Hypothetical Superstar Trade Packages That Would Shake Up 2023 NFL Season
For many years, it was rare to see top-tier players get traded in the NFL. That has begun to shift, as stars like Russell Wilson, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and Christian McCaffrey all changed hands via trade over the last year.
While there haven't been as many blockbuster deals this offseason, there have been a few notable trades.
The biggest so far has been the Miami Dolphins' acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The Chicago Bears also landed wide receiver D.J. Moore as part of the package for the No. 1 overall pick. There's also a sizable trade in the pipeline, as the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers continue to finalize a deal that will send Aaron Rodgers to the Big Apple.
Moore, Ramsey and Rodgers likely won't be the only big names moved before the 2023 trade deadline. Expect a few more landscape-shifting deals to occur as the NFL draft approaches and during the event itself.
With that in mind, here are five hypothetical trades that could shake up the league ahead of the 2023 campaign.
Bills Get a Potential Superstar for Pennies on the Dollar
1 of 5
Arizona Cardinals receive: 2023 third-round pick (No. 91 overall)
Buffalo Bills receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins
The Buffalo Bills are worth keeping an eye on as the 2023 NFL draft draws nearer. ESPN's Matt Miller reported it's "very possible" that they move up from No. 27, but they might be better served using that capital to acquire a more proven talent.
Arizona Cardinals wideout DeAndre Hopkins could be one such option. His star has faded in recent seasons, but he still has the potential to be one of the NFL's top wideouts.
The 6'1", 212-pound pass-catcher has been limited to only 19 games over the last two years because of injuries and a performance-enhancing-drug suspension, but he still managed to catch 11 touchdowns in that span. He looked great as recently as November before Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray went down for the year with a torn ACL.
With career numbers of 853 receptions for 11,298 yards and 71 scores, the five-time Pro Bowler has proved capable of elevating an offense. Landing with a contender like Buffalo could rejuvenate Hopkins' career as he enters his age-31 campaign.
While Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported the Cardinals may end up outright releasing Hopkins due to his age and pricy contract, the Bills might be able to negotiate a deal that gives Arizona some draft capital in return for paying some of his salary in 2023.
Given how ice cold Hopkins' market has been, the Bills should try to turn the No. 91 overall pick into a three-time All-Pro wideout who could take their high-powered offense to another level. If Hopkins returns to form, this move could help finally bring a Super Bowl to Buffalo.
Colts Take Lamar Jackson Off Baltimore's Hands
2 of 5
Baltimore Ravens receive: 2023 first-round pick (No. 4 overall), 2023 second-round pick (No. 35 overall), 2024 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick
Indianapolis Colts receive: QB Lamar Jackson
The Indianapolis Colts haven't had stability at quarterback since Andrew Luck's abrupt retirement ahead of the 2019 season. They churned through a series of past-their-prime veterans or fliers before hitting a low point with Matt Ryan in 2022.
While the Ryan experiment didn't pan out, it did result in the Colts landing the No. 4 overall pick. They'll could use that selection on a signal-caller, but it may not be the best move for the organization as it stands now.
Two of the three teams selecting ahead of the Colts, the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans, clearly need a passer. The third (the Arizona Cardinals) is a popular pick to trade back with a franchise that covets a quarterback, which means there could be slim pickings by the time Indianapolis is on the clock.
If the Colts aren't sold on one of the remaining quarterbacks at No. 4, they should get the Baltimore Ravens on the line and swing a blockbuster deal for an already established star in Lamar Jackson.
While Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay said that "it's important not to compromise your future" to acquire "great, dynamic players", Jackson would be a massive upgrade under center. The 2019 NFL MVP has the potential to lead Indy to its first title since Peyton Manning won in 2006, while it's far from guaranteed that any rookie in this class will even be a productive player in the NFL.
With a supporting cast that includes 2021 rushing champion Jonathan Taylor and an emerging star wideout in Michael Pittman Jr., the Colts could go from the league's basement to a deep playoff run with one splashy move to bring in Jackson.
Given his status as a non-exclusive franchise-tagged player, the Colts could technically acquire Jackson for only two first-rounders if they tender him a contract that the Ravens won't match. However, Baltimore could threaten to meet that number. The Colts would be better served coming up with a package that would guarantee Jackson winds up in Indy.
A pair of first-rounders and some extra value, such as the No. 35 overall pick and a second-rounder next year, could do the trick here.
Giants Capitalize on Rams' Decision to End the Remodel and Embrace a Rebuild
3 of 5
Los Angeles Rams receive: 2023 first-round pick (No. 25 overall), 2023 third-round pick (No. 89 overall), 2024 third-round pick
New York Giants receive: WR Cooper Kupp
The Los Angeles Rams won a Super Bowl after acquiring several veteran stars via trade, but they're now paying for that series of all-in moves that left them bereft of draft capital.
While the Rams have been reluctant to embrace a full-blown rebuild in wake of their disappointing 2022 campaign, they've been parting ways with key pieces of their title run this offseason. They dealt cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins and have yet to re-sign linebacker Leonard Floyd.
With little cash to spare, few reinforcements arriving from the open market and no first-round pick this year, it will be tough for the Rams to field a competitive squad in 2023. Since the cracks in this foundation are now showing, it could be time for them to tear it all down and start over.
General manager Les Snead has called his current roster strategy a "remodel" and highlighted Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp as "weight-bearing walls" whom the team will continue to build around. However, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported that they "would have welcomed" a trade offer for Stafford this offseason.
A deal for Stafford may not materialize, but there should be plenty of interest if the Rams decide to get out the wrecking ball and move on from Kupp. With him only a year removed from a record-setting 145-catch, 1,947-yard, 16-touchdown campaign, the Rams could get a handsome return for their veteran receiver.
It'd be tough to find a better landing spot for Kupp than the New York Giants. The G-Men managed to scrape their way into the playoffs and even won a postseason game for the first time since 2011 despite having a subpar selection of receiver talent.
Darius Slayton was Big Blue's top pass-catcher in 2022 with 46 catches for 724 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games. Kupp surpassed those marks in only nine games this season before an ankle injury shut him down for the year.
With quarterback Daniel Jones now signed through the 2026 season, the Giants need to find him a high-end wideout who can take the pressure off running back Saquon Barkley to carry the offensive burden. If New York is willing to part with its first-rounder and a pair of third-rounders, the Rams would get a highly respectable return for a receiver heading into his age-30 season and coming off an injury.
This trade could be a win-win for both sides. It might help the Giants make it back to the Super Bowl while positioning L.A. to become a contender again down the line.
.jpg?w=256 "Browns Football")
Miami Finally Lands a Star Running Back
4 of 5
Tennessee Titans receive: 2023 second-round pick (No. 51), 2023 sixth-round pick (No. 197), 2024 third-round pick.
Miami Dolphins receive: RB Derrick Henry
The Miami Dolphins haven't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Jay Ajayi in 2016. After giving plenty of chances to a variety of running backs over the last six years, it may be time for them to make a move that would almost guarantee steady production from the backfield.
Derrick Henry has been the league's most consistent running back over the last five years. He's put together four 1,000-plus-yard seasons in that span and nearly topped that mark in a fifth despite missing nine games that year.
The 29-year-old has highly impressive career numbers of 8,335 yards and 78 touchdowns on 1,750 totes. He's recently become a bigger factor in the passing game as well, posting career highs of 33 catches for 398 yards in 2022.
Although Henry has logged a high workload since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2016, he appears to have plenty left in the tank as he gears up for his eighth season. While the Tennessee Titans' offensive identity revolves around Henry's bruising rushing style, it might be time for them to move on from him and begin to retool.
Henry would be the second star running back dealt in the last calendar year, as the Carolina Panthers dealt Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in October for second-, third- and fourth-round picks in the 2023 draft and a 2024 fifth-rounder. While the Titans might not fetch an equivalent haul for Henry, they should get at least a pair of middle-round selections.
If the Titans did send Henry to the Dolphins, they might have to wait a year to cash in one of those chips. Miami is a tad pick-starved after swinging high-profile deals for wide receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Jalen Ramsey in recent years. Since the NFL stripped their first-round pick, they have only four picks in this year's draft.
While Miami might want to hang onto at least one of its Day 2 selections to shore up the remaining weak areas on its roster, Henry is a better talent than anyone whom it would likely land at No. 51 overall. Offering that pick, as well as a 2024 third-rounder and a sixth-rounder this year, may be enough for the Titans to part ways with their offensive lynchpin of the last half-decade.
Seahawks Get a Pair of Edge-Rushers to Push Them Over the Edge
5 of 5
Washington Commanders receive: 2023 first-round pick (No. 20), 2023 second-round pick (No. 37), 2023 third-round pick (No. 83)
Seattle Seahawks receive: Edge Montez Sweat, Edge Chase Young
The Seattle Seahawks were one of the surprise stories of the 2022 season. Expected to be one of the league's worst teams after trading away nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson, the club made a shocking playoff run behind a resurgent Geno Smith.
While the Seahawks should be happy with that unexpected Wild Card Round appearance, they could build upon it with the right personnel moves this offseason.
The defensive line has some glaring holes heading into the 2023 draft. While Seattle could use one or even both of its two first-round picks to shore that area up, it could also swing for the fences by acquiring proven talent instead.
The Washington Commanders would be a natural trade partner after they agreed to a long-term deal with the previously franchise-tagged Daron Payne. With Payne and Jonathan Allen now on big contracts, the team could find it difficult to hand out market-value deals to both Chase Young and Montez Sweat in the near future.
With Young limited to only 12 games since his standout rookie season in 2020, his value is a bit murky. He showed immense promise after being drafted No. 2 overall, racking up 7.5 sacks in his first 15 games, but he tallied only 1.5 sacks across nine contests in 2021 before suffering an ACL tear and a ruptured patellar tendon. Young played only three games this past season, finishing with five total tackles, one pass deflection and one quarterback hit.
Rather than gamble on his ongoing recovery and eventually debate whether to extend a player whose injury history may be a concern, the Commanders could just wipe the slate clean in exchange for draft assets.
Seattle would be hedging a bet on Young's health by also scooping up Sweat, who has seen action in 59 of a possible 66 games since entering the league as a first-rounder in 2019. In that span, he has become one of Washington's most consistent defenders.
Sweat has amassed 29 career sacks—including 17 across his last two fully healthy seasons in 2020 and 2022—and has recorded 165 tackles, with 37 of those for a loss. He played a career-high 70 percent of Washington's defensive snaps last year and earned a sterling 86.4 Pro Football Focus grade for his efforts.
Sweat won't come cheap, but given the price he's likely to command on the open market next offseason—Spotrac estimates his value to be nearly $17 million annually—the Commanders should be willing to part with him.
Trading for Sweat and Young would vastly bolster Seattle's defense and make it a true force on that side of the ball in 2023.
.jpg?w=480 "Browns Football")
.jpg?w=600 "AEW Dynamite Results & Recap")