Top 5 NFL trades as final rosters are assembled around the league
Top 5 NFL trades at 2022 roster cuts: CB Trayvon Mullen to the Arizona Cardinals
Pick Analysis. CB. Cardinals. 4. player. 32. Scouting Report. Trayvon Mullen
Cardinals get:
- CB Trayvon Mullen
Raiders get:
- Conditional 2023 7th-round pick (can become 6th)
One of the most surprising trades before roster cuts were finalized was the Las Vegas Raiders giving up on former second-round pick Trayvon Mullen, sending him to the Arizona Cardinals for essentially nothing of significant value. Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who has significant say with personnel although the Raiders do have a general manager (fellow former Patriot Dave Ziegler), has never been shy about making bold moves with his roster.
The Raiders also cut 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood. Brutal.
Nevertheless, the cornerback position in Arizona needed an upgrade in the worst way, and this was one way to go about adding some nice talent at a really reduced price. The Cardinals also swung a trade for former second-round offensive lineman Cody Ford and have been really wheeling and dealing under GM Steve Keim.
I like this move for Arizona and certainly don’t love it for the Raiders. It’s a very worthwhile risk for the cornerback-needy Cardinals.
Top 5 NFL trades at roster cuts: WR Jalen Reagor to the Minnesota Vikings
Jalen Reagor. 3. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. WR. 60. Vikings
Vikings get:
- WR Jalen Reagor
Eagles get:
- 2023 7th-round pick
- 2024 4th-round pick (can become a 5th if Reagor doesn’t meet certain statistical marks)
For me personally, this is the kind of trade I love to see NFL teams make, regardless if it’s happening early in the offseason, at roster cuts, or during the year. Jalen Reagor has plenty of talent but hasn’t been able to put it together as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. General manager Howie Roseman has reloaded his receiver position and didn’t need to rely on Reagor’s development anymore, so he sent him to a new city.
Reagor will start off as WR4 and a return specialist for the Vikings, but for the 4th-round lottery ticket, this is a worthwhile risk/reward proposition. The Vikings are getting a former first-round pick that their new front office and holdovers from the previous regime may have graded highly. Reagor has the type of explosiveness and after-the-catch potential to excel in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Even if it doesn’t work out, the Vikings are out — at worst — a day three pick.
From the Eagles’ perspective, the tough part is giving up on a former first-round pick. That’s a gut punch. At the same time, Howie Roseman is getting a decent pick in return for Reagor when a lot of other players are getting traded for way less these days.