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There are a lot of opportunities for players to get traded before this year's NFL trade deadline. Players get old, disruptive and are generally not found to be a good fit anymore. Some teams like to trade their players one or two years before they hit the age drop-off.
Putting it simply, there are plenty of reasons to trade players. While there are plenty of players who are tempting to trade, their losses would be too great, even when considering the issues posed by having them in the team. On that note, here are five players who are tempting options to trade but should not be traded by their NFL teams this season.
#1 Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers' off-season antics have been the biggest story in the NFL this season. He has been openly unhappy and wishes to leave Green Bay. The Packers have been tempted to trade him but should ultimately resist these temptations.
One of the most underrated reasons for that is not his MVP-caliber of play or the fact that he led the team to back-to-back NFC championship games. The biggest reason to keep him is because of the precedent the Packers would set if they were to trade him.
If they traded Rodgers or gave in to his demands, it would show Jordan Love that he could force the Packers to do his bidding as well. This would create issues later down the line for the team.
#2 Deshaun Watson
Like Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson has openly said that he wants to escape his current team. The Texans drafted a quarterback earlier this year and signed Tyrod Taylor. All signs point to them preparing to move on from Deshaun Watson. However, they need to wait until after Deshaun Watson's legal nightmare is over.
Currently, Watson is facing almost two dozen lawsuits that will likely keep him off the field in 2021 and likely in 2022 as well. With him being unavailable to play for the next two years, teams will be offering less for Watson.
However, if the Texans wait for him to serve his time and become fully available again, they will get much more for Watson. To maximize their return on Watson, the Texans should wait until at least 2022 before trading the player.
#3 Davante Adams
With Aaron Rodgers' future in Green Bay in doubt, Davante Adams has been thinking about asking for a trade too.
The Packers may be able to endure the loss of Rodgers, assuming Jordan Love works out to be a decent quarterback. However, losing Davante Adams would break the back of the Green Bay Packers for years.
Without Adams to help out Jordan Love, the Green Bay Packers' offense would fall apart. Love would be trying to learn how to move an offense without a top receiver, which would be a recipe for failure. Last season, Adams had 115 receptions for 1374 yards and 18 touchdowns.
#4 Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard is currently in the midst of a holdout with the Miami Dolphins. Putting it simply, he wants a better contract. The Dolphins are likely somewhat tempted to simply wash away the problem by trading away the cornerback. However, they need to consider that last season, Howard had ten interceptions.
With Tua Tagovailoa beginning his all-important second season, the Dolphins need every player they can keep around. In ten games, Tua Tagovailoa threw for about 1800 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. As a result, he averaged about 180 yards and one touchdown per game.
If he has a similar pace of offense in 2021, the Dolphins' defense will need to be as good as possible. Losing Howard would damage the Dolphins' chances of making the playoffs this season considerably.
#5 Stephon Gilmore
Stephon Gilmore is another cornerback in the midst of a holdout. Gilmore being 30, the temptation to move on from him via trade is big. However, the Patriots cannot afford to lose him after a 7-9 season. At their core, the Patriots are a defensive team and need Gilmore to keep their style of football intact.
Last season was a bit of a down year for Gilmore, as he earned a 61.0 PFF grade, but in 2019, he earned an 82.8 PFF grade and six interceptions. 2019 happened too recently to say his days of dominance are behind him.
