It's high time for NFL teams to get more creative. 

And the Chiefs already seem to be thinking like I am with two blockbuster trades (Alex Smith to Redskins and Marcus Peters to Rams) about to be formally completed when the league year begins.

As for the other teams around the league, they have, by and large, cap space to burn with the proceeds from new television contracts and streaming rights pouring in. They have won the battle to contain spending on entry-level players in this CBA. They are staring at a list of unrestricted free agents that is less than deep or appealing in most position groups and they need to shed their tendency for group thinking or allegiances to the way they usually operate.

I feel like every year I tend to expect to see more trades and more forays into the restricted free agent market. The market forces and trends would seem to point to an increase in transactions of these types. And, indeed, a year ago there was more excitement and intrigue about some of the trades that were made (especially the NBA-inspired Brock Osweiler cap space dump/salary dump/trade) than there was about many of the signings, as, again, the amount of blue-chip players available to sign via traditional means was limited.

Perhaps, there will be more of the same this year, and, maybe even a more concerted effort by teams to explore other club's restricted free agents.  Sure, it's always been seen as something of a taboo and only very rarely have clubs been willing to ardently try to sign another RFA to an offer sheet, but there is no reason it can't become more the norm (and spare me the argument about team's not wanting to negotiate contracts that other club will simply match; the "we don't want to do their work for them," cop out. It's a seven-month offseason, it doesn't take that long to formulate a cogent offer sheet concocted to exploit another club's salary or cap vulnerability. These are billion-dollar businesses in contention for one trophy).

With that in mind, here are some potential moves that I believe would make sense on several levels. Maybe one or two of them even actually come to fruition. But I know this much, good luck to the club that really believes it can fill a multitude of roster holes simply through unrestricted free agency this winter. It's time to be proactive and try some different avenues.

Bucs sign David Irving to an offer sheet

Irving is an impact player who can anchor a defensive line; the Bucs need all the help they can get with that and just parted ways with Chris Baker. Imagine having this young stud paired around Gerald McCoy? Talk about strength up the middle. There isn't much on the UFA market that can help every layer of the Bucs' defense, and they need help all over on that side of the ball. The Cowboys are already in a pickle with having to franchise Demarcus Lawrence, they're in a cap crunch and the Bucs have money to burn. Irving can be moved around along the DL and had seven sacks in eight games last year. Create an offer sheet that pats Irving in Year 1 like a franchise tag would and watch Jerry Jones squirm. I don't care what round tender Dallas places on him, I'm seriously thinking about parting with it to make this happen.

Vikings trade a second round pick for Nick Foles

Personally, I'd tag Case Keenum, but the Vikings keep hemming and hawing about their quarterback situation. So if you want to remain competitive and not have to throw a ton of money at the position – with more quality young players in line for extension – go rent Foles at under $8M for next season coming off his Super Bowl MVP. Minnesota's new coordinator, John DeFilippo, was Foles' quarterback coach in Philly and he already knows the system and scheme. The Eagles are lacking picks from the Carson Wentz trades; no one is trading a one and this would be a very low two. They lost their fourth-round pick to the Eagles via the Sam Bradford trade, but they should fare well in 2019 comp picks when Bradford and Keenum sign elsewhere under this scenario.

Jets trade a fourth round pick for Emmanuel Sanders

The Broncos won't have Sanders and Demaryius Thomas both on their roster a year from now, and should embrace the fact there is some rebuilding to be done. Sanders won't be in Denver on the other side of that, and if I am the Jets, give me this slot receiver making $8.25M in 2018 all day long, at a time when Jarvis Landry just got a franchise tag in excess of $16M. Jets have oodles of cap space and with Robbie Anderson out of control off the field, adding a weapon like this would be a nice way to show Kirk Cousins you are serious about putting assets around him as part of that recruiting pitch.

Broncos trade a fifth round pick for Tyrod Taylor

Go ahead and swap out Sanders for Taylor. Perhaps you have to give the Bills a higher pick based on playing time/production for Taylor, but he'd be a quality bridge quarterback while John Elway tries to find a franchise guy in the draft. Taylor does not turn the ball over, which would be a great starting place for the Broncos, and he fits the mold of the Elway/Gary Kubiak mobile passer on the bootlegs and waggles. In the end, the Bills may be forced to cut Taylor, because other teams aren't buying that Buffalo will pay him another $16M this season after benching him in a playoff run for Nathan Peterman a year ago. But I don't see the Broncos landing Cousins and who knows what AJ McCarron will actually be once he has to play a real game. Taylor would be a logical fit.

Jets sign Dion Jordan to an offer sheet

There is never any pass rushers to be found, much less a young pass rusher that is just entering his prime. New York needs more on the outside and while Jordan's suspension history will give some pause, the Seahawks are vulnerable right now from a cap standpoint and are trying to find a way to keep ex-Jet Sheldon Richardson. Determining a price-point for this restricted free agent is difficult with him missing a year to suspension and another to injury, but the Seahawks aren't going to have a ton of extra space and this is a player Todd Bowles could do some interesting things with assuming he stays out of trouble. How high of a free-agent tender would the Seahawks place on a guy they got for almost nothing just a few months ago?

Texans trade a third round pick for Jason Peters

Houston gets star quarterback DeShaun Watson back from injury, but the offensive line could use an upgrade. And, after getting a second round pick from Seattle for disgruntled left tackle Duane Brown last year, they can afford to dole a pick here for a perennial Pro Bowl left tackle. The Eagles won a Super Bowl without Peters, as he was injured, and they need to create more cap and cash flexibility. Given the injury perhaps a third-rounder is too high, but imagine if Howie Roseman ended up getting back the second and third round picks that he is without right now because of the swaps to move up and get Wentz? That's some young, cheap labor right there. Houston's starting left guard and left tackle are UFAs; go ahead and secure Peters, who has a cheap 2019 team option for $8M.

Patriots trade a third round pick for Josh Norman

Bill Belichick is clearly in win-now mode and he lost a Super Bowl primarily because he couldn't find any way to stop Foles. Sitting Malcolm Butler backfired and he's going to leave for big money as a free agent. Finding any help for the pass rush will be difficult outside of the draft and that secondary needs help even with Stephon Gilmore getting paid a year ago. They can rent Norman year to year at this stage of the contract and his full guarantees have been paid. He's not a happy camper in DC and clashing with the front office and Washington already dealt one corner for Alex Smith so why not unload 'em all! But seriously, Belichick is never afraid to wheel and deal and the Skins needs picks and New England has had mixed results with this stuff in the past.

Giants trade a fourth round pick for Cordy Glenn

Since they are clinging to Eli Manning for one more year and about to take a quarterback with the second-overall pick, might as well finally build an offensive line. Three-fifths of their beleaguered starting unit are UFAs, and landing Glenn would allow them to move Erick Flowers to the right side. Glenn ain't super, but he is a solid starting tackle, which is an upgrade in New York. Buffalo fared fine when Glenn was hurt and they were willing to move him at the deadline and, with the Bills likely about to trade a surplus of picks to move up and draft a quarterback, getting the second pick in the fourth round could help as trade fodder or as offsetting what they give away.

Steelers sign Cameron Brate to an offer sheet

This isn't how the Rooneys roll, but maybe it should be. Exploring the RFA market at tight end makes a lot of sense; it's the one spot on offense that has dogged them. Jesse James is just a guy for the most part and the Steelers are about to cut Vance McDonald, who they acquired in trade before 2017, for cap space after a weak season in Pittsburgh. The offense didn't hit the consistent high notes many expected in 2017, and this red zone target would add another dimension. Brate has great hands but Tampa took TE OJ Howard high a year ago and if this is the third-round tender the Steelers should strongly consider.    

Raiders trade a fifth round pick for Aqib Talib

This is just me wanting to see a trade between these teams happen. Add more spice to the rivalry, especially with Talib a bit of a loose cannon. In the end Denver is probably forced to cut him, but Jon Gruden needs secondary help badly and with all the youth and inexperience and injury concerns he has from this unit, well, you never know I suppose. This could be a spot where Belichick makes a move, too, especially given his knowledge of Talib.