A general manager who knows how to play their hand is at the core of every successful NFL team’s construction. If their team is on the verge of greatness, perhaps they’ll take a calculated risk and make a sizable bet on further success with an acquisition. If their team is flying around in the wind with no direction, it’s probably time to start considering trading assets off, understanding there’s likely little to play for in a lost season.
It’s a delicate and challenging balance to straddle, especially at the annual NFL trade deadline.
Today, we’re talking about the NFL teams in 2023 who should really consider waving the white flag ahead of this year’s Halloween trade deadline. Sure, they could technically save their respective seasons. All of the cliches about it not being over until it’s over and “playing to the whistle” apply. But this is the NFL, folks. We’re almost halfway through the year. The number of awful teams who turn their campaigns around on a dime after giving us plenty of horrific sample sizes is minimal historically.
The list below features five teams who should see the forest for the trees and start making proactive calls to “contenders” who need players to make a run. As Kenny Rogers once said: You’ve gotta know when to fold ’em.
Let’s dive in.
1
Chicago Bears (Record: 2-5)
Potential trade candidates: CB Jaylon Johnson, WR Darnell Mooney
Justin Fields is out indefinitely with a thumb injury. Meanwhile, the Bears are already three games behind for the NFC North lead and sit in 14th place in the overall NFC standings. Their remaining schedule isn’t all that daunting — there are just three current winning teams on their slate — but the Bears will still need to get unfathomably hot to dig out of their current hole. Chicago hasn’t won back-to-back games since December 2021.
If the Bears know what’s good for them, they’ll start to recoup assets where they can and look ahead to a near future where they might also have a new young quarterback to develop.
2
Tennessee Titans (Record: 2-4)
Potential trade candidates: RB Derrick Henry, WR DeAndre Hopkins
Ryan Tannehill’s injury has left the Titans grasping at straws. Until his return, they will be forced to lean on a weird (ineffective) amalgamation of young quarterbacks in Will Levis and Malik Willis. It will, more than likely, not go well. That in itself buries the lede that Tannehill has been terrible this year — he owns the league’s 31st-ranked passer rating and is probably washed up. Barring an unexpected supernova turn from one of Levis or Willis helping to lift the Titans through a remaining schedule that features six games (!) against current winning teams, they’re not going anywhere.
Their offensive roster has too many significant offensive flaws (can that line block anyone?) to say otherwise. The future in Nashville, if it hasn’t already arrived, should be ushered in with open arms.
3
Denver Broncos (Record: 2-5)
Potential trade candidates: WR Jerry Jeudy, CB Patrick Surtain II, OT Garett Bolles, S Justin Simmons
Sean Payton was supposed to revitalize Russell Wilson. He was supposed to give the Broncos the contending floor they thought they would have when they initially traded for the former Seattle Seahawks star. Instead, we’re almost halfway through the 2023 season, and all of Wilson’s passing numbers are vacuous on a 2-5 team that has no identity and does nothing well. Reality hits hard.
Beyond (somehow) moving on from Wilson this offseason, Denver and Payton simply have to start looking ahead to a new era with a new quarterback. That means offloading a bunch of underperforming veterans (Jeudy) and good soldiers who deserve a chance to contend elsewhere (Simmons) to help build a stockpile of draft picks. A firesale is the only feasible way Denver pulls itself out of the disastrous tailspin incited by an uninspiring Wilson any time soon.
No wonder Payton has driven around aimlessly for food he doesn’t even like. He understands what has to be done soon.
4
Arizona Cardinals (Record: 1-6)
Potential trade candidates: S Budda Baker, WR Marquise Brown, TE Zach Ertz
To start the 2023 season, the Cardinals looked feisty.
They gave everyone a good fight and even upset the (front-running) Dallas Cowboys. The bottom has fallen out ever since for Jonathan Gannon’s crew. Arizona has lost four consecutive games, all by double digits, and is playing more like the awful bottom-five squad most NFL observers initially expected. Kyler Murray might be making his fateful return from injury soon, but that’s more about helping him get his sea legs back for relevance in 2024. Murray’s return in itself isn’t worth keeping around what little talent there is on the Arizona roster for a season that’s already hit a brick wall.
5
New York Giants (Record: 2-5)
Potential trade candidates: RB Saquon Barkley, DE Leonard Williams, TE Darren Waller
I recognize that a recent (kind of?) competent stretch from Tyrod Taylor has Big Blue thinking about sneaking into the playoffs in a weak NFC. I’m here to remind Brian Daboll that snagging a last-ditch spot in the postseason isn’t worth not having a legitimate shot to find a new young franchise quarterback.
Injuries have certainly decimated what New York might have accomplished this season — particularly to left tackle Andrew Thomas and a franchise runner like Barkley. But most of its problems start and end with the signal callers. The Giants won’t be going anywhere until they have a long-term answer at quarterback. It’s plain and simple. Every game New York wins by the skin of its teeth against another mediocre team is a step away from locking in the franchise’s potential brighter future. A pursuit of a likely seventh seed shouldn’t even be in this equation.
It’s time for Daboll’s Giants to pull the plug on 2023 and start constructing a new foundation.
