5 NFL players who should be traded for their own good

Sometimes the best thing for a relationship is to end it. Sometimes you just have to admit it’s time to split up. That goes for the NFL too. There are talented players stuck in a deteriorating situations with their team who could use a fresh start elsewhere.

Whether it’s someone who has been productive in the past, or someone who has struggled from the start with the team that drafted them, plenty of players deserve chances on new teams. One of them has already found a new home, when the Cowboys got the trade frenzy started by sending a first-round pick to the Raiders for Amari Cooper.

With the trade deadline coming up on Oct. 30, here are five other players who could get their careers going — or going again — with a change of scenery. We also included a potential landing spot for each player.

With the Cardinals in the middle of a long rebuild, they might want to get some value for their star cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson also reportedly went to the Cardinals’ front office and requested a trade:

According to Peterson’s cousin, former cornerback Bryant McFadden, the Patriots, Saints, and Eagles have shown interest in making a trade for the 28-year-old cornerback.

The Cardinals’ 45-10 blowout loss against the Denver Broncos was a low point for the team, though Peterson played well. Peterson had six tackles and an interception — he surely was not the problem for Arizona that game.

The Cardinals don’t have any plans to trade him, and he later said he’s staying in Arizona. But by the hostage-like tone he used in his statement, we can’t help but wish to see him end up on a better team:

Where he should be traded: This is a bit difficult because Peterson will come at a hefty price — both in trade pieces and future salary. Peterson has a $6.5 million cap hit for the rest of the season and will have a cap hit of $11.9 million in 2019 and $13.2 million in 2020. If the Saints can restructure cap space, a trade there is possible, but because of earlier trades for Marcus Davenport and Teddy Bridgewater, they don’t have their 2019 first-round pick or 2019 third-round pick. The Eagles probably make the most sense for this trade — they have the cap space right now ($11.1 million) and can make room for his 2019 cap hit in the offseason by releasing Nick Foles.

Lamar Miller had a great start to his Texans career. In his first two seasons, he totaled 2,476 yards from scrimmage and was a dynamic receiving weapon in 2017, averaging 9.1 yards per catch. The 2018 season hasn’t been as kind to him — Miller has been banged up, missing Week 5 with a chest injury.

Although Miller is coming off his best game of the season in Week 7 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it’s hard to trust the Houston offensive line can keep him healthy (just ask Deshaun Watson). Miller ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in the Texans’ 20-7 win, but he’s still averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. Plus, Albert Blue has been stealing some carries from him and 22-year-old DOnt’a Foreman could return soon as well, making the backfield even more crowded.

Where he should be traded: Miller would be a nice fit with the Baltimore Ravens. Alex Collins has played well in spurts, but hasn’t matched the explosive efficiency he had in 2017. Miller would give the Ravens another rushing threat with their Lamar Jackson packages too.

Like most of the Titans’ offense, Derrick Henry is having the worst season of his career. He’s had trouble acclimating to Matt LaFleur’s offense, playing just 37.6 percent of the offensive snaps this season, while the team’s leading rusher, Dion Lewis, has taken the bulk of the snaps. Henry has 11 more carries than Lewis despite playing much fewer snaps — but they’re telegraphing runs when Henry is in the game.

Henry wasn’t that productive with his carries against the Chargers in Week 7, but he did score a touchdown. Henry ran for 33 yards on 12 carries and chipped in another 32 yards on two receptions. Lewis, though, had 155 total yards. And for some reason, neither player was involved in their two-point attempt at the end of the game.

The problem for Henry is finding a team that fits his style of play. He was a great fit in Mike Mularkey’s downhill rushing attack, but teams are moving away from that kind of football.

Where he should be traded: The Raiders would be a decent option for Henry. They need to find a successor for Marshawn Lynch, who was just put on injured reserve. Henry would benefit from playing behind Kelechi Osemele, Gabe Jackson, and Rodney Hudson.

Vernon Butler hasn’t developed into what the Panthers were hoping for when they took him with the 30th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. In 30 career games Butler has 1.5 sacks, which came during his rookie season.

Butler has shown a nice flash on the field every once in a while and he’s a fit for the Panthers’ 4-3 scheme, but he’s just struggled to be an impact player for them. He tied a season high in tackles against Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7 — that total was just three, though.

Where he should be traded: The 49ers makes sense as a potential trade partner as they remake their defense. At this point, Butler might be able to be had for a pick on the third day of the draft.

Prosise completely fell off the map after showing off some explosive ability as a rookie. Injuries and an influx of talent at the running back position erased him from Seattle’s depth chart. He’s been a healthy scratch for two straight games and has yet to carry the ball in 2018.

He can be a dynamic runner — his 72-yard touchdown run against the Eagles in 2016 showcased the elusiveness and speed that made him a highly touted prospect coming out of Notre Dame.

The NFL is a pass-happy league right now and running backs who can make plays in the passing game are huge. Prosise can be that, though after catching 17 passes for 208 yards as a rookie, he has just nine receptions since the start of the 2017.

Where he should be traded: Prosise might be worth a conditional seventh-rounder for the right team. The Bills don’t have any weapons on offense outside of LeSean McCoy, and Prosise would be a good buy-low prospect for them.