NFL: John Clayton surveys the landscape as the trade deadline nears

Originally Published: October 20, 2009

Expect Quinn, T.O. to stay put

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By John Clayton
ESPN.com
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Even though the fall trading season has been busier than normal with recent big deals involving Richard Seymour, Braylon Edwards and Gaines Adams, Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline should be quiet.

Or will it?

General managers and coaches spent Monday reviewing ideas and making phone calls. As everyone saw Friday night when Adams went to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick in 2010, a deal can come together quickly. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent a good portion of last week trying to get draft choices for current players, and Adams was their most recognizable name.

What are the chances for something to get done?

Teams such as the Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, Bucs and Kansas City Chiefs would love to get future value for some of their players. The Chiefs got a fifth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers for defensive tackle Tank Tyler on Monday.

It would take a lot get a Glenn Dorsey out of Kansas City. Plus, the Chiefs are trying to build a 3-4 defensive line, not break it up. Coach Eric Mangini has gone on record as saying the Browns aren't going to trade Brady Quinn or Josh Cribbs. Of the two, Cribbs would draw the most interest because numerous teams would love a versatile playmaker, but Mangini has liked Cribbs since the coach came to Cleveland.

Wide receiver is one of the most cherished positions for teams in search of trade help. The New England Patriots could use a third receiver behind Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Joey Galloway was released Tuesday, and the Patriots are using special-teamer Sam Aiken and seventh-round pick Julian Edelman as their third and fourth receivers.

The Baltimore Ravens would like to upgrade their receiving corps, but don't expect the Chiefs to give up on Dwayne Bowe with his productivity getting better every week. It wouldn't be surprising if the Redskins shop around for another receiver. The Bears might look for a receiver, but they have already given up enough draft choices in the Jay Cutler and Adams trades.

Don't expect anything to happen with Terrell Owens. Owens might be a difference-maker, but he hasn't changed the fortunes of the Buffalo Bills' offense. To acquire Owens, a team must accept the potential problems he might cause for the quarterback and the locker room. Although teams are willing to make gambles like that, the bigger problem is that Owens would have to learn a new offense overnight, further minimizing his value.

The Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and San Diego Chargers would love to acquire a run-stopping defensive tackle, but there aren't enough available. Each team has suffered a season-ending injury at defensive tackle, but finding replacements this late is impossible. Most teams want to hold on to defensive tackles because they are too hard to find.

Because most teams have excess running backs, there is virtually no value in dealing a back. At best, a good back could net a fourth-round pick, but the likelier scenario is a sixth-rounder. In most cases, it makes better sense to keep a back than trade him.

John Clayton, a recipient of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's McCann Award for distinguished reporting, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.