7 NFL Trades That Would Shake Up 2026 Free Agency, Draft Projections

The official start to the 2026 NFL offseason is nearly upon us. The coaching carousel has slowed, the franchise-tag window opened on Tuesday, and the new league year will begin at 4 p.m. ET on March 11.

March 11 will also mark the official start of free agency, while the 2026 NFL draft will kick off on April 23. Right now, we can only guess where top free agents will land and how the early draft will unfold—the Bleacher Report Scouting Department unveiled its latest mock draft after Super Bowl LX.

It's important to remember, however, that the entire offseason landscape can change quickly because of trades. Just before the start of 2025 free agency, for example, the Seattle Seahawks agreed to ship out wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Geno Smith. That set the stage for an offseason reload that led to the Lombardi Trophy.

Here, we'll examine seven hypothetical trades that would alter how free agency and the draft unfold.

Raiders Trade the No. 1 Pick in April's Draft to the Jets

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Indiana QB prospect Fernando Mendoza

Jets Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 1 overall)

Raiders Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 2 overall), 2026 1st-round pick (No. 16 overall)

Three years ago, the Chicago Bears shook up the offseason by trading the No. 1 overall pick—and the chance to draft Bryce Young—to the Carolina Panthers during the early offseason.

The Las Vegas Raiders could make a similar move this offseason by opting to pass on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and dealing the top pick.

Now, it feels extremely unlikely Las Vegas would make the move. The Raiders need a franchise quarterback, and Mendoza seems to be the closest thing to one in the 2026 draft class.

"Mendoza has the build of a traditional pocket passer and a polished passing skill set that translates well to the NFL," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "He excels as a quick post-snap processor and quick decision-maker with the football."

However, the pre-draft process is only just getting underway. The Raiders could decide after interviews and further study that Mendoza isn't the sort of "sure thing" worth passing up extra draft capital to get. They may choose to build up their supporting cast first and find a quarterback later.

In such a scenario, they could potentially move down one spot, allow the QB-desperate New York Jets to take the top spot, and pick up an extra first-rounder in the process.

While a pair of first-round picks is a steep cost to move up a single spot, Mendoza is the only QB prospect given a first-round grade by the B/R Scouting Department.

Raiders Trade Edge Maxx Crosby to Rams

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Raiders edge Maxx Crosby

Rams Get: Edge Maxx Crosby

Raiders Get: 2026 1st-round pick (No. 29 overall), 2027 1st-round pick, conditional 2027 5th-round pick

The Raiders moving down a spot would have two big impacts on the offseason landscape.

For one, it would take the Jets out of the QB market. Secondly, it would set up Las Vegas to draft another blue-chip prospect, such as Miami edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who was the No. 2 pick in the B/R mock.

Landing a sack artist like Bain could, in turn, make it easier for Las Vegas to justify trading star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.

Crosby's situation remains unclear. According to Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom.us, he told franchise minority owner Tom Brady that he'll never play for the Raiders again.

However, Crosby hasn't made any sort of public trade request, and new head coach Klint Kubiak would prefer to retain him.

"We want him to be a part of our success going forward," Kubiak said, per ESPN's Ryan McFadden.

Yet, replacing Crosby with a younger high-ceiling pass-rusher while loading up on draft assets would be far from a disaster for the Raiders.

A team desperate to maximize its closing Super Bowl window, like the Los Angeles Rams, could be the perfect trade partner for Las Vegas. The Rams came within a few plays of reaching Super Bowl LX but couldn't make enough plays to contain Sam Darnold and the Seahawks.

If Crosby is on the move, it would impact teams looking to draft pass-rushers, along with those looking to dip into a free-agent pool that could include Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Khalil Mack, and Joey Bosa.

Eagles Trade WR A.J. Brown to the Bills

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Eagles WR A.J. Brown

Bills Get: WR A.J. Brown

Eagles Get: 2026 2nd-round pick, WR Keon Coleman

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2025, marking the sixth time he has done so in seven seasons. However, he hasn't been a Pro Bowler since 2023, and his relationship with the franchise remains "somewhat tenuous," according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, trade talks haven't taken place yet but are expected to pick up at the combine.

Would the Eagles, a little over a year removed from a Super Bowl victory, really give up one of their top offensive playmakers? Well, that depends on just how tenuous the relationship is. If the 28-year-old is on the move this offseason, though, a trade with the Buffalo Bills could shake up plenty.

The Bills have a top-tier quarterback in Josh Allen but have lacked a legitimate go-to receiver since Stefon Diggs was traded. Landing Brown would fill that void and would likely take Buffalo out of the receiver market.

Buffalo should be in the mix for a receiver in both free agency and the draft. The B/R Scouting Department paired the Bills with Notre Dame receiver Malachi Fields in its latest mock.

Brown's availability would impact a free-agent market that is expected to involve receivers like Alec Pierce, Mike Evans, Romeo Doubs, and Deebo Samuel. The Eagles, meanwhile, would enter the receiver market in a bid to replace Brown in the starting lineup.

Cowboys Trade WR George Pickens to the Titans

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Cowboys WR George Pickens

Titans Get: WR George Pickens

Cowboys Get: 2026 2nd-round pick

Brown isn't the only standout wide receiver who could be on the move this offseason. The Dallas Cowboys plan to franchise-tag George Pickens but may also consider trading him, according to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, and Tom Pelissero.

Rapoport recently speculated (beginning around the 2:00 mark) that a second-round pick might be enough to pry Pickens away from Dallas.

Of course, trading for the soon-to-be 25-year-old would almost certainly mean giving him a hefty long-term extension, too. For a team like the Tennessee Titans, that would make sense.

Tennessee used the top selection in last year's draft on Miami quarterback Cam Ward. While the rookie showed flashes of promise, he wasn't particularly consistent and regularly struggled with one of the league's worst receiving corps.

Tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo led the Titans with just 560 receiving yards.

Acquiring Pickens would give Ward the sort of go-to receiver he currently lacks and would help fill that void for the foreseeable future. It might also take Tennessee out of the free-agent receiver market, which would be huge.

The Titans are projected to lead the NFL with $99 million in cap space this offseason.

This hypothetical deal would also likely increase the chance that Dallas uses one of its two first-round picks on a wide receiver, while potentially increasing the demand for other veterans such as Brown, Pierce, Evans, and Wan'Dale Robinson.

Bears Trade TE Cole Kmet to Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo

Buccaneers Get: TE Cole Kmet

Bears Get: 2026 5th-round pick

Cole Kmet is yet another talented pass-catcher who could be on the move this offseason. The Chicago Bears tight end has topped 500 receiving yards in three of his six seasons. However, he saw a reduced role in 2025 after the Bears used a first-round pick on Colston Loveland.

Loveland led the Bears with 713 receiving yards this past season, while Kmet recorded 347 receiving yards.

Chicago faces a projected cap deficit of $10.7 million and could save $8.4 million in cap space by trading Kmet before March 15. While Kmet's role might not justify his price point to the Bears, the 26-year-old should interest plenty of other tight-end-needy teams.

And if Kmet is made available, it would impact a free-agent market that is expected to involve the likes of Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert, Isaiah Likely, David Njoku, and Okonkwo.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton is also slated to be a free agent, and Tampa's offense could use a pass-catcher in the mold of Kmet. A trade between the Bears and Bucs could be a win-win for the teams involved while making it easier for other teams to obtain tight ends in free agency and the draft.

The Buccaneers were paired with Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the B/R Scouting Department's post-Super Bowl mock draft.

Saints Trade RB Alvin Kamara to the Broncos

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Broncos Get: RB Alvin Kamara

Saints Get: 2026 7th-round pick, conditional 2027 6th-round pick

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara might not seem like an impactful trade candidate in 2026. The five-time Pro Bowler will turn 31 in July, is coming off a career-worst year, and is recovering from a sprained MCL.

Kamara also hinted last season that he'd consider retirement if he were to be traded.

Yet, a trade involving Kamara, should he choose to accept it, could have a substantial impact on free agency and the draft. That would be particularly true if he were to land with a Super Bowl contender like the Denver Broncos.

Denver, which happens to employ Kamara's former head coach, Sean Payton, should be looking to upgrade its supporting cast this offseason. Kamara is a talented runner and receiver who would complement second-year back RJ Harvey and help replace impending free agent J.K. Dobbins.

For the Broncos, a Kamara trade would likely take them out of the market for free agents like Dobbins, Rico Dowdle, Breece Hall, and Kenneth Walker III. For the Saints, parting with Kamara would create $3.4 million in cap space while increasing the likelihood of drafting a running back early in April.

Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love was the pick for New Orleans at No. 8 in the B/R Scouting Department's latest mock draft.

A talented young back like Love would be a terrific complement to second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, though using a top-10 selection on a running back could be tough to justify. It'd be easier to sell to the fanbase, though, if Kamara is no longer part of the equation.

Cardinals Trade QB Kyler Murray to the Steelers

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray

Steelers Get: QB Kyler Murray

Cardinals Get: 2026 7th-round pick, conditional 2027 5th-round pick

This hypothetical trade might shake up the quarterback market more than any other, aside from a deal involving the Raiders and Mendoza.

The Arizona Cardinals appear to be nearing the end of their experiment with 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the 28-year-old will be in demand if made available and is expected to be made available.

"He would be one of the top quarterbacks available via trade or release if that goes down, and most around the league do expect that to go down, and he'll be available," Fowler told SportsCenter (h/t Bleacher Report's Adam Wells).

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who replaced head coach Mike Tomlin with Mike McCarthy, will be in the quarterback market this offseason. The Steelers are open to a reunion with Aaron Rodgers, per Fowler (h/t B/R's Mike Chiari), but the 42-year-old isn't a long-term answer. A QB like Murray still might be.

Murray's base salary of $22.8 million wouldn't cripple the Steelers, and a trade would save $34.7 million in cap space for the Cardinals. A deal could also have a major domino effect on the rest of the quarterback market.

Pittsburgh would likely be out on draft prospects like Alabama's Ty Simpson and Miami's Carson Beck. The Cardinals would be looking for a new QB of the future, while Aaron Rodgers would be looking for a new team—if he's interested in returning for the 2026 season.

It's worth noting that a potential pairing of Rodgers and the Minnesota Vikings was the subject of much speculation last offseason. Those rumors would undoubtedly resume if Murray were to wind up in Pittsburgh.