5 blockbuster deals we'd like to see ahead of NFL trade deadline

The Steelers could potentially trade outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported over the weekend. That would make him arguably the best pass rusher available in the trade market.

Ingram is only due $1.075 million the rest of the season, which could make him an affordable option for the Kansas City Chiefs, who are reeling at 3-4 and desperately need help on defense. Adding Ingram would immediately bolster the team’s pass rush that ranks dead last in sacks per game in the NFL.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick made a big offseason spending splash, but with his team at 3-4, there's clearly room for more improvement. And you shouldn't expect him to shy away from another big move.

While the Patriots have gotten production out Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor, none of them are a true No. 1 receiving threat. Adding someone like Bears receiver Allen Robinson would immediately give the Patriots a difference-maker and could help elevate rookie quarterback Mac Jones.

The Bears' trajectory is heading south, and they may want to try and get a high-round pick in return for Robinson, who's playing on a franchise tag. The Bears need to accumulate as much draft capital as they can given their past moves.

Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and the Eagles appear to be heading for a split, as their relationship frayed more recently when Cox expressed frustration with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The Eagles would have to take on nearly $10 million in dead money, but the team has cap space and Cox is a disgruntled star on a losing team, making him an intriguing trade candidate.

Cox would be an ideal fit for the Tennessee Titans if they can create the cap space to make a deal work. The Titans run a 3-4 scheme, which Cox played in under Chip Kelly in Philadelphia, and he's talented enough where he should be a fit. Pairing him alongside Jeffery Simmons could give the Titans a vaunted pass rush as they look to solidify themselves as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Poor Brandin Cooks seems to bounce around from team to team every year, and this season may be no different. With the Texans going nowhere this season, Cooks will be a hot commodity on the trade market for teams looking for wide receivers, which just so happens to include one of his former teams — the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints are in desperate need of a spark on their offense. They rank 31st in passing yards per game and lack a big-play wide receiver. Michael Thomas is meant to be that player, and perhaps he will be if he can return healthy from injury. In the meantime, the Saints ought to look at the trade market, and a reunion with Cooks makes sense.

The Saints are always tight with cap space, but they need to improve the passing game in some form, so they’ll have to get creative there. A second-rounder and a mid- to late-round 2023 pick should be enough compensation to land Cooks.

The Jets and safety Marcus Maye seem to be at a crossroads as the team failed to reach an extension with him this past offseason and then learned he kept a DUI secret from the team two weeks prior to receiving the franchise tag. If general manager Joe Douglas can find someone willing to take on the remaining $6.9 million Maye is owed this year, a trade seems like a no-brainer.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN listed both the Buccaneers and Rams as teams that could have interest in Maye. The Buccaneers could make a lot of sense not only because of the injuries they have sustained in the secondary but also because defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was Maye’s former coach and should know how to get the most out of him.