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The NFL trade deadline traditionally doesn't bring about the flurry of activity that trade deadlines in other sports do. However, this year could be the start of a new trend. At the very least, the lead up to the 2018 trade deadline—which is at 4 p.m. ET on October 30—has been unusually active.
We've already seen players like Carlos Hyde, Amari Cooper and Damon Harrison moved, and there are five days to go.
Whether or not we actually see more headline-grabbing moves, the rumor mill will keep churning until the deadline strikes. We're here to examine some of the latest trade rumors heading into the weekend.
Demaryius Thomas Not on the Block
The Denver Broncos are still technically in the playoff hunt at 3-4, but their chances of overtaking the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West are extremely slim. A loss to the Chiefs this weekend could essentially end Denver's bid in the division.
Therefore, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Denver shipping off some of its assets it doesn't see as part of the future for the right price. Wideout Demaryius Thomas could be just such a piece.
The 30-year-old receiver has a year left on his contract after this season but just $3.53 million of dead cap on that deal. He could be a cap casualty in the spring, anyway, so moving him would make a ton of sense.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, "several teams" have inquired about Thomas.
However, the Broncos aren't actively shopping Thomas and do not have immediate plans to move him, per Mike Klis of 9 News Denver:
There's a big difference between actively shopping a player and listening to offers, and if the right one comes along, Thomas could still be on the move. Heading into Sunday's game with the Chiefs, though, the Broncos likely believe they still have a shot this season and will want to hang onto one of their better offensive pieces.
Teams Interested in DeVante Parker
Thomas is the kind of veteran receiver contending teams could view as a final piece. Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker, on the other hand, is the kind of young receiver teams could look to coax the potential from.
Parker hasn't seen the field much this season—just two games and two receptions—he is a former first-round pick who has flashed that potential in the past. This recently led Parker's agent to come out and criticize Dolphins head coach Adam Gase for not playing Parker against the Detroit Lions in Week 7.
Parker, for his part, has tried to distance himself from his agent's stance.
"I can't control what he says," Parker said, per Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com. "I didn't feel that way about coach. That's his own opinion."
Regardless of how Parker actually feels about his coach, the Dolphins are listening to offers for him. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Miami has heard from multiple teams about Parker, including the Philadelphia Eagles:
Eagles Also Looking to Cornerback Help
Like the Broncos, the Eagles are sitting at 3-4 and are facing the prospect of the division getting away from them. However, the defending Super Bowl champions are in the middle of their championship window and are more likely to be buyers than sellers before the deadline.
"They're motivated," CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora recently told 94WIP's Marks & Reese Show. "They know where their holes are. They're always among the most proactive organizations in the league. They have forward-thinking evaluators and decision-makers, and they have an owner who is willing to spend."
In addition to showing interest in Parker, Philadelphia would like some secondary help, per La Canfora:
Shoring up the back end of the defense, which is surrendering 269.7 yards per game through the air (24th in the NFL), could help the Eagles get their season back on track.
Any new addition would have some time to learn the playbook too, as Philadelphia will follow Sunday's London game with the Jacksonville Jaguars with their bye week.
We don't typically see a lot of trade action during the NFL season, but we've already seen some significant moves in 2018. In the past week alone, Carlos Hyde, Eli Apple and Amari Cooper have all received shipping orders.
Damon Harrison was traded from the New York Giants to the Detroit Lions on Wednesday morning, according to Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com.
This year's trade deadline is rapidly approaching—4 p.m. ET on October 30—and it appears likely several more deals are upcoming. There has certainly been no shortage of rumors, and we're going to dig into some of the latest here.
Le'Veon Bell Not Showing Before Trade Deadline.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell has yet to sign his franchise tender or return to the team this season. This means he cannot be traded until/unless he does, and this gives him a lot of control over his immediate future.
According to NFL Media's Jim Trotter, Bell isn't going to report in Week 8:
Though Bell stated earlier that he would return during Pittsburgh's bye week, he did not. The idea that he won't be returning this week either suggests that Bell is trying to avoid being traded.
He'll miss another $853,000 game check by not playing the Cleveland Browns, but he'll also ensure he finishes the season in Pittsburgh or nowhere.
Considering second-year back James Conner is playing well right now—he already has 453 yards rushing, 257 yards receiving and seven touchdowns—the Steelers may not be that interested in bringing Bell back if they cannot trade him.
Giants are Open for Business
As previously mentioned, the New York Giants have already traded away cornerback Eli Apple and defensive tackle Damon Harrison.
According to CBS Sports' Jason La Canford, this could be nothing more than the start of a fire sale in the Big Apple:
The Giants are sitting at 1-6 and are staring down a lost season. Therefore, it makes sense to see them moving assets ahead of the deadline. However, teams hoping to make an offer for quarterback Eli Manning will likely be disappointed.
"It's hard to imagine being with another organization," Manning told WFAN (h/t Ralph Vacchiano of SportsNet New York).
Manning possesses a no-trade clause in his contract, so if he doesn't want to be moved this year, the Giants will have no say in the matter.
Manning will have just $6.2 million in dead cap space remaining on his contract after this season, making it more likely that the Giants will part with Manning at the start of the new league year and turn their attention to the draft.
Raiders Not Done Dealing Either, Could Trade Joseph
The Oakland Raiders got themselves a first-round pick by trading wideout Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys. They got two first-rounders before the start of the season by dealing star pass-rusher Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears.
These moves left the Raiders without two of their better players, but it also netted the team three additional first-round picks. Oakland will have three first-rounders next spring and will have five picks in the next two years.
The 1-5 Raiders are apparently still trying to gather draft ammunition in advance of their move to Las Vegas, and safety Karl Joseph could be the next trade chip to be pushed in, according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Joseph hasn't made a notable impact for Oakland this season, so moving him does make sense for the Raiders. However, they cannot expect another first-round exchange for a player who has logged just 139 tackles and two interceptions in two-and-a-half seasons.
Teams looking for secondary depth and/or for the opportunity to unlock Joseph's potential could still bite.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, everyone in Oakland is available right now.
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