Hypothetical 3-Team Trades That Would Turn NFL Upside Down Before 2026 Season

The NBA offseason is in full swing. In the coming days and weeks, fans will witness many blockbuster trades, and some of them will involve three or more teams.

While three-team trades are a rarity in the NFL, they have occurred—the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams executed a three-team deal in 2017.

With modern NFL decisions-makers taking a more aggressive and progressive approach, it may only be a matter of time before multi-team deals become as common in the NFL as they are in other sports.

We may not be at that point yet, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun and imagine how a few three-team trades could look ahead of the 2026 season.

That's precisely what we'll do here with five hypothetical but realistic trades constructed around factors like player production, positional value, team needs, salary cap implications, and any relevant recent buzz.

Jets Pry Mac Jones Away from San Francisco with Pittsburgh's Help

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Mac Jones

Jets Get: QB Mac Jones

49ers Get: WR DK Metcalf

Steelers Get: Jets' 2027 3rd-round pick, WR Brandon Aiyuk

Early in the offseason, the San Francisco 49ers indicated that they would prefer to hang onto backup quarterback Mac Jones.

According to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, however, the Niners could be open to trading Jones if rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke shows enough promise this summer.

The New York Jets, who are in a perpetual search for QB stability, should be very interested in taking a flier on Jones. They have three first-round selections in the 2027 draft, but those don't necessarily need to be spent on a quarterback. If a veteran like Jones could be New York's answer, those picks could be used to flesh out the roster instead.

However, the Jets don't have much to offer that would benefit the 49ers right away. San Francisco is hoping to win before players like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Trent Williams hit the dreaded age-related cliff. Draft compensation alone might not get Jones out of San Francisco.

A first-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2021, Jones went 5-3 with a 97.4 QB rating with the 49ers last season. He has value to San Francisco as an insurance policy, even on an expiring contract.

In this hypothetical trade, the Jets enlist the Pittsburgh Steelers' help to acquire Jones. Pittsburgh sends wide receiver DK Metcalf to San Francisco while receiving draft compensation from New York and allowing the 49ers to offload Brandon Aiyuk.

The 49ers have been practically begging teams to take Aiyuk off their hands. While there hasn't been any real trade chatter involving Metcalf, he's been the subject of speculation ever since the Steelers acquired Michael Pittman Jr. and drafted Germie Bernard.

Bleacher Report's Moe Moton, for example, named Metcalf on his list of cut and trade candidates shortly before April's draft began.

Patriots Add More WR Help While Cardinals add to Young QB Competition

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Michael Wilson

Patriots Get: WR Michael Wilson

Cardinals Get: QB Shedeur Sanders, WR Kayshon Boutte, Browns' 2027 4th-round pick

Browns Get: QB Jacoby Brissett, Patriots' 2027 3rd-round pick

Arizona Cardinals receiver Michael Wilson had a breakout campaign in 2025, finishing with 1,006 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. However, he's entering the final year of his rookie deal and may not be getting an extension this offseason.

Wilson has stated that he won't let his contract situation be a distraction.

"That's not something that I want to show up to the building with it on my mind," he said last month, per Darren Urban of the club's official website.

However, the Cardinals could avoid any potential contract drama by simply moving Wilson while his stock is high. In this hypothetical trade, they give the Patriots yet another big receiver addition while taking care of another contract situation and making their QB competition a bit more interesting.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett did not attend the early portion of Arizona's voluntary offseason program as he sought an extension that would pay him like a starter and provide more security.

In this theoretical three-team deal, Arizona offloads him to the always QB-needy Cleveland Browns while receiving draft compensation, along with second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders and Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, New England has "received calls" on Boutte since acquiring A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. Sanders is supposedly competing with Deshaun Watson for Cleveland's starting job, but there's been speculation that he isn't in the Browns' long-term plans.

According to Tony Rizzo of ESPN Cleveland, there have been "talks" regarding the "availability" of Sanders.

Through this trade, the Cardinals would get another young QB to compete with Carson Beck for a long-term role. The Browns would get a backup/bridge QB and improved draft capital with which to chase a quarterback in 2027. The Patriots would complete a dynamic receiver trio comprised of Brown, Wilson and Romeo Doubs.

Bears Improve Pass Rush, Panthers Get a TE

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Josh Sweat

Bears Get: Edge Josh Sweat

Panthers Get: TE Cole Kmet

Cardinals Get: Bears' 2027 4th-round pick, Panthers' 2027 4th-round pick

While the Cardinals haven't actually been linked to a Wilson trade yet, there has been chatter involving Arizona pass-rusher Josh Sweat.

Last month, Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard reported that he had "been hearing for awhile" that Sweat "is not particularly happy" in Arizona. More recently, however, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport insisted that the Cardinals aren't interested in moving Sweat.

"Sweat is not being traded," Rapoport posted on X. "Carry on..."

Of course, we've seen plenty of teams move players after they said they wouldn't—the Browns' handling of Myles Garrett is a great recent example. If Arizona can get a strong return, it would probably consider making Sweat available.

In this hypothetical trade, the Cardinals get solid compensation by sending Sweat to the Chicago Bears and involving the Carolina Panthers.

Chicago needs to bolster a pass rush that recorded just 35 sacks last season. The Bears also have a potential trade chip in tight end Cole Kmet, who may no longer have a prominent role with the Bears. He was previously Chicago's primary receiving tight end, but that role now belongs to Colston Loveland. The Bears also just drafted tight end Sam Roush in the third round.

With Trey McBride already in the fold, though, the Cardinals don't need a pass-catching tight end. However, the Carolina Panthers do. Tommy Tremble led all Panthers tight ends with just 249 receiving yards last season.

In this deal, the Panthers add a quality pass-catcher while chipping in draft compensation to help the Bears get Sweat to Chicago.

49ers and Giants Add Defensive Help

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Kayvon Thibodeaux

49ers Get: Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux

Giants Get: CB Marlon Humphrey, Ravens' 2027 4th-round pick

Ravens Get: 49ers' 2027 2nd-round Pick, WR Isaiah Hodgins

Arizona isn't the only team that insists it doesn't want to trade a notable edge-defender.

New York Giants edge-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux has been the subject of trade speculation pretty much ever since New York used the fifth overall selection on Ohio State's Arvell Reese. However, Giants GM Joe Schoen told reporters that the draft-day chatter surrounding Thibodeaux was "not true."

It's far more likely that New York simply didn't receive an offer that piqued its interest.

According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the Giants did engage in trade talks with the New Orleans Saints. However, New York's asking price of a second-round pick was something the Saints weren't willing to meet.

In this hypothetical scenario, the 49ers pry Thibodeaux away from New York by involving the Baltimore Ravens, the previous employer of Giants head coach John Harbaugh.

The Ravens are rebuilding under new head coach Jesse Minter, and while they're presumably hoping for a fast reconstruction, they should still be interested in adding premium draft capital. In this deal, they'd get it by flipping a Day 3 pick and cornerback Marlon Humphrey to the Giants.

Humphrey will turn 30 next month and is entering the final year of his contract, so he may no longer be in Baltimore's long-term plans. He'd reunite with Harbaugh and fill a notable need for New York through this deal.

Baltimore would also add Isaiah Hodgins, a receiver who may be without a role in New York but who could compete for a complementary role with the Ravens.

The 49ers, meanwhile, would help boost a pass rush that generated 20 sacks last season while providing insurance behind Nick Bosa, who is recovering from a torn ACL.

Cowboys Find Way to Pry Maxx Crosby from Las Vegas by Flipping George Pickens

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Maxx Crosby

Cowboys Receive: Edge Maxx Crosby, WR Calvin Ridley

Titans Receive: WR George Pickens

Raiders Receive: Cowboys' 2027 1st-round pick, Cowboys' 2027 5th-round pick, Titans' 2027 2nd-round pick, WR Elic Ayomanor

The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to trade pass-rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens early in the offseason, but Baltimore backed out of the trade agreement after medical concerns arose during his physical, leaving the standout sack artist still in Las Vegas.

But this doesn't mean Crosby will stay in Las Vegas throughout his contract—which expires in 2029—or even through the 2026 season.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Crosby should draw renewed interest before the start of the regular season.

"I wouldn't expect Crosby trade talk to heat up again until he gets on a field and shows he's healthy," he wrote. "And from everything I've been told, that could be in August or later."

According to ESPN's Ryan McFadden, the Dallas Cowboys made three separate offers for Crosby, though none were enough to elicit action from the Raiders. In this hypothetical trade, Dallas makes another run at Crosby by involving the Tennessee Titans.

In this deal, the Cowboys would cough up first- and fifth-round picks, along with wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens had a spectacular 2025 campaign in Dallas but is now set to play on the franchise tag and isn't expected to receive an extension from the Cowboys.

So, Dallas would flip Pickens to the Titans, who would pair him with Wan'Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate to give second-year quarterback Cam Ward a strong long-term receiving trio.

Tennessee would offload receivers Elic Ayomanor, who flashed promise as a rookie last season but who would be a fourth or fifth option with Pickens in the fold, along with a 31-year-old Calvin Ridley. With the second-most cap space in the league, the Titans could then lock up Pickens on a long-term deal.

The Raiders would get a solid draft haul and a young receiver to pair with rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Cowboys, of course, would finally get Crosby.

And while the Cowboys could look to simply trade Pickens to the Raiders as part of a Crosby trade, this three-team deal would make more financial sense for Las Vegas. The Raiders spent heavily in free agency this offseason, and they'll likely look to extend tight end Brock Bowers with a market-leading deal when he's eligible next offseason.