The NFL season is in full swing with Week 6 kicking off on Thursday. With just under a month to the trade deadline, there are plenty of rumors flying around. From trade rumors to a never-ending 2024 free agent saga, we have all the latest buzz around the NFL for you today.
Let's dive into the latest on whether the Miami Dolphins could move Jaylen Waddle, theMinnesota Vikings' perspective on Carson Wentz, and Saquon Barkley's 2023 trade request.
Dolphins are unlikely to trade Jaylen Waddle despite possible calls
Amid a 1-4 start, nothing seems to be going right for the Dolphins. During a Monday night game against the New York Jets, Tyreek Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury. Many are wondering if Miami could enter a full rebuild, including moving off star receiver Jaylen Waddle.
While Waddle would surely have a robust trade market, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler doesn't think the Dolphins are likely to trade him.
"It would not surprise me if teams start to call on Miami receiver Jaylen Waddle if the Dolphins continue to struggle, though I highly doubt Miami would entertain that at this point, especially with Tyreek Hill out for the season," Fowler wrote.
A complete Dolphins teardown would certainly shake up the NFL trade deadline. However, it doesn't really make sense for Miami. Head coach Mike McDaniel is fighting for his job, and the organization wants to see if there's any future with him or Tua Tagovailoa.
Sure, it seems unlikely that there is a future with either the coach or QB, but taking away one of the few team's dependable weapons would not be ideal. Even without a Waddle trade, the Dolphins seem destined for a top-five pick.
Carson Wentz has impressed the Vikings amid McCarthy's injury
After J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury, veteran Carson Wentz took over the starting QB duties for the Minnesota Vikings. Wentz has posted a solid 2-1 record, throwing for 759 yards, five touchdowns, and completing 69 percent of his passes. And according to Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings are "very pleased" with Wentz.
How can you not be right? Wentz has somewhat struggled in terms of mobility, but for a backup QB, you couldn't ask for much more, and frankly, he looks better than McCarthy did in his first two games.
It is worth noting that Wentz himself suffered a shoulder injury during their Week 5 game against the Clevaland Browns. However, he later returned to action.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the original projection of McCarthy being sidelined for two to four weeks has now been increased to four to six weeks. McCarthy is set to return to practice during the Vikings' bye week. The Michigan product can return in Week 7, which has long been considered a target date for him. Nevertheless, per Russini, the Vikings won't rush him back if he's not ready.
Wentz might start one or two more games with the Vikings. Despite his impressive play, developing McCarthy has always been the priority for the Vikings. Even if Wentz's time as a starter is over, it's safe to say he stepped in and played his role to perfection.
Giants denied Saquon's trade request only to low-ball him
Saquon Barkley returns to MetLife Stadium to take his former team, the New York Giants, in a Thursday night showdown. He famously left the Giants to play for the division rival Philadelphia Eagles in the 2024 offseason, where he immediately won a Super Bowl and rushed for over 2,000 yards. However, Saquon reportedly asked out of New York before that, a request the Giants would decline.
On Thursday, Barkley will also be releasing a documentary on Amazon Prime titled Saquon. Per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, in the documentary, it was disclosed that Barkley asked Giants owner John Mara if he could be traded ahead of the 2023 season. Barkley also noted that he felt undervalued in contract negotiations.
"It was a joke," Barkley said of the discussions. "It really was a spit in my face. And then come out here and give me the ball 35 times. They really don't appreciate me to be completely honest. They think they are trying to run me into the dirt, get what they can get and then hopefully something bad happens so he can f--king go somewhere else."
Saquon reportedly asked Mara if he could seek a trade in 2023 following failed extension negotiations. However, Mara said he was too valuable to the franchise. Mara's actions didn't match his words, though.
The Giants have long been maligned for their handling of the Saquon situation, but now it looks even worse. New York offered Saquon $25 million guaranteed over three years, to which he took an extra million with the Eagles, a situation that offered him a better chance to compete. The Eagles followed this up with a two-year $41.2 million extension the following spring, including $36 guaranteed money. This extension is something that the Giants would have been unlikely to do.
While their final offer was only slightly less than the Eagles, New York should have done more to keep Saquon, given how much they supposedly valued him. If the Giants weren't prepared to go all-in to keep Saquon, it makes you wonder why they didn't explore trade offers, especially if he was open to them. Leaving to play for the Eagles always made sense football-wise, and now it's even harder not to side with Saquon.