7 Teams That Should be Most Aggressive to Trade in the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL draft is less than a month away. While we have a pretty good idea of how the Las Vegas Raiders will begin Round 1, the rest of the early draft landscape remains a mystery.

Teams will play coy about their preferred draft targets in the coming weeks, but that doesn't mean they don't have specific players and/or positions in mind. Some will inevitably be content to see how the draft unfolds and hope for the best, while others can and should be aggressive in pursuing their ideal draft moves.

Last year, for example, the New York Giants made a move up for Jaxson Dart, and roughly a year later, it feels like that decision landed New York its quarterback of the future.

Here, we'll examine seven teams that should be aggressive in pursuing trades during the opening round of the 2026 draft, and why.

Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort

The Arizona Cardinals are resetting at quarterback after releasing 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray.

While Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew give Arizona a couple of potential bridge options for 2026, neither is a long-term answer at the game's most important position.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals aren't particularly likely to find their quarterback of the future in this year's draft. Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is the only top-tier QB prospect in the class, and he's essentially a lock for the Raiders at No. 1 overall.

This means that, as Bleacher Report's Alex Kay recently pointed out, Arizona should be interested in picking up more 2027 draft capital. Next year's class is expected to feature great quarterback prospects like Arch Manning, Julian Sayin, Dante Moore, and LaNorris Sellers.

With the third overall pick in the draft, the Cardinals should have a prime opportunity to trade down and acquire future selections.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is arguably the most intriguing non-quarterback in the 2026 class, and there's a very good chance he won't fall past the Tennessee Titans at No. 4—that is precisely where he landed in the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest mock draft.

The Cardinals should aggressively offer the No. 3 slot to teams interested in jumping the Titans for Love.

The New York Jets are in a similar position at No. 2 overall but probably won't be as eager to trade down. They can stay put and get the best non-QB on their board, and they're already slated to have three first-round picks in 2027.

Cleveland Browns

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Browns GM Andrew Berry

Like the Jets and Dolphins, the Cleveland Browns lack a long-term quarterback plan and should be interested in acquiring 2027 draft capital. Their situation may change if either of their second-year signal-callers—Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel—emerges as a dependable starter during the 2026 season.

Of course, the Browns can't bank on one of their young quarterbacks becoming "the guy," and it's not as if they couldn't benefit from an increase in draft capital. Cleveland's defensive roster is well above average, albeit pricey, but its offensive cast is one of the worst in the league.

The Browns have two glaring needs at left tackle and wide receiver. Unfortunately, there isn't a blue-chip left tackle prospect in this year's class that would be worthy of Cleveland's sixth overall pick. The B/R Scouting Department paired the Browns with Georgia's Monroe Freeling in its mock, but Freeling is only the 45th-ranked prospect on the B/R draft board.

Cleveland could take a wideout, such as Ohio State's Carnell Tate, at No. 6, but receiver is one of the draft's deeper positions. The Browns would get much more value by trading down and targeting a tackle or receiver later in Round 1.

The Browns probably won't get the premier trade package they got by giving the Jacksonville Jaguars a shot at Travis Hunter in last year's draft, but they could get more and/or future capital by trading down from the No. 6 slot.

Cleveland should be eager to do so, and it should consider trading the 24th overall pick—acquired in the aforementioned Hunter trade—if it means a bigger influx of young, cheap talent.

Cincinnati Bengals

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Bengals head coach Zac Taylor

Quarterback Joe Burrow will turn 30 in December, and the Cincinnati Bengals seem to have realized their contention window with the Pro Bowl signal-caller won't last forever.

The Bengals have typically avoided paying a premium for defensive players. However, they've already made moves to address a unit that has kept them out of the playoffs in recent years. They should keep up their aggressive approach in the draft.

In free agency, Cincinnati added edge-rusher Boye Mafe, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, and safety Bryan Cook. On the draft's opening night, the Bengals should be willing to move up for the best defensive difference-maker they can get.

The Bengals could stay put at No. 10 and still get a quality defender—the B/R Scouting Department mocked LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to Cincinnati in that spot.

However, the Bengals should be eager to go up and get a top-five prospect like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese, or Miami pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr.

If all goes well, and Burrow can stay healthy, the Bengals won't be picking anywhere close to the top of the draft again for the foreseeable future. Trading up would help ensure Cincinnati comes away from April's draft with a defensive centerpiece in the mold of departed pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson.

Like the Bengals' recent defensive spending spree, trading up in the first round would be a rare franchise move—one Cincinnati last made in 1995. However, it's a move the Bengals must be willing to make if they hope to return to the Super Bowl conversation.

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, left, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer

The Dallas Cowboys are in a position similar to Cincinnati's. They have one of the NFL's better offenses, and they have a defense that has been a liability over the past couple of years.

This past season, Dallas ranked second in total offense and seventh in scoring but 30th in total defense and dead-last in points allowed.

Like the Bengals, the Cowboys made some noteworthy defensive additions in free agency. They traded for edge-rusher Rashan Gary, signed cornerback Cobie Durant, and added safety Jalen Thompson. However, Dallas also traded away defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and could use a premier pass-rusher to pair with Gary.

Dallas has reportedly tried to pursue an elite edge-defender in the form of Las Vegas' Maxx Crosby. According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the Cowboys have made three separate offers for Crosby, though the Raiders have declined each of them.

Could the Cowboys make another run at Crosby over draft weekend? Sure, but they should be equally interested in trading up for defensive help early in the draft.

There's simply no guarantee a premier pass-rushing prospect such as Texas Tech's David Bailey is going to fall to the Cowboys at No. 12, though that was the case in the B/R Scouting Department's mock draft.

If Dallas gets an opportunity to go up and get Bailey, Bain, Reese or Downs—whoever is highest on the team's board—it should, even if that means parting with the Cowboys' second first-round pick (No. 20) or future draft capital.

Dallas has a real chance to be a contender in 2026, and it can't afford to simply sit and hope that the draft falls in its favor.

New England Patriots

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Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel

The New England Patriots were the NFL's biggest surprise in 2025. They went from being a four-win team the previous season to being the AFC's representative in Super Bowl LX.

While New England suffered a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the big game, it's clear that the contention window with quarterback Drake Maye has opened. The Patriots need to continue improving a roster that overachieved in 2025.

Specifically, New England needs receiver and edge-rushing help, especially after releasing last year's top receiver, Stefon Diggs, and losing K'Lavon Chaisson in free agency.

Adding Romeo Doubs and Dre'Mont Jones in free agency helps, but the Patriots still lack a No. 1 receiver and an elite sack artist. They should make sure they fill one of those needs with an aggressive draft-day trade.

Tennessee receiver Chris Brazzell II, for example, went 29th in the B/R mock and would be a strong fit for New England if he falls within a reasonable trade range.

"Brazzell has the height of a traditional X-receiver with field-stretching top-end speed," Dame Parson of the B/R Scouting Department wrote. "He will take the top off the defense and force defensive backs to play off-ball with a cushion to lessen the chances he strides past them."

The Patriots could also move up to secure an edge-rusher like Clemson's T.J. Parker or Texas A&M's Cashius Howell and hope that they can swing a trade for Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown over the summer.

According to Dianna Russini, Jourdan Rodrigue and Zach Berman of The Athletic, the Patriots have "engaged" the Eagles in trade talks regarding Brown. However, trading Brown before June 1 would cost Philadelphia $20.1 million in additional 2026 cap space.

Seattle Seahawks

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Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a convincing win in Super Bowl LX, and they have a prime opportunity to keep their championship window open for several more years.

Seattle has a good, young core, and even after extending wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba, it has $33.6 million in effective cap space.

At this stage of the offseason, though, the Seahawks should be looking to add multiple contributors through the draft. Most of the big names are off the free-agent market, and Seattle lost the likes of Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III.

The problem is that the Seahawks are picking last in the draft order and only own four total selections. This is part of the reason why they should aggressively try to trade out of the first round and acquire additional draft capital. It should have the opportunity to do so because of the fifth-year option.

The fifth-year option gives NFL franchises an extra year of team control, but it only exists on the contracts of first-round draft picks. Teams often trade from the early second round into the first round in order to get that option, especially when premium positions are involved.

This year, quarterback-needy teams picking early on Day 2 might try moving up for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, widely regarded as the second-best QB in the class but not a legitimate first-round talent.

In fact, the Seahawks aren't likely to land a legitimate first-round talent at No. 32—the B/R Scouting Department only has first-round grades on 22 prospects. That's another reason why Seattle should be thrilled to move down and add extra draft picks on opening night.

Las Vegas Raiders

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Raiders GM John Spytek

No, the Raiders shouldn't be actively looking to trade out of the No. 1 spot. Mendoza is the sort of high-floor prospect Las Vegas should be happy to take at the top of Round 1—though it shouldn't ignore any massive trade offers that come in, either.

The Raiders also shouldn't be eager to put Crosby back on the trade market, though. If they can get a couple of first-round draft picks, moving him wouldn't be the worst idea.

However, Las Vegas is exactly the sort of team that should be interested in trading up from the early second round (36th overall) and into the bottom of Round 1.

Mendoza has the potential to be the team's long-term starter, and the Raiders have done an admirable job of improving his supporting cast in free agency. However, they could still use starting-caliber players at key positions like wide receiver, defensive tackle and free safety.

Trading up for a prospect such as Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman or Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and getting that fifth-year option would be sensible for a reloading team.

The Raiders are scheduled to have 10 total draft selections, including three fourth-rounders. While they can also consider a high-volume approach to reloading the roster, some of those middle-round picks could be packaged to go up and get a player they truly view as a future centerpiece.

In fact, Las Vegas should aggressively pursue multiple trades up early in the draft to secure the players it believes can have the biggest impact over the next few seasons.

There's value in adding depth on Day 3, but the Raiders need players who can contribute right away.