4 NFL Trades That Should Still Happen Before the 2025 NFL Season

The 2025 NFL draft is done and the start of training camp is still several months out, but that doesn’t mean the offseason will hit a lull.

The potential for trades—along with the myriad of whispers, rumblings and rumors that accompany them—should keep things interesting while teams work behind the scenes to construct the best possible roster for the upcoming campaign.

Following the results of the draft and a litany of free-agency signings, several players stand out as clear trade candidates. These talents could soon be on the move for a variety of reasons, including heavy competition for a roster spot, salary-cap woes or not fitting in with rebuilding efforts.

The clock is ticking to get deals done. Orchestrating a trade at this point in the offseason affords players plenty of time to get up to speed in a new system and establish their role within it.

With that in mind, let's highlight four trades that should be finalized before the 2025 NFL season begins.

Jadeveon Clowney to San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

After playing for five different teams in the six years since he left the Houston Texans, Jadeveon Clowney is firmly in the mercenary stage of his career.

While the 32-year-old is no longer the Pro Bowler he was earlier in his career, he can still contribute on the edge at a serviceable level—an asset that could lead him to suit up for yet another squad in 2025.

Despite being under contract with the Carolina Panthers, the team he signed a two-year, $20 million deal with last offseason, Clowney doesn't quite fit in with the organization's youth movement.

The three-time Pro Bowler has become expendable after Carolina utilized a second-round pick on Nic Scourton and a third-rounder on Princely Umanmielen. One of these talented pass-rushing prospects is likely to take over Clowney's starting role as early as this season and their presence makes the veteran an obvious trade candidate.

The Panthers had reportedly discussed moving on from Clowney prior to making those two selections that fortified the edge.

Per ESPN's David Newton, the front office was engaged in trade talks leading up to the start of the 2025 draft and general manager Dan Morgan was non-committal when discussing the player's future with the club last week.

While Clowney's deal counts for nearly $14 million against the cap, the Panthers could outright release him to save $7.8 million.

Given he recorded 5.5 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss in 2024, though, it's likely the Panthers would prefer to deal the veteran to a team hungry for more pass-rushing firepower.

The San Francisco 49ers could be in the market for Clowney.

There has been a clear need in the Bay Area to assist superstar Nick Bosa in the defensive trenches. The team didn't shy away from addressing that issue during the 2025 draft—utilizing a first-round pick to nab edge-rusher Mykel Williams—but San Francisco could use more veterans in the mix to build out the type of deep, talented pass-rushing rotation that propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl last season.

If the Panthers are willing to ship Clowney off cheap to clear cap space and free up a roster spot, the Niners would be wise to capitalize on the situation.

With $47 million in projected cap room—the second-most in the league—San Francisco can easily fit in Clowney's contract and should only have to cough up Day 3 capital to get a deal done.

Romeo Doubs to New York Jets

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

The Green Bay Packers receivers room was already crowded heading into the draft, and the team came out of it with even more bodies to pack in.

After selecting Matthew Golden at No. 23 overall—becoming the first Green Bay wideout to be selected on Day 1 in over two decades—and Savion Williams in the third round, the organization finds itself with a logjam it must clear before training camp kicks off.

Golden and Williams are joining a receiving corps already brimming with young talent. All of quarterback Jordan Love’s top weapons from last season are set to return, including leading pass-catcher Jayden Reed, the promising but injury-prone Christian Watson (who is making his way back from a Week 18 ACL tear) and consistent No. 2 receiver Romeo Doubs.

With other talents such as Dontayvion Wicks and veteran free-agent pickup Mecole Hardman also in the mix, Doubs appears to be a prime trade candidate this offseason.

The 2022 fourth-round pick has been steady but unspectacular over his first three professional campaigns. He's appeared in 43 games in that span—starting 35—and has 147 receptions on 235 targets for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns. While there's still a chance he takes a leap going into his fourth season, it's unlikely to occur in Green Bay.

Rather than further reduce Doubs' already slim number of looks—he was a distant fifth in Packers targets in 2024—before allowing him to hit free agency when his rookie deal expires after the season, the team should be proactive and deal him to a team in need of receiving weapons.

The New York Jets fit the bill, especially after forgoing an opportunity to land a receiver early in the draft. While the team bolstered its offense with first-round tackle Armand Membou and second-round tight end Mason Taylor, its lone receiver addition was Arian Smith on Day 3.

In order to make life easier for marquee free-agent pickup Justin Fields, new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand should be pushing the club to make a run at Doubs.

The wideout would be a strong fit across from talented No. 1 wideout Garrett Wilson and could push veterans Allen Lazard and Josh Reynolds down the depth chart as the Jets' new No. 2 option.

George Pickens to Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Editor's Note: Pickens was traded to the Cowboys on Wednesday for a third-round pick and a late-round pick swap, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

By trading for DK Metcalf, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally found the star receiver they’ve long coveted to pair with George Pickens.

Unfortunately for the Steelers, Metcalf's acquisition may have come too late to make the desired impact.

With Pittsburgh utterly bereft of talent under center, it's hardly going to matter who lines up out wide.

After opting against selecting a signal-caller during the first two days of the draft—including passing on Shedeur Sanders, the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s No. 2-ranked QB, several times—Pittsburgh is left with veterans Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson competing with sixth-round rookie Will Howard to run the offense.

Even if Aaron Rodgers decides to continue his NFL career for another season by signing with the Steelers, it's unlikely this team will be a real threat in 2025.

Rather than committing more resources to an ill-fated attempt to contend, Pittsburgh should work to stockpile more assets for the future.

With Pickens entering the final year of his rookie deal and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noting that the wideout already considered requesting a trade after watching Metcalf sign a massive extension upon his rival, the Steelers can part ways with the talented but inconsistent pass-catcher a year early and be more prepared for a loaded 2026 draft class.

The Dallas Cowboys are an ideal team to swing a blockbuster trade with. They seem desperate for an upgrade in the receivers room after failing to come away with a rookie wideout in the draft.

The depth behind CeeDee Lamb leaves much to be desired, with Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo the projected Nos. 2 and 3 receivers, respectively, at this juncture.

If Dallas is going to return to the playoffs and start the Brian Schottenheimer era off by seriously contending, the team must shore up the receiving corps as soon as possible. With every marquee free agent already under contract, a deal for Pickens is the best way to accomplish this goal.

Metcalf could thrive with Dak Prescott throwing the ball to him and Lamb drawing away defensive attention. The wideout has already racked up 2,841 yards and 12 touchdowns over the first 48 games of his career despite being paired with underperforming passers such as Rudolph, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson over his three NFL seasons.

Jalen Ramsey to Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

A reunion with the Los Angeles Rams appears to be the most likely outcome for Jalen Ramsey this offseason.

After falling out of favor with the Miami Dolphins—a team that gave up a package headlined by a third-round pick to acquire him from the Rams during the 2022 offseason—it seems Ramsey could be going back to the organization he had arguably the best years of his career with.

Ramsey played four-and-a-half seasons in L.A., serving as the squad's top corner while earning four Pro Bowl appearances and a pair of All-Pro nods in that span. While his Miami tenure started off relatively strong—he earned his seventh and most recent Pro Bowl spot in Year 1 despite only suiting up for 10 games—Ramsey struggled along with a majority of the Dolphins' shaky defense in 2024.

After allowing a completion rate of 62 percent—a hefty increase from the 53.8 percent he conceded in 2023—and giving up three touchdowns in coverage, Miami is ready to move on from Ramsey. The team didn't use any early picks in the 2025 draft on the secondary, but it did draft corner Jason Marshall Jr. in Round 5 as a potential replacement for the 30-year-old.

Finances are reportedly the main factor delaying Ramsey’s move back to the Rams.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, his $24 million in guarantees has been a "sticking point" in talks, with Dolphins brass not "overly eager" to cover a portion of the salary.  Waiting until after June 1 to complete the deal would also save Miami almost $10 million in cap room.

Despite the financial hurdles to clear, Ramsey will be worth the effort to acquire. He should still have enough left in the tank to contribute to a Super Bowl contender like L.A and projects to be an ideal fit alongside fellow veteran Akhello Witherspoon on the outside.

Such a trade may not help the Rams too much down the line, but he’ll help give the Rams at least one more chance to lift the Lombardi Trophy during the Matthew Stafford era.