2026 NFL Trade Block Big Board Entering Week 5

We're only a month into the 2026 season, but we've already seen some significant activity on the trade market due to injuries and pressing contract situations.

Last week, the New York Giants acquired quarterback J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings, a response to losing Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury. The Pittsburgh Steelers then traded Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys amid a prolonged contract dispute.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the decision followed another report of back pain from the cornerback, one day after the team listed him as a full participant in practice.

While Porter may be the last contract hold-in to be dealt this season, he won't be the last player traded. Injuries continue to mount, and teams are beginning to spiral out of the playoff picture—all five 0-3 teams fell to 0-4 this past week.

Here is an updated look at our top 10 trade candidates, ranked by past production, upside, positional value, contract/cap implications, projected availability, and any relevant recent rumors.

We'll dive into players that teams should be targeting, project trade values based on factors such as position, player upside, player age, and any comparable deals, and identify a few logical suitors.

10. Mac Jones, QB, San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/John Locher

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 2nd-Round Pick

To be clear, Mac Jones remains the best quarterback for teams in need of an immediate starter to target.

The 28-year-old went 5-3 with a 97.4 passer rating as the San Francisco 49ers' starter in 2025, and he could steer another playoff-caliber team to the postseason in 2026 if needed.

However, the 49ers aren't going to let Jones go for cheap. San Francisco wanted a second-round pick for him in the spring, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, and the more the Niners believe a Super Bowl run is possible, the less likely they will be to part with their insurance at quarterback.

Brock Purdy hasn't been sacked yet this season, but the Niners have experienced enough other early injuries to value proven depth behind him.

With quarterbacks like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels getting closer to a return, there isn't a clear suitor that would pay the hefty price to pry Jones out of San Francisco right now. That could change before November 10, though, and we could see teams that lack a QB plan beyond 2026 enter the mix as well.

Potential Suitors: Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets

9. Jadeveon Clowney, Edge, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Projected Trade Value: 2027 5th-Round Pick

Pass-rushers are always valued around the trade deadline, which is why several reside on our top-10 list.

First up is Jadeveon Clowney, who returned late in the offseason to the team that drafted him. The first overall pick in the 2014 draft signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Houston Texans and believed he'd be joining a title contender. However, the Texans have looked like anything but during their 0-4 start to the season.

The Texans could still get back in the playoff mix, but they could be prompted to send Clowney to a contender for a strong return—which they should be able to get.

Houston could also save $3.3 million in cap space by moving the 33-year-old.

Clowney had 8.5 sacks and 22 quarterback pressures with the Dallas Cowboys last season. He returned from a two-game absence due to a bone bruise in his knee and recorded a half-sack against Dallas in Week 4.

In two games this season, Clowney has recorded 1.5 sacks and four QB pressures. He should interest most teams in need of pass-rushing help this season.

Potential Suitors: Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys

8. Mason Rudolph, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 6th-Round Pick

While the demand for a fill-in starter may be dwindling, the market for a backup QB may be heating up.

The Washington Commanders may be close to having Daniels back, but backup Marcus Mariota is now dealing with an MCL injury. While Baker Mayfield is out with a dislocated thumb, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking at Easton Stick behind undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels.

An increased backup-QB market could benefit the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were reportedly open to moving Mason Rudolph at the start of the season, according to Jason La Canfora of Casino.org.

Rudolph, who has 20 career starts (including playoffs), is one of the league's better backups. He could also be viewed as expendable, as Pittsburgh has Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar behind Aaron Rodgers.

Potential Suitors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders

7. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 3rd-Round Pick

The Arizona Cardinals have lost three straight and are looking like a team that may soon begin playing for 2027 and beyond.

Arizona's quarterback of the future probably isn't on the current roster, though the Cardinals have several promising offensive pieces they can eventually put around him. Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Jeremiyah Love all project as long-term building blocks, though 2024 first-round pick Marvin Harrison Jr. may not.

Harrison was widely viewed as a "can't-miss" prospect when the Cardinals drafted him fourth overall. However, he has fallen behind in Arizona's offensive game plan and could probably use a change of scenery.

Unfortunately, it appears that Harrison's trade value is at an all-time low—some teams believe he may not command more than a Day-3 pick, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

The Cardinals probably won't let Harrison go for that low a price, but it feels like a team willing to bet on his upside could snag him before the deadline.

Potential Suitors: Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs

6. Solomon Thomas, DL, Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/Stew Milne

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 7th-Round Draft Pick

Like the Texans, the Tennessee Titans are sitting at 0-4 and staring down a lost season. The AFC South rivals face one another in Week 5, giving both a chance to secure their first win. However, Tennessee feels much further away from turning things around than Houston does.

Let's not forget that the Texans rebounded from a 0-3 start last year and still made the postseason. The Titans went 3-14 in each of the past two campaigns.

Tennessee will likely use the rest of 2026 to evaluate quarterback Cam Ward and determine whether it should consider replacing him with a top 2027 prospect. Veteran players who won't contribute toward that goal should be viewed as expendable.

The Titans traded for defensive lineman Solomon Thomas in the offseason, reuniting him with head coach Robert Saleh. While Thomas has appeared in all four games this season, he has played just 25 percent of the defensive snaps.

Thomas, who will be a free agent in 2027, has little long-term value to the Titans. However, he could bolster a contender's defensive line.

Potential Suitors: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns

5. Walker Little, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP PhotoPhelan M. Ebenhack

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 6th-Round Pick and/or Veteran Defender

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved to 3-1 on Saturday, and they certainly aren't going to sell off pieces the way that the league's winless teams might. However, they have a high-priced backup in Walker Little who could draw significant interest in the wake of more offensive tackle injuries.

The Cardinals, for example, recently placed starting left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. on injured reserve with a torn bicep. He'll miss the remainder of the 2026 season.

Little was a starter for the Jaguars before losing his job at left tackle to Cole Van Lanen. He has appeared in all four games this season but has played just 24 offensive snaps and 21 snaps on special teams.

With 39 starts on his resume, Little should bring a moderate return on the trade market. Jacksonville would also save $11.4 million in cap space by moving him.

Potential Suitors: Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers

4. Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

AP Photo

Projected Trade Value: 2027 5th-Round Pick

Injuries continue to mount at running back across the NFL. Jadarian Price, Tank Bigsby, and Travis Etienne Jr. have all recently landed on injured reserve, and Miami Dolphins starter De'Von Achane is out for the season with a torn ACL.

The Buccaneers, who are sitting at 0-4 with an undrafted rookie at quarterback, could cash in on the run of injuries by moving backup Kenneth Gainwell.

Gainwell signed a two-year, $14 million deal in the offseason to back up Bucs starter Bucky Irving. The Buccaneers would save just $2 million in 2026 cap space by trading the 27-year-old, but they could clear his 2027 $7 million cap hit from the books while getting a reasonable return.

While Gainwell did score his first touchdown for Tampa in Week 4, he has still logged a mere 21 touches through four weeks. However, he racked up 187 touches, 1,023 scrimmage yards, and eight touchdowns with the Steelers last season.

At this point in the season, Gainwell would boost the backfield depth of multiple teams.

Potential Suitors: Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks

3. Josh Uche, Edge, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 5th-Round Pick

The Dolphins haven't really hidden the fact that they're playing for the future in 2026. They gambled on quarterback Malik Willis in free agency, but they dumped most of their noteworthy veterans during the offseason.

The Dolphins do have some nice young pieces on their roster and just played a very competitive game against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. However, they're still sitting at 0-4 and are highly unlikely to get in the AFC East race at any point this season.

While Miami may not be interested in parting with any more potential long-term building blocks—like 23-year-old edge-defender Chop Robinson—it should be willing to move pass-rusher Josh Uche. The 28-year-old has been a veteran leader early in the season but is only playing on a one-year deal.

Uche recorded his first sack of the season against Minnesota, and he has logged four QB pressures and 17 total tackles through four weeks. He should be very attractive to teams that either lack edge-rushing depth or have lost it to injury during the first month of the season.

Potential Suitors: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles

2. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 5th-Round Pick

The Cleveland Browns moved to 3-1 with a win over the Steelers in Week 4.

During their latest victory, they got a handful of clutch catches from veteran receiver Jerry Jeudy. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns aren't interested in trading the 27-year-old right now.

However, Cabot's report clashes with that of ESPN insider Adam Schefter.

"Jeudy is being squeezed out. He could be had by the trade deadline," Schefter told NFL Sunday Countdown (beginning around the 46-second mark).

Jeudy is being "squeezed out" of the offense by promising rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, who have quickly emerged as go-to targets. While Jeudy did play a role in Cleveland's latest win, he's caught just five of eight targets for 62 yards on the season.

A 1,200-yard receiver and a Pro Bowler in 2024, Jeudy should interest receiver-needy teams, as should his 2026 base salary of $1.5 million.

Potential Suitors: Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles

1. Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Projected Trade Value: Conditional 2027 4th-Round Pick

The Los Angeles Chargers made the playoffs in their first two years under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and most viewed them as 2026 playoff contenders. However, the Chargers are now among the league's winless teams and are potentially looking at a lost season.

This isn't the sort of situation Khalil Mack believed he was joining when he re-signed on a one-year, $18 million deal this offseason.

Mack has not been part of the disappointment in Los Angeles, as he's off to a very strong start to the season. He's already logged 14 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, and eight quarterback pressures.

The Chargers won't be eager to move Mack as long as they believe they can rebound. If they believe their season is lost, however, they could save $8 million in cap space by moving him.

They could also expect a strong return for the 35-year-old, who has the potential to push a playoff-caliber defense into championship territory.

Potential Suitors: Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers

*Contract and cap information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference.