NFL Trading Block: Who is on it?

Friday we learned last year’s Miami Dolphins starting QB Matt Moore is on the trading block. Possible destinations include the St. Louis Rams, who need an experienced backup for Sam Bradford, or the Arizona Cardinals, who need a QB with some guts. I think the Cardinals are desperate for a “serviceable” starting QB since neither Kolb nor Skelton showed any signs of being one in the preseason.

Moore didn’t look much better in Miami, but he’s had a long reputation of being a poor practice player for whatever reason, that plays his best in actual games. He went 6-3 as the starter in Miami’s last 9 games last season. Recall, the team went 7-9 for the whole season so a .667 winning percentage on that team is a real accomplishment.

Moore could garner as high as a 4th-round pick to the right team, plus a 6th- or 7th-round conditional pick that will probably hinge on playing time or starts. He doesn’t have the upside to warrant much more, but he was surprisingly right in the middle of the pack of NFL starters last season in most categories.

Today, the news is that Tampa Bay RB Legarrette Blount is also on the trading block. If nothing else, this should be good news for fantasy owners of RB Doug Martin. He looks to be “the guy” in Tampa as a rookie or they wouldn’t be trying to trade Blount. The Bucs signed FA RB D.J. Ware yesterday and want to move Blount – a slow, fumble-prone but powerful runner. Bucs’ OC Mike Sullivan and Ware have history from time spent together with the New York Giants.

Who would want Blount, and at what price?

Good questions. The most obvious team with immediate need for a veteran RB is the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Mendenhall’s slow but steady recovery from a leg injury in January, the other Steelers’ RBs have pretty much all suffered injuries in camp and the preseason. They’re razor-thin at the position and had planned to return to the ground game more this season, but those injuries could force Big Ben to the air more than they want.

So…to restore “balance to The Force,” look for the Steelers to show some interest in Blount. They’ve got great coaches and could teach the veteran better ball security that Ryheem Morris era in Tampa never did with the ex-coach’s disorganzied style of “leadership.”

A host of other teams could use an upgrade at the #2 RB position, and I’m thinking the Bucs would reasonably want a 5th-rounder for Blount. I think the most they could get is a 4th and a 7th but that’s stretching things.