NFL Trade Deadline: Eight Potential Deals and the Teams That Should Build for the Future

The deadline’s real question is who can afford to plan for next year

The NFL trade deadline forces teams to reveal what they think their season is worth. Some need a starter to stay in the playoff race; others should be turning useful veterans into future picks. The eight proposed deals here are the headline possibilities, but the more telling choices may be the teams that should resist buying. Arizona, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Tennessee are among the clubs positioned to prioritize future draft capital over immediate upgrades. Buffalo needs help at safety after releasing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Atlanta’s Jessie Bates III is a suggested target for a second-round pick. Denver could make a similarly ambitious move for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, also at the cost of a second-rounder.

The wider exercise is to identify each team’s most pressing deadline need, whether that means adding a player or accumulating picks. Not every club has a plausible dream deal. Still, eight potential trade fits stand out.

Teams weighing the future against a playoff push

Arizona Cardinals: Draft capital

Arizona is already set to gain draft capital by sending Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens. The sensible next step is to keep building for the future. A Josh Sweat trade has been discussed since the offseason. His 60.0 PFF grade so far this season is a career low, but his previous performance and two remaining contract years could still make him attractive to a buyer. Dream trade: Send edge defender Josh Sweat away for a second-round pick.

Atlanta Falcons: Wide receiver

Atlanta has been inconsistent, but the NFC South race could keep the Falcons in contention late into the season. Standing pat is defensible. If they want a modest addition, another receiver could help: Jahan Dotson is second on the team in targets with 29, behind Drake London.

Baltimore Ravens: Draft capital

The deal for Brissett is an attempt to rescue a season battered by injuries, which makes Baltimore less likely to sell aggressively. The Ravens could still move players who won’t be part of the team in 2027. Marlon Humphrey has a 64.7 PFF coverage grade this season and could be available. His contract complicates a trade, but a late-round pick would give Baltimore a reason to consider it.

Buffalo Bills: Safety

Releasing C.J. Gardner-Johnson leaves Buffalo with a clear need. Cole Bishop ranks 63rd among 80 safeties with at least 200 snaps, with a 48.3 PFF coverage grade. For a team that believes it can contend for a Super Bowl with Josh Allen, this is a reasonable place to spend. Atlanta’s Jessie Bates III is playing on an expiring contract. Whether the Falcons would sell, and at what price, is uncertain. Dream trade: Acquire Bates for a second-round pick.

Carolina Panthers: Cornerback

Jaycee Horn is on injured reserve but could return later this season. Until then, Carolina has only two other cornerbacks with at least 150 snaps: Will Lee III and Akayleb Evans. Both have coverage grades below 60.0. A temporary starter who can remain useful as depth after Horn returns would address the immediate problem.

Chicago Bears: EDGE

Chicago has already made a major defensive move, acquiring Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans to strengthen the interior rush. That doesn’t rule out another deal, though it may leave the Bears less willing to part with draft picks. If they do add someone, an edge rusher makes sense: no Chicago edge defender has reached a 70.0 PFF pass-rush grade this season.

Cincinnati Bengals: Safety

Cincinnati has been connected to a big move for Jonathan Taylor, but the secondary may matter more to its Super Bowl chances. Both starting safeties, Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle, have coverage grades below 55.0. The appeal of a headline running back deal is obvious; the weaker safety play is harder to ignore.

Cleveland Browns: Draft capital

At 5-3, Cleveland is in the AFC playoff race. But the case for selling is that the rebuild still needs attention. A short-term upgrade could help this season; future picks may do more for the franchise. Jerry Jeudy could be a trade candidate if Cleveland can get a Day 3 selection, particularly with rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston emerging.

Dallas Cowboys: Run stopper

Dallas has only one interior defensive lineman with a run-defense grade above 60.0 this season. Given the defense’s broader struggles, adding a rotation player could help. The Colts appear to be selling, which could put Grover Stewart in play. He has posted a run-defense grade above 65.0 in eight of his 10 NFL seasons. Dream trade: Get Stewart for a sixth-round pick.

Denver Broncos: Running back

Denver is a plausible destination for Taylor, even if it would require a major investment. The Broncos’ offensive line isn’t as strong as it was last year, but through eight weeks it still ranks eighth in run blocking. Taylor could improve the ground game and draw extra defenders into the box, creating more room for Denver’s passing attack. Dream trade: Acquire Taylor from the Colts for a second-round pick.

Detroit Lions: Pass rush

Detroit already has Aidan Hutchinson, but another pass rusher could strengthen a team that looks like a serious NFC contender. Moro Ojomo of the Philadelphia Eagles has fallen off in 2026 after pass-rush grades of 82.4 in 2024 and 70.6 in 2025. His contract is expiring, which could make him available for a Day 3 selection. Dream trade: Send Philadelphia a fourth-round pick for Ojomo.

Green Bay Packers: Offensive line

Green Bay ranks 29th in the offensive line rankings and has already cycled through many combinations in eight weeks. The obvious top option, Quenton Nelson, has been traded. Any remaining acquisition is less likely to be a clear upgrade, so the Packers may have to live with a difficult position group.

Houston Texans: Offensive line

Houston sits 31st in the same rankings. Rookie left guard Keylan Rutledge has a 34.1 pass-blocking grade, but more playing time may be the best way to develop him. That leaves the Texans with little reason to change the lineup at the deadline.

Indianapolis Colts: Draft capital

Indianapolis has already traded guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, both on expiring contracts. The Colts are clearly selling. The open question is whether Jonathan Taylor can bring a second-round pick, and whether Indianapolis would also consider offers for cornerback Sauce Gardner or left tackle Bernhard Raimann.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Run stopper

Jacksonville’s defensive line has lost Davon Hamilton, who earned a career-best 72.4 run-defense grade across the first seven games. No other Jaguars interior lineman has exceeded a 55.0 run-defense grade while playing at least 30 snaps this season. For a team with legitimate Super Bowl ambitions, replacing some of that run-stopping ability is a straightforward need.

Trade needs vary sharply across the NFC and AFC

The deadline math here is less about finding a deal for every team than about matching a move to its actual window. Some contenders have a specific hole worth patching; several rebuilding clubs would be better served by turning veterans into picks. A few, though, have little reason to force a transaction.

Kansas City Chiefs: Left Tackle

Kansas City has more than one offensive concern, including a major need at receiver, but the left tackle situation deserves its own attention. Josh Simmons hasn’t provided the answer, leaving the Chiefs with both an immediate question and a longer-term one. With a late first-round pick likely, trading for Bernhard Raimann could address both: the Colts tackle has posted a PFF pass-blocking grade of at least 70.0 in each of his five NFL seasons. That kind of consistency has real value for a team trying to keep pace with the AFC’s best.

Las Vegas Raiders: Draft Capital

The Raiders have been competitive enough to keep a wild-card run in view, so standing pat is defensible. But if they do make a move, selling fits their rebuild better than buying. With Fernando Mendoza viewed as the quarterback of the future, they could test the market for Kirk Cousins. A third-round pick would be a plausible target. The cost is clear: moving Cousins could knock Las Vegas out of the playoff chase while Mendoza works through rookie mistakes. The longer-term logic may still win out.

Los Angeles Chargers: Draft Capital

At 0-7, the Chargers’ season is effectively over. The practical question is what they can get for Khalil Mack, whose 74.2 PFF grade gives him value even if the return tops out around a fourth-round pick. That’s a modest haul for a productive player, but accumulating assets for a rebuild aimed at 2028 and beyond is the sensible course.

Los Angeles Rams: Cornerback

The Rams’ need at cornerback became more urgent when Jaylen Watson, added this offseason, suffered a season-ending injury. His 80.3 PFF coverage grade shows what they’re losing. Emmanuel Forbes has stepped up as a reserve, earning a 79.9 coverage grade, but a strong backup performance doesn’t erase the value of adding depth for a team with Super Bowl ambitions.

Miami Dolphins: Draft Capital

Miami’s likeliest deadline move may be no move at all. If the Dolphins trade, selling makes more sense than paying for a short-term boost, especially as several young players develop. Rookie cornerback Chris Johnson and rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez have each earned PFF coverage grades above 65.0. That’s a useful foundation, though it doesn’t by itself answer how aggressively the team should pursue a reset.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback

Minnesota’s defense is good enough to support a run at the NFC North and the playoffs, but the passing game needs to improve. Kirk Cousins has a 76.8 PFF grade and just played his best game of the season in Week 8. The uncertainty is whether that level can carry the Vikings over the top.

Dream Trade: Acquire Kirk Cousins for a third-round pick.

New England Patriots: Running Back

New England has few obvious holes, but more explosive production on the ground could help late in the season. Second-year back TreVeyon Henderson hasn’t progressed as hoped. Rhamondre Stevenson owns an 80.6 PFF rushing grade, yet has managed only two carries of 15 yards or more. The grade says he’s been effective; the lack of long gains points to a different kind of missing spark.

New Orleans Saints: Running Back

The Saints have a clear production problem at running back: Travis Etienne Jr. hasn’t played since a Week 3 injury, while Alvin Kamara is averaging 3.0 yards per carry. Whether that justifies spending draft picks is less obvious. A short-term fix could help, but the team also has to weigh whether those assets are better saved for the future.

New York Giants: Defensive Interior

The Giants have a shot at the NFC East, particularly with the Eagles struggling. Still, this is John Harbaugh’s first season in New York, and an expensive push would be hard to justify. Adding a defensive lineman alongside DJ Reader could help without requiring a major bet. Reader leads interior defensive linemen with a 90.4 PFF grade; he’s also the only Giants interior lineman with at least 50 snaps and a grade above 55.0. That gap is the case for depth.

New York Jets: Draft Capital

The Jets already hold substantial future value: if the 2027 NFL Draft were held today, they’d have three picks in the top 10. More picks could help, but they aren’t an urgent need. Garrett Wilson is a prominent name in trade speculation, yet moving him should require a major return—multiple first-round picks. A single premium selection would be a thin price for a player of his standing.

Philadelphia Eagles: Draft Capital

The Eagles’ season has taken a sharp turn after Lane Johnson retired and Jalen Hurts suffered an injury. They’ve already moved into seller mode, sending center Cam Jurgens to the Ravens for a 2028 second-round pick. An expiring contract makes interior defensive lineman Moro Ojomo another logical trade candidate.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver

For Pittsburgh, improving the receiving corps could make a direct difference in the playoff run. Its highest-graded receiver is second-round Germie Bernard, at 61.7. Veteran D.K. Metcalf has dropped six passes this season. Josh Downs, who becomes a free agent after the season, could be available for a fourth-round pick. That’s a relatively contained bet on a position that needs help.

Dream Trade: Acquire Josh Downs for a fourth-round pick.

San Francisco 49ers: Wide Receiver

San Francisco’s injuries at receiver could make another target useful. Mike Evans is tied for the league’s second-highest PFF receiving grade among wide receivers, but injuries have limited him. Josh Downs could offer a shorter-term answer here, too.

Seattle Seahawks: EDGE

Seattle’s edge pressure has slipped from last season. Derick Hall is at a 60.5 PFF grade, down from 70.5 a year ago. The Seahawks probably won’t spend heavily, but Jadeveon Clowney is a sensible lower-cost option: his best season for total pressures came with Mike Macdonald in Baltimore in 2023.

Dream Trade: Acquire Jadeveon Clowney for a fifth-round pick.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Linebacker

Tampa Bay remains in the NFC South race, like the rest of the division, but the price of chasing the title matters. The Buccaneers could decide that selling is wiser than buying. If they choose to make a short-term addition, linebacker is a clear place to look: Alex Anzalone has a 44.6 PFF coverage grade this season.

Tennessee Titans: Draft Capital

Tennessee has already declared its direction by trading Jeffery Simmons. The deal brought back two first-round picks, a significant boost to the rebuild. Another major transaction seems unlikely; the Simmons move may be the Titans’ last headline deal before the deadline.

Washington Commanders: Draft Capital

Washington may still see an NFC East opportunity, given the state of the division, but there’s little reason to expect a major roster upgrade. The Commanders also lack an obvious trade piece likely to command a big return. A team in need of a cornerback might ask about Rasul Douglas; any compensation, though, is likely to be limited.