Hypothetical 3-Team Trades That Would Turn NFL Upside Down Before 2025 Season

Three-way trades often happen in the NBA, NHL and MLB, but they are non-existent in the modern NFL.

However, with younger and more aggressive general managers in today's game, the chance to pull off a complicated, albeit beneficial, blockbuster deal has to be considered from time to time.

Let's assume organizations are willing to pull the trigger on this type of trade and the biggest names still on the block get moved as a result. A deal of this nature has to be beneficial for everyone involved. In this exercise, four huge deals are agreed upon based on player-for-player trades.

Currently, a quartet of Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson remain at the forefront of trade rumors.

A scenario can be found where each finds a new home.

Trey Hendrickson Moves as Part of Deal Between Bengals, Colts and Falcons

AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Bengals Get: TE Kyle Pitts
Colts Get: DE Trey Hendrickson
Falcons Get: DT DeForest Buckner

Trey Hendrickson is dug in with his preference to sign a new contract extension or be traded from the Cincinnati Bengals. The two sides did resume contract talks last week.

Bottom line, the 30-year-old wants to be paid like the elite pass-rusher that he is. Last season, he led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. He's averaged 14 sacks per season since signing with Cincinnati prior to the 2021 campaign.

However, the Bengals prioritized their wide receivers this offseason by extending Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. How the organization plans to allocate the rest of the money will hamper its roster flexibility if quarterback Joe Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Hendrickson are all paid among the league's elite.

Cincinnati can still move Hendrickson and probably should. The Indianapolis Colts need to make a call if that's the case. His emergence as an elite pass-rusher came under the supervision of coordinator Lou Anarumo, who is now on staff with the Colts. The first-team All-Pro's presence will allow Indy to reshape its defense.

Hendrickson can pair with last year's first-round pick, Laiatu Latu, while this year's second-round selection, JT Tuimoloau, can be the team's long-term rotational option. DeForest Buckner remains an outstanding interior defender, but he's been somewhat banged up the last couple of seasons and his interior pass-rush production dipped last year.

Besides, Anarumo's defense was built around its defensive ends during his time with the Bengals. Plus, Buckner off the books will give the Colts some financial flexibility to sign Hendrickson to a lucrative deal.

Indianapolis can ship Buckner to the Atlanta Falcons, who have looked to drastically reset their defensive front this offseason. The nine-year veteran can serve as the anchor to a group that will now feature first-rounders Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. flying off the edges. Buckner's ability to defend the run and collapse the pocket should be highly beneficial for those rookies.

Finally, the Bengals get tight end Kyle Pitts in return.

Granted, the 24-year-old has never lived up to his status as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. However, if negotiations with Hendrickson sour, Cincinnati is unlikely to get a player in return with as much or more upside.

Pitts working in the same offense as Chase and Higgins to open up the middle of the field with Burrow throwing to him can be downright deadly, thus making the Bengals even more potent. If he works out, he can replace Mike Gesicki, who turns 30 later this year.

The deal only works if the Falcons can get quarterback Kirk Cousins off the books. Speaking of which...

Kirk Cousins Stays in NFC South In Deal Between Falcons, Saints and Bills

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Falcons Get: TE Dawson Knox
Saints Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Bills Get: S Tyrann Mathieu

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot could quickly become the busiest man in the NFL if he's able to swing two deals of this size and help reshape multiple rosters.

To start with the obvious, yes, Atlanta trades a potential starting quarterback within the division. It's rare, but it happens.

For the Falcons, they're looking at the situation much like the Philadelphia Eagles once did with Donovan McNabb. Atlanta already benched Cousins last year. He turns 37 later this summer and probably isn't going to elevate the New Orleans Saints enough to threaten them in the division this year.

Also, the Falcons are all-in with Michael Penix Jr., and they couldn't bluff their way into an earlier Cousins trade. So, a deal remains a possibility.

In the Saints' case, beggars can't be choosers. New Orleans is currently viewed as the worst-constructed team in the NFL, and the quarterback position is a large reason as to why.

With Derek Carr's retirement, the new coaching staff is looking toward a quarterback competition between second-round rookie Tyler Shough, who turns 26 at the start of the season, and Spencer Rattler, who was a 2024 fifth-round pick and struggled during his first season as a professional.

At bare minimum, Cousins can provide New Orleans with some stability, either as a starter or a backup. The Saints still have a veteran-laden roster, though the chance to acquire the QB—after a little massaging of the salary cap that they are famous for—will cost the team one of those veterans.

Tyrann Mathieu is a New Orleans native and wants to play in his hometown. However, a trade to a perennial Super Bowl contender should be enough to get him on board, even if it's in Buffalo. The Bills can use the three-time first-team All-Pro all over the field as a defensive chess piece. At 33, he's still a better safety than Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin. Buffalo needs the type of players who can push the team over the top. Mathieu can be one of those individuals.

Finally, the Falcons replace Kyle Pitts with Dawson Knox. The Bills previously spent a first-round pick on fellow tight end Dalton Kincaid. Knox turns 29 later this year and his production has dipped the last two seasons. As long as he remains healthy, though, he can still be a dependable contributor for Atlanta.

Even if Pitts isn't dealt as previously suggested, Knox can operate in 12 personnel this year and likely take the starting spot a year from now.

Jalen Ramsey Finds New Home after Trade Between Bears, Browns and Dolphins

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey

Dolphins Get: CB Greg Newsome II
Bears Get: CB Jalen Ramsey
Browns Get: OT Braxton Jones

The Chicago Bears have been one of the teams mentioned in a potential Jalen Ramsey trade. If they are serious, something creative may be needed to get a deal done.

ESPN's Adam Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show that the Dolphins continue to have conversations about a Ramsey trade and the cornerback prefers to play on the West Coast.

Maps indicate Chicago is, in fact, not on the West Coast. However, the Bears could use a player of Ramsey's caliber to line up opposite Jaylon Johnson and give the team a strong pair of coverage options to go along with an aggressive defensive front, especially after the free-agent additions of Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. A season ago, Chicago finished 16th in pass defense.

General manager Ryan Poles has done an excellent job addressing need areas this offseason. Ben Johnson was the most coveted head coaching candidate before joining the Bears. Chicago can finally get serious about being competitive, and the acquisition of Ramsey would further cement the squad's up-and-coming status.

The offensive line is one of the position groups Chicago attacked this offseason, including the second-round selection of Boston College's Ozzy Trapilo. The rookie has an opportunity to claim the left tackle spot and finalize the Bears' new-look front five. As long as Poles and Co. are comfortable with a rookie on Caleb Williams' blind side, Braxton Jones can be moved.

Jones started 40 games in his first three seasons after being a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He's been dependable, but he's also coming off a season-ending broken ankle.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns are hoping Dawand Jones bounces back after a disappointing sophomore season. Either he remains committed and finds a home at left tackle—Braxton Jones can then move to guard and eventually replace Joel Bitonio or Wyatt Teller—or the Browns' projected starting left tackle gets replaced by a more experienced version.

Finally, the Dolphins' secondary already moved on from three of their top defensive backs from last season: Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer and Kendall Fuller. Ramsey's departure would only magnify the issue.

Greg Newsome II is on the last year of his rookie deal with the Cleveland Browns, who are relatively deep at cornerback with Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson Jr. and Cameron Mitchell.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry can move Newsome and improve his offensive line, while Mitchell takes on a bigger role.

Newsome can then bump back outside on a full-time basis and essentially become the Dolphins' new top cover corner.

Tyreek Hill Lands With Cardinals after 3-Way Deal Between Dolphins, Giants

AP Photo/Kirk Irwin

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill

Dolphins Get: Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux
Cardinals Get: WR Tyreek Hill
Giants Get: OT Jonah Williams

Whether Tyreek Hill wants to stay with the Miami Dolphins or be traded can change on a whim. He is always looking out for numero uno. He also remains one of the game's most spectacular offensive weapons, which makes him valuable to other franchises around the league.

At 31 years old with massive salary-cap charges over the next two seasons, not many teams should be in the market for Hill. The Arizona Cardinals currently have the fifth-most salary-cap space still remaining, while a deal could include reworked contracts for the wide receiver in future years, particularly while Marvin Harrison Jr. operates under his rookie deal.

The Cardinals require some kind of jolt to finally become competitive and challenge for NFC West titles. They haven't won a division crown since 2015 and have made the playoffs just once since then. Talent can be found on the roster, but Hill's acquisition provides an immediate identity.

In order to maximize quarterback Kyler Murray's capabilities, a duo of Hill and Harrison is nightmare fuel for opposing defensive coordinators. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon previously served in that role, and he understands how Hill's speed tilts the field in the offense's favor. Despite any concerns about attitude, age or money, the eight-time Pro Bowler can make the Cardinals better.

Arizona would have to send a proven blocker to the New York Giants to make a deal happen in this scenario. They have suffered through multiple false starts trying to rebuild their offensive line. Despite multiple high investments in the position group, it's still not quite where it should be.

Williams has the potential to slide into right tackle and complete the fivesome, while the ever-reliable Kelvin Beachum Jr. holds down the fort on Arizona's strong side.

To fully entice the Dolphins and make all of this happen, the Giants move Kayvon Thibodeaux thanks to the depth they now have among their pass-rushers after selecting Abdul Carter with this year's third overall draft pick.

While New York plans to keep Thibodeaux in the short term, he's not likely to remain with the team beyond the 2026 campaign when his rookie deal is complete.

The Giants can improve in a needed area now, while possibly keeping Williams on the roster even longer.