The trade deadline is a few days away. Several teams are still looking to add necessary reinforcements as the 2022 NFL season reaches its halfway point.
Teams make trades for an array of reasons, such as championship contention and draft tanking. So without further ado, here are five trades that might happen before the 2022 NFL trade deadline.
Trades that can happen before the Trade Deadline
1. Brian Burns leaves the Carolina Panthers for a contender
The Carolina Panthers are in rebuilding mode. They made that clear by trading away their star running back, Christian McCaffrey, to the San Francisco 49ers for a handful of picks. It is about time, as the team from Carolina has been flirting with the rebuilding idea for many years without fully dialing in.
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However, even in total revamps, some players are seemingly untouchable. For the Panthers, Brian Burns seems to be one such player. The pass rusher is still contracted to the Panthers for the foreseeable future, so it's unlikely that the team will budge before the trade deadline, especially after rejecting a rumored trade package involving two first-round picks for Burns.
The only way we see the Panthers' front office budging is if a contending team decides to make them an offer that they can't refuse. Then they'd be cruel to refuse Brian Burns a shot at the Super Bowl in that care.
Hypothetical Trade: The Buffalo Bills get Brian Burns for one first and one second-round draft.
2. Elijah Moore gets his wish and leaves the New York Jets
The Elijah Moore situation in New York is pretty different from the Brian Burns situation in Carolina. The reason is that Elijah Moore wants out of New York, and he doesn't seem to be mincing words about his desire for a change of scenery. Brian Burns, on the other hand, has made no such demands pending the trade deadline.
The New York Jets are having a solid season so far, as they continue to exceed expectations, but that doesn't seem enough for Elijah Moore. It has gotten so dicey that he was excluded from the team sheet for Sunday's win against the Denver Broncos. It looks like the die has been cast, and the second-year pass catcher is no longer interested in being a part of the franchise.
As such, we wouldn't be surprised if the New York Jets got an offer from a non-conference rival and decided to send Elijah and his baggage away before the trade deadline. There's nothing good about having a disgruntled employee in your locker room, no matter how talented such an employee is.
Hypothetical Trade: The Green Bay Packers get Elijah Moore for Sammy Watkins, one second-round draft, and a third-round draft pick.
3. The Los Angeles Rams move on from Cam Akers
Ever since the Los Angeles Rams asked Akers not to come to the facility on Thursday and Friday last week, it became clear that Sean McVay had moved on from the running back that showed so much promise in last season's playoffs and eventual Super Bowl win. Cam Akers has done a great job of returning to full fitness following the gory injury he sustained at the beginning of last season. Still, it looks like his time in LA has ended.
The Rams drafted Akers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, with the aim being that he would understudy the then-starter and eventually take over the starting position in the same season. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, and Cam Akers is on the trade market so close to the NFL trade deadline.
Many teams would love a player like Akers on their roster, as the pocket-sized threat is one of the most dynamic at his position in the NFL. What's more, due to the Rams' eagerness to move on, it is unlikely that they would request a fortune to move Akers from their squad before the trade deadline.
Hypothetical Trade: The Carolina Panthers get Cam Akers for a fifth-round draft pick.