That said, Young has come up in trades as well.

Despite the Sweat trade making the organization’s choice clear, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Washington is also taking calls on Young before today’s 3pm CT deadline. These calls have transpired since the Sweat trade, pointing to a potentially shocking move in which Washington trades both its defensive end starters. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson confirms Washington is still listening on Young.

This has long been classified as an either/or call, with the Commanders making the choice to extend Daron Payne two years after reupping Jonathan Allen. Four big-ticket extensions on one D-line did not make much sense, even with a rookie-QB contract on the books, but three has never been considered out of the question. Washington moving Young as well would effectively signal a reboot after four years of Sweat and Young coexisting. The two, however, mostly coexisted on the team’s payroll; Young missed much of the previous two seasons after suffering a severe knee injury in November 2021.

Teams called the Commanders about Young prior to today’s Bears blockbuster, though Sweat was believed to have generated the first offer. The Bears also contacted the Commanders about Young, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, but they have made their D-end move. It would be interesting to see if the Falcons — also a reported Sweat suitor — move into the mix for Young, now that the Commanders appear open to starting over at defensive end.

It is not known if the Falcons are circling back to the Commanders to pursue a D-end upgrade, but the Patriots have at least inquired what it would take to land Young, The Athletic’s Jeff Howe tweets. This comes as the Pats have discussed Josh Uche with teams. Like Young, Uche is in a contract year. New England has Matt Judon on its books through 2024, though with no veteran-QB salary on the payroll, the team could be envisioning a slot for another highly paid edge rusher. An acquiring team could also use the franchise tag. The 2-6 team not known for big payments does not make too much sense as a buyer, but neither did the Bears, who now have exclusive negotiating rights with Sweat until March.

Young, 24, has bounced back from the severe knee trouble that sidetracked his career. In seven games thus far, Young has five sacks and nine QB hits. Those numbers each top his nine-game 2021 sample. As a result of this return to full strength, Young is not believed to be eager to do an extension before his rookie contract expires at season’s end.

The former Defensive Rookie of the Year also arrived during Ron Rivera and DC Jack Del Rio‘s stay, whereas Sweat was a Bruce Allen-era draftee. That said, Washington picked up Sweat’s fifth-year option and declined Young’s. The former No. 2 overall pick’s past knee trouble has him on course for free agency in 2024, though the Commanders will have the tag available. That is, if they keep him through today’s deadline. The team dealing away both defensive ends would also be an ominous sign for Rivera, who is on the hot seat after a 3-5 start.

Washington has not made Jonathan Allen available, and while the team has Phidarian Mathis as a third D-tackle option of note, no notable investments are here beyond Sweat and Young. Former Eagles seventh-rounder Casey Toohill does have four sacks this season, however. Still, scrapping the Young-Sweat tandem altogether would be one of the most notable decisions the franchise has made in many years.

Patriots Have Scouted Top QB Prospects

October 30th, 2023 at 8:56pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots currently sit at the bottom of the AFC, and if their struggles continue, the organization will be picking towards the top of next year’s draft. So, it probably isn’t much of a coincidence that the Patriots have scouted some of the top quarterback prospects.

During an appearance on NBC Sports Boston, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed that the Patriots have sent personnel to games for “every one of the top quarterbacks except Caleb Williams.”

“I can tell you guys for a fact the Patriots have had live game exposure — and remember, you have to make decisions on where you go with your scouts — they’ve had live game exposure to every one of the top quarterbacks except Caleb Williams,” Breer said (via NBCSportsBoston.com). “I’m sure they’ll get to Caleb soon. So they are taking a very hard look at these guys.”

Williams is the prize of the draft class but would require the first-overall pick. If New England doesn’t finish with the worst record in the NFL (and fails to work out a trade for the selection), they could pivot to North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who is also expected to hear his name at the beginning of the draft. Washington quarterback and Heisman-Trophy favorite Michael Penix Jr. is also a projected first-round pick, as is Oregon’s Bo Nix.

Thanks to Tom Brady, the Patriots went decades without selecting a quarterback in the first round. Mac Jones was the 15th-overall pick in the 2021 draft, making him the first Round 1 QB to be selected by the organization since Drew Bledsoe in 1993. Following a one-year stint with Cam Newton under center, the Patriots handed Jones the reins during his rookie campaign. The Alabama product looked like a hit, earning a Pro Bowl nod while also guiding his team to the playoffs.

However, his 2022 seasons was mired by benchings and a questionable offensive coaching staff led by Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. The Patriots brought in Bill O’Brien to help fix the offense, but the third-year quarterback has continued to struggle. Jones has tossed nine touchdowns vs. a league-leading eight interceptions while playing a major role in the Patriots’ 2-6 record.

Jones still has at least a year remaining on his rookie contract (depending on the fifth-year-option decision during the offseason), so the Patriots aren’t in a rush to replace him. However, Jones also hasn’t shown enough to stop the front office from using a top-five pick at the position during the 2024 draft.

Latest On Patriots, Josh Uche

October 30th, 2023 at 4:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

4:47pm: Pointing further to Uche’s days in New England being numbered, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the Patriots have had “advanced trade talks” regarding the sack artist with multiple teams in recent weeks. To no surprise, Uche’s injury troubles have hindered his market, but interest from suitors and a willingness to move on from New England certainly remains in place.

11:06am: As the trade deadline approaches, attention continues to be paid to non-contending teams and their willingness to move notable players. That includes the Patriots, a team which has a number of trade chips.

[RELATED: Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne Suffers ACL Tear]

Of those, edge rusher Josh Uche is the likeliest to be traded, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports. Uche is one of several 2020 draftees who have yet to sign an extension and as such could be had as rentals for the stretch run in 2023. An acquiring team would no doubt be interested in signing Uche to an extension as well, however.

The former second-rounder has not engaged in talks on a new deal with the Patriots, so it comes as no surprise that his name has emerged in trade rumors. Kyed notes that interested teams have called New England about all of their pending free agents – a group which also includes the likes of safety Kyle Dugger, offensive lineman Michael Onwenu and defensive back Jalen Mills. However, any more than one deal being finalized would be noteworthy, he adds.

Uche has shown flashes of being an impactful presence off the edge during his time in New England. That was especially true last season, when he logged 11.5 sacks despite playing only 38% of the team’s defensive snaps. The Michigan alum has not received an increase in playing time this year despite the absence of top edge rusher Matt Judon. Uche, who has missed the past two games due to injury, has a pair of sacks and six QB pressures in 2023.

Relatively undersized at the edge spot, the 6-3, 240-pounder has drawn poor PFF grades for his run defense and would be in line for a role as a situational rusher on a new team. As Kyed notes, the Patriots are set to have considerable spending power in free agency, meaning they may not be in line for a Day 2 or 3 compensatory pick in the event Uche were to depart on the open market and they made a notable addition to replace him.

New England – a team which has not only been open to fielding offers but has also actively spoken with clubs to gauge the market – would likely not be able to land a premium pick in return for Uche in the event they moved him. Of course, his value will depend in large part on the asking price attached to other edge rusher on the trade block, none of whom have been moved yet. For the time being, though, Uche’s name will be one to watch as the 2-6 Patriots sort out their plans ahead of the deadline.

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne Tears ACL

October 30th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots’ receiving corps has been dealt a blow for the rest of the season. Kendrick Bourne has suffered an ACL tear, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

There was initial hope that Bourne had only suffered an MCL injury, as noted by Garafolo’s colleague Ian Rapoport. Instead, the worst-case scenario has now been confirmed by an MRI. The 28-year-old will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, something with implications for New England’s passing game but also, potentially, the team’s trade deadline plans.

Bourne had been mentioned as a trade chip in the lead-up to tomorrow’s trade deadline, given his status as a rental. A number of other wideouts have drawn more attention, however, and more recent reports pointed to the Patriots retaining the former UDFA. New England is nevertheless actively seeking out trade partners, and today’s news removes one contributor the team could have moved to attain draft capital from the picture.

After a strong stint with the 49ers as a complementary option in the passing game, Bourne enjoyed a career year in 2021 with 800 yards and five touchdowns. His playing time took a step back the following season, though, leading to questions about his long-term Patriots future. 2023 had seen Bourne take on a larger share of the team’s offense with a 72% snap share, something which yielded an uptick in production. His final statline for the season will sit at 37-406-4.

New England has struggled on offense this season, leading to a fresh round of criticism for quarterback Mac Jones. Part of his inability to take a signficant step forward in Year 3 has been tied to a lack of high-end receiving options, however. Bourne comfortably led the Patriots in receiving yards, and the next-highest WR in that department is sixth-round rookie Demario Douglas. He, along with the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton will need to carry the load moving forward.

With 2023 marking the end of Bourne’s three-year, $15MM Patriots deal, he is set to reach free agency in March. Given the months-long recovery he is now facing, though, his market will no doubt be hindered. In advance of potentially signing elsewhere in the near future, Bourne will turn his attention to rehab while New England will be forced to regroup on offense.

2023 NFL Cap Space, By Team

October 28th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Adam La Rose

The countdown to this year’s October 31 trade deadline continues, and a number of deals have already been made. More will follow in the coming days, though, as contending teams look to bolster their rosters for the stretch run and sellers seek to offload expiring contracts and gain future draft assets. Much will be driven, of course, by each squad’s financial situation.

Courtesy of Over the Cap, here’s a breakdown of every team’s cap space in advance of the deadline:

  1. San Francisco 49ers: $39.89MM
  2. Cleveland Browns: $33.99MM
  3. Arizona Cardinals: $11.1MM
  4. Cincinnati Bengals: $10.78MM
  5. Tennessee Titans: $10.55MM
  6. Las Vegas Raiders: $9.16MM
  7. Chicago Bears: $9.06MM
  8. Los Angeles Chargers: $9.05MM
  9. Indianapolis Colts: $8.78MM
  10. Minnesota Vikings: $7.96MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $7.55MM
  12. New York Jets: $7.17MM
  13. Seattle Seahawks: $7.16MM
  14. Carolina Panthers: $7.07MM
  15. Dallas Cowboys: $7.03MM
  16. Baltimore Ravens: $6.83MM
  17. Atlanta Falcons: $6.76MM
  18. Detroit Lions: $6.62MM
  19. Jacksonville Jaguars: $6.42MM
  20. New Orleans Saints: $4.67MM
  21. Buffalo Bills: $4.58MM
  22. Los Angeles Rams: $4.37MM
  23. Houston Texans: $4.26MM
  24. Washington Commanders: $3.78MM
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: $3.7MM
  26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $3.63MM
  27. Miami Dolphins: $3.49MM
  28. New England Patriots: $2.87MM
  29. Philadelphia Eagles: $2.81MM
  30. Pittsburgh Steelers: $2.55MM
  31. Denver Broncos: $1.22MM
  32. New York Giants: $991K

The 49ers have carried considerable space throughout the season, but general manager John Lynch made it clear last month the team’s intention was to roll over most of their funds into next season. Still, with San Francisco sitting at 5-2 on the year, it would come as little surprise if at least one more depth addition (separate from the Randy Gregory move) were to be made in the near future.

Deals involving pick swaps for role players dominated the trade landscape for some time, but more noteworthy contributors have been connected to a potential swap recently. One of them – Titans safety Kevin Byard – has already been dealt. That has led to speculation Tennessee is open to dealing other big names as they look to 2024. Derrick Henry’s name has come up multiple times with respect to a deal sending him out of Nashville, but that now seems unlikely.

Several edge rushers are on the market, including Danielle Hunter (Vikings) and one or both of Montez Sweat and Chase Young (Commanders). Hunter nearly found himself with the Jaguars this offseason, and last year’s AFC South winners could be on the lookout for a pass rush boost. A mid-level addition in that regard would come as little surprise. In Minnesota and Washington’s case, however, it remains to be seen if they will be true sellers given their 3-4 records heading into tomorrow’s action.

A number of receivers could also be on the move soon. Both the Broncos’ pair of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and the Panthers’ Terrace Marshall have been involved heavily in trade talk. Jeudy and Sutton are on the books at an eight figure price tag next season, and the Broncos are unlikely to receive the draft capital they could have at prior points in their Denver tenures. Marshall, by contrast, is in the third season of his four-year rookie contract and could fit more comfortably into an acquiring team’s cap situation. The Panthers have allowed him to seek out a trade partner.

The Cowboys sit in the top half of the league in terms of spending power, but mixed signals initially came out with respect to their interest in making a splash. Owner Jerry Jones has insisted Dallas will not initiate negotiations on a trade, citing his confidence in a 4-2 roster which has been hit by a few notable injuries on defense in particular. Despite having more cap space than most other teams, the Bengals are likewise expected to be quiet on the trade front.  

The past few years have seen a notable uptick in trade activity around the league, and it would come as a surprise if that trend did not continue over the next few days. Last-minute restructures and cost-shedding moves would help the teams in need of flexibility pull off moves, though sellers will no doubt also be asked to retain salary if some of the higher-paid veterans on the trade block end up being dealt. Given the spending power of teams at the top of the list, there is plenty of potential for the league’s landscape to change ahead of the stretch run to the playoffs.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/23

October 28th, 2023 at 7:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the gameday elevations and other minor moves made around the league in advance of Week 8:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson’s loss will be notable for the Cardinals, given his status as an entrenched starter at the left guard spot. The 28-year-old joined Arizona on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in free agency after stints in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. Trystan Colon replaced him in the starting lineup in Week 7, and that will likely continue for the time being. Wilkinson will be out for at least four weeks as a result of the IR move.

Ridgeway has been out since Week 1, his Texans debut. The former 49er joined the Texans in a move which allowed him to continue working under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ridgeway ended last season on IR, so he will be looking for an extended run of availability in his new home. A veteran of 78 games (and 19 starts), he will aim to carve out a rotational role up front.

Peters was brought in by the Seahawks while they were dealing with injury problems at both tackle spots. Blindside blocker Charles Cross has since returned, so Peters’ most familiar spot will not be available if he is to make his Seattle debut on Sunday. The fact the latter is healthy and in game shape does mean, however, that he will be eligible to play in a 19th NFL season.

Patriots “Sniffing Around” At Potential Trades

October 28th, 2023 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

We heard earlier this week that the Patriots were “willing to listen to offers” leading up to the trade deadline. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, New England’s front office may be the side that is initiating trade talks.

[RELATED: Latest On Patriots’ Deadline Plans]

The Patriots are “sniffing around” to see what draft compensation they could get for some of their logical trade candidates. Breer points to offensive lineman Michael Onwenu, safety Kyle Dugger, and defensive end Josh Uche as players who could be on the trade block. All three players are impending free agents, and despite possessing a chunk of 2024 cap space, the organization may want to move on from players they may not re-sign.

Breer opines that Uche is the player who’s most likely to be traded since he’d “probably be the most difficult of the group to re-sign.” The former second-round pick has followed up his 11.5-sack 2022 campaign by collecting six tackles and two sacks in six games this year. While his numbers this season are underwhelming, his pass-rushing ability means the Patriots would still be able to bring back a worthwhile return in a trade. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler agrees that Uche is a name “worth watching,” noting that the pass-rusher has garnered trade interest around the NFL. Likewise, based on his conversations with multiple teams, Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal believes Uche has the best chance of any current Patriot to be dealt.

On the flip side, Breer thinks Onwenu is the least likely of the group to be traded. The Patriots will use the rest of the 2023 campaign to evaluate Mac Jones, and Breer can’t envision the organization hurting the QB’s chances by subtracting from the offense. Following that same logic, Breer also doesn’t see wide receiver Kendrick Bourne getting traded, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com does not think New England will part with any top talent unless it receives at least a third-round pick in return. Of course, if another club were willing to take on an onerous contract (JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker) as part of a deal for a player like Uche, the Pats would certainly listen.

Breer adds one more name to the list of potential trade candidates: Jalen Mills. The defensive back has served in a variety of roles with the Patriots since joining the organization in 2021. Mills got through two years of his four-year, $24MM deal before getting cut back in March, but he quickly rejoined the Patriots on a new pact. While the Patriots have dealt with a number of injuries in their secondary, Mills has only seen time in 26 percent of New England’s defensive snaps this season.

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