1 Player Each NFL Team Should Consider Trading Before the 2025 Season

It used to be that trades were a relative rarity in the NFL—at least those involving bigger names.

Well, the NFL still isn’t the NBA, where earth-shattering deals seemingly happen every week. But there has been no shortage of trades this offseason, whether it was quarterback Geno Smith landing in Las Vegas, wide receiver Deebo Samuel going to Washington or fellow wideout DK Metcalf joining the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There’s a trade being finalized right now that will send edge-rusher Bryce Huff to the San Francisco 49ers. And all sorts of players are reportedly available, from Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.

Not every team has the same amount of draft capital. Some are short on tradeable assets. Others are in a position more to buy than sell. And for a trade asset to be viable, there are boxes to check on both sides, whether it’s desirability to potential suitors to a reason for sellers to move on—like say an expiring contract.

But every team has at least one player it makes sense to explore trading.

So, let’s take a stroll around the NFL showroom.

You never know when a new model will be hitting the market.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

EDGE Zaven Collins

Back in 2021, the Arizona Cardinals made edge-rusher Zaven Collins the 16th overall pick in the NFL draft. But Collins didn’t actually start his professional career as an edge-rusher—the 6’5” 260-pounder spent the first two seasons of his career as an off-ball linebacker before kicking outside in 2023.

The results have been disappointing. Collins has shown some flashes, but he just hasn’t been able to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Last year’s five sacks marked a career high, but with Josh Sweat now in the desert, Baron Browning back after joining the Cardinals in-season last year and BJ Ojulari returning from injury, Collins could find himself toward the back end of the pass-rushing rotation in Arizona.

Collins signed a two-year, $14 million extension last fall, so his salary is hardly cost-prohibitive. There could be a team out there that believes it can do a better job of unlocking Collins’ talent than the Cardinals have.

And a change of scenery could be the best thing for the 26-year-old.

Atlanta Falcons

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

QB Kirk Cousins

Like it was going to be anyone else.

There are multiple reasons Kirk Cousins hasn’t been traded yet. The first is that there just isn’t much of a market for Cousins at the moment—most teams have resolved their quarterback situation for 2025. There’s also the matter of the considerable guarantees that Cousins is owed this year—and who is going to pay them.

But as Kevin Patra wrote for NFL.com, the Falcons need to find a taker for the 36-year-old Cousins—or they risk training camp turning into a circus.

 “If Cousins remains on the roster into training camp, it's only going to be a distraction -- even if he plays the mentor role perfectly. Already, Cousins' absence from OTAs became a storyline. Imagine how the QB dynamics might be viewed if Penix stumbles out of the gate. The Falcons are all-in on Penix. They need to cut Cousins loose to ensure the 25-year-old has free rein to develop and lead.”

Atlanta has played this hand patiently, waiting for a team to become desperate for an experienced quarterback. But it will not be too long before it’s the Falcons who are desperate—to avoid a scenario where Cousins looms over Penix’s shoulder into the regular season.

Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

TE Mark Andrews

There has been no shortage of trade speculation involving veteran tight end Mark Andrews for some time now. Back before the NFL draft, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters that the team wouldn’t rule anything out if he thought it makes the Ravens better.

“We have a lot of different balls in the air right now," DeCosta said. "That's probably what I would say on that. I'm not going to talk about what we're doing, what we're not doing behind the scenes business-wise with these guys. I don't think it's good for me to do that."

Andrews wasn’t traded during the draft, and last year’s brutal drop in the playoffs aside, the 29-year-old has been a big part of the Ravens’ success over the past seven years. But Andrews is also heading into the final year of his four-year, $56 million contract, and Baltimore has his replacement waiting in the wings in Isaiah Likely.

There would likely be no shortage of interest in the three-time Pro-Bowler from contending teams, and the Ravens need to plan ahead at tight end—Likely is also slated to be a free agent following the 2025 campaign.

Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

EDGE A.J. Epenesa

The idea of trading veteran edge-rusher A.J. Epenesa was a bit more palatable for the Buffalo Bills before free-agent acquisition Joey Bosa suffered a calf injury that could sideline him until training camp.

But if the Bills are going to send a player packing in a trade, Epenesa still makes the most sense.

It’s simply a numbers game.

The Bills just gave Bosa over $12 million to come to Buffalo in 2025. Gregory Rousseau received a four-year, $80 million extension that included $54 million in guarantees this spring. The team used a third-round pick in this year’s draft on LSU’s Landon Jackson.

Meanwhile, while Epenesa has been decent for the Bills the past three seasons, he hasn’t been great. The second-round pick in 2020 has logged at least six sacks in each of the past three seasons, but the 26-year-old has never had seven sacks in a campaign and has topped 20 tackles just once.

There’s always demand for edge-rushers in the NFL—even rotational options like Epenesa. And with him unlikely to be with the team past the 2025 season, now is the time to see what they can get for him.

Provided Bosa can stay on the field for more than 15 minutes.

Carolina Panthers

AP Photo/Brian Westerholt

DT A’Shawn Robinson

When the Carolina Panthers signed veteran defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson in 2024, it was in the hopes of bolstering the team’s woeful run defense. But as SI.com’s Matthew Schmidt wrote, the opposite happened.

“(Robinson) had a strong-looking campaign when you look at his stat line, as he registered 80 tackles and 5.5 sacks. However, Robinson is a perfect example to prove that surface-level numbers do not always tell the full story. He registered just a 54.6 overall grade at Pro Football Focus in 2024, posting a 54.1 mark against the run in spite of being billed as a run stopper upon joining the Panthers.”

The Panthers ranked dead last against the run last year, spurring the team to add Bobby Brown and Tershawn Wharton in free agency and draft Cam Jackson on Day 3 this year.

At the very least, that puts Robinson’s spot in the starting lineup in jeopardy. But with nine years of NFL experience and coming off a career year rushing the passer, a team with a need in the trenches could have interest in swinging a deal for the 30-year-old.

If that’s the case, the Panthers should listen—Robinson no longer appears to be in Carolina’s long-term plans.

Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

DT Andrew Billings

The Chicago Bears paid big money in the offseason for defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, and defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett told reporters that Jarrett is already making an impact in his new home.

"First of all, he’s tough. That’s the standard for our D-line. We want to be tough. He’s explosive. He’s violent. He’s a very instinctive player and a playmaker. We see that on tape and we love that about him. And he’s a dynamic leader, but he also has put the work in. He has earned that role as a leader. It’s not that he’s showing up and saying, 'I’m Grady.' He’s putting the work in. He loves ball. He loves being part of a team and he loves helping those around him get better as well as himself."

The problem is that with Jarrett in Chicago and promising youngster Gervon Dexter also on the roster, the role moving forward for veteran nose tackle Andrew Billings is unclear. The 30-year-old has missed significant time in three of the past five seasons—including nine games a year ago with a torn pectoral muscle.

But when healthy, Billings is a capable lane-clogger, and he could net a Day 3 pick from another club this summer—especially if a team suffers an injury along the interior of the defensive line.

Cincinnati Bengals

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

LB Germaine Pratt

Nope, no Trey Hendrickson here. The Bengals can’t afford to deal their best edge-rusher. Player and team need to come together, hug it out and come to agreement on a new contract.

It’s no secret that linebacker Germaine Pratt’s days in Cincinnati are numbered. The Bengals spent two draft picks on linebackers this year. Pratt requested a trade months ago. And speculation is rampant that it’s only a matter of time until Pratt is released.

However, Chris Roling of Bengals Wire still sees a path to a Pratt trade—and a reunion with former Bengals DC Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis.

“Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin had ankle surgery and could miss everything up until training camp, if not into it. Jaylon Carlies, another linebacker, continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery, too. Despite these factors and losses in free agency, the Colts didn't draft a linebacker until the seventh round this year. So, perhaps this situation lends itself to helping a Pratt trade happen. Perhaps it escalates if Franklin isn't full-go soon or other injuries occur.”

There’s no huge rush for the Bengals to release Pratt—the cap savings are the same in July as they are now. So, it makes at least some sense for the team to slow-play this a bit—especially with Pratt away from the team.

Getting something for the team’s leading tackler a year ago beats getting nothing.

Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

CB Greg Newsome II

Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus recently identified a bounce-back candidate for every NFL team. For the Browns, it was fifth-year cornerback Greg Newsome II.

“The idea of Greg Newsome II bouncing back from a rough 2024 season is straightforward — he’s played at a higher level for most of his career. His career-low 54.0 coverage grade last year followed a 76.7 mark across his first three seasons. Two key factors in the decline were a career-low three pass breakups and a career-high 24.3% missed tackle rate. Cornerback production is notoriously volatile, and things couldn’t have gone much worse for Cleveland’s secondary in 2024. Newsome’s track record alone makes him a strong bounce-back candidate.”

However, an argument can be made that bounce-back should come on a different team.

The Browns are a dumpster fire of a roster mired in the third circle of salary-cap hell. Newsome and fellow young cornerback Martin Emerson are entering the final year of their contracts. And the cold, hard truth is that the better Newsome plays this year, the less chance the Browns will have of being able to afford him in 2026.

Yes, Newsome struggled a season ago. But he’s a young player at a premium position who has shown that he can play at a high level.

There should be a market for a player like that.

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

WR Jalen Tolbert

The Dallas Cowboys have already been busy on the trade market this offseason, swinging a deal for wide receiver George Pickens. It was a deal that met with the approval of Jalen Tolbert, who served as the Cowboys' No. 2 receiver a year ago.

"I actually was at the facility. I mean, I love it,” Tolbert told reporters. "I've known GP for a while. It adds more firepower to us. Honestly, that's what we need. That's going to be the fun part because you can't guard all three of us or four or five, whoever is out there. Having another piece to the puzzle is special. I'm ready to work, compete off of each other, continue to keep growing."

However, the arrival of Pickens also makes Tolbert, who caught 49 passes for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024, one of the more expendable players on the roster. Sure, Dallas isn’t exactly overflowing with depth at wide receiver. But it also makes sense for the Cowboys to try to get the ball into the hands of speedster KaVontae Turpin more in 2025.

Several teams are worse off at wideout than Dallas, and with Tolbert entering the last year of his rookie deal, the argument can be made for shopping him.

Denver Broncos

AP Photo/Butch Dill

DL John Franklin-Myers

Denver Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers was a no-show at OTAs, spurring speculation that the 28-year-old could be a candidate for a holdout. But Franklin-Myers’ agent said that all is well with the eighth-year veteran.

“JFM hasn’t been to OTAs for a few years now. No contract issues. He’ll be there for minicamp," Cliff Brady told Mike Klis of 9 News. "He’s currently working his ass off to have the best season of his career.”

Franklin-Myers is coming off the best campaign of his career and entering a contract year. Given all the cheddar Denver has invested defensively this year (and the money still to be spent), extending Franklin-Myers could be tricky—and in the opinion of PFF’s Bradley Locker, that makes him a candidate to be shopped this summer.

“The Broncos have been active spenders on defense this offseason, paying a combined $76.5 million to Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw. Denver also has other pending free agents to handle, although Franklin-Myers probably won’t be among the group to be extended. In his first year in Denver, Franklin-Myers just kept producing, leading the team with a 17.8% pass-rush win rate and an 82.9 PFF pass-rushing grade. But with Nik Bonitto also on an expiring deal and D.J. Jones getting a big payday, Franklin-Myers doesn’t seem to be a long-term piece on Sean Payton’s team.”

With a potential replacement for Franklin-Myers already on the roster in third-round rookie Sai'vion Jones and plenty of demand for quality defensive linemen, shopping Franklin-Myers before he potentially walks in 2026 makes some sense.

Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Erin Hooley

CB Amik Robertson

It’s Super Bowl or bust for the Detroit Lions in 2025, and teams with those sorts of aspirations generally don’t send veterans packing. However, if the Lions were to trade a player this year, Cem Yolbulan of FanSided posited that cornerback Amik Robertson is the most likely candidate.

“The Lions have (D.J.) Reed and Terrion Arnold starting on the outside corners. They also used a second-round pick on Ennis Rakestraw Jr. last season. Robertson's path to playing time on the outside is near non-existent. At nickel, the Lions added Avonte Maddox from the Super Bowl winners this offseason. Brian Branch also spends significant time at the slot. Considering the solid season Robertson had last season, the Lions may be wise to move on from him when he has trade value and rely on their secondary depth to make up for the absence.”

The 26-year-old Robinson broke his arm in the playoffs last year, but that injury shouldn’t affect his status for 2025. He was a capable player in coverage, posting a passer rating against of under 100 for the third year in a row.

Versatile young cornerbacks are coveted commodities, and with Robertson heading into a contract year and unlikely to be part of Detroit’s long-term plans, now could be the time to get some compensation for the sixth-year pro.

Green Bay Packers

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

WR Romeo Doubs

Cornerback Jaire Alexander is an obvious pick here as well—it’s all but certain that the oft-injured veteran cornerback will either be traded or released if he refuses to accept a revised contract offer.

But Alexander isn’t the only veteran who could be headed out of Titletown. After the Packers broke their long streak of not taking a wide receiver in Round 1 with the selection of Matthew Golden of Texas, they have a glut of young wideouts. And B/R’s Alex Kay believes that Romeo Doubs could be the odd man out.

“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.”

There are no shortage of teams with passing-game deficiencies (looking at you, Pittsburgh), so if the Packers really do decide to shop Doubs, finding a trade partner shouldn’t be especially difficult.

Houston Texans

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

WR John Metchie III

It hasn’t been easy for Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III in the NFL. The second-round pick in 2022 lost his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with cancer. He returned to the field the following year but has never been able to get untracked in Houston—Metchie has 412 yards on 40 receptions and one touchdown. He has never been on the field for more than half of Houston’s offensive snaps.

Meanwhile, the Texans have continued stockpiling wide receivers. Since 2021, Houston has drafted Nico Collins (3rd round), Tank Dell (3rd round), Xavier Hutchinson (6th round), Jayden Higgins (2nd round) and Jaylin Noel (3rd round). They also brought in veterans like Stefon Diggs and Christian Kirk.

Simply put, there just doesn’t seem to be a path to real playing time for Metchie in Houston. But he is still just 24 years old—there’s still a chance he could find his NFL footing in a new home where he might actually see the field regularly.

There were reports a year ago that multiple teams had inquired about Metchie’s availability. The Texans probably won’t get much for a contract-year receiver with his rather paltry resume, but at this point a trade could be the best thing for both player and team.

Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

QB Anthony Richardson

Stop looking at me like that.

Yes, Anthony Richardson was a top-five pick in the NFL draft. Yes, Richardson is built like a fullback and has arm strength to spare. To say he’s wildly athletic is an understatement.

Unfortunately, he’s also wildly inaccurate—last year he completed a woeful 47.7 percent of his passes. He’s injury-prone—Richardson has missed more games in two years than he has played in. His decision-making hasn’t been good, either—Richardson has more interceptions than touchdown passes. His passing success rate of 36.0 percent ranked dead last among qualifying quarterbacks in 2024.

Richardson has been so bad that Daniel Jones was brought in to compete for the starting job in Indianapolis. And if that competition truly is fair and open, Jones is going to win—bad though he may be, Jones can at least occasionally throw an accurate pass.

That may be harsh. But it’s the truth.

The Colts probably won’t trade Richardson. His salary isn’t prohibitively expensive, Chris Ballard doesn’t want to admit how badly he whiffed on this pick and odds are the offers he would receive aren’t great.

But if the Colts did get a reasonable offer for Richardson, they should take it and let some other team figure out what Indy already knows.

He’s not an NFL starter—at least at quarterback.

Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

RB Travis Etienne Jr.

The Jaguars drafted a pair of running backs in the 2025 NFL draft in Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten (Round 4) and Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen (Round 7). Combined with Tank Bigsby and a report that the new regime in Jacksonville isn’t especially enamored with Travis Etienne Jr., speculation has swirled that the former first-rounder could be on the move.

For his part, Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen told reporters he likes his running back room as constructed.

"I think all together, that room, that running back room, has done a nice job in terms of the competition, the acceleration, and the teaching for some of those young guys, and also the veterans doing a nice job of trying to help those guys out as well," Coen said.

Etienne’s 2024 season was admittedly a mess. But atrocious offensive line play and an injured quarterback didn’t help matters any. In two of his three professional seasons Etienne has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards, and he has averaged 44 receptions per season for his career.

There are at least a few teams in the NFL that could stand to add some punch in the backfield. But if the Jaguars really are prepared to move on from Etienne as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, patience may be a virtue—a camp injury in the backfield over the summer could markedly increase the compensation the Jags receive in a trade.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

CB Jaylen Watson

For a team that has utterly dominated the AFC over the past decade or so, the Kansas City Chiefs don’t have a roster with a lot of obvious trade candidates. The massive contracts handed out to the team’s stars have impacted the team’s depth—there just aren’t that many players the team can afford to part with.

However, the Chiefs do have solid depth at cornerback—and as Ralph Vacchiano wrote for Fox Sports, that could make contract-year cornerback Jaylen Watson expendable.

“The former seventh-rounder had emerged as a starting corner for Kansas City last year before a broken ankle cost him half the season. He did return for the playoffs and even started in the Super Bowl, so his health isn't a concern. But this offseason, the Chiefs signed cornerback Kristian Fulton, and next year they're going to have to pay All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie at least $13 million on his fifth-year option. Watson will be a free agent, too, and they're not likely to pay three corners. He's only 27, so his value is still high because corners with his talent can be hard to find.”

Watson’s injury aside, he was excellent last season, allowing just 53.3 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be completed with a passer rating against of just 75.4.

Those numbers will get the attention of plenty of NFL teams.

Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

TE Michael Mayer

There may not be a more obvious candidate on this list than Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer.

When the Raiders drafted Mayer in 2023, the former Notre Dame star was regarded by many as the No. 1 tight end in his class. In each of his last two collegiate seasons, Mayer topped 70 catches and 800 receiving yards.

However, the former second-round pick was quiet as a rookie, and then Brock Bowers' arrival in Sin City well and truly silenced Mayer’s production.

Still, despite Mayer’s lack of stats over his first two seasons, new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly tried to put the kibosh on the notion that Mayer could be traded while speaking to reporters.

"I think Mike's been fantastic since I've been here. We didn't make any decisions on anything until you see him here, and Mike's been fantastic since day one of the offseason program. There's never a position anywhere where coaches say, 'We have too many good players.’ I checked: You can play two tight ends in a game at the same time. And sometimes you can play three tight ends.”

That Chip. Always with the jokes.

Kelly actually has a point. The Raiders can use all the help they can get in the passing game. But the team also has holes to fill on both sides of the ball—and Mayer is the most valuable trade asset the Raiders can afford to lose.

Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

OG Zion Johnson

This should probably be wide receiver Quentin Johnston. But the Chargers aren’t deep at wide receiver, and disappointing though he may be, Johnston is only entering his third season.

However, there’s another former first-round pick in Los Angeles who may be fresh out of chances.

With the addition of veteran guard Mekhi Becton and the return of Bradley Bozeman, Zion Johnson’s days as a starter at guard for the Chargers are over. And with good reason—per Pro Football Focus, Johnson allowed five sacks last year and ranked outside the top 50 in both run blocking and pass protection.

However, while speaking to reporters, Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz told reporters that despite passing on Johnson’s fifth-year option, Johnson will be given a chance to compete to start at center.

"I think he can do it. I really do," Hortiz said. "I know he's working at it right now. And so, I think Zion can do it and we got other guys you don't really know yet. They were younger, not as much opportunity, that have been working at it as well."

The Chargers also brought in veteran Andre James, who has 60 career starts at center under his belt. If James wins the job, the best move for the Chargers might be shopping Johnson to teams with a need on the offensive line.

There are usually about 32 of them.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

S Kam Curl

The Rams have something in common with many of the contending teams on this list—a lack of even semi-valuable trade assets the team might legitimately consider dealing.

However, after a so-so first season patrolling the back end of the Rams defense, veteran safety Kam Curl is a player the team could conceivably move without too adverse an impact on the defense.

Curl’s first season in Los Angeles wasn’t especially impressive—his tackle numbers were down considerably relative to his 2023 campaign in Washington, and Curl allowed a passer rating against of north of 100 for the third straight season.

Curl told reporters that he spent some time working out this offseason with veteran wideout Stefon Diggs (not on a boat, hopefully) in an effort to improve his coverage skills.

"We was doing a little releases and stuff like that," Curl said. "We was getting after it a little bit, a little trash talking, but it's always good work with elite guys."

It’s not outside the realm of reason that a team with a need at safety could talk themselves into Curl recapturing his 2023 form, and it wouldn’t be that hard for Los Angeles to replace Curl.

They could just flip Quentin Lake back to safety and play the next guy on this list in the slot.

Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

CB Jalen Ramsey

Apparently, it’s shake-up time in South Beach—over the past couple of months, both cornerback Jalen Ramsey and wide receiver Tyreek Hill have been the subject of rampant trade speculation.

Actually, with Ramsey it has sailed right past speculation—Dolphins general manager Chris Grier told reporters that Miami is looking to deal the 30-year-old.

“I will say, these decisions aren’t done quickly, and they’re not taken lightly because we’ve spent a lot of time this offseason working through this, talking through things,” Grier said. “At the end of the day, Jalen did not ask for a trade. So, we went through the process and just felt that after numerous conversations and then talking last week with Jalen and his agent, that it was best to move forward. And [it’s the] best interest of the Miami Dolphins and for Jalen Ramsey.”

The hangup, as is so often the case in blockbuster deals, is cabbage—Ramsey is set to receive $24 million in guarantees this year, and the Dolphins reportedly aren’t keen on footing a chunk of that bill.

However, at this point the die is cast. And although Ramsey’s 2024 season (like so many Dolphins) wasn’t his best, he’s still considered one of the best defensive backs in the league.

This could drag on a while as Miami and potential suitors (like the aforementioned Rams) haggle, but Grier has backed the Dolphins into a corner.

One way or another, Ramsey has to go.

Minnesota Vikings

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

OG Blake Brandel

Not long after the Minnesota Vikings took Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters what he envisioned the Vikings offensive line looking like in 2025.

“Envisioning [Jackson] being on a front with potentially Ryan Kelly and Christian Darrisaw, Will Fries and Brian O’Neill,” he said. “That’s a pretty formidable group on paper. We’ve got to make it come to life on the grass.”

Now, there are some obstacles to that “dream” O-Line coming to fruition—Darrisaw is rehabbing an ACL tear, while Fries missed most of last season after breaking his leg. But the latter is nearing a return, and once he does Blake Brandel’s days in the starting lineup are all but certainly over.

There’s a reason the Vikings wanted an upgrade at the position—in 1,117 snaps last year per PFF, Brandel surrendered seven sacks, was flagged 11 times and barely cracked the top 100 guards in overall grade.

But Brandel has experience as both a guard and tackle and is under contract through 2026 at a reasonable cost. That sort of offensive line depth has value, and if another team suffers injuries in training camp, the Vikings could decide they'd rather have the trade return than the depth he provides.

New England Patriots

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

OG Cole Strange

When the New England Patriots drafted small-school standout Cole Strange out of Chattanooga (choo-choo) in 2022, it sent quite a few eyebrows skyward. But it was hardly the first time Bill Belichick had zigged when others zagged.

Strange has shown nothing to indicate that Belichick was right. The 6’5”, 310-pounder started all 17 games at left guard as a rookie but struggled mightily. Then, the injuries hit—Strange missed seven games in 2023 and played in just three a year ago.

Not surprisingly, the Patriots passed on Strange’s fifth-year option. And now, per Pats Planet, Strange is losing first-team reps to journeyman Tyrese Robinson.

“One of the surprising developments at the Patriots' most recent practice open to reporters was seeing Tyrese Robinson at left guard, aligning next to (Will) Campbell, who has been a fixture at left tackle,” they tweeted. “The 6-foot-3, 319-pound Robinson was claimed on waivers from the Vikings last November and appeared in one game.”

Strange isn’t going to beat out veteran Garrett Bradbury at center, and his days in New England appear to be numbered.

If that’s the case, the Pats' best bet may be to admit the mistake, get what they can and give Strange a fresh start somewhere else.

New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

S Tyrann Mathieu

For years, players like edge-rusher Cameron Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis and safety Tyrann Mathieu have been mainstays on the New Orleans Saints defense.

But all of those players are well past the age of 30, and the hard truth is that by the time this mess of a team is competitive again, they will all be retired. Whether general manager Mickey Loomis wants to admit it, the days of the Saints restructuring 182 contracts in an effort to win 10 games and a bad division (which was never a great idea anyway) are over.

As a matter of fact, you can probably count the number of Saints players who shouldn’t be available in a trade on both hands—and maybe have fingers left over.

It’s not difficult to imagine Mathieu generating some interest from playoff contenders. At 33, Mathieu isn’t the force he once was. But he had a highly respectable passer rating against last year of 76.4, Mathieu has logged at least three interceptions in each of the past six seasons, and he can play both safety positions and in the slot.

The Saints need to start looking toward the future. And that means getting what they can for stars of the past.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Steve Luciano

OL Evan Neal

There’s no question who the most valuable trade asset for the New York Giants is. After drafting Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter third overall in April, the G-Men have three high-end edge-rushers in Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Other teams have undoubtedly inquired about the availability of the latter.

But unless Giants general manager Joe Schoen gets a “Godfather” offer for Thibodeaux, there’s no reason to make a deal. Not yet.

It was Schoen who drafted Alabama tackle Evan Neal seventh overall in 2022. But after three mostly horrific years at tackle (including 22 missed games), New York head coach Brian Daboll told reporters that this year the team will try Neal out at left guard.

“He’s a big man. He’s got length. He’s obviously a little bit taller than I’d say traditional guards, but he’s played it,” Daboll said. “He’s played a number of positions since he’s been at University of Alabama. He’s been working hard this last month and a half and look forward to getting him out there.”

Maybe Neal will pull a Mekhi Becton and blossom after kicking inside. But if he doesn’t, Big Blue should look to flip the contract-year lineman to a team that believes it can salvage Neal’s career.

New York Jets

AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes

WR Allen Lazard

The New York Jets undoubtedly have more valuable trade assets than veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard. There’s been plenty of talk that contract-year running back Breece Hall could be dealt at some point over the summer.

But whether Hall should be traded is another matter altogether. There are no such doubts regarding veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard, even with the team rather thin at the position.

In fact, not only is there no question that Lazard should be traded, but there’s no question where.

Pittsburgh Steelers, come on down!

The reasoning is simple. Just about everyone expects Aaron Rodgers to eventually land in the Steel City. Rodgers likes to throw to receivers he has history with—that’s how Lazard wound up in New York to begin with.

With rookie fourth-round pick Arian Smith impressing at OTAs, the idea of trading Lazard is more palatable than before. The team also re-worked his abomination of a contract in the offseason, making a trade more financially feasible as well.

Lazard has played all seven of his professional seasons with Rodgers as his quarterback, and the wide receiver situation in Pittsburgh might actually be worse than New York.

Now all Rodgers has to do is Jedi mind-trick the Steelers into dealing for a receiver with a catch percentage of 61.7 last year and the 10th-highest drop percentage in the league.

“This is the wide receiver you are looking for.”

(Waves hand)

Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

S Sydney Brown

A third-round pick of the Eagles in 2023, safety Sydney Brown started six games as a rookie before tearing his ACL in the final week of the regular season. Brown played sparingly in 2024, amassing just seven total tackles in 79 snaps.

However, that hasn’t stopped some from predicting big things from Brown in Year 3. Pro Football Focus went so far as to list Brown as a potential breakout candidate for the Eagles in 2025.

There’s just one thing standing between Brown and that breakout, however—rookie safety Andrew Mukuba, who the Eagles took in Round 2 of the 2025 draft.

While addressing reporters, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni talked up Mukuba’s ability to make big plays in college.

“He has a knack to take the football away,” Sirianni said. “You can tell the football is constantly on his mind whether it’s in coverage or it’s coming after in a tackle, and being the second man in on a tackle and getting a strip attempt. It’s constantly on his mind. I just love tough players. It just oozes off the tape how physical he plays, how tough he plays, how he plays with relentless effort and throws his body around.”

If Mukuba wins the training camp battle, Brown (who was drafted before defensive coordinator Vic Fangio got to Philadelphia) could become expendable.

But much like recently traded edge-rusher Bryce Huff, just because the Super Bowl champions don’t have a use for Brown doesn’t mean another team won’t.

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

EDGE Alex Highsmith

This would be quite the bold move, but as the Steelers showed in trading wide receiver George Pickens this offseason, the team isn’t averse to those.

(There also aren’t that many other players on Pittsburgh’s roster who could in theory be expendable and who would have substantial value on the trade market.)

Back in 2022, it appeared that edge-rusher Alex Highsmith was on the verge of joining batterymate T.J. Watt in superstardom. After logging 14.5 sacks that season, Highsmith was handed a four-year, $68 million extension.

However, in the two seasons since, Highsmith has just 13 sacks, although he told reporters recently that he and Watt moving around the formation should help improve his production.

"Yeah, I think [switching spots] is something we definitely got to include in the game, because, just like you said, teams were kind of catching on to what we were doing. If we're able to move around to different spots and stuff like that, we'll be able to get teams off balance — and they can't just sit there and max protect."

The Steelers have an edge-rusher on the team in Nick Herbig who had the seventh-best pass rush win rate among 110 edge-rushers last year (best on the Steelers). Pittsburgh also has a promising rookie at the position in Jack Sawyer.

A Highsmith trade is admittedly unlikely. But if a team suffers an injury on the edge, Pittsburgh could net a high draft pick and get a contract off the books that hasn’t aged especially well.

San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Scot Tucker

EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos

Stop yawning.

The 49ers have already been one of the busier teams in the league in terms of veteran trades—as both buyers and sellers. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel was shipped to the Washington Commanders, while San Francisco acquired edge-rusher Bryce Huff from the Philadelphia Eagles.

That leaves the team a bit short on tradeable assets. The roster in SF is somewhat top-heavy now. There are key players and then—everyone else. And the 49ers aren’t going to deal star receiver Brandon Aiyuk—not after handing him a fat bag of cash in the form of a $23 million bonus.

It would be one heck of a parting gift, though.

However, with Huff coming to town, the 49ers could deem edge-rusher Yetur Gross-Matos expendable. Gross-Matos had four sacks last season in his first season with the 49ers, but three of those sacks came in one game. He also had a career-low 19 total tackles.

Dealing Gross-Matos isn’t going to get the Niners more than a late-round draft pick. But the former second-round pick is still just 27, and an NFL team looking to add depth on the edge could believe that they can coax better football out of Gross-Matos in a new home.

Now if you’ll forgive me, I have to ice my shoulder after that reach.

Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

RB Kenneth Walker III

The 2024 season was a forgettable one for Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III. Walker missed a career-high six games (the third time in as many years that Walker missed time) and averaged a career-low 3.7 yards per carry.

However, PFF’s Nathan Jahnke believes that the arrival of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could coax a career year from the 24-year-old.

“Klint Kubiak is the Seahawks' new offensive coordinator. He has worked as an offensive or passing game coordinator on five different teams in the last five seasons. His offenses have consistently featured the running back in the passing game. Kubiak's teams have ranked top seven in zone concept frequency at all four stops, and the Seahawks should primarily run zone concepts this season. They ran more gap concepts last season. Walker has played notably better on zone concepts than gap, so this change should also help Walker.”

Of course, Walker is also a contract-year back with a fairly extensive injury history playing on a team with a back in Zach Charbonnet who averaged half a yard more per carry last year than Walker.

Walker may be the most talented back who could reasonably be available in a trade. Charbonnet has demonstrated the potential to be a lead back in the NFL.

See where we’re going with this?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

RB Rachaad White

While we’re playing musical running backs…

While speaking to RG.org’s DJ Siddiqi, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White said that he intends to make the most of the final year of his rookie contract.

"My biggest thing is to attack every day," White said. "Show them who I am. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. You have to go out there and prove it every day. I look at that in all walks of life, so I'm just going out with my mindset, just attack every day, show them who I am, and let the chips fall where they may."

The issue for White is that while he averaged a career-high 4.3 yards per carry last year and topped 1,000 total yards, he also ceded lead-back duties to rookie Bucky Irving, who eclipsed 1,100 yards on the ground and averaged a whopping 5.4 yards per tote.

That sets up 2025 as the last in Tampa for White. But as we have been over (more than once), some teams could use more punch in the backfield, and camp injuries could blast holes in other backfields.

White is not going to land the Buccaneers a windfall in a trade, but if Tampa is convinced that Irving can be an every-down workhorse, getting what it can before White leaves in 2026 is an idea with some merit.

Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

QB Will Levis

Remember when Will Levis was going to save the Tennessee Titans?

That’s OK. No one does. Outside a four-touchdown debut in which Levis was possessed by the spirit of an actual NFL quarterback, it didn’t take long to see that he wasn’t the answer in Nashville. Now the Titans have No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward in town, and while making a podcast appearance, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio ripped the organization for not already showing Levis the door.

"That’s so weird about this. You can find backup quarterbacks. Why are you insistent on keeping Levis around?  We always look for whispers and whiffs and signs of dysfunction. That keeps you in the dysfunctional category. When you have two years with a young quarterback and it hasn’t worked out, and your team has bottomed out. You earned the number one pick, and you drafted a quarterback. Most functioning teams would get rid of the guy that is being replaced. Because it’s just a weird environment. It just adds weird and awkward into your mix.”

Hyperbole much?

The Titans aren’t going to get much for Levis. But waiting for a team to suffer a camp injury or talk themselves into the idea of Levis as a reclamation project isn’t a bad idea.

Yes, Ward is the future under center for the Titans. Levis is a past the franchise would just as soon forget.

But even a Day 3 pick beats a blank.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File

WR Noah Brown

To be clear, there isn’t an obvious trade candidate on Washington’s roster. The Commanders made it very clear with the trades for wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil that the team is far more interested in buying than selling this offseason.

Washington is all-in, baby!

But with Samuel and fourth-round rookie Jaylin Lane in town and K.J. Osborn back, wideout Noah Brown (who re-upped with Washington on a one-year deal) could be expendable.

Brown missed a chunk of last season with an abdominal injury, but he told reporters recently that he is 100 percent ready to go for the 2025 campaign.

"I'm just training and taking the offseason as if I finished the season healthy," Brown said. "I'm completely ready to go. I feel like I'm built for these kind of things, and I'll come back better on the other end.”

Brown’s not a world-beater, and he wouldn’t net a large return in a summertime deal. But the 29-year-old can stretch the field, his 6’2”, 225-pound frame is a big target in the red zone, and while Washington’s wideout room may be too crowded for Brown to get a seat at the table, there are teams with chairs available.