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Yesterday, we looked at nine receiver trades that should happen. Today: Other positions, including potential deals for Maxx Crosby and Myles Garrett.

Six trades that should happen

Inspired by Browns beat reporter Zac Jackson’s look at what it would take to deal Myles Garrett, I dreamed up six potential trades that could shake up the NFL landscape before the deadline in two weeks.

We’ll start in Cleveland, where Zac has “shifted from thinking there’s almost no way a Garrett trade happens to believing the Browns have to at least participate in the varied discussions surrounding it.” 👀

Let’s say the Bears acquire DE Myles Garrett, sending the Browns two first-round picks (2025 and 2026) and rookie DE Austin Booker. Chicago has long needed help on its defensive line, missing on DE Matthew Judon this offseason, though in hindsight, last year’s trade for DE Montez Sweat (second-round pick) was a savvy move by GM Ryan Poles. There’s no help better than Garrett, a one-man wrecking crew.

Per Spotrac, his cap hit is reasonable ($800K in 2024, $19.5M in 2025 and $25.5M in 2026) and — though his nagging foot injuries are concerning — teams rarely get a chance to add the NFL’s best defender in his prime. And of course, Cleveland would need to be willing to part with the future Hall of Famer. Remember what they made Joe Thomas endure?

If this unfolds, the Bears would still hold the Panthers’ 2025 second-round pick, which could be as good as No. 33, and have $72 million in cap space next year, two reasons why this wouldn’t be a Khalil Mack-style gamble for Chicago. At 28, Garrett should remain one of the league’s best for another three to four years, which fits into the Bears’ Super Bowl window with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze on rookie contracts. Capitalize, Chicago!

Jets add Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley and … OK, I won’t count this as one of our six actual suggestions. The only update on Aaron Rodgers’ current team having connections with his old team? The Packers brought Robert Saleh into practice for insight on offense. Yes, you read that right. Insight on offense! Now back to the serious proposals.

Eagles acquire DE Maxx Crosby, sending the Raiders a 2025 first, fourth and fifth-round pick, plus a 2026 second-rounder. Hear me out. GM Howie Roseman has a history of successfully acquiring big-name, win-now talent — A.J. Brown cost a first and third in 2022 — and has two extra fifths this year, plus the Jets’ third in 2026. Crosby would need to accept a contract restructure, but he’d give Philly a needed edge rusher to improve its middling pass rush (15th in pass rush win rate) and give himself a shot at a Super Bowl.

Ravens add S Budda Baker, sending 2025 third- and fifth-round picks to the Cardinals. Baltimore should gain four compensatory draft picks for 2025, giving them plenty of assets to upgrade a secondary allowing a league-high 287.1 passing yards per game. Free agent addition S Eddie Jackson has not worked out: PFF ranks him 127th out of 140 safeties. Baker (36th) offers a massive upgrade, and if the 28-year-old impending free agent signs elsewhere after the season, the Ravens could recoup yet another compensatory pick.

Rams acquire QB Bryce Young, sending the Panthers a sixth-round pick in 2025. Carolina gets Young’s cap hit — $10 million in 2025 — off its books and can move on to a new rebuilding phase, while Sean McVay’s Rams give Young the chance to develop behind Matthew Stafford until 2026, when the then 38-year-old’s contract guarantees end. If Kupp’s $29 million 2025 cap hit leaves soon via trade, Young’s salary wouldn’t be an issue in LA. If anyone can discover for sure whether the former No. 1 pick still has potential, McVay can.

This week, Young gets one more audition for his next team. After Andy Dalton’s car accident (Dalton will be fine, Carolina indicates), Young returns to the field this Sunday against the Broncos — a nightmare matchup, as Denver is blitzing on a league-high 44.3 percent of dropbacks, allowing an NFL low 4.4 yards per play and ranking third in defensive DVOA (-15.6 percent). One Panthers commenter on The Athletic said it well: “Great, now instead of losing 45-20 we’re going to lose 45-3.”

Lions add DE Za’Darius Smith and a sixth-round pick, sending the Browns a 2025 fourth-round pick. As Colton Pouncy explains in his review of the Lions’ options to replace Aidan Hutchinson, it’s “hard to think of a better fit than Smith. He’s 6-4, 275 pounds, can defend the run, had 60 pressures and a pass-rush win rate of 18.5 percent last year.” As a 32-year-old, soon-to-be free agent, Smith fits the bill of a one-year rental, and while GM Brad Holmes is not afraid of big-ticket moves, this aligns with his steady approach in Detroit.

What Dianna’s Hearing: After Saquon’s revenge, Giants holding steady

Three days after John Mara watched Saquon Barkley run all over MetLife Stadium (the Giants co-owner’s personal nightmare scenario), he addressed the future of GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll on Wednesday, saying he still has “confidence in both of them.”

It’s early, and things could change for 2-5 New York, but that is the first big endorsement we have seen this year.

Back to you, Jacob.

Rams-Vikings: What to watch

Tonight’s game starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with the 5-1 Vikings visiting the 2-4 Rams. As of publishing, BetMGM has Minnesota as three-point favorites. Here’s one thing to watch from each team:

How does the Vikings defense respond? In their game predictions, Alec Lewis and Jon Krawczynski note that last week, “the Lions generated the highest explosive-play rate of any offense against Brian Flores since he became the Vikings’ defensive coordinator in 2023.” Outlier, or can McVay and Stafford duplicate the results?

Cooper Kupp. He’s healthy, reportedly on the trade block and should immediately return to producing, especially with WR Jordan Whittington ruled out with a shoulder injury. In Kupp’s only healthy game this year, he saw 21 targets, catching 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.

We could also see the return of TE T.J. Hockenson, who was limited in practice all week and remains questionable with a knee injury. As for Puka Nacua (knee, questionable), I doubt he plays, given what Jourdan Rodrigue explained here.

Around the NFL

The Seahawks traded for LB Ernest Jones IV, sending the Titans LB Jerome Baker and a fourth-round draft pick. Jones, a third-round pick in 2021, was Tennessee’s second-leading tackler and has a PFF grade (62.5) that ranks 71st of 150.

Yesterday’s most-clicked: Jake Ciely’s Week 8 Fantasy Rankings.

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(Photo: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)