Viva Murillo!

Have you ever wished that you could trade for a player on another roster, except you can'tt spare anyone worthy of a deal? So you don't make any offer at all, because you don't want to waste your time.

You know how this ends: You watch that same player get traded for a package even more insulting than you had considered. It's an outrage, it's highway robbery, and it's like taking candy from a baby. But in the end, it's the trade you didn't make because you never bothered to try. So someone else gets the guy you wanted and you're left pouting with your underachieving roster. Who's the baby now?

People say trading is an art, and it that's true it's a Jackson Pollock painting: Messy, confusing, baffling ... and appealing. You don't have to completely understand it; just enjoy it for what it is. But with trading you're the artist, and I encourage you to try and create something before your trading deadline.

It's probably still a couple of weeks away, but the time to consider making a trade is not 48 hours before the deadline. Often they take days (or weeks) to develop, so give yourself plenty of time to go back and forth. If you need to improve your team, make an offer this week and get the discussion rolling.

This is one of those moves that has almost downside. If you get interest, you might end up with a player you need. If you get shot down quickly, you still have a long time to consider other options. If you find the process going too slowly, you can still reach out to other teams without feeling pressured by your league's deadline. Whatever options have, you'll have more of them by doing something immediately.

Of course, there's a concern when it comes to making an offer that seems weighted in your favor: The risk of becoming "that owner." You know, the owner whose offers are simply league entertainment because they're comical and insulting at the same time. Nobody wants to be that owner; nobody wants to discuss trades with them, either. The lowball trader ranks somewhere above the owner who is always late paying their dues and just below the owner who can't get the names right on draft day.

But you know what? Don't worry about it. Risk being "that owner" for a little while. Make some offers that you'd never accept yourself. You might be surprised at the response, or you might get a reasonable counter-offer that leads to a trade. But the key is actually making an offer; asking if someone is available isn't enough. Everyone is available if you're willing to pay enough for them (see: Palmer, Carson). Make an opening statement about what you want to pay, and see how close you are on that first try.

But there's one thing you absolutely must do before you start making offers: Please, please use common sense. I'm not trying to unleash an army of used car salesmen on innocent, unsuspecting leagues. You can make an offer that favors you without completely upending player values. A kicker and a defense is never going to bring you Matt Forte. There are no dimensions of reality where a waiver wire tight end and James Jones will fetch Calvin Johnson. But if you throw some decent offers out there, you might be surprised by what you get back. It doesn't have to be totally fair, but it can't be fantasy, either.

So make some offers and try to acquire a player that could turn your year around. It's just like your season: If you try and fail, that's okay because you gave it your best effort. But if you sit back and do nothing, others will succeed in your place and that's not acceptable. And just like your season, time is running out. The trade deadline is approaching. Good luck this week.

Are you considering making some trades to give your team a spark? Have you received some comical offers that you rejected outright? Share your stories below.

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