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Agent’s Take: Trade deadline moves three leading preseason NFC Super Bowl contenders should consider making

Agent's Take: Trade deadline moves three leading preseason NFC Super Bowl contenders should consider making


The 2022 trade deadline is rapidly approaching. Teams have until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to make trades.

The most eventful trade to date occurred late last week. The Panthers dealt All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers for 2023 second-, third- and fourth-round picks as well a 2024 fifth-round pick. The move makes the 49ers the favorites to win the NFC West.

Three leading preseason NFC Super Bowl contenders who are having challenging seasons (Rams, Buccaneers and Packers) could be in trade market before the Nov. 1 deadline. Areas that these teams might address to try to get their seasons back on track have been identified. Typically, teams only make one trade before the deadline.

The 2022 salary cap charges for potential acquisitions are in parenthesis if deals are made after Week 8’s games. The acquiring team would be responsible for 10/18ths of a player’s 2022 base salary and any other applicable salary components in his contract. Team salary cap room is based on NFLPA data.

Los Angeles Rams ($4.551 million of salary cap space)

It would be surprising for the defending Super Bowl champions to stand pat given general manager Les Snead’s “F**k Them Picks” philosophy. The Rams made a run at McCaffrey but were outbid by the 49ers.

Kareem Hunt ($3.1 million cap charge) is probably the next best running back option. He requested a trade in the preseason because the Browns refused to extend his contract. From a playing time standpoint, it never made sense that the 2017 rushing champion signed a three-year deal in 2020 as a restricted free agent with Nick Chubb ahead of him.

It shouldn’t take more than a fourth round pick to obtain Hunt. The Rams don’t have a 2023 fourth-round pick because of acquiring Sony Michel from the Patriots in a 2021 preseason trade. The 2023 fifth-round pick went to the Browns for cornerback Troy Hill during this year’s NFL Draft. The Rams are projected to get two 2023 compensatory fifth-round pick, though. 

A divorce between the Rams and a disgruntled Cam Akers ($650,659) seems inevitable. Another option could be a running back swap where Akers goes to the Vikings for Alexander Mattison ($536,111), who is in a contract year backing up Dalvin Cook. Akers is under contract in 2023 for $1,451,779.

Neither player would be learning a new offense on the fly since first year Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was the Rams’ offensive…

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