We are only two weeks away from the midway point of the NFL season because time is a persuasive construct placed upon us, which I believe is one of the reasons why the French public is protesting.
The trade deadline is the Tuesday after Week 9, and there will be players on the move over the next few weeks. But instead of just throwing names and teams into a random generator and telling them why they’re a good fit, how do we make the right connections — whether it’s efficiency or past connections — that teams can trick the players currently on the trade market.
WR Brian Thomas Jr. to the New York Giants
Thomas has had as many creeps as you and I over the past two games, and he’s clearly at the bottom of the totem pole. This stems from Thomas missing time last season due to injury. Jacksonville traded for Jacoby Meyers, and Parker gave him a three-year, $60 million extension after starting with the new team as Washington blossomed into a star receiver. Washington remains the team’s top target with Meyer at No. 2. Thomas isn’t the No. 3 pick, though. Or No. 4. Or No. 5. Tight end Brenton Strong is tied for the team lead with 26 tackles, and Josh Cameron has surpassed Thomas in the past two games. Additionally, Travis Hunter had a breakout game against the Texans in Week 6 on both offense and defense. It’s a matter for Thomas to trade, not if he doesn’t want to.
So why the Giants, you may ask. Well, they have a great interest in the recipient. The next leader outside of Malik Nabers is wide receiver Malachi Fields with 12 catches. Thomas will instantly become the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart. Next up is New York Giants wide receivers coach Chad Hall, who was Thomas’ position coach in 2024 when he put up nearly 1,300 yards with the Jaguars and was a Pro Bowler as a rookie. And I’m sure Neighbors and Thomas would love to run through their LSU days playing side-by-side.
Not to argue with this one trade in particular, but it would help the Giants win a wide-open division, but JJ McCarthy and Jackson Darts rate. Everyone loves darts, but he spends more time in the blue trend then in the center. If Thomas comes in and helps the Giants offense look good and win games under McCarthy, the Giants will enter next spring with a quarterback battle on their hands. Having a pair of weapons like Nabers and Thomas makes it a lot easier to see who is the better of the two quarterbacks, and the starter ends up higher.
WR Stefon Diggs to the Pittsburgh Steelers
The writing is on the wall for commanders. They are 1-4-1, although Dan Quinn thinks they are probably 2-3-1. Jaden Daniels’ health and overall character are becoming issues with real question marks.
Steelers fans prefer the young Thomas, but Diggs may be the name to turn their attention to when it’s thought he’s going to end up in New York.
Yes, he will be 33 at the end of November, but Diggs is coming off a 1,000-yard season and playing good football for Washington. He has 24 receptions and four touchdowns through six weeks. 62.3 percent of his snaps this season have come from the slot, which could lead to the Steelers rotating in DK Metcalf and Germie Bernard on the outside with Diggs as the top three receivers, as well as Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson.
To create a similar relationship with Thomas and Chad Hall, Steelers wide receivers coach Adam Henry was with Diggs in Buffalo in 2023 — a year in which Diggs caught 107 passes.
EDGE Josh Lab to Green Bay Packers
This is pretty cut and dry. Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon coached Sweat when he was the head coach at Arizona. With Micah Parsons back, the combination of him and Lab will give the Packers an excellent duo to help with the loss of Adrian Cooper.
S Derwin James to the Dallas Cowboys
The Chargers are a tire fire and should immediately start a fire sale with James at the top of the list.
While it would be fun to see James match up with Jesse Minter in Baltimore against Kyle Hamilton, the two safeties share a lot of the same responsibilities on defense, so I’m going with the Cowboys giving their defense big game after big game. Dallas already traded for Joey Porter Jr., and if there’s one thing Jerry Jones isn’t afraid to do, he’ll move if it gives Dallas a chance to win.
James’ connection to Dallas is Cowboys defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley, who served as the Chargers’ defensive backs coach in 2021-22 and defensive coordinator in 2023.
EDGE Khalil Mack to the Buffalo Bills
The connection to Mack is not on the coaching staff, but in the city itself. He is a native of Buffalo and attended the University of Buffalo. Considering the nine-time Pro Bowler has yet to appear in a Super Bowl, returning home and playing with Greg Russo and Bradley Chubb could help him and the Bills overcome the injury.
RB Jonathan Taylor to the Chicago Bears
This is a case of the rich getting richer. The Bears’ offense is already incredibly dynamic, and the Colts are reeling after their loss to the Titans. They fired GM Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen is likely to move on late.
It reminds me a lot of the 49ers trade for Christian McCaffrey when the Bears made a play for Jonathan Taylor. Sure, Chicago didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, but they have a better quarterback than the 49ers at the time of the McCaffrey trade. Putting Taylor behind Caleb Williams would give the Bears a big shakeup in the run game, which currently ranks 16th in passing yards.
The connection is a bit of a reach, of course, but current offensive coordinator Pres Taylor was the Colts’ offensive assistant in 2021, a year in which Taylor rushed for more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns. Seeing what he and Ben Johnson do in the running game against Taylor is something we’ll all have to see, and the All-Pro could be a stealth team that makes a big move at running back.
