Mike MoraitisOct 27, 2026
Surveying defensive tackle options for the Bears after DeForest Buckner was traded to San Francisco, Moraitis suggests Washington will sell at the deadline and move Daron Payne, and that a selling Tampa Bay could trade Vita Vea.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Mike Moraitis said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromSitting at 1-4-1, the Washington Commanders are on the road to nowhere, so it's very possible they'll be sellers at the deadline and Payne is a clear trade candidate, as he's on the final year of his contract.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 49ers Trade For DeForest Buckner: Who Are Bears' Other DT Options on Trade Market?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Daron Payne to move — “a clear trade candidate at the deadline”“it's very possible they'll be sellers at the deadline and Payne is a clear trade candidate, as he's on the final year of his contract.”
- 2Vita Vea to move — “could be on the move”“If they do sell, Vea could be on the move after the two sides had a contract dispute during the offseason”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daron Payne to move — “a clear trade candidate at the deadline”1 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Vita Vea to move — “could be on the move”2 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 calls · 2 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
2 checkable claims — 2 trade and signing calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Trade and Signing CallsDaron Payne
Daron Payne to move — “a clear trade candidate at the deadline”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Trade and Signing CallsVita Vea
Vita Vea to move — “could be on the move”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
David Harrison · Roster Spot Calls · Daron Payne · Hit 100
Harrison gives their initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. They also project Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad.David Harrison · Roster Spot Calls · Daron Payne · Hit 100
Harrison projects the Washington Commanders' initial 53-man roster if it had to be set today, naming 26 offensive players, three specialists and 24 defenders, and also assigns depth-chart slots at quarterback, running back, the offensive line, the interior defensive line, and the return/specialist jobs.Philip Hughes · Roster Spot Calls · Daron Payne · Hit 100
Hughes projects Washington's initial 53-man roster ahead of the final preseason game, naming every player they expect to make the team by position group, and slots Athan Kaliakmanis as the No. 3 quarterback behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.Zachary Pereles · Trade and Signing Calls · Daron Payne · Waiting
Playing trade-deadline matchmaker, they pair nine contenders with specific trade targets: Jonathan Taylor to Minnesota, Saquon Barkley to Cincinnati, Jeffery Simmons to Buffalo, Adonai Mitchell to Kansas City, DeForest Buckner to Green Bay, Tariq Woolen to Detroit, Khalil Mack to Chicago, Daron Payne to San Francisco and Kevin Zeitler to New England.
More trade and signing calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Nate Gosney · Trade and Signing Calls · Daiyan Henley · Miss 0
After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season.Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Patricia Traina · Trade and Signing Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery.Michael David Smith · Trade and Signing Calls · Keenan Allen · Hit 100
Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen.