NFC East trade targets: Why Cowboys should add former nemesis

New York Giants: Send RB Saquon Barkley to Buffalo

Barkley didn’t want the franchise tag in the offseason, and he’ll be playing somewhere else next season. Last October, the Carolina Panthers traded running back Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco for second-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and a fifth-round pick in 2024. 

If New York can get anything close to that haul, general manager Joe Schoen should deal Barkley. With a 1-5 record and another last-place finish almost inevitable, the Giants can't afford to keep Barkley.

New York needs better players, and with quarterback Daniel Jones carrying a $47M cap hit for 2024, free-agent options will be limited. Trading Barkley would allow the Giants to load up on young, inexpensive talent to put around Jones.

The Buffalo Bills would be perfect fit Barkley. James Cook leads the team in rushing with 363 yards, but he has only four TDs (three rushing, one receiving) in 22 games. Barkley has 39 in 63 games. The Bills are expected to have extra third- and sixth-round picks next year, which could help get Barkley out of New York.

Philadelphia Eagles: Acquire safety Budda Baker from Cardinals

Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon used to be Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator. The Eagles' new coordinator, Sean Desai, runs a defense similar to Gannon’s, but he’s running out of players in the secondary.

According to Reuben Frank of NBC Sports, the Eagles have played a league-high 15 defensive backs this season, including six undrafted players in their first or second year. Assuming Baker is healthy, the two-time All-Pro could be just what Philadelphia needs.  

The 27-year-old safety was voted the No. 67 player in the NFL for its "Top 100 Players of 2022." He has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury but could be cleared to play against the Seahawks in Week 7.

Thanks to compensatory picks, the Eagles could have as many as 10 selections in next year’s draft. With former Eagle K’Von Wallace playing well for Arizona in Baker’s absence, the Cardinals can afford to give up their defensive captain for draft picks. 

Washington Commanders: Deal for Arizona tight end Zach Ertz

Logan Thomas is the Commanders’ third-leading receiver with 185 yards and two TD catches. The problem, however, is that he gets hurt a lot. Thomas has missed 21 games over the past six seasons. Backups John Bates and Cole Turner won’t get it done.

Ertz has 706 catches for 7,415 yards and 46 touchdowns in his 12-year career. The 32-year-old is under contract through 2024, but Arizona (1-5) could move on to Trey McBride, its second-round pick in 2022.

Of course, Ertz’s nearly $8.8M base salary could be a problem, but if the Cardinals are willing to pay some of that number, Washington would be wise to get the three-time Pro-Bowler on the roster. The cost would probably be a low-round draft pick.