Essendon has regressed this year from their 2021 season which saw the Bombers earn a finals berth, with pressure mounting on second-year senior coach Ben Rutten.
However, amid the doom and gloom of their 2022 campaign, the Dons boast a young and promising list as three youngsters, supplemental selection period recruit Nic Martin, first-round draftee Ben Hobbs and mid-season draftee Massimo D'Ambrosio, achieved Rising Star nominations through 16 rounds.
Over the course of last year's trade and free agency period, Essendon acquired the services of unrestricted free agent defender Jake Kelly from the Crows.
Taking into account Essendon's recent activity during the trade and free agency period and the likelihood of them being key players again this year, we've named five potential targets for the Bombers to consider.
The damaging Bulldogs midfielder has been linked to The Hangar for the better part of two years.
Could this be the year the 25-year-old makes the move?
Dunkley, while a midfield accumulator, can also go forward and hit the scoreboard, which makes him an even more salivating trade prospect for Adrian Dodoro and the Bombers.
Dunkley is a non-free agent as he hasn't served the requisite eight years at the Bulldogs, so a trade would have to be agreed between Essendon and the Dogs.
The recruitment of Nick Hind from St Kilda has proven to be a successful one for the Bombers, and they could add another defensive speedster in the form of Richmond's Daniel Rioli alongside Hind and part-time half-back Andy McGrath (also out-of-contract at the end of this year).
The 25-year-old is currently slated to come out of contract at the end of this season but is not eligible for free agency as he has only served seven years at Tigerland, meaning a trade would have to be orchestrated between the two sides.
The Bombers would surely be tempted by an established wingman in the form of Fremantle's Blake Acres, who has had somewhat of a breakout season for the Dockers in 2022 before succumbing to injury.
Acres is no stranger to playing in Victoria, having previously played for St Kilda before making the move to Fremantle at the end of 2019.
It is hard to see Acres, a non-free-agent, wanting out of Fremantle, considering how settled he was on the opposite wing to James Aish before his hamstring injury.
But with Fremantle piecing together a monster sum to lure Demon Luke Jackson west, some off-contract Dockers may feel the pinch of a salary squeeze.
Brayshaw has showcased impressive positional versatility with Melbourne this season, playing a crucial intercept role off half-back while also offering hardness at the contest and an ability to win his own ball.
The 26-year-old would undoubtedly slot in beautifully across half-back, playing alongside McGrath, Hind and Mason Redman.
Brayshaw qualifies as a restricted free agent this year, meaning Essendon would have to attempt to sign the hybrid Demon to an offer sheet and if Melbourne were to match that, attempt to orchestrate a trade.
While this would appear the least realistic of the five targets, with Brayshaw having won a premiership with the Demons last season and currently holding many close relationships with his Melbourne teammates, the Dons would be derelict in their duties to not at least attempt to lure Brayshaw to Tullamarine.
Taranto fits a similar mould to the Dogs' Dunkley, with the 24-year-old possessing a strong midfield body as well as a dangerous ability to go forward and kick goals.
The Bombers would hope Taranto follows in the footsteps of former Giant, Jye Caldwell, who requested a trade to the Bombers two trade periods ago.
The Giants' engine room is one of the most crowded in the AFL, with Josh Kelly, Tom Green, Stephen Coniglio, Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield and Jacob Hopper all major midfield occupiers, so Taranto could request a trade home to Victoria if he does feel underappreciated as a midfielder in Western Sydney.