4 real trade options for the Washington Football Team originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
After the Vikings basically waved a white flag on the 2020 season and traded away pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, plenty of Washington Football fans would like to see their team do the same thing.
Without arguing if Washington should or should not trade away assets (they should) let’s first look at what tradable assets the team holds.
It’s not a long list.
NFL trades are not simple as the league doesn’t allow for the same level of plug and play capabilities as other sports. The salary cap also plays a major factor in NFL trades.
So for Washington, there are plenty of questions about what players could actually be available, and more than that, fetch interest on the trade block.
Good young players on rookie deals are not available. Period. So cross Terry McLaurin and Chase Young off the list. Also, good players that just signed aren’t getting moved, so cross Kendall Fuller off the list too.
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Who would be on the list, if Washington head coach Ron Rivera wanted to sell some assets? Let’s take a look:
- Ryan Kerrigan – Washington’s all-time sack leader and the face of the franchise the last decade, Kerrigan is barely getting on the field this season as Rivera looks to develop Chase Young and Montez Sweat as the team’s pass rushers of the future. Kerrigan got only seven snaps last week against New York, but despite the limited work, he’s leading Washington with three sacks. In the last year of his contract, Kerrigan could be a relatively cheap rental for a contending team that could use an extra pass rusher. Kerrigan can still get after the QB, and that could get Washington a real trade offer. Minimum price: 4th-round pick
- Landon Collins – A big name and a major pedigree, Collins was the major free agent addition for Washington in 2019. This season, his play is suffering and many of the criticisms that surrounded Collins when he left the Giants after the 2018 season are coming back. Poor angles, lack of high-end speed. Well, Collins still has significant guaranteed money left on his contract in 2021, and for Washington to release the safety would bring an $18 million dead cap hit next year. The reality is if Washington moves Collins, it would be a salary dump and there are probably few teams interested. Minimum price: 5th-round pick
- Brandon Scherff – Far-fetched but not impossible. Scherff would be another veteran rental for a contending team, but maybe a squad that needs interior offensive line help would give up an early Saturday pick for nine or 10 games of Scherff’s blocking. Playing on the franchise tag in 2020, it’s easy to see Scherff signing elsewhere next year, so Washington would need to be sure that any trade would net at least the same as a compensatory pick awarded via free agency. It’s a similar scenario to Kerrigan, but while Scherff is younger, he’s been hurt more and plays a less desirable position than edge rusher. Minimum price: 5th-round pick
- Dwayne Haskins – This will be the most interesting name to watch leading up to the trade deadline. The 15th-overall pick just last season, Haskins has been moved to third-string and inactive on game days. Could there be another team interested in paying a deep discounted price for a guy only two years removed from a 50-touchdown season at Ohio State? Maybe. Would Washington owner Dan Snyder let Haskins get traded for quarters on the dollar? That’s hard to know. Minimum price: 3rd-round pick or package of player/pick or multiple picks.
