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Saturday

22-03-2025 Vol 19

Myles Garrett to the Lions? Ideal landing spots to 8 nfl stars on the trading block

Everyone knows the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis as their first chance to see the NFL’s future. It is also when team staff are going through a car wash of interviews with prospects and start formulating their draft strategies.

It is also a time for transactions. As executors from each team gathered in Indy for the past few days, Matthew Stafford reached a new deal with Rams, and the 49s traded Brede receives Deebo Samuel to the commanders. The movement with star players who Isn’t it Free agents have just begun.

Packers are reportedly shopping cornerback Jaire Alexander, while the 49s are apparently open to trading with the wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk again, just seven months after extending him. Confirming reports have emerged about DK Metcalf’s future with Seahawks, as well as with Dolphin’s wide receiving Tirek Hill, who seems to contradict himself now that he had some time to think of saying he wanted “out” by Miami.

With several trades, we certainly identify ideal landing places for some of the biggest players under contract that could be on the go.

Garrett already said goodbye to Cleveland, although Browns did not seem to have got the note. General Manager Andrew Berry said in Indy that he has no intention of leaving all-pro pass-Rusher. Who wins out? Given that Garrett knows that there will be no lack of interest in his services, my money is on Garrett.

As far as where? Detroit opposite Aidan Hutchinson would be fun. Hutch is working back from last seasonal injury, and a defensive line with these two on each side is an embarrassment of wealth for the lions. They seem to have it offensively; Now it’s the defense turn. It would soften to lose Aaron Glenn as a defensive coordinator as well as guard against injury in the secondary. The best way to help the defensive back field is to prevent the ball from getting there in the first place. A line of Hutch and Garrett on each side of it would secure it.

This would not be the first time Kupp has drawn Julian Edelman comparisons. The patriots are sure they have their franchise guy in the first round pick Drake Maye after he exceeded expectations in every way last season, especially considering the role crew around him. Now, with a new regime and culture in place, they can build around Maye seriously. New England will have to draft well, especially in the trenches, but why not get Maye a veteran broad recipient who can be a leader in the width and offensive meeting rooms? It makes a great deal of sense, provided pats are up to use to get Kupp.

Alexander has not been given the opportunity to seek a trade, but reports coming out of the combine are suggesting that Packers is trading him. Alexander has faced disciplinary consequences on several occasions in Green Bay, after being suspended by the team a game in 2023 to go rogue on a coin throw in Carolina. Last season Alexander was in and out of the lineup. He played seven games for Packers. And yet he is still only 28 and only two seasons removed from another team of all-pro nod.

If Alexander can stay healthy, a team like Cardinals could desperately use him. Arizona ranked 23. Games allowed last year. Two of its exterior corners in their rotation were rookies, and while Max Melton had a good season for a young player, guys like Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas are not enough to keep this rotation going. Sign a veteran like Alexander, and bet on him who brings some juice to a fighting device.

The bears have changed defensive coordinators, but the overall base program does not change. Dennis Allen comes in to run one of the most effective 4-3 systems in the league, and guess what makes life much easier on the whole defense? A really good three-technique. In the case of Jonathan Allen, he will already have familiarity with Bears’ best Pass Rusher in Montez Sweat, which is under contract for a few more years. The reunification of the couple could bring back the dominant fronts that Washington was known for just a few seasons ago. While the bears need help on both sides of the line, Allen would be a good and creative place to start when they gather the team under Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen’s new vision.

Since we seem to be back on Square One with Niners open to separate ways with Aiyuk, why don’t we bring back the trade that was almost before last season? Pittsburgh needs more help in the wide receiver space, especially with how unstable George Pickens has proven to be. Now Aiyuk and “soothing force” do not necessarily go hand in hand, but it is rarely an adjective used to describe recipients anyway. The bottom line is that Steelers were interested in Aiyuk eight months ago – and they are probably still. With the eighth most projected Cap space in the league for the upcoming season, they can also afford to take on Aiyuk’s contract.

Why do I have the feeling that the one who ends up getting Crosby becomes a team that doesn’t even necessarily need him? I don’t know, Eagles? Whispers around the combine suggested General Manager Howie Roseman could let free agent Josh Sweat go, and if we know anything about Roseman, he doesn’t let fire go without being able to upgrade. Crosby would be that upgrade and Roseman would make the money work. He always does. And wouldn’t it just be so roseman/philly to get out of winning a super bowl with a better watch list? We know they prioritize the trenches (as they should), so I expect Eagles to make a splash in some way along the defensive line, even with all the monsters they already have on it.

Hmm … which team could use size on the outside in their wide receiver corps? Who might be on the cusp of some real success with an old-school coach and a spunky young-ish quarterback? Still on the Pacific Time Zone in a large market that Metcalf could stroll its latest Lululemon clothing around? What about chargers? Once I say so, isn’t it just kind of sensible? Metcalf is scheduled to hit the cap for almost $ 32 million in Seattle this season, so something needs to be done, regardless. Out in his contract would result in $ 21 million in death Cap, according to Spotrac, but if he was appointed for a trade after June 1st, they could spread that cap in the next two seasons and save $ 18 million on the cap this year. While Metcalf looks like he could use a new start, this also seems like a win-win for both teams: Seattle gets a huge salary from the books and LA gets a star in a needs position.

I know this exercise is to find ideal landing places for players apparently on the go – but I don’t think there’s a better home for Hill than in Miami. So I want to see him be put. What I would also like to be is that the dolphins invest in some offensive line help and rediscover their running games. In this way, Cheetah can zipper through the rear level of defense again and stretch the field. Miami simply put too much on him for the past season. Without Run games to talk about and quarterback tua tagovailoa in and out of the lineup, there was no rhythm on offense. I give the dolphins offseasons to sort it before I decide what to do with Hill.

Carmen Vitali is an NFL reporter for Fox Sports. Carmen had previously stopped the draft of the network and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with BUCS, including 2020, which added the title Super Bowl champion (and boat parade participant) to her resume. You can follow Carmen on Twitter on @Carmiev.

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