The NFL offseason is upon us, which means the rumor mill is in full swing. With the free agency period opening up in March, and the NFL draft taking place in late April, anything can happen from now until the start of the 2021 season.
Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson have been all over headlines recently due to their vocal frustrations with their respective franchises. Watson has stated he refuses to play another snap for the Houston Texans, while Wilson technically hasn't demanded a trade, however, he's given the Seattle Seahawks a list of teams he'd like to play for.
Additionally, it's been speculated the Cleveland Browns could trade away their wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. With the Browns succeeding in nearly every way without him, they could gain some additional picks in the upcoming draft. As for Ezekiel Elliott, there haven't been any rumors of the Dallas Cowboys trading away their superstar running back. However, it could be a possibility considering how poorly Elliott played last year.
There will be multiple suitors for each of these players. Already there are reports of teams making offers for Watson and Wilson. The Browns haven't said anything about Beckham as of yet, and Elliott could be on his way out, especially if the Cowboys refuse to re-sign Dak Prescott. Here are four potential blockbuster trades that would shake up the NFL this 2021 NFL offseason.
Potential 2021 NFL offseason trade: Deshaun Watson to the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have been shopping for a new quarterback this offseason after Drew Lock failed to meet expectations these last two years. There were reports this franchise was in the running to land Matthew Stafford away from the Detroit Lions until the Los Angeles Rams made a last-second final offer.
The Broncos likely are one of the teams leaving their offer on voicemail to the Houston Texans front office. So far, the Texans are staying committed to Watson, even though he clearly doesn't want to play in Houston any longer. One of the two sides will give in, and the Broncos would be a fantastic fit for Deshaun Watson.
This is a trade that would shake up the entire NFL, as the AFC West would become one of the best divisions in the league. Two franchises in the same division would arguably have the top two quarterbacks in the league. Patrick Mahomes for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Deshaun Watson for the Denver Broncos. If this trade comes to fruition, the Broncos immediately become a playoff contender.
Potential trade: Russell Wilson to the Chicago Bears
Since the news broke on Russell Wilson's unhappiness, the Chicago Bears have seemed eager to make a deal happen. They were one of the teams Wilson listed as a desired destination if the Seattle front office decided to trade the nine-year veteran.
As mentioned before, Wilson technically hasn't demanded a trade to the Seahawks this 2021 NFL offseason. He has listed some teams he's interested in if it were to come to that though. It's in Seattle's best interest to keep Wilson on the team, as they'd be eating $30 million in dead cap if they trade Wilson this year.
For the Chicago Bears, this would be a huge acquisition. This franchise made the playoffs last year with questionable quarterback play. With a bonified superstar under center, the Green Bay Packers would finally have some real competition in the NFC North. This would also increase the odds of Allen Robinson re-signing as well, as he would finally have a competent quarterback throwing him the ball.
Potential trade: Odell Beckham Jr. to the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Cleveland Browns have been rather quiet this offseason so far, but the speculation of Odell Beckham's departure is gaining traction. It's important to notice how much better this Browns team has been whenever Beckham is off of the field. In fact, they played their best football last season once their star receiver was sidelined with an injury.
Even so, it's hard to imagine the Browns trading Beckham away this offseason. He's one of the most talented receivers in the league as he can take it to the house on any given play. The Browns roster is absolutely stacked and they still have a decent amount of cap space. Keeping Beckham is probably in their best interest
However, if a trade does go through, the Jacksonville Jaguars could be the team that pulls it off. With the most cap space in the league right now, the Jaguars can easily afford Beckham's contract. Additionally, he'd be joining a receiver group with DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault, two young prospects who have all of the potential in the world. With Trevor Lawrence likely coming to town, the Jaguars would suddenly have a solid offense in a stacked AFC South division.
Potential 2021 NFL offseason trade: Ezekiel Elliott to the Miami Dolphins
Ezekiel Elliott hasn't been in any headlines recently, but the Cowboys quarterback has been. It's still unclear whether or not Jerry Jones re-signs Prescott to a multi-year deal. If Dallas chooses to go a different route, that means they may trade Ezekiel Elliott away as well. Considering how much Zeke struggled without Prescott's presence, the Cowboys could be gaining some nice draft capital by trading away the five-year veteran.
The Miami Dolphins would be the team that makes the most sense in acquiring Zeke through a trade this 2021 NFL offseason. They have the cap space to take on his contract, and they have enough draft picks to afford the trade. The Dolphins were a surprise team last season having just missing the playoffs.
Adding Ezekiel Elliott to this roster makes a ton of sense. Miami currently has Myles Gaskin as their starting running back. He's played well when his number is called upon, but he dealt with injuries throughout the year. Adding Zeke to the running back group gives Miami much more consistency. He'd also be a fantastic leader for a young team trying to dethrone Buffalo Bills in the the AFC East.
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