NFL front offices and coaching staffs are getting their first honest look at their rosters as training camps begin in earnest this week. Although some teams might be satisfied with their depth charts, other franchises could aim to swing a deal before the regular season starts in September.
NFL clubs with positional surpluses may be willing to discuss trades with summer practices underway, while others might be amenable to dealing players due to contract situations.
Which players could be the move? Let’s run through 10 potential NFL trades that could make sense in the coming weeks.
10 Potential NFL Training Camp Trade Proposals
Steelers Land Brandon Aiyuk From 49ers
- Steelers acquire: WR Brandon Aiyuk
- 49ers acquire: 2025 first-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick
Aiyuk, fresh off a dominant 2023 campaign that saw him earn second-team All-Pro honors, formally requested a trade from the 49ers last week. While San Francisco isn’t chomping at the bit to trade its star wideout, the club could theoretically move forward with fellow WRs Deebo Samuel Sr., Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Jacob Cowing if it dealt Aiyuk elsewhere.
Ayiuk blossomed into a legitimate WR1 in 2023, finishing second in yards per reception (17.9), sixth in yards per route run (2.65), and seventh in receiving yards (1,342). Based on trade packages other NFL teams have received for their talented WRs, the 49ers are probably looking for a first-round selection and more for Aiyuk.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need all the pass-catching help they can get behind George Pickens. Rookie second-rounder Roman Wilson should have every opportunity to grab a starting job, but Pittsburgh still needs another wideout. Counting on NFL journeymen like Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Scotty Miller might not be the best solution.
Pittsburgh has been willing to trade first-round selections for elite talent in the past. In Sept. 2019, the Steelers sent their 2020 first-rounder to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in a deal that has more than worked out for the AFC North franchise.
Raiders Trade for Veteran CB Help
- Raiders acquire: CB Marshon Lattimore
- Saints acquire: Conditional 2025 fourth-round pick
- Upgraded to 2025 third if Lattimore plays at least 65% of Las Vegas’ snaps
The New Orleans Saints traded up to grab Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry in Round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, adding him to a secondary that already includes Paulson Adebo, Alontae Taylor, and, of course, Marshon Lattimore.
Drafting a second-round cornerback might not have signaled a potential Lattimore trade on its own. However, New Orleans also restructured Lattimore’s contract this offseason to allow for a post-June 1 trade.
Las Vegas desperately needs cornerback help but didn’t select a CB until Day 3 (Mississippi State’s Decamerion Richardson). Depending on whether they pick up his option, the Las Vegas Raiders could have Lattimore under contract in 2024 with a cap charge below $4 million.
Falcons Buoy Pass Rush With Matt Judon
- Falcons acquire: EDGE Matt Judon, 2025 sixth-round pick
- Patriots acquire: 2025 fourth-round pick, 2025 seventh-round pick
Atlanta has been searching for a high-end edge rusher since John Abraham left in 2012. The Falcons ranked dead last in pass-rush win rate last season and have since lost Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree to free agents. Fifth-round selection Bralen Trice was the club’s only addition on the edge.
Let’s give the Falcons Matt Judon, who wants a new contract from the New England Patriots as he enters the final season of his contract.
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While it might not make sense for a rebuilding team like New England to extend a 31-year-old who missed 13 games with a torn biceps in 2023, win-now Atlanta can afford to take on Judon’s risk (and potentially give him a new deal).
While the return for Judon may seem light given that he posted 28 sacks from 2021 to 2022, keep in mind that the Eagles only got a conditional 2026 second-rounder from the New York Jets in exchange for Haason Reddick this offseason. Reddick is two years younger than Judon and boasted double-digit sacks in four consecutive seasons.
Packers Find a QB2
- Packers acquire: QB Taylor Heinicke, 2026 seventh-round pick
- Falcons acquire: 2026 sixth-round pick
The Packers could be nearing a contract extension with starting quarterback Jordan Love, but Green Bay also needs to examine its QB2 situation, as well.
Green Bay has one of the worst backup QB situations in the NFL. Sean Clifford, a 2023 fifth-round choice, attempted exactly one pass (a 37-yard completion) in his rookie campaign. Seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt will compete with Clifford to serve as Love’s caddy, but the Packers might want to consider adding a veteran.
Taylor Heinicke won’t have much of a role in Atlanta after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal and drafted Michael Penix Jr. in Round 1. He accepted a pay cut this offseason and would only count for the veteran’s minimum on Green Bay’s salary cap. Heinicke isn’t a world-beater, but he could be affordable insurance for a Packers team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Bengals Reunite With Familar RB
- Bengals acquire: RB Samaje Perine, 2025 seventh-round pick
- Broncos acquire: 2025 sixth-round pick
Cincinnati didn’t select a running back in the draft, signaling its comfort with Zack Moss and Chase Brown as full-time Joe Mixon replacements. However, the Bengals have room for another RB and could look for additional options if backups like Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans don’t flash during training camp.
How about reuniting with an old friend? Samaje Perine played in Cincinnati from 2019 through 2022, and the Bengals tried to re-sign him last year before he agreed to a two-year deal in Denver. The Broncos already had Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin in the backfield before spending a 2023 fourth-round choice on Notre Dame’s Audric Estimé.
Denver has a crowded backfield, and Cincinnati could take advantage.
Lions Grab Darius Slayton From Giants
- Lions acquire: WR Darius Slayton
- Giants acquire: 2025 sixth-round pick
It’s almost baffling that Detroit didn’t add a receiver in free agency or the draft, especially after losing Josh Reynolds, who played the second-most snaps among Lions WRs in 2023. The Lions have plenty of weapons in RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, and TE Sam LaPorta, but the club is counting on a Jameson Williams breakout.
Darius Slayton would be an upgrade over Kalif Raymond at Detroit’s other outside WR spot. He’s spent most of his career on the perimeter, which would allow St. Brown to stay in the slot in 11 personnel. He’s hardly a star, but Slayton has posted 700 receiving yards in four of his five NFL seasons.
New York might be willing to trade Slayton after using the sixth overall pick on WR Malik Nabers in April. While Big Blue placated Slayton by adding new incentives to his contract in May, moving him would open new opportunities for younger receivers like Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt.
Eagles Find a Taker for James Bradberry
- Jaguars acquire: CB James Bradberry, 2027 seventh-round pick
- Eagles acquire: 2027 sixth-round pick
Yes, those are 2027 draft picks. NFL teams can only trade draft choices three years out, but the Philadelphia Eagles might have to be willing to accept that type of offer for Bradberry after the veteran cornerback fell off a cliff in 2023.
Bradberry, a 2022 second-team All-Pro, allowed 2.9 more yards per target and 2.5 more yards per completion in 2023 than he did the previous season. He gave up 11 touchdowns as the nearest defender in coverage — the most in the NFL.
Bradberry’s 2024 salary is already at the veteran’s minimum, so Jacksonville would be acquiring a cost-effective asset. We’re admittedly unsure if Bradberry can hold up in man coverage; the Eagles were giving him safety reps earlier this summer.
Still, new Jags DC Ryan Nielsen ran zone coverage at the NFL’s fourth-highest rate as the Falcons’ play-caller in 2023, according to TruMedia. Bradberry might be able to work in a zone-heavy plan if Nielsen carries over the same tendencies in 2024.
Commanders Solve Left Tackle With Player-for-Player Trade
- Commanders acquire: OT Kelvin Beachum, 2025 sixth-round pick
- Cardinals acquire: DT Phidarian Mathis
While the Washington Commanders will give 67th overall pick Brandon Coleman a chance to start at left tackle, they may want to bring in more depth, especially with a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels under center. Veteran Cornelius Lucas is also a candidate to play on Daniels’ blindside, but Washington could probably do better.
Beachum is 34 but was still productive as a 17-game starter for the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. Arizona’s selection of first-round OT Paris Johnson Jr. turned Beachum into a backup in 2023, and that’s where he’ll remain in 2024 after the Cards signed former Bengal Jonah Williams to a two-year pact in March.
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In exchange, Arizona will bolster its league-worst interior DL by picking up Mathis, a 2022 second-round choice who’s barely seen the field due to knee and calf injuries. Washington has a new coaching staff and front office and already rosters Daron Payne, Jonathan Allen, and 2024 second-rounder Johnny Newton at defensive tackle.
If Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort liked Mathis’ profile coming out of Alabama two years ago, he could take a shot at buying low on the 26-year-old.
Dolphins Take Shot on Former First-Round EDGE
- Dolphins acquire: EDGE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
- Buccaneers acquire: LB Channing Tindall, 2025 sixth-round pick
Few NFL teams need pass-rushing help as much as the Miami Dolphins. Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are recovering from season-ending injuries and may not be ready for Week 1, while offseason addition Shaquil Barrett surprisingly announced his retirement over the weekend.
If the season started today, rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara might have to line up as Miami’s starting edge defenders — not great for a team with Super Bowl hopes.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers declined Joe Tryon-Shoyinka’s 2025 fifth-year option, an expected decision after the former first-round choice was demoted in favor of rookie YaYa Diaby near the end of last season. Tryon-Shoyinka can still be a rotational pass rusher — which is what the Dolphins are searching for — but Tampa Bay might be ready to move on.
The Washington product only has one season left on his contract, so he shouldn’t cost Miami much to acquire. A late-round pick plus a depth piece like Channing Tindall should get the job done.
Bills Give Up on CB Kaiir Elam
- Panthers acquire: CB Kaiir Elam
- Bills acquire: 2025 seventh-round pick
The NFL’s Buffalo-to-Carolina path is well-trodden. Not only have coaches and executives like Sean McDermott, Brandon Beane, and Dan Morgan spent time in both locales, but the two teams have orchestrated five veteran player trades over the past decade, including deals involving WR Kelvin Benjamin and OT Marshall Newhouse.
Let’s add one more player to the mix. Elam struggled in his 2022 rookie campaign, then was injured and/or a healthy scratch for much of 2023. He appeared in just three regular-season games last year for the Bills, who have Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas ahead of Elam on their perimeter CB depth chart.
Elam could have a better chance to play in Carolina, although he’d probably have to beat out Dane Jackson, who consistently played ahead of him in Buffalo. The Panthers need corner depth, and Elam is worth a chance, not least because 2021 first-round CB Jaycee Horn has missed 29 of a possible 51 games since entering the NFL.