10 Hot NFL Takes That Will Never Happen

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertApril 02, 2020
© USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals...

Trade the #1 overall pick & the #107 pick to the Miami Dolphins for the #5, #18, #39, #70 picks in 2020 + a 2021 3rd round selection, then sign Andy Dalton to a 4 year, $120M extension, including $65M fully guaranteed over the next two seasons. Miami will use it’s final 1st round pick (#26), acquired from Houston in the Laremy Tunsil deal, to replace their former OT.

 

Matthew Stafford...

Won’t be traded in 2020, but the Detroit Lions will draft his heir apparent with the #3 overall selection in 2020, taking Tua Tagovailoa. Tua will get the Patrick Mahomes treatment, sitting behind Stafford this upcoming season, with the idea that he’ll be given the job in 2021, when Stafford’s finances are much more tolerant to trade him out of Detroit.

 

The Philadelphia Eagles...

Trade TE Zach Ertz to the Green Bay Packers for the #62 overall selection in 2020 & a 4th round pick in 2021. Ertz brings over a 2 year $15.1M contract that the Packers will likely need to restructure in the coming months to lock him in a bit longer with more guaranteed money to boot. The move won’t be processed until after June 1st, allowing the Eagles to spread out the $13.6M of dead cap they’ll take on over the next two seasons ($5.8M in 2020, $7.8M in 2021).

 

Cam Newton...

Sits out the entire 2020 season, joining the Fox Sports broadcast team as a studio analyst. Newton will reassess the quarterback landscape in 2021, when quite a few more job openings could (should) become available.

 

The Las Vegas Raiders...

Will trade QB Derek Carr to the New England Patriots before the October trade deadline, handing the job over to Marcus Mariota, who will run the Raiders into the ground, putting them into prime position for Trevor Lawrence in 2021.

 

The Los Angeles Chargers...

Acquire OT Trent Williams from the Washington Redskins in exchange for TE Virgil Green & the #112 pick (4th round) in this year's draft. LA extends Williams to a 3 year $50M restructured contract, $34M fully guaranteed.

 

The Los Angeles Rams...

Will never extend CB Jalen Ramsey. He’ll be asked to play out his 5th year option ($13.7M) in 2020, then be offered a near $17M franchise tag in 2021. He’ll sign it only after an agreement to trade him out of town is put in place.

 

The Pittsburgh Steelers...

Will acquire QB Mitchell Trubisky in the near future to serve as a viable backup and potential (but not likely) future replacement for Ben Roethlisberger, not unlike the path Josh Rosen has taken. Trubisky carries a fully guaranteed $4.5M in 2020, and it’s expected the Bears will exercise a 5th year option for the 2021 season in the coming weeks as well. That option won’t guarantee until March of 2021.

 

The Houston Texans...

Will have another tough decision to make in the coming months as J.J. Watt’s contract will expire after the 2021 season. He has 2 years, $33M remaining, but has also only seen action in 33 of Houston’s last 64 regular season games. The 31 year old has no guaranteed money and no dead cap left on his deal. It’s not without reason that Watt could also decide to hang up the cleats sooner rather than later.

 

The Cleveland Browns...

Will find no suitors for OLB Olivier Vernon’s contract year salary ($15.5M) & will eventually outright release the 29 year old. Cleveland acquired Vernon along with Odell Beckham Jr. but saw a slip in production in his 10 games played last season. His deal carries no dead cap currently.


Top