8 Players Likely to Be Traded During the 2025 NFL Draft

Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft is finally here. College football’s best and brightest are about to find out where their professional careers are going to begin.

Before the draft even begins, it’s already making history. This is the first draft of the common era (since 1967) where all 32 teams still had their first-round pick when the new league year began, per NFL Research. Here we are on draft day, and all 32 teams still have their first-round selection.

That almost certainly won’t hold through Thursday’s first round. Some teams will be desperate to move up, while others will be willing to slide back. The deals will continue all the way through Saturday.

But it won’t just be picks that change hands. A number of veteran players could find themselves changing teams via trade as well. Some are aging vets who have worn out their welcome with their teams, while others are headed into a contract year. And some could find their spot on the depth chart challenged by a rooke.

Whatever the reason, a handful of NFL veterans will need a realtor come Sunday. These are the leading candidates in that regard.

New York Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux

AP

It’s rare for a top-five overall pick to get dealt while still on his rookie contract. But if the New York Giants take Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux could be on his way out of the Big Apple.

“The Giants have already invested heavily on pass-rushers with Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux,” Jeff Howe of The Athletic wrote. “No team would complain about having too many edge-rushers, but the Giants do have a looming decision with Thibodeaux, the fifth pick in 2022. The Giants have to determine soon whether they’ll exercise his fifth-year option. One executive estimated the Giants could move Thibodeaux for a third-round pick if he’s not in their long-term plans.”

Not long ago, the notion of trading Thibodeaux would have seemed laughable. In 2023, he logged 50 total tackles and posted 11.5 sacks. But last year, the former Oregon standout missed five games and logged only 5.5 sacks.

It’s possible the Giants would just keep Thibodeaux and Carter, at least through 2025. But they can’t really get out from under Burns’ contract until 2027, and the fifth-year option decision comes hot on the heels of this year’s draft.

If the Giants do take Carter and can get a Day 2 pick for Thibodeaux, they could be tempted to shake things up on the edge given their other needs.

Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins

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Kirk Cousins showed up for voluntary workouts with the Atlanta Falcons this week. But after signing a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason, the 36-year-old is highly unlikely to still be on the Falcons' roster come Week 1.

Now that this year's quarterback carousel has mostly stopped spinning, a few teams still need a dance partner under center in 2025. However, the Falcons haven’t been especially realistic about what they expect in return for Cousins after a down 2024 campaign.

Atlanta wants Cousins' new team to pick up $20 million of the remaining $37.5 million guaranteed in his contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. So far, no one’s biting.

“There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million.” Schefter said. “How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up. The higher the payment, the lower the draft compensation; the lower the payment, the higher the draft compensation. The Falcons and Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, recognize their future is not together, and how it will play out could very well be influenced by this draft.”

In theory, the Falcons could bide their time and wait in the hopes that a team suffers an injury at the position in training camp. But Cousins can veto any deal, and with two young children in elementary school, he could just decide to cash checks as Michael Penix Jr.'s backup if this drags out for much longer.

If the Falcons want some kind of return for the $90 million they set on fire with the Cousins contract, trading him during the draft or just after is their best chance of getting it.

Las Vegas Raiders OT Kolton Miller

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Generally speaking, quality tackles are worth their weight in gold in the NFL. From most indications, Kolton Miller of the Las Vegas Raiders is a quality tackle.

Miller surrendered seven sacks in 1,075 snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. But PFF ranked the 6’8”, 325-pounder as a top-15 player at his position in both overall grade and pass blocking.

Over seven seasons, Miller has been a relatively consistent and durable offensive lineman. But entering his age-30 season on the final year of a contract set to pay a non-guaranteed base salary of $12.3 million, Miller is seeking a new deal. However, the Raiders appear at least somewhat reluctant to give him one.

Miller was a no-show at voluntary workouts, and general manager John Spytek didn’t say much about the situation during his predraft press conference.

"I'm just gonna give you our answer and it's gonna be this going forward. We're not gonna discuss contracts publicly and this is certainly a voluntary part of the offseason program," he said. "Guys are free to come and go as they please."

Thanks for clearing things up, John.

It’s entirely possible the Raiders and Miller will agree to terms on a new deal at some point in the offseason. But if they take the 2025 NFL draft’s top left tackle prospect in Missouri’s Armand Membou, they could wind up shopping Miller.

Given the position he plays, there would likely be significant interest in Miller.

Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander

AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps

Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander was once considered one of the best in the league at his position. But over the past two seasons, injuries have limited the two-time Pro Bowler to just 14 games.

With a cap hit nearing $25 million, Alexander’s name has come up more than once as of late in trade talks. However, Packers quarterback Jordan Love recently made it clear on the Up and Adams show that he wants Alexander to remain in Titletown.

“Ja, he’s got his own world going on. I’m gonna let him handle his own business and see what’s going on. But that’s my guy right there,” Love said. "He’s definitely a player we need back. Just the play style he plays with, who he is on the field. I mean, that’s a guy we need to have around. So, we’ll see what happens.”

However, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was far more opaque while speaking to reporters.

“We'll work through that, I don't have updates on Jaire. He's obviously on our roster right now,” Gutekunst said. “We'll see how the draft goes and see where we're at at that point.”

The Packers would need to find the right trade partner for Alexander’s contract. They'd also be left with a $17 million dead cap hit if they trade him before June 1.

But more and more recent mock drafts have Green Bay taking a cornerback at No. 23. If that winds up happening, Gutekunst may spend Friday and Saturday shopping Alexander in earnest.

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews

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For much of his seven-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, Mark Andrews has been a key part of the team’s offense. He's been Lamar Jackson’s favorite target for the past few seasons.

But when last we saw Andrews, he was dropping a two-point conversion that cost the Ravens dearly in a postseason loss to the Buffalo Bills. Now that he's entering the last year of his contract, the 29-year-old has been the subject of trade speculation for some time now.

Andrews has heard the rumors, he recently told reporters that he's just attempting to prepare for the season to come.

"At the end of the day, I think [GM Eric DeCosta] said it perfectly: He's in the business of keeping great players and it's a business at the end of the day," Andrews said. "You can't be surprised by anything, but I'm a Raven. "I know the Ravens and my relationship is incredibly strong and I trust in [DeCosta] and everybody there over at the Ravens. And there's nothing on my end really to share. For me, it's just been working hard this offseason and trying to get in the best shape of my life, trying to have the best season of my life coming up and winning a Super Bowl."

On some level, it’s hard to imagine Andrews lining up for another team. But he turns 30 in September, the Ravens have fellow tight end Isaiah Likely on their roster, and Andrews’ 673 receiving yards last year were his fewest in a full season since his rookie campaign.

However, Andrews also scored a career-high 11 touchdowns last year, tops among all tight ends. That red-zone prowess could appeal to teams looking for reliable veteran options in the passing game.

Pittsburgh Steelers WR George Pickens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

The Pittsburgh Steelers have already been busy on the trade front this year, bringing in veteran wide receiver DK Metcalf. Even prior to Metcalf's arrival, there was speculation that fellow wideout George Pickens could be on his way out of town.

At his predraft press conference, Steelers general manager Omar Khan appeared to shoot down the notion of trading Pickens, who topped 1,100 receiving yards and averaged more than 18 yards per catch in 2023.

"No. We're glad we have George and DK here. I think they're going to be exciting for everyone to watch. [We're] excited to have DK here, but no. ... We'll see how things shake out. I'll say this: we gave up a [second-round pick] for DK — and I'm so excited that we did that. Having him here is great. Obviously, when you get to the draft, you get excited about a lot of players, and you wish you had 50 picks right now. There are a lot of good players out there. You know, we'll see how this shakes out."

Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that a team said one thing and did another. Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus wrote that Pickens’ similarities to Metcalf could make him expendable.

“Metcalf and Pickens largely share similar skill sets as downfield threats that can win at the catch point, and with the latter’s contract set to expire after this season, teams will be interested," he wrote.

Trading Pickens could make sense for the Steelers, Khan’s protestations to the contrary notwithstanding.

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne has amassed 1,000 yards on the ground in two of his first three NFL seasons, but his 2024 campaign was easily his worst. He failed to top even 600 rushing yards, and he averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry.

Etienne admitted to reporters that last year was far from his best, but he said that both he and the Jags as a team as a whole are primed to rebound in 2025.

“We have a lot of the same guys who have been to the playoffs," he said. "We just got to find ways to continue to build. Next year, it's all about finishing those one-score games, and turning them into wins and not losses. That's just going to help us, and I feel like the experience that we got through those situations this year, are going to help us next year.”

The question is whether Etienne will be around for that hoped-for turnaround. The Jaguars are now the odds-on favorite to select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the fifth overall pick. If the Jags use that kind of draft capital on a running back, it won’t be so he can share carries.

With Tank Bigsby also on the roster, Etienne would become fully expendable.

Miami Dolphins CB Jalen Ramsey

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

A few years ago, Jalen Ramsey was one of the most feared defensive players in the NFL. Now, he’s probably the veteran who's the most likely to get traded during the NFL draft.

According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the Dolphins have made it clear that the 30-year-old is available, and at least one team has expressed interest. That team is the Los Angeles Rams, for whom Ramsey played for three-plus seasons, including L.A.’s Super Bowl title team in 2021.

While speaking to reporters, Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed interest in a Rams reunion.

“He’s a great player,” McVay said. “We know him very well. We know him intimately. You would certainly never rule out the possibility of that. There’s a lot of layers that would need to be worked out with a player of his magnitude, and some of the different things that accompany that. But you would never eliminate the possibility of adding a total stud.”

Ramsey’s numbers were down last year. The season before, he made the Pro Bowl but missed seven games.

For all of his name value, Ramsey is an aging player with a hefty salary. However, he also hasn’t allowed a passer rating above 85 since 2019.

There’s going to be some interest in Ramsey from more than just the Rams. Trade compensation and his massive dead cap hit are genuine obstacles, but if the Dolphins truly want to move on, they should be able to do so.

It appears that Ramsey could be headed toward a second stint with Los Angeles.