We’ve already seen a flurry of NFL trade deadline activity this week as the Falcons traded Mohamed Sanu to the Patriots, the Broncos traded Emmanuel Sanders to the 49ers, and the Lions traded Quandre Diggs to the Seahawks.
The swapping is expected to continue, as one GM told NBC Sports’ Peter King this week that he expects there to be 10 more sizable trades in the league.
Any and all teams that find themselves under the .500 mark are expected to be sellers, and that includes the Giants – who have now lost three games in a row.
Golden Tate, who was traded from the Lions to the Eagles last year at the deadline, becomes a prime candidate to be traded as Dave Gettleman will be looking to stock up on draft picks. Tate was traded for a third round pick last October, and would likely fetch a similar return this time around.
Tate voiced some frustration with his situation in New York this week, saying that he “didn’t come here to lose.”
Teams that could be interested in acquiring Tate in the coming days are the following teams: the Lions, Bills and Steelers.
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Detroit’s curious trade of Diggs this week screams that Bob Quinn is clearing cap space to make a secondary move (a la what the Rams did last week when they traded away Marcus Peters, only to bring in Jalen Ramsey).
Tate would welcome a return to the Lions, as this past summer he called Matthew Stafford “the best quarterback he ever played with.”
The Lions, who are Patriots-lite with the way they operate, are taking cues from Bill Belichick in that they won’t be afraid to bring back players they recently exiled. Linebacker Jamie Collins, who was traded away at the deadline several years back, returned to New England this season and is thriving on the Patriots’ record-setting defense.
A Tate return to Detroit would make all parties happy.
The Bills are another team that may inquire about Tate’s services in the coming days as Josh Allen is in desperate need of more weapons. Buffalo has just over $24 million in cap space and could easily absorb Tate’s contract.
General manager Brandon Beane has not been shy about making deals in the past, and the pressure is now on to keep pace with New England – which just made the move for Sanu.
Finally, the Steelers are a dark horse to make a trade for a receiver early next week. Pittsburgh will likely mop the floor with the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, pushing them to 3-4 and right back into the playoff picture.
The Steelers are in need of a secondary option at wide receiver behind JuJu Smith Schuster as James Washington hasn’t yet panned out.
