The NFL season is upon us, which means teams are attempting to shape their rosters, cutting down to the best 53 players possible.
Besides cuts, trades could also be options for teams desperate to replace injured players or simply upgrade their roster.
In ESPN’s Bill Barnwell’s latest piece, he proposed a three-way trade between the Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers.
Here’s what the trade would look like, according to Barnwell:
- Giants get: 2027 seventh-round pick (from Chargers)
- Chargers get: OL Evan Neal, 2026 fifth-round pick (from Cardinals)
- Cardinals get: WR Quentin Johnston
What’s noteworthy about this deal is that both Johnston and Neal are former first-round selections. However, neither has come close to living up to expectations.
“Neal has been wildly disappointing since the Giants drafted him at No. 7 in 2022,” Barnwell said. “The 24-year-old lineman has struggled with injuries, has insulted local fans and hasn’t played well enough when he is on the field. He spent the first half of 2024 on the active roster without playing snaps, and the Giants preferred street free agents and replacement-level options to him at left tackle after Andrew Thomas went down injured.”
After the Chargers lost Rashawn Slater, the depth of their offensive line is now not nearly as strong as it once was. A strong and deep O-line is Jim Harbaugh’s bread and butter, and Neal would also be a cheap option, being owed just $1.1 million this season.
As for Johnston, a concussion has kept him out of the preseason for the Chargers so far. But even before that, there were plenty of questions about his performance. Despite some progress under Harbaugh last season, his issues with key drops carried over from his rookie year.
“In Arizona, Johnston would have an opportunity to compete with Greg Dortch and work out of the slot more often than he would in Los Angeles, where Allen and Ladd McConkey would be prioritized. Johnston has signed for the next two years at a total of $4.2 million, which is perfectly reasonable for a third/fourth wideout,” Barnwell added.
The Cardinals are hoping for another year of improvement in Year 3 under head coach Jonathan Gannon. Giving Kyler Murray more viable options around him is a good way to do that.