NFL Rumors: Chiefs trade pivot, Vikings blockbuster target, Raiders fire sale

We are roughly a little over two weeks out from the trade deadline, which means stuff is happening. A lot of it. There are NFL rumors aplenty to dive into as we reach the point in the season where the pretenders start to separate from the contenders.

We have already seen desperation manifest in the form of two blockbuster WR trades, with Davante Adams going to the New York Jets and Amari Cooper going to the Buffalo Bills. Those trades set the ball in motion, but expect several more high-profile transactions before the final buzzer on Nov. 5.

Here is the latest hubbub from league circles.

NFL Rumors: Maxx Crosby could end up on trade block as Raiders reset

The Las Vegas Raiders made the first of what could be several trades by sending Davante Adams to the Jets for a conditional third-round pick. All things considered, it's a nice haul for the aging wideout in the final year of his contract, especially coming off of an injury. The expectation was to win with Antonio Pierce at the helm, but it's clear this Las Vegas squad is not built to win at the highest level.

As such, a teardown could be in order. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler hints at a potential fire sale in Las Vegas between now and the deadline. He even openly wonders if the Detroit Lions should call about All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby after the season-ending injury suffered by Aidan Hutchinson over the weekend.

While Fowler ultimately believes Crosby is off the table — or at least exceedingly difficult to attain — the mere mention of Crosby's name in connection to trade rumors is a shock. Las Vegas is 2-4, but trading Crosby with a couple years left on his contract would signal a shocking lack of faith in the future.

Crosby has made three straight Pro Bowl appearances and he's on track for No. 4, having picked up 5.5 sacks through six weeks. He finished fourth in DPOY voting a season ago. Few edge rushers play with a more potent blend of physicality, explosiveness, and sheer ferocity. Crosby would make the Lions — or any team — significantly better upon his arrival.

NFL Rumors: Budda Baker tied to Vikings as potential trade deadline target

The Arizona Cardinals are approaching free fall, which makes veteran safety Budda Baker an especially compelling trade candidate. At 28, Baker is in the final year of his contract and there's no traction on a new deal with the Cardinals. He comes highly decorated, with six Pro Bowls in eight NFL seasons, so several contenders will come knocking.

One potential suitor, as outlined by Justin Melo of The Draft Network, is the Minnesota Vikings.

"The aging Harrison Smith is still competing at a high level. Camryn Bynum has developed into a starting-caliber safety opposite him, but acquiring a chess piece like Baker would allow Flores to deploy more three-safety sets. One of the most creative defensive minds in the entire league, Flores would understand how to utilize Baker's skill set around the line of scrimmage to help his struggling back end."

Minnesota is 5-0 going into a critical Week 7 showdown with the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are the last undefeated team standing in the NFC and have a chance to keep this momentum going with a victory on Sunday. The schedule softens up considerably after Week 7 and Minnesota has two of the game's brightest minds — Kevin O'Connell on offense and Brian Flores on defense — calling the shots.

Baker has made his impression for the Cardinals this season despite Arizona's collective struggles. He has 60 tackles through six weeks and has performed commendably in pass coverage. Should Arizona decide to smash the reset button, the time is now for Minnesota to go all-out at the trade deadline. This team is the real deal.

NFL Rumors: Chiefs could turn to Diontae Johnson after Jets, Bills trade for WRs

Davante Adams and Amari Cooper are officially (and predictably) off the table for the Kansas City Chiefs, which restricts their options in the WR room. Brett Veach is one of the best, but he's dealing with an inflated cap sheet and very little maneuverability. Both Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice are done for the season, though, so there is immense pressure to improve the pass-catching corps around Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs have jogged out to a 5-0 start, which should sufficiently scare the NFL after back-to-back Super Bowl victories, but that does not mean we can discount the obvious holes in the roster. Kansas City has been dragged to victory by its stalwart defense. The offense has underperformed relative to our expectations for an Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes team. The latter has struggled with footwork and efficiency, no doubt connected on some level to his lack of dependable options.

One realistic target, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, is Carolina Panthers wideout Diontae Johnson.

"Carolina's Diontae Johnson would be a good fit, but his base salary is $7 million and the Panthers do not seem eager to deal him just yet."

Johnson has come alive after the Panthers' switch from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton. The 28-year-old would pretty clearly be the top receiver on Kansas City's roster, but his affordable contract makes him a hot commodity, and Carolina's apparent disinterest in trading Johnson complicates the pathway for Kansas City.

Never say never, but the Chiefs could be out of luck.