Was the Payton Vilma talk just a smokescreen?

Maybe talking Vilma up to trade him to the Rams/Titans, or just generally misdirecting?

To my eyes Vilma has been poor for the last couple of years due to injuries, distractions and possibly age.

He looks too small to play ILB in a 3-4 and too slow and too small to be an OLB.

I'm no expert of course but I just don't like the idea of holding onto to a guy who looks to be in terminal decline.