Chiefs trade pivot, Vikings blockbuster target, Raiders fire sale

We’re about a little over two weeks away from the trade deadline, which means a lot is happening. Lots of it. There are plenty of NFL rumors to dive into as we reach the point in the season where the pretenders are starting to separate themselves from the contenders.

We’ve already seen the desperation manifest in the form of two blockbuster WR trades, with Davante Adams going to the New York Jets and Amari Cooper going to the Buffalo Bills. These trades have set the ball in motion, but expect several more high-profile trades before the final buzzer on November 5.

Here’s the latest buzz from league circles.

The Las Vegas Raiders made the first of what could be several trades by sending Davante Adams to the Jets for a conditional third-round pick. All things considered, it’s a good result for the aging player in the final year of his contract, especially coming off an injury. The expectation was to win with Antonio Pierce at the helm, but it’s clear this Las Vegas team isn’t built to win at the highest level.

So a disassembly might be in order. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler hints at a possible fire sale in Las Vegas between now and the deadline. He’s even openly wondering if the Detroit Lions should turn to All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby following the season-ending injury Aidan Hutchinson suffered this weekend.

While Fowler ultimately believes Crosby is off the table — or at least extremely difficult to reach — the mere mention of Crosby’s name in connection with trade rumors is a shock. Las Vegas is 2-4, but trading Crosby with a few years left on his contract would indicate a shocking lack of confidence in the future.

Crosby has made three straight Pro Bowl appearances and is headed to No. 4 after collecting 5.5 sacks in six weeks. He finished fourth in the DPOY voting a season ago. Few edge rushers play with a more potent mix of physicality, explosiveness and sheer ferocity. Crosby would make the Lions – or any team – significantly better upon his arrival.

The Arizona Cardinals are in freefall, which makes veteran Budda Baker an especially attractive trade candidate. At 28 years old, Baker is in the final year of his contract and there is no talk of a new contract with the Cardinals yet. He’s highly decorated, with six Pro Bowls in eight NFL seasons, so several contenders will come knocking.

One potential suitor, as outlined by Justin Melo of The concept networkare the Minnesota Vikings.

The aging Harrison Smith is still competing at a high level. Camryn Bynum has developed into a starting safety opposite him, but acquiring a chess piece like Baker could allow Flores to deploy more three-safety sets. One of the most creative defensive sets In throughout the league, Flores would understand how to use Baker’s skills around the line of scrimmage to help his struggling back end.”

Minnesota is 5-0 in a pivotal Week 7 showdown with the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are the last undefeated team standing in the NFC and have a chance to keep that momentum going with a win on Sunday. The schedule softens considerably after Week 7 and Minnesota has two of the game’s brightest minds – Kevin O’Connell on offense and Brian Flores on defense – leading the charge.

Baker has impressed for the Cardinals this season, despite the collective struggles in Arizona. He has 60 tackles through six weeks and has performed commendably in pass coverage. Should Arizona decide to hit the reset button, now is the time for Minnesota to pull out all the stops at the trade deadline. This team is the real deal.

Davante Adams and Amari Cooper are officially (and predictably) off the table for the Kansas City Chiefs, limiting their options in the WR room. Brett Veach is one of the best, but he suffers from a bloated cap blade and very little maneuverability. However, both Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice are done for the season, so there is immense pressure to improve the passing corps around Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs are off to a 5-0 start, which should be enough of a deterrent for the NFL after back-to-back Super Bowl wins, but that doesn’t mean we can discount the obvious holes in the roster. Kansas City was swept to victory by its steadfast defense. The offense has underperformed compared to our expectations for a team of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The latter struggles with footwork and efficiency, no doubt linked at some level to his lack of reliable options.

One realistic target, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, is Carolina Panthers wideout Diontae Johnson.

“Carolina’s Diontae Johnson would be a good fit, but his base salary is $7 million and the Panthers don’t seem eager to sign him yet.”

Johnson has come alive after the Panthers’ move from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton. The 28-year-old would quite clearly be the top receiver on Kansas City’s roster, but his affordable contract makes him a hot commodity, and Carolina’s apparent disinterest in trading Johnson complicates the path for Kansas City.

Never say never, but the Chiefs could be out of luck.