2023 Free Agency: Offseason trades that can shake up the league
The 2023 free agency period is going to be a wild one. What are some league-altering offseason trades to be on the look out for? If NFL teams do not want to take their chance on a top prospect in the NFL Draft, they may look to the trade market to try and fill some roster holes.
Furthermore, contending teams are also much more likely to be aggressive in free agency as their Super Bowl window is likely wide open. Between more quarterback movement this offseason and some other veteran players who could be on the move, there is a chance that we see some league-altering trades in the league when free agency begins in about three weeks.
2023 Free Agency: Offseason trades that can shake up the league
Justin Fields to the Tennessee Titans
How about this for crazy? What if the Chicago Bears do indeed fall in love with a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft? If General Manager Ryan Poles is set on not going forward with Fields perhaps because he thinks Bryce Young is a better QB, then Fields would have to be moved.
I think the Titans could be a mystery team to make a large QB move. They hold the 11th overall pick, and perhaps Tennessee could flip that for Justin Fields. The Bears would then hold the 1st and 11th overall selections in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Brandin Cooks to the Denver Broncos + Courtland Sutton to the Houston Texans
I do think this is a very realistic scenario, as Brandin Cooks was drafted by Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints back in 2014. Cooks has been in the league for nine seasons and has nearly 9,000 receiving yards.
He’s also said that he does not want to be part of a rebuild, and it’s clear that is where the Texans are heading.
The other part of this equation is sending Courtland Sutton to the Texans. Sutton is from Texas and went to SMU, so this might be a nice homecoming. Sutton is also a few years younger and considerably cheaper than Cooks, so this could be a forward-thinking move from Nick Caserio.
Jalen Ramsey to the New England Patriots
A trade would save the Rams $17 million on their cap space, and Ramsey is perhaps no longer in his prime but is still Jalen Ramsey. Since the departure of JC Jackson, the Patriots have been searching for that CB1 player.
The secondary is a weaker part of their team, and adding Ramsey could be a great move for both sides, as the Rams get cap savings and draft capital, and the Patriots get a immediate-impact player at a position of need.
Lamar Jackson to the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions have two picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and they also have Jared Goff. Could Detroit’s two top selections and Goff be enough to pry Jackson from Baltimore? The two sides do not appear to be close at all in a contract extension.
Detroit is also a perfect situation for Jackson. They’ve got an insanely talented offensive line and legitimate weapons to boot. Their defense needs work and they would not have a first round pick to help fix that, but trading for Jackson and giving him a wicked extension could prompt them to be more aggressive in free agency.
DeAndre Hopkins to the Baltimore Ravens
Maybe the Ravens can get busy this offseason? They’ve needed a true WR1 for years, and DeAndre Hopkins is a Hall of Fame talent at the position. With a new GM and HC in Arizona, it’s not likely that Hopkins remains as a Cardinal, and I’m not sure he wants to.
I think Baltimore, regardless if they extend Lamar Jackson or trade him, will bring in a legitimate option for the WR1 spot on the team. It’s abundantly clear that the offense needs someone reliable to pair with Mark Andrews in the passing game.