Mike Tannenbaum knows exactly what 32 NFL general managers are experiencing as the clock ticks toward the 4 p.m. Oct. 31 trade deadline.
Tannenbaum, now ESPN’s football GM, was in Jets GM Joe Douglas’ seat from 2006-12 when Tannenbaum teamed with Rex Ryan to appear in back-to-back AFC Championship games.
“You’re trying to match surplus and needs with another team,” Tannenbaum said, “so you’re making calls, you’re doing a lot of listening, and you try to really thread the needle between your needs, other teams’ and then your cash budget, your salary cap, and once you get it boiled down to 2-3 options, you huddle with your owner and your head coach and then you try to make the best decisions that you possibly can.”
Asked how stressful it is for a GM, Tannenbaum said, “I’d say it’s more of the angst to say, ‘This is really like the last meaningful time we can improve the team for the season.’ Now look, of course there’s waiver claims, there’s practice squad signings, but by and large, you know your team’s going to be your team. Maybe you’re getting a player off of IR, for example. So I always felt like it was a sense of responsibility, like, ‘Hey are we doing everything we can to improve this team now?’ Because after that it’s gonna kind of be is what it is.”
Weeks before the 2009 trade deadline, the opportunistic Tannenbaum swung a deal with the Browns for controversial deep threat Braylon Edwards to complement Jerricho Cotchery.
“There was no way we got to the championship game without making that trade,” Tannenbaum said.
This is a time when sleep is not a priority.
“You don’t get a lot of sleep when you sit in those jobs ’cause you’re always worried about, ‘What else could go wrong?’ ” Tannenbaum said.
The phone never stops ringing and better be charged.
“Twenty-four hours a day,” Tannenbaum said. “These are not 9-to-5 jobs, and it’s a privilege to have the position, and when you have it, I was fortunate, like nothing else mattered. My wife really took care of things at home, and that’s really like the mindset you need to have to do the job and do it well.”
The phone bill? “It’s pretty robust,” Tannenbaum said.
And yet, Tannenbaum found it fun. His dedication and commitment were boundless.
“It’s checking the box and making sure you’re doing everything you can to improve the team,” Tannenbaum said. “I said this story before: When you pulled into the parking lot to the office every day and look at all the other cars there, I always felt like there’s a lot of people that are relying on this organization to do well. A lot of men, a lot of women, the children of families. … I took that responsibility very, very seriously. And when you don’t win, it displaces tons of people, and you want to do everything you can within reason to make sure you’re giving your organization every chance to win.”
Tannenbaum expects Ravens GM Eric DeCosta to flourish at the trading deadline.
“He does an incredible job,” Tannenbaum said. “He has put out really a consistent winner and sort of attacked weaknesses [LB Roquan Smith, WRs Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr.]. I think he’s reasonably aggressive, but he knows how to fill needs and he’s constructed a really, really good team and did it on the fly.”
Seahawks GM John Schneider has a peerless chemistry with coach Pete Carroll.
“John Schneider I think is a little bit like sneaky aggressive, too,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s not in a big media market out there in Seattle. They’re another team that’s kind of rebuilt things a little bit under the radar. Obviously the Jamal Adams trade didn’t work out, but I like a lot of their young pieces. I wouldn’t be shocked if they did something between now and Tuesday at 4.”
Eagles GM Howie Roseman is always a threat to knock it out of the park.
“I think he’s also done a solid job,” Tannenbaum said. “Obviously they got [safety] Kevin Byard. Getting A.J. Brown last year was certainly optimistic. [Carson] Wentz didn’t work out, but quickly rebounded by having [Jalen] Hurts there on the roster.”
Tannenbaum applauds Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort for drafting tackle Paris Johnson and securing the Texans’ 2024 first-round pick.
“I think Paris Johnson’s going to be a really, really good player,” Tannenbaum said.
The speculation about who might will be buyers and who might be sellers has been fluid, a byproduct of the parity that gives floundering teams 11th-hour hope:
Given Giants GM Joe Schoen’s relationship with Bills GM Brandon Beane, and the Bills’ need for a cornerback with Tre’Davious White lost for the season and the struggles of former first-round pick Kaiir Elam, Adoree’ Jackson would make a lot of sense. He’s 28 and high-character and in a contract year.
“I think Buffalo should be interested in him and/or Leonard Williams,” Tannenbaum said.
Xavier McKinney is in the final year of his deal. “If I’m the Giants, I’m not sure I’m in a rush to get rid of him,” Tannenbaum said.
Titans RB Derrick Henry turns 30 in January and has 1,848 career carries.
“Now that they traded Byard, I would say possibly,” Tannenbaum said. “And if I’m Philadelphia, I’d try to get Derrick Henry as well, because he’s a great finisher for a team that can score a lot of points. It gives them a chance to play keepaway at the end, and he gives them some physicality that D’Andre Swift doesn’t have.” The Ravens might make the most sense.
Tennessee GM Ran Carthon could be compelled to rev up a fire sale, which could include DE Denico Autry and WR DeAndre Hopkins.
“He can’t run anymore, but he’s still a good receiver,” Tannenbaum said of Hopkins.
ESPN’s Marcus Spears makes a good suggestion: King Henry to the Cowboys as a bigger Ezekiel Elliott to complement Tony Pollard. “I think that makes sense,” Tannenbaum said.
Commanders DEs Chase Young and Montez Sweat have drawn interest around the league. Who is more likely to be dealt?
“I think Young,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s been a little bit of a disappointment, but he is a talented guy, he’s young, they can’t keep both of ’em long-term. My guess would be if they did trade one, it would be Chase Young over Montez Sweat.”
The Bears would be a logical landing spot. “I think they got to keep as many good players as possible,” Tannenbaum said, “and with all their draft capital, yeah, maybe giving up a pick for Chase Young, that makes sense.”
Jerry Jeudy, Broncos WR: “Dallas could use another receiver, for sure,” Tannenbaum said. “Pittsburgh’s offense certainly can take another step. New England’s always gonna be mentioned as a team that can use a receiver as well.”
Broncos coach Sean Payton could decide to unload wide receiver Cameron Sutton. “Same group of teams,” Tannenbaum said. “Denver’s had a horrific year, so trading either Jeudy or Sutton makes sense.”
Douglas hasn’t been getting much bang for the buck from Carl Lawson or Dalvin Cook. “I wouldn’t count on Aaron Rodgers, but those are two players that can at some point be contributors,” Tannenbaum said. “If I was the Jets, I wouldn’t be in a rush to get rid of anybody right now. You still got a puncher’s chance. Now look, if somebody gives you an irrational trade offer, of course you got to consider it. But I’d be surprised if they did anything.”
Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter is arguably the best pass rusher who could be available. “I think he would be a guy that if they had lost to San Francisco, I think the likelihood of him getting traded goes up,” Tannenbaum said. “I’m not so sure they’d want to trade him now just given Marcus Davenport’s [ankle] injury.”
Hunter Renfrow, Raiders WR: “Coach [Bill] Belichick has always been a proponent of those slot receivers,” Tannenbaum said, “so you certainly couldn’t rule that out.”
Belichick could be tempted to unload several of his pieces. “You got to know what you have in Mac Jones, so I would not trade [OT] Trent Brown even though he’s in the last year of his deal,” Tannenbaum said. “Because of the injury to Matthew Judon, I would not trade Josh Uche.”
The Rams offered a pair of first-round picks at last year’s deadline for edge rusher Brian Burns, but the Panthers declined. Rams coach Sean McVay would love to replace Von Miller (and Leonard Floyd). The Bears and Lions absolutely should be interested.
“If I’m Carolina, I got to sign him. I don’t let him leave,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s a young, productive pass rusher, that’s what you’re looking for.”
Budda Baker, Cardinals safety: “Jonathan Gannon is a defensive coach, I think they keep him,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s a tempo-setter. He may not be the greatest athlete, but I would think that Arizona would keep him, and see him as a foundational piece moving forward.”
The Packers have been stymied by Jordan Love’s growing pains. LB Preston Smith could be on the block. “He’s likely gonna be there, but that’s a name definitely to monitor,” Tannenbaum said.
Bengals WR Tee Higgins is a free agent after the season.
“I think we have to say, ‘Who’s graduating there? Is it Tyler Boyd?’ ” Tannenbaum said. “It’s not Ja’Marr Chase. So, if Tee Higgins is going to graduate, we got to make a decision here: Are we all-in this year, or if we’re offered a second-round pick, do we take it? If I’m another team and I have a chance to get Tee Higgins, I’m OK giving him a second, but I gotta get an extension done. … It would be a team like a Dallas, who is a real contender and needed help in the red zone. But if I’m Cincinnati, unless I get really, really good value, I’m going for it this year. I’m trying to keep the band together. Let him graduate in free agency, I got to keep Chase, and maybe I’m going to draft the next Tee Higgins, but we got a chance to win the Super Bowl right now, and he’s a point scorer. So I’m not trading him.”
The Chiefs just traded for Mecole Hardman, but should they still be in the market for another receiver (who Taylor Swift can root for).
“They should be,” Tannenbaum said. “But again, Cincinnati’s not going to trade ’em Tee Higgins, right, so that’s not happening. And then, of course, there’s: Can they afford to pay a receiver? If they could have, why not just keep Tyreek Hill?”