Tag Archives: Ronnie Hillman

5 Teams That Should Trade For Ronnie Hillman

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Denver Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman has been loosely involved in trade rumors throughout the summer, but with final cuts looming, it now sounds as if he could truly be on the move.

Writing on the Wall

Per reports, the Broncos are actively shopping Hillman, who has become expendable thanks to excellent backfield depth.

C.J. Anderson returns as the team’s starter again this year, while rookie rusher Devontae Booker could factor in with a big role. The team has also yet to make a decision on fellow backups, Juwan Thompson and Kapri Bibbs, one of which would likely make the final cuts ahead of Hillman, should he be traded.

Of that group, however, Hillman has the most experience and also happens to possess the most upside. With Hillman no longer in Denver’s plans, the team is hoping to land a trade in order to get something of value back in return, rather than flat out release the running back.

Despite leading the Broncos in rushing yardage a year ago, the versatile back looks to be on his way out of town. Should a trade come to fruition, the odds are good that one of the following five teams could pull the trigger:

New England Patriots

It’s admittedly tough to envision the Broncos helping out a rival – or trading Hillman anywhere inside the AFC – but the Pats should certainly express some interest. Dion Lewis is on the shelf to start the year and the team doesn’t have much proven rushing talent beyond LeGarrett Blount. They could use a versatile, explosive back like Hillman, who could take on a big role or be used in a situational capacity.

Indianapolis Colts

The same goes here, as the Colts have an aging Frank Gore leading the way in their offensive backfield, but have little to get excited about after that. Josh Ferguson was supposed to be a tantalizing talent, but he hasn’t lived up to expectations to this point.

Hillman could serve as a nice change of pace to the slower Gore, and eventually could even supplant him should he get worn down like he tends to late in the year.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles could make a little more sense, as they’re outside of the AFC and could use another body in their offensive backfield.

Philly still likes Darren Sproles and seems to even be high on Kenjon Barner, but starter Ryan Mathews has been deemed by many to be a poor fit in rookie head coach Doug Pederson’s system. There is also the case that Sproles is aging and either of these main backs could easily go down with an injury.

Hillman would give Pederson another versatile option to turn to, which is something he loved doing with multiple backs in a run-heavy offense last year in Kansas City. Acquiring Hillman could mean ditching one of the other backs the Eagles already like, but it could be worth it.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins are far worse off than the Eagles, as they still don’t seem completely trusting of second-year rusher Matt Jones. That’s so much the case that undrafted rookie Rob Kelley may vie for a small role early in 2016.

If the Redskins really don’t trust Jones, they should consider looking elsewhere for extra help at running back. Hillman is more experience than both of their top rushers and could be useful in a variety of roles on offense.

San Francisco 49ers

Chip Kelly loves gadget backs and he also loves offensive weapons that can be used in a number of ways. Hillman’s versatility and explosiveness out of the backfield have to be highly tempting, especially since the Niners don’t have much to get excited about beyond starter, Carlos Hyde.

San Francisco seems to be high on Hyde, but if Mike Davis is their next best back, they could quickly be in trouble. Taking a look at adding a change of pace back like Hillman could be a suggested idea.

Ultimately, a trade involving Ronnie Hillman just doesn’t seem that likely. Every other team has to be pretty aware of the fact that Denver has no use for Hillman, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets cut. When that happens, the Patriots and Colts could end up being the top leaders for his services. Hillman will want to win wherever he goes next, but he’ll also want some cash and to vie for a solid role. New England could ultimately be his best bet.

Colin Kaepernick and 7 Star NFL Players Likely to Get Traded in 2016

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The 2016 NFL regular season is almost upon us, but it won’t arrive without some severe roster casualties. Every year some big name players feel like locks to win a key role or at least hold onto their roster spot, and every single time someone ends up being traded or cut as teams make those tough, last minute decisions.

The writing is already on the wall for numerous players, while we’ve even seen some get cut. Paul Kruger just got let go by the Cleveland Browns and more big names are sure to follow soon, whether their departures be by flat out release or some type of trade.

With NFL trade rumors being such a big draw, we’re naturally focusing on the star NFL players that could actually get dealt before week one, and maybe even after. Let’s take a look at the top pro football players that could be on the move very soon:

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers

The man of the hour (in a sense) is absolutely in the NFL trade rumor mill due to his odd stance against the National Anthem, as well as his poor play on the field. Kaepernick is not on the good side of America at the moment, but he still provides upside as a passer, potentially.

Numerous teams could show interest, with the Vikings and Cowboys specifically being in the worst spots at the moment due to injury. San Francisco is inching closer to unloading him and those teams needing extra quarterback help could lead to them pulling the trigger on a deal.

Mark Sanchez, QB, Denver Broncos

Sanchez is almost certainly on the way out of Denver, as the Broncos traded for him to win their starting quarterback job and he ended up losing out to former 7th rounder, Trevor Siemian. With Paxton Lynch likely to take over as the top backup, Sanchez no longer has a place on the roster. Add in a hefty salary due come week one, and it makes little sense for the Broncos to hold onto their failed experiment.

That doesn’t mean Sanchez doesn’t have value, of course. The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, among other teams, could very well give Denver a call about his availability and their asking price. Both of those teams could look to add some quarterback depth due to injuries at the position, while other teams could also express interest in Sanchez as a backup.

Josh McCown, QB, Cleveland Browns

If Sanchez has trade value, you better believe Josh McCown does. McCown has flashed brilliance as a starter over the last four years, but the journeyman has struggled with consistency or the ability to stay healthy. After losing the starting job to Robert Griffin III in Cleveland, there is a decent chance the Browns are ready to move on from the aging passer.

McCown simply isn’t needed in Cleveland, while several teams could stand to improve their backup situation under center. The Cowboys and Vikings remain the two most likely trade partners.

Mike Glennon, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It’s the same story here, as the Bucs have a new franchise passer in Jameis Winston and don’t have much need for Glennon’s services. He’s a quality backup with starter upside, but Tampa Bay probably doesn’t need to carry three quarterbacks and they’re reportedly high on third stringer, Ryan Griffin.

The Bucs have been shopping Glennon for a while now, and it may only be a matter of time before someone is willing to trade a solid pick to make a deal happen.

Darren McFadden, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Numerous teams could use quality talent at the running back position and whispers suggest McFadden could be on his way out of Big D.

McFadden was regarded as a cheap depth add in 2015, and ended up being just fine as part of the Cowboys’ rotation in the offensive backfield. However, he’s always struggled mightily to stay healthy and with Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris and Lance Dunbar looking like the team’s top three rushers, he could be on the move.

Dallas is in need of quarterback depth, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them try to dangle McFadden as they try to bring in some passing help. In addition to teams that could try to trade a quarterback to Dallas, teams like the Dolphins, Chargers and Rams could express interest due to less than stellar running back depth.

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos

Hillman will be a much hotter name than McFadden on the trading block, as he really wouldn’t be exiting Denver based on performance or ability. He simply could finally be the odd man out on a team that is loaded at running back after drafting the talented Devontae Booker this off-season.

Hillman may not be a true feature back talent, but he’s extremely versatile and explosive and absolutely could fill a big role in the right situation. Denver would be wise to trade Hillman out of the AFC if they do look to unload him.

Aaron Dobson, WR, New England Patriots

New England is suddenly shoving Dobson onto the trade market, per reports, as it just doesn’t look like the former first round pick is long for the final roster. Dobson flashed big play ability during his rookie season, but he’s never been able to put it all together while battling drops, injuries and inconsistent route-running.

Dobson still has heaping talent and could thrive in a new environment, but the Pats seem ready to get rid of him for the right offer. New England also added Chris Hogan in free agency and drafted Malcolm Mitchell, so they seem to have already moved on.