NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
*All stats/grades are via PFF
The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching. Super Bowl contending teams will look for the “missing piece” that will hopefully push them over the edge. Teams heading towards a rebuild will look to unload expensive contracts and gain valuable draft capital.
Washington is in a unique position. Sitting at 3-4 they are still in the thick of things for a possible wild card spot. However, ugly losses to the Bills, Bears, and Giants have many feeling the season is already over. I believe they would be wise to move off some pieces to both gain draft picks and free up future cap space.
Here are four players Washington should consider moving ahead of the October 31st trade deadline.
Montez Sweat
It’s not realistic to think Washington can pay everyone on the defensive line. The emergence of Chase Young through seven games likely means Sweat will be the odd man out. Teams will always have an interest in trading for a high-end edge rusher, especially Super Bowl contenders. Last season, according to Adam Schefter, the Rams offered the Panthers 2 first-round picks and a second-rounder for Brian Burns.
Sweat has been one of the best run-defending edge rushers in the league. Burns has failed to reach a run defense grade of even 60 in three of his first four seasons (58.5 this season). Though Burns has been the more consistent pass rusher, there isn’t a massive difference on that end.
While Burns had one year left on his contract when the Rams made their offer, I think Sweat could warrant a 1st rounder. Even if it is just a 2nd, Washington should jump on that offer. Nothing is worse than refusing an offer just to let said player walk in free agency that offseason.
Logan Thomas
Thomas currently has 23 receptions (14th) for 236 yards (13th) and 2 TDs (T-8th). Even his 71.5 run blocking grade is ranked 8th highest. By most metrics, Thomas has been an above-average TE. While he won’t warrant much in return, it might be smart to move off the 32-year-old now while he still has some value.
The main reason is Cole Turner. He has seen very little playing time since being drafted. However, Turner has certainly flashed every time he has been on the field. Due to Logan Thomas’ age, Washington will be looking for a new tight end in the near future. Why not see if Turner can fill that role?
Antonio Gibson
The Antonio Gibson experiment has been an interesting one. The Memphis product made a full-time transition to running back when he entered the NFL. After his impressive rookie season, he has struggled to hold onto the ball and match his play from that year. I thought Bieniemy would use him in a different role in 2023. While he has been more involved in the passing game, it’s not as much as he should be.
Through seven games, Gibson has 15 receptions for 157 yards and a TD. As a runner, he has only managed 76 yards on 18 attempts with 0 TDs and 3 fumbles. His 50.3 rushing grade ranks 107th of 115 running backs.
Gibson will likely be in a different uniform in 2024, so why not see what price you can get for him? While it wouldn’t be much, something is better than nothing.
Daron Payne
Now this one will upset most of the fan base. After a career year, Payne inked his name on a 4-year, $90 million deal with $45 million guaranteed. In February, I wrote about whether or not Washington should give him a 2nd contract. I highlighted how some advanced metrics/statistics made me hesitant to believe Payne could replicate his 2022 production. I felt tagging him was the best course of action for the organization.
Through seven games, Payne has only managed 13 pressures and 1 sack. His 56.1 pass-rush grade ranks 100th out of 138 DTs. His pass-rush win rate of just 4.1% ranks 99th. In the past few seasons, Payne has struggled in run defense (53.1 in 2021 and 51.2 in 2022). However, that has improved this season. His 65.9 grade in this area ranks 31st.
If Washington is headed towards a rebuild, moving off of a big contract like Payne’s would be a smart move. Based on his first four seasons and how he’s started this year, I am concerned if Payne will live up to his $22 million per year deal. I also believe they could get a decent return if they did move him.
