Who will be buyers, sellers before NFL trade deadline?
As the Nov. 3 NFL trade deadline approaches, let's look at who the buyers and sellers could be.
Week 7 of the NFL season has come and gone, with only Monday night's game between the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams left to play out.
With seven weeks in the books, the NFL's haves and have-nots are becoming more clear, meaning that with a week left until the Nov. 3 NFL trade deadline we are getting a good sense of who will be buying and who will be selling at the deadline.
The Baltimore Ravens already made a move, acquiring pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue from the Minnesota Vikings. Some contenders like the 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Bears and others potentially are in the market to game a season-defining move.
On the other side of the coin, the Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and others have fallen flat on their face and are looking to recoup assets for the future.
The 49ers now sit at 4-3 and could be in the market for a deal, although they have spent a fair amount of draft capital on trades in recent years and would prefer not to venture too far down that road again.
Position: Seller
Bill O'Brien is gone, but he gutted the Texans' draft assets before he departed. Now, the Texans (1-6) are without a first- and second-round pick in 2021 and have little around franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson.
A rebuild feels like it's on the way, or at least a retooling on the fly. They'll need draft picks to do that so don't be surprised if they sell off some players like Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks, Duke Johnson, Whitney Mercilus and Daniel Fells to get what they can.
Potential 49ers targets:
Will Fuller ($10.162 million cap hit)
Duke Johnson (if running back injuries continue to pile up)
Position: Buyers
They are 5-2 and clearly atop the AFC East. Now comes the next part, winning in the playoffs.
There's a reason the Bills kicked the tires on running back Le'Veon Bell. They need to upgrade their running game and also could be in the market for a new slot corner. Taron Johnson has been picked on all year in coverage.
Position: Sellers-ish
The Bengals are 1-5-1 and rebuilding around star rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. They have a host of disgruntled veterans like Carlos Dunlap, A.J. Green, John Ross and Geno Atkins who would love to be moved.
Green isn't going anywhere. His cap number is too high for what he has shown on the field this season. Atkins is hurt and Dunlap is an infernal pain in the rear who has been doing his best Antonio Brown impression.
The Bengals have only made one in-season trade in 34 years. It's just not their style.
Potential 49ers targets
John Ross ($5.445 million cap hit), Carlos Dunlap ($10.987 million cap hit)
Position: Reluctant buyer who is willing to sell
Look, someone has to win the NFC East, it's in the rules. I wish it weren't, but it is.
The Eagles have the best shot at winning the division of the four teams. The Dallas Cowboys are a complete disaster, the New York Giants lack talent and I'll believe Kyle Allen can win a division when I see it.
Philly needs to put some help around Carson Wentz in order to win the division and try to make some noise in the playoffs. A move to bolster the Eagles' battered offensive line or receiving corps could be in the works.
They also need to add some linebacker help on defense. Now, the Eagles shouldn't be selling off important draft capital to get 7-8-1, but they have to do something to help out Wentz.
They'd probably like to find a way to dump wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, but that seems unlikely.
Position: Take everything including Adam Gase, but don't touch Mekhi Becton
Look, the New York Jets are a tire fire and general manager Joe Douglas will be taking calls on anyone and everyone except for Mekhi Becton, Denzel Mims and Ashtyn Davis, all of whom he drafted this past season.
What else do the Jets have to offer? Would they move on from Quinnen Williams? Reports suggest he's available for multiple second-round picks, but he's a talented defensive tackle and that feels like it would be a mistake.
Other than Williams, the Jets don't have much teams will covet. It's doubtful they move quarterback Sam Darnold now and they really don't have any other pieces worth calling about.
Potential 49ers targets
Quinnen Williams ($7.483 million, if he's really available)
Position: Buyers ... maybe
The Lions are under a strict mandate from ownership to compete for the playoffs, which means they'll probably be buying, especially if they grab a win this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
Detroit is in the market for a defensive end, a linebacker and perhaps another tight end. The Lions have veterans that could fetch a solid haul in Marvin Jones and Duron Harmon, but that would push them closer to a rebuild than contention.
The Lions will make a deal, like they usually do. It seems like that move will be to try and make a push for a wild-card spot.
Position: Sellers
The Vikings are in a tough spot. They have the least amount of salary-cap space in the NFL, a roster of high-priced veterans and they currently are going nowhere.
They dumped Ngakoue to the Ravens, but will that be their only move? CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reported that other teams have inquired about players like Adam Thielen, although it seems unlikely the wide receiver will be moved. La Canfora reported that safety Harrison Smith, tight end Kyle Rudolph and left tackle Riley Reiff could be available.
Potential 49ers targets
None
Position: Soft buyers
The 49ers are back in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt after back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.
While the 49ers are a bit tight as it pertains to the cap, they could look to pick up a wide receiver at the deadline, especially if it turns out Deebo Samuel will miss significant time with a hamstring injury.
They also could be in the market for a defensive end, interior offensive lineman or a cornerback.
We know the 49ers would like to move on from Dante Pettis, although it's unclear what they could get for him in return.
Could the 49ers make a call to the Bengals for Ross or Dunlap? Perhaps, although the latter seems unlikely. What about a guy like Will Fuller or Kenny Stills? Perhaps a running back should injuries continue to mount?
The 49ers would probably like to make a deal to boost their playoff possibilities, but they'll have to find the right dance partner first.
