As we inch closer to the trade deadline in the NFL, a number of struggling teams appear poised to trade some of their assets. Three star wide receivers on teams that are under .500 appear to be garnering some trade interest that could be the missing piece to some contending teams.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool, and Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (seen above in a Sept. 12 game) are all getting noticed as potential trade targets.
Big-name WRs generating trade interest:
— #Texans WR Brandin Cooks has been the target of multiple calls.
— #Steelers WR Chase Claypool has been in focus, but is not expected to be deal, barring a shift.
— Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy has been the center of calls, as DEN sputtered.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2022
This report from Rapoport has many fans calling for their teams to make a move for one of these wide receivers.
Run it back. https://t.co/asov07FL2Y pic.twitter.com/RezRdJABxr
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) October 23, 2022
Bill Belichick on Claypool back in September: "Big, fast, really good hands, big catch radius. He’s kind of always open, like covering a guy like Gronkowski no matter where you are on him, there’s a place where he can reach and get the ball that you can’t reach and get the ball." https://t.co/Jj7gbBRQ3w
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) October 23, 2022
Brandin Cooks being shipped for a high draft pick would be a pretty funny annual bit if the league just leaned into it. https://t.co/NBXDV6ZxAa
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) October 23, 2022
Jeudy 😍 https://t.co/R2a7hbOZ79
— Wendell Ferreira (@wendellfp) October 23, 2022
#FreeCooks https://t.co/RGNMxEgQvv
— Jake Ciely (@allinkid) October 23, 2022
Cooks has often been a trade target in his career, being traded two other times previously in his career at the trade deadline. With the Texans’ struggles thus far this year, it would certainly make sense for the team to trade him.
Claypool has seen his role with the Steelers drastically plummet following the emergence of rookie wide receiver George Pickens.
He was once an extremely promising part of the Steelers’ future, but a change of scenery could certainly help him.
As for Jeudy, he has been caught up with the very obvious struggles of the Broncos’ offense.
Many saw Jeudy as a potential star considering his impressive play at Alabama, but he has struggled to live up to the hype in his young career.
It seems like any one of these receivers could benefit from a potential trade from their current team. It will certainly be interesting to monitor these trade rumors as we get closer to the trade deadline on Nov. 1st.
[Ian Rapoport; photo from Joe Nicholson/USA Today Sports]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.