Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman wants a trade, and the team is willing to make it happen for the right offer. With five weeks until the NFL trade deadline, below are the three most-probable teams Freeman could be traded to.
1. Minnesota Vikings. Christian Ponder is out with a fractured rib. Because it's near his heart, doctors are worried about him taking hits - even with extra protective padding, according to USA Today Sports. Ponder expects to return in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers, leaving backup Matt Cassel to start on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Regardless, the Vikings have questions at the quarterback position. Through the first three games of the season, Ponder has completed 59-of-100 passes for 691 yards, two touchdowns and six turnovers - five interceptions and one fumble. His career stats aren't much better, and Ponder has traditionally struggled moving the offense down the field. Without Adrian Peterson, the Vikings offense would be anemic.
Cassel gets the start on Sunday, but the 31-year-old is unlikely to be the answer for Minnesota under center. He played well for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2010, but then struggled the next two seasons before being released in March 2013. While Cassel could have a breakout game, or even a few breakout games, he looks more like a stopgap quarterback than a franchise quarterback.
If the Vikings were to pursue Freeman, the team's cap space would dictate at least one other player be involved in the trade with Tampa Bay, according to Fox Sports.
2. Oakland Raiders. Terrelle Pryor has shown flashes of potential in his young NFL career. In his second year, Pryor still has tremendous upside - speed, athleticism and solid accuracy (65.4% completion percentage through 3 games) - but it's too early to tell if Pryor can be an elite NFL passer and whether Oakland should tether itself to Pryor as its quarterback of the future.
Although Pryor sustained a concussion on Monday, he returned to practice on Wednesday and is expected to play against Washington, according to USA Today Sports.
Behind Pryor is Matt Flynn, who is one of the NFL's highest-paid backup quarterbacks. After one huge game with Green Bay, the 28-year-old essentially wrote his ticket to a starting job with another team. Yet he's been beaten for the starting job in two straight training camps - in Seattle by Russell Wilson and now Oakland by Pryor. Flynn has been nagged by an elbow injury, but he's unlikely to be Oakland's answer.
3. Arizona Cardinals. Although the Cardinals' quarterback situation is stable, Carson Palmer isn't a long-term option for Arizona. He's 33 years old and on a two-year deal, as SB Nation points out. Through three games, Palmer has completed 66-of-114 passes for 762 yards, three touchdowns and six turnovers - four interceptions and two fumbles.
Freeman likely wouldn't supplant Palmer, at least right away, but the 25-year-old signal caller could learn from the veteran. If Palmer struggles down the stretch, Freeman is a better option than Drew Stanton.
Freeman's reputation for not being a hard worker, his reported unwillingness to accept a pay cut (via PFT) and his dismal 2013 performance will make it difficult for Tampa to find a trade partner before the NFL trade deadline.
While the aforementioned teams are possible options, his best chance of finding a new home is if a starting quarterback suffers an injury before the Oct. 29 deadline.
