3 wild blockbuster NFL trades that would actually make sense before deadline

We are a little more than a month away from the NFL trade deadline, which means front offices the league over are combing the marketplace in search of smart upgrades. The NFL is probably the worst major American sports league when it comes to blockbuster trades — we don't see many proper stars change teams midseason — but it does happen.

We are far enough into the season now to know which teams are on the right path, and which teams need to shake it up. There are teams that feel a piece or two away from contention. Others need to blow it up and look to the future.

As the winds of change start to howl during this season of spooks, we have NFL rumors aplenty to sort through. Several big names are starting to percolate in the news and it's only a matter of time until the first domino falls.

These trades probably don't qualify as likely for one reason or another, but they'd all be logical and potentially beneficial to both sides. Let's dive in.

3. Rams hit the reset button with Matthew Stafford trade to Steelers

The Los Angeles Rams are struggling to overcome an onslaught of injuries to the WR room and offensive line. Matthew Stafford has done his best to captain a sinking ship, but it sure does feel like it's time to hit the reset button. This Rams team is no longer in the contenders circle and Stafford, at 36 years old, only has so much time left in the NFL.

He deserves to go out swinging with a real team. The Pittsburgh Steelers don't qualify as an elite offense, but the defense is good enough to sustain a winner. For years now, it has felt like Pittsburgh was a quarterback away. The team is presently 3-1 with Justin Fields under center, but we can be honest. Pittsburgh has won despite mediocre QB play, not because of it.

Fields is coming off his best statistical performance in a long time and it was also the Steelers' first loss. The offense could use another gear, which Stafford, even as an NFL elder statesman, can still provide. He's one of the sharpest quarterbacks of his generation, possessing a live arm and 5G processing speeds. Stafford's ability to read the field, improvise in the pocket, and deliver passes at funky angles is special.

Put a real supporting cast around him, and Stafford can absolutely lead a team deep into the playoffs. Pittsburgh should be on the lookout for improvements in the WR room and on the O-line, and we can always quibble with Arthur Smith's play-calling, but Stafford is the real deal and he gives the Steelers a proper top-10 QB to build around, even if it's only for a couple years.

2. Jets could get a haul for trading Breece Hall to the Cowboys

It has been something of a muted season so far for Breece Hall — 174 yards and two touchdowns on the ground through four weeks — but the third-year RB is among the most explosive playmakers in the sport. When he gets running room behind a solid O-line, Hall is a constant threat to break through for chunk gains. He has true workhorse ability and profiles as arguably the most essential weapon on the New York Jets roster not named Aaron Rodgers.

So, why would New York trade him?

Well, because it's smart business nowadays to sell high on a running back before he starts asking for significant money. And frankly, the Jets already have Hall's replacement lined up. Braelon Allen, their latest fourth-round pick, is averaging 4.8 yards per carry through four weeks. At 6-foot-1 and 238 pounds, Allen has done a bit of everything. He's explosive between the tackles, physical through contact, and perfectly comfortable as a pass-catcher. It's not hard to imagine him stepping into Hall's bell cow role.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are completely devoid of dependable options at RB. Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle just aren't getting the job done. We are used to this Cowboys team milking the run game more than most teams, but even with a veteran offensive line and an offense geared toward a strong run presence, Dallas just can't establish much success in that department. There are several factors behind the Cowboys' slower-than-expected start this season, but the complete lack of a run game is certainly one of the most notable.

Hall would immediately transform the Cowboys' offense. He's more than a Tony Pollard replacement — he's an upgrade, giving Dallas a 23-year-old, live-wire athlete to reorient their offense around. Hall immediately relieves pressure from Dak Prescott's shoulders and gives the Cowboys' offensive line a more elusive runner to block for.

New York gets a healthy return, including a new second RB in Dowdle, and the Cowboys get their long-overdue star halfback. It's a win-win.

1. Chiefs can justify the expense to pair Raiders' Davante Adams with Patrick Mahomes

Davante Adams has reportedly told the Las Vegas Raiders he would prefer a trade. The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0, but that serves mostly as a shield for middling output from Patrick Mahomes and a clear deficiency in the pass-catching corps. Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice will both miss significant time moving forward and Travis Kelce hasn't quite looked himself. There's plenty to like about Xavier Worthy, but he's too young, too boom-or-bust, to lead the WR room by himself.

Davante Adams immediately gives Mahomes the established WR1 he has lacked the last couple years. Sure, there are age and injury concerns at 32, but Adams went for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns last season with Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O'Connell under center. We know Adams can develop productive bonds with a highly improvisational quarterback who loves to change things at the line of scrimmage and create plays on the fly. We've seen it with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, and we'd surely see it again in Kansas City.

The Chiefs have done cap gymnastics all summer to navigate the absurd volume of money allocated to their star players. Adams is due a guaranteed $23.4 million this season, which would certainly complicate the books. There's a reason the Chiefs haven't just signed a high-level wideout in free agency.

That said, we are talking about a Kansas City team on the verge of history. There's no reason to pinch pennies and get cheap. Adams would cost an arm and a leg, but it's worth it if the end result is another Super Bowl. Adams wants to play for a contender and the Chiefs desperately need pass-catching help to aid Mahomes. This is a natural fit in every way except financially.