The New England Patriots traded disgruntled pass rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday in exchange for a third-round pick. The Dallas Cowboys have completed two trades in recent days, acquiring cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. With every NFL team needing to trim their rosters down to 53 in less than two weeks (Aug. 27), you can expect more trades in the coming days.
As we await the Brandon Aiyuk and Haason Reddick shoes to drop, several other NFL players could be traded before September marks its arrival. We’ve identified three of them.
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns were allegedly including superstar wide receiver Amari Cooper in their discussions with the San Francisco 49ers about Aiyuk. Cleveland is no longer Aiyuk's likely destination, but the report was intriguing nonetheless. Could Browns general manager Andrew Berry be looking to move Cooper for a younger wideout with more upside?
The Browns restructured Cooper's contract in an agreement that guaranteed his salary and offered better performance-based incentives, but they refused to extend his deal beyond 2024. Cooper is slated to reach free agency next offseason, which means this season in Cleveland could be his last. If talks for Aiyuk resurface, or another opportunity reveals itself for Berry to acquire an alternative receiver (Davante Adams, perhaps?), the five-time Pro Bowler could still find himself on the move.
Jonathan Jones, CB, New England Patriots
The Patriots are very clearly punting on the 2024 campaign. There's no other way to define trading a defender like Judon for a third-round selection. This is an evaluation year that will focus on the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Analyzing the Patriots' roster, other veterans could garner interest via the trade market.
Cornerback Jonathan Jones is an interesting one. Jones has been a Patriots lifer and long-term locker room leader, but he'll turn 31 in September and finds himself in the final campaign of a two-year extension signed last offseason. The former undrafted free agent was outstanding last season, earning a coverage grade of 75.1 from Pro Football Focus. He could help a contender right away.
Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are transitioning to a more pass-happy offense with No. 1 overall quarterback Caleb Williams under center. New offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will primarily operate out of 11 personnel with D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and Rome Odunze at receiver. Given how the offense is now structured, the running back room is a little overcrowded, and there could be a clear odd man out.
Khalil Herbert is entering the final season of his four-year rookie contract. The Bears drafted Roschon Johnson last year and signed D'Andre Swift in free agency this summer. Chicago has been featuring Herbert through the preseason. He carried the ball a team-high nine times versus the Buffalo Bills in their preseason Week 1 game. Could this be a showcase with a trade in mind?
