NFL Rumors: Davante Adams trade buzz, Aiyuk latest, Judon considered Bears

We have no shortage of compelling storylines through two weeks of preseason football. The NFL rumors never really stop, they simply go through different phases. We aren't in the thick of free agency, but there are still active trade requests, last-second maneuvers, and roster trims to discuss.

Here is the latest buzz from around the NFL.

NFL Rumors: Bears were on the table before Matthew Judon-Falcons trade

The New England Patriots traded Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons last week in exchange for a third-round pick. It was not the most fulfilling trade for New England fans, but it was entirely necessary. Judon is entering the final year of his contract and the Pats aren't in a position to justifiably extend the 32-year-old. With four Pro Bowls on his resumé, Judon is searching for his first Super Bowl. The Falcons present a realistic path to contention.

Before landing with Atlanta, however, Judon was offered a choice — the Falcons or the Chicago Bears, who both offered third-round picks, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. It's rather obvious which team he landed on.

Both Atlanta and Chicago present compelling upside in the wide-open NFC. The Falcons have a more experienced QB in Kirk Cousins, but No. 1 pick Caleb Williams has looked more than capable in preseason action. The Bears' offense is stacked with talent and Chicago has invested considerable resources on the defensive end since the 2023 trade deadline. In due time, we could view Judon's decision to join Atlanta, rather than Chicago, as one of the season's most compelling 'what if' junctures. A real sliding doors moment.

The Falcons aren't short on offensive talent either. Both Raheem Morris and Matt Eberflus are coaches known for their defensive prowess. Judon addresses a glaring hole in the Falcons' defense. He was joined shortly thereafter by another former Pro Bowl defender in Justin Simmons, who inked a one-year contract with Atlanta. The Falcons aren't messing around this season.

For Judon, what it probably came down to was playing the odds. Atlanta is a considerable frontrunner in the NFC South, while the Bears face an uphill battle to win the NFC North with Detroit and Green Bay in the mix. That won't preclude the Bears from a Wild Card push, but the Falcons are in pole position to host a playoff game. That can change — little is guaranteed at this point — but Atlanta's path to Super Bowl contention is cleaner.

Judon only appeared in four games last season due to injury, but the 2022 campaign marked his fourth straight Pro Bowl appearance, and he finished ninth in DPOY voting after netting a career-high 15.5 sacks. If he can achieve that level of impact for Atlanta, the Falcons will be a real two-way force.

NFL Rumors: Patriots officially close the door on Brandon Aiyuk trade

Brandon Aiyuk is still on the San Francisco 49ers' roster. The question is, how much longer will that persist? He has an extension offer on the table, but there is also a trade framework in place with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The ball is ostensibly in San Francisco's court. Either pay up or move on. Aiyuk has made the process complicated, however, and there's a lot of uncertainty about how long this will drag out.

ESPN's Adam Schefter outlined the ongoing madness.

"Every time it looks like a situation is on the horizon, whether that be a long-term extension in San Francisco or a trade to Cleveland, New England or Pittsburgh, it doesn't materialize, and the situation continues to drag on there in San Francisco. It's the type of thing that could be resolved very quickly, like, later today, or it could drag on to the start of the season. And even the 49ers are having a hard time figuring out exactly when, if and how this is going to come to an end." (h/t Steelers Depot)

As such, we can't know for sure which way the pendumlum is swinging at this very moment. We do, however, know which teams are involved. It appears to be a two-horse race between San Francisco and Pittsburgh. The New England Patriots, once considered frontrunners, have since bowed out of the race. GM Eliot Wolf confirmed as much to reporters on Sunday.

Wolf cites the progress from New England's young wideouts as a reason to pass on Aiyuk. The 26-year-old also rejected a significant contract offer from New England, per ESPN's Mike Reiss, presumably because the Patriots aren't in a position to win football games. This is a full-blown rebuild for the Pats. Aiyuk would help with the development of Drake Maye, but Aiyuk probably doesn't want to spend his prime toiling in mediocrity.

New England has moved on. We can never say never with how this Aiyuk saga has unspooled and changed shape over the last several weeks, but we can essentially close the book on Aiyuk-Patriots speculation.

NFL Rumors: Davante Adams could hit trade block if Raiders stumble

The Las Vegas Raiders are angling to contend this season under new head coach Antonio Pierce. That is why Gardner Minshew won the QB1 job over Aidan O'Connell, and it's why Davante Adams has remained steadfastly unavailable in trade talks, despite interest from the New York Jets and other desperate contenders.

That could change in the months to come, though. The Raiders will see what the current roster is made of, but if Las Vegas stumbles out of the gate and finds itself falling out of contention, Adams' contract practically necessitates a trade. Why? Because he is not long for the Raiders' roster unless the team commits serious financial resources toward keeping him.

Adams' contract is entirely non-guaranteed for the 2025 and 2026 campaigns. He is slated to make $35.6 million in each of the next two seasons if the Raiders (or his next team) pick up the tab on his non-guaranteed money. That would eclipse the $35 million annual contract recently signed by Minnesota Vikings All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson, which is the largest contract in the history of the position.

He is still on the shortlist of top wideouts in the NFL, but Adams is six years older than Jefferson. He is not going to get that money, plain and simple. The Raiders will proceed as though Adams' contract is expiring when the season ends. If the Raiders are below .500 and the QB play leaves Adams frustrated, it wouldn't make sense to not trade him. Even with the contract uncertainty, the Raiders should receive ample return value if Adams is made available. He went for 1,144 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season while the Raiders cycled through mediocre QBs and changed coaches.

We know Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are interested in Adams, while a potential Green Bay reunion could make a lot of sense. Those are just two of several contenders who should (and will) take interest in Adams if the Raiders opt to move on.