We all love the NFL, but there are things all of us would change if we were Commissioner for a day. Here are five trades – some more realistic than others – that would cause a drastic mix-up in the standings.

Cassel - A 49er?

Matt Cassel to the San Francisco 49ers

Cassel is the most talked about quarterback this offseason, and with the great Tom Brady coming back there has been even more rumors flying about regarding potential buyers for Cassel. Franchise-tagged by the Patriots this year, Cassel would cost an arm and a leg in free agency, but considerably less if the Patriots were willing to swing a deal.

The San Francisco 49ers, operating under Shaun Hill until further notice, would love to acquire Cassel. If the 49ers could possibly deal for him while retaining their 10th overall selection, San Francisco would almost be a lock to win the NFC West in 2009 (assuming Warner doesn’t return).

The 49ers would bolster their defense with that high first round pick and hope for a receiver in the mid- to late-rounds. If they could grab the attention of Dallas and their T.O sweepstakes or (heaven forbid) Michael Crabtree fell to them at No. 10, San Francisco would suddenly be a threat to advance deep in the Playoffs.

Tom Brady to Anybody

Of course, there is always the possibility of the Patriots opting to trade the feared Tom Brady instead of the young Cassel. If any team would be willing to mortgage their draft, their lives, and their karma for Brady, the Patriots wouldn’t turn a deaf ear.

The Patriots could make a steal-of-a-deal by trading the 31-year old Brady as soon as possible. They would be sure to garner at least one first-round selection in return… and most likely more. Brady is an excellent quarterback; anyone to deny that needs to take a reality pill. But the fact of the matter remains that Brady has only a handful of serviceable years remaining before the dreaded “age factor” kicks in. If New England has confidence in Cassel for the next decade, the smart thing would be to unload Brady and his $8 million salary.

Without a doubt, almost anyone with Tom Brady would be a better football team. If the Vikings were to pull off the trade (a la Herschel Walker… uffda!) they would almost be legitimate Super Bowl contenders.

Terrell Owens to the Oakland Raiders

Al Davis is just the kind of guy who would love to bring the media attention (positive or negative) to his beloved Oakland Raiders. Owens would not only bring the national spotlight to Southern California, but he would give young quarterback JaMarcus Russell one of the best deep threats in the league.

In this instance, Davis would not look like a kid trying to bring the biggest stars to his team for no apparent reasons – only because the presence of Owens in Oakland would bring that sunken franchise back to a somewhat-respectable level. Again, if the Raiders are able to hang on to their first round selection and shore up their offensive line, Oakland may be a team to be reckoned with next year.

Julius Peppers to the Kansas City Chiefs

Peppers - A Chief?

With the departure of Jared Allen to the Vikings last year, an urgent hole was created at the defensive end position. If the Chiefs could manage to convince Peppers that they are committed to winning and will win soon, the Chiefs are a much stronger team.

If they could get Crabtree with their third overall selection, the rest of the NFL will stop snoring/laughing when preparing for games against Kansas City. Dwayne Bowe, Michael Crabtree, and Tony Gonzalez taking passes from Tyler Thigpen? When that highlight-reel of an offense isn’t on the field, Peppers and Co. will make sure they aren’t off long.

Some may argue that Thigpen isn’t the right fit for the Chiefs, and they should take a guy like Sanchez with their pick. Sanchez throwing to Bowe and Gonzalez with Peppers on defense? That joke of a team would suddenly become a very real threat.

Albert Haynesworth to the Buffalo Bills

Although not technically a trade, if the Bills could land Haynesworth while retaining their first-round selection, they could possibly acquire both Fat Albert and a guy like Brian Orakpo in the same breath. Just like that, Buffalo would have one of the best defensive lines in the league.

Haynesworth is 27-years old, and a health risk, but worth almost every penny of his $7.25 million contact.

If Buffalo could add both Orakpo and Haynesworth in the same offseason, they would be dropped on the road to success with little detours. The offensive line would remain a soft spot, but the AFC East would have to take notice. The Bills didn’t win a single divisional game last year, but showed promise by starting the season off 5-1 with victories over Seattle, Jacksonville, and San Diego, but bad luck coupled with an average team is never a good recipe.

With this addition (unlikely as it is) the Bills could do more than turn their 7-9 record around.

Please feel free to discuss in the comment section. What is the most realistic trade I listed? What trades would you like to see?