The Buccaneers should trade for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

The NFL trade deadline is coming up next Tuesday, October 31, at 4:00 p.m. ET. And that means trade speculation everywhere, and the age-old question: who should the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade for?

With Noah Spence going on injured reserve, the Bucs should try to find help at defensive end. But good pass-rushers are in short supply, and none appear to be remotely available in trade.

Instead, finding a cornerback would make a lot of sense. Vernon Hargreaves has looked awful this season, though he at least performed well in the slot last Sunday, and Robert McClain is in the concussion protocol. Brent Grimes is aging, though he’s mostly playing well. Overall, the Bucs secondary has played some terrible football, though, and could use some new talent.

One player who’d represent an immediate upgrade: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, currently with the New York Giants. Big Blue View suggests the Giants trade him away, as the team has some depth there, and will struggle to afford his contract.

The Bucs have no such problems, and could easily pony up the $4 million or so he’s still owed this season, and the $6.5 million they’d owe him next year. The question is whether they’d want to give up a draft pick for him: at 31, he’s not a long-term solution. And at 2-4, odds are he’s not going to save the Bucs’ season regardless.

Which leads us to a third option: the Bucs decide that their season is effectively over, and they trade some players away to get assets for the future. T.J. Ward would be an option there, given that he’s unhappy with his playing time and should carry some value. And given the team’s depth at wide receiver, Adam Humphries might be decent trade bait too.

NFL trades that should happen before the deadline