Free agency and the draft aren’t the only avenues to rebuilding an NFL roster. Trades for veteran players have become increasingly common as the salary cap has exploded, allowing teams more room to either fit another veteran contract or absorb a dead money hit.
With the cap again rising higher than expected in 2025, let’s look at one trade each team should make this offseason. Note that these are not predictions of what will happen. As a result, some players will appear for multiple teams, and we’ll estimate trade compensation rather than predict the exact return.
Trade Ideas For All 32 Teams
Arizona Cardinals: Acquire OLB Harold Landry
The Arizona Cardinals have ranked 27th or worse in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings each of the last three seasons. The lack of a standout pass rusher has played a significant role in the unit’s struggles. Last season, the Cardinals ranked 25th in pressure rate, with no player exceeding five sacks.
The Titans permitted Harold Landry to seek a trade, which could be a viable option for Arizona. Landry had nine sacks in 2024 and has hit that total in four of his last five healthy seasons (he missed all of 2022 with a torn ACL). Although his pressure rate was down, part was due to opposing quarterbacks having the eighth-fastest average time to throw against the Titans’ defense (2.76 seconds).
Landry will be 29 years old all of next season and has two years remaining on his contract with a base salary of $17.5 million each year. While that’s a hefty price, Arizona has over $75 million in cap space this offseason and ranks 15th in cap commitments for 2026 ($198 million). Given that the Cardinals need multiple new pass rushers, pairing Landry with another swing in the draft is a logical plan for rebuilding that part of the defense.
Last April, Haason Reddick went to the Jets for a conditional third-round pick that could have improved to a second with playing time criteria. Landry is a little less accomplished and more expensive than Reddick was ($16 million), so the Cardinals could get a trade done by bumping it down to a conditional fourth that can turn into a third.
Atlanta Falcons: Trade Away DT David Onyemata
The Atlanta Falcons desperately need cap space, as they are roughly $5 million over the cap as currently constituted. Making Kirk Cousins a post-June 1 cut will result in exactly $0 in cap savings, as they’ll have a $40 million dead hit this year and a $12.5 million dead money cap hit in 2026 and 2027.
The Falcons could cut or trade players whose roles have diminished to free up more space. One player in that group is defensive tackle David Onyemata, who regressed after a strong first season with the Falcons. Onyemata had a 10.4% pressure rate two years ago when he first signed with Atlanta but regressed to 6.4% last year. As a result, he had just three sacks despite playing all 17 games.
Onyemata’s track record as a solid interior pass rusher should give him some value, even at 32 years old. He has a $16.9 million cap hit for 2025, and the Falcons could save just over $8 million by trading him. It likely would be much more than a Day 3 pick swap (think Onyemata and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-round pick), but the cap savings are the real point of this proposed transaction.
Baltimore Ravens: Acquire G John Simpson
The Baltimore Ravens lost both starting guards last offseason when Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson left in free agency and could lose Patrick Mekari this year. And while the Ravens could plug an unproven player like Andrew Vorhees in for Mekari, a more suitable solution would be Simpson returning to Baltimore from the New York Jets.
Simpson allowed a career-low 3.1% pressure rate with New York this year, beating his prior career-best set with the Ravens in 2023. His pass protection performance two years ago was probably more impressive, given that Lamar Jackson had the sixth-longest throw time in 2023 compared to Aaron Rodgers’s sixth-fastest in 2024.
The 28-year-old has a manageable $4.97 million base salary for 2025 before his deal voids. The Jets would save just under $3 million in cap space by trading the guard, so this isn’t an unworkable deal financially. For a comparable deal, the Texans acquired 29-year-old guard Shaq Mason from the Patriots in 2022 for a fifth-round pick.
Buffalo Bills: Acquire DE Myles Garrett
Considering the current roster state and historical franchise success, there’s a strong argument that no team is more desperate to win a Super Bowl than the Buffalo Bills. Newly minted MVP Josh Allen has nothing to prove, but reaching and winning the Super Bowl is the last missing element from his career résumé.
In a conference filled with superstar quarterbacks and explosive passing games, improving the pass rush is the Bills’ best chance to get over the hump. Buffalo retooled its defense last year and took a step back statistically. The Bills finished 18th in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings in 2024, their lowest since the metric began in 2019.
The lack of an intense pass rush was a big reason for that decline. Buffalo ranked 23rd in pressure rate last season, the lowest of any playoff team. They also ranked 23rd in sack rate, a massive decline after they finished third in that category in 2023.
There’s no better antidote to a sagging pass rush than Myles Garrett. Such a move would push a lot of salary chips into 2025, as Garrett would likely want a lucrative extension that puts him in the same neighborhood as Nick Bosa’s $34 million per year contract. However, the cap-strapped Bills could make it work in the short term.
Garrett would have a cap hit of less than $5 million for 2025 – the combination of his $1.255 million base salary and an $18.5 million roster bonus prorated over five years ($3.7 million per year). Beyond that, the numbers would likely skyrocket with his new extension, or the Bills would push the salary cap pain into the 2030s with void years.
Future salary cap headaches (and multiple first-round picks) are an easy price to pay if Buffalo wins its first Super Bowl. The Bills have won 84 games since drafting Josh Allen (including playoffs), the most in a seven-season span by a team never to reach the Super Bowl. Adding Garrett would be the perfect antidote to the Chiefs and other playoff offenses and would make the Bills the clear preseason title favorite.
Carolina Panthers: Acquire DE Joey Bosa
The Carolina Panthers can expect to devote most of their offseason resources to improving the worst defense from 2024. Virtually any talent infusion will do, but starting from the trenches would be a sound process. Last year’s Panthers defense ranked last with a 25% pressure rate.
Joey Bosa is a popular cut candidate in the last year of his deal with the Chargers. But rather than competing with Super Bowl contenders for his services if he’s released, the Panthers could acquire Bosa directly with $28 million in cap space. Bosa’s cap hit would be $25.36 million for a new team, assuming the Chargers trade him before his roster bonus is due on March 14.
Carolina could give the 29-year-old a short-term extension to bring down his cap hit. Given his injury history, Bosa shouldn’t cost a fortune for a Panthers team that must rebuild through the draft.
A potential trade could mirror the Ravens’ acquisition of Calais Campbell in 2020. Campbell made less than Bosa ($18 million) but was also 34. Baltimore sent Jacksonville a fifth-round pick for Campbell, who made the Pro Bowl in his first year with the Ravens.
Chicago Bears: Acquire DT Jonathan Allen
The Washington Commanders granted longtime stalwart Jonathan Allen permission to seek a trade before free agency. While the 30-year-old defensive lineman might be cut, the Chicago Bears could boost their pass rush by trading for Allen instead.
Allen is due $17 million in 2025 in the last year of his contract. However, Chicago has nearly $75 million in cap space, fourth-most in the NFL, and could use a pass rush boost to complement Montez Sweat. The Bears ranked eighth in pressure rate in 2024 but only 16th in total pressures generated from defensive tackles.
Allen missed much of last season with a torn pectoral but was able to suit up for Washington’s surprising playoff run. Given his salary and age, the Bears could probably get Allen for a late-round pick swap (such as a fifth-rounder for Allen and a Washington sixth-round pick).
Cincinnati Bengals: Acquire DT David Onyemata
If the Cincinnati Bengals are going to commit to their current core of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, they’ll need to stay aggressive in retooling the defense and offensive line to return to the playoffs. That means taking fliers on talented players who will either sign cheap deals or cost very little in trade compensation.
Atlanta defensive tackle Onyemata is the type of player who fits this description. The cap-strapped Falcons would save just over $8 million by trading him after posting a double-digit pressure rate three out of four seasons from 2020-23 before falling to 6.4% in 2024.
Cincinnati has cut Sheldon Rankings and could lose B.J. Hill in free agency, but most of the defensive line needs an overhaul anyway. Bengals defensive tackles generated a woeful 4.9% pressure rate last season. That was the second-lowest by a team’s interior pass rushers, ahead of only the Panthers (4.6%).
Given his age and salary, Onyemata shouldn’t cost more than a late Day 3 pick swap (like a sixth for Onyemata and a seventh). He’s a decent veteran flier for the Bengals to go along with some likely draft picks to boost the pass rush.
Cleveland Browns: Trade Away DE Myles Garrett
GM Andrew Berry has been resolute that the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year is unavailable. But as painful as trading away Garrett might be, the long-term health of the Cleveland Browns would be improved by restocking through cost-controlled draft picks rather than hanging on to Garrett through his prime.
After restructuring Deshaun Watson’s albatross contract, the Browns will have roughly $13 million in cap space. A Garrett trade would eat up all of that, as the Browns would lose about $16.5 million in cap space by trading him before June 1. To become cap-compliant, Cleveland would need to make another move, such as cutting RT Jack Conklin (which would save $7.6 million).
It’s worth it anyway, as Cleveland desperately needs to reset its long-term cap situation. The Browns already have a league-high $280 million in cap commitments for 2026, ensuring they’ll be in the same tight cap situation again next offseason. Cleveland is in this mess because of both poor drafting and a low number of draft picks.
Thanks to the Watson trade and other deals for veterans (such as Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and Za’Darius Smith), the Browns have made zero first-round picks and one second-round pick since 2022.
They haven’t hit on any of their mid-to-late-round selections, either. Using Pro Football Reference’s Approximate Value metric (AV), Cleveland ranks 31st in total AV and AV per player drafted in the last three drafts, ahead of only the Dolphins.
As unique as Garrett is, he’ll turn 30 in December and will almost certainly be past his prime by the time the Browns are contenders again. Garrett has reached at least 14 sacks in four straight seasons, but only six players in the last decade have hit that mark after turning 30. Moreover, only five players – Reggie White, Kevin Greene, Bruce Smith, Michael Strahan, and Chris Doleman – have multiple 14-sack seasons after turning 30.
Considering Berry's and head coach Kevin Stefanski's tenuous job security, Cleveland may not take this route. If the Browns still view themselves as contenders, taking another substantial dead money hit would make the short-term cap situation even more difficult.
But if the Browns can recoup multiple first-round picks for a non-quarterback, resetting the team’s abysmal salary cap situation with young premium draft picks is a sorely needed step for this rebuild.
Dallas Cowboys: Trade Away CB Trevon Diggs
One of the biggest boom-or-bust cornerbacks in the league, Trevon Diggs, has successfully balanced risk-taking with enough interceptions to justify his playing style.
Diggs leads all cornerbacks with 20 interceptions since being drafted in 2020, despite missing 21 games the last two seasons. On the other hand, he’s also allowed 8.0 yards per target in his career, the third-worst out of 45 DBs with at least 300 targets since 2020.
However, with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus taking over in Dallas, Diggs’ ball skills may no longer be maximized. Eberflus has largely leaned zone looks, with the Bears ranking top-10 in Cover-3 and Cover-2 usage during his tenure. Conversely, Chicago only ranked 20th in man coverage rate (22%) under Eberflus. In that same timeframe, the Cowboys played the ninth-most man coverage (29.5%).
Diggs has a $9 million injury guarantee that becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster by March 16. The Cowboys must trade him by then to save any cap room ($3.6 million). Dallas could potentially fetch a nice Day 2 pick, given that Diggs turns 27 in September.
For example, the Saints got picks in the third, fourth, and sixth rounds in exchange for Marshon Lattimore and a fifth-round pick. Lattimore is two years older and came with one less year of team control than Diggs, so the Cowboys could reasonably ask for more than that. Moving to a more man-heavy scheme would benefit Diggs while letting the Cowboys shed some significant salary as they prepare to pay Micah Parsons.
Denver Broncos: Acquire RB Rachaad White
At the Combine, Sean Payton spoke openly about his hopes to find a “Joker” type at running back or tight end to help create mismatches in the passing game. One candidate is Rachaad White, who is getting squeezed out of a crowded Buccaneers backfield that Bucky Irving should lead in 2025.
White saw his carries decrease in 2024 thanks to Irving’s emergence, but he’s had at least 50 catches in all three seasons. Since entering the league in 2022, White has ranked in the top five among running backs in receptions (165), receiving yards (1,232), receiving TD (11), catch rate (89.2%), and EPA on targets (39.0). He’s also been sure-handed with only four drops on 185 targets, a 2.2% drop rate which ranks fifth-best among RBs in that span.
White is entering the last year of his rookie deal, so the Bucs could recoup some value while the Broncos get a look before a possible extension. He shouldn’t cost more than a sixth- or seventh-round pick, which has been the asking price in recent years for young committee backs like Khalil Herbert and Cam Akers.
Detroit Lions: Acquire CB Trevon Diggs
Carlton Davis had a successful year with the Detroit Lions but could get priced out of their range in free agency. Even though the Lions drafted Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw last year, relying on a pair of second-year cornerbacks to both hit as full-time starters is dicey for a team with Super Bowl hopes.
If the Lions get creative, they could add someone who has proven to excel in a man-coverage-heavy defense. Diggs leads all cornerbacks with 20 interceptions since debuting in 2020, including 11 in 2021 when he was First Team All-Pro. That year, the Cowboys ranked third-highest in man coverage usage (38.4%).
However, Diggs may not best fit Dallas's new defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus. When Eberflus was head coach of the Bears, Chicago ranked only 20th in man coverage rate. On the other hand, the new Lions defensive coordinator, Kelvin Sheppard, will presumably run a defense similar to the one that led the league in terms of man coverage rate last season (41.4%).
The Cowboys are tight against the cap with less than $1.5 million cap space, so trading a big salary like Diggs could be helpful. The cornerback has a $9 million injury guarantee that becomes fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster by March 16, so any trade would likely need to happen before then.
The Lions are solid, with over $52 million in cap space. If the market for Davis becomes too rich, Diggs will be under contract for three more seasons and have a very reasonable $9 million cap hit in 2025. He would likely cost a fair bit in compensation (likely including the Lions’ second-round pick), but the years of team control for a 26-year-old cornerback could be worth it.
Green Bay Packers: Acquire WR George Pickens
Whether or not the Green Bay Packers need a true No. 1 receiver, they need a more well-rounded receiver room. That includes finding a pass catcher capable of stretching the defense vertically and beating man coverage. George Pickens would be a risky solution to that problem but could considerably raise the Packers’ ceiling.
Stylistically, a Jordan Love-Pickens connection should excel on paper. Love had the fifth-deepest aDOT in 2024 (8.8 air yards), while Pickens ranked second with 15.3 yards per reception. Since debuting in 2022, Pickens has had 55 catches on deep throws (passes of 15+ air yards). That’s tied for eighth-most in that span with Davante Adams and Terry McLaurin.
Pickens is in the final year of his rookie deal and due only $4.1 million in cash in 2025, so salary wouldn’t be a problem. A framework for a deal could mimic when the Cardinals acquired Hollywood Brown from the Ravens in 2022, giving up a first-rounder and getting a third in return.
Brown had a fifth-year option and fewer off-field questions, so the draft pick exchange for Pickens might bump to a second-rounder and fourth-rounder. The mercurial receiver is undoubtedly a risk, but Green Bay could sever ties after one year if the fit doesn’t work.
Houston Texans: Acquire G Alex Cappa
The offensive line was the biggest culprit for the Houston Texans’ disappointing offense. The unit ranked 31st in PFSN’s Offensive Line rankings, thanks to a bottom-10 average in both pressure rate allowed and yards before contact per rush.
The guard play was especially atrocious, as Houston ranked 28th in pressure rate allowed by guards. With former first-rounder Kenyon Green benched and Tytus Howard openly preferring to play tackle, the Texans could look to the trade market to improve the unit.
Alex Cappa had a tough 2024 season with the Bengals at right guard, allowing a 7.1% pressure rate. However, he was at a 5.1% pressure rate allowed in 2023 (37th among guards) and 3.0% in 2022 (12th). Cappa will be 30 years old all of next season and has a track record of durability, giving hope for a rebound.
From a salary perspective, the Texans would take on his $8 million base salary, which also amounts to how much the Bengals would save in cap space in a trade. An average starter like Cappa probably won’t go for much more than a conditional sixth-rounder (particularly with only one year left on his deal), making him a decent flier for the Texans.
Indianapolis Colts: Acquire CB Jaire Alexander
The Indianapolis Colts have been able to depend on slot corner Kenny Moore for years, but the talent on the perimeter has been lacking. Chris Ballard could take a swing on Packers corner Jaire Alexander to give the position the type of upside that Indy has lacked in recent years.
The Colts would be on the hook for the last two years and $34 million of Alexander’s contract, though all the money would be non-guaranteed. That last point is critical, as Alexander has played only seven games each of the previous two years due to injuries and disciplinary issues. However, in his last full season in 2022, he was a Pro Bowler who recorded five interceptions (one off the league lead) and 14 passes defended.
At only 28 years old, it’s not inconceivable he rediscovers that level of play for a new team. The Colts ranked 29th in yards per attempt allowed to wide receivers last season (8.7) and need to improve the secondary.
Given that the Packers don’t have much leverage and would save about $6.8 million in cap space in a trade, a swap of mid-round picks could do the trick. For example, the Bills acquired Rasul Douglas and a fifth-round pick from the Packers in 2023 for a third-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Acquire CB Jaire Alexander
The Jacksonville Jaguars may have been the worst defense in 2024 if not for the Panthers. Jacksonville finished 31st in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings, ahead of only Carolina, thanks mainly to the woeful pass defense.
The Jaguars ranked last in defensive EPA per dropback (-0.23), worse than the Panthers. Against wide receivers specifically, Jacksonville allowed 9.1 yards per attempt, fractions behind the Browns for the worst of any defense.
Alexander has missed 20 games the last two seasons due to injuries and comes with disciplinary questions. The edge for Jacksonville comes from defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, who just spent the 2024 season with Green Bay as a linebackers coach and run game coordinator. Although he didn’t coach defensive backs specifically, Campanile could have better insight into Alexander’s potential fit with the Jaguars than other franchises.
Regardless, the Jaguars have the cap room to accommodate the remaining two years and $34 million in Alexander’s contract. They also need a starter opposite Tyson Campbell. A mid-round pick swap similar to the one the Packers made when they traded Rasul Douglas to the Bills (Douglas + a fifth-round pick for a third-round pick) could do the trick.
Kansas City Chiefs: Acquire OT Jonah Williams
Left tackle was a revolving door for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024, which ended with All-Pro guard Joe Thuney being forced to play out of position. And while the Chiefs surely hope Kingsley Suamataia takes a step forward in his second season, they’ll need to provide him with better roster competition than D.J. Humphries (who is a free agent).
With that in mind, the Chiefs could acquire an experienced starting tackle in Jonah Williams. In five seasons, Williams has started 59 games. He played left tackle his first three seasons with the Bengals before Cincinnati signed Orlando Brown Jr. (ironically from the Chiefs). Williams was pushed out to right tackle in 2023 and stayed there in 2024 for the Cardinals.
His 2024 campaign was injury-shortened to six games, but Williams did play well when healthy. His 3.4% pressure rate allowed was the best of his career, and he would have ranked seventh among OTs if he had played enough snaps to qualify. For context, Jawaan Taylor ranked 31st with a 5.7% pressure rate, while Wanya Morris ranked 59th at 8.3%.
Williams has a $10.78 million base salary for 2025, so he’d be a tight fit for the Chiefs (who have roughly $3.3 million in cap space). However, the Chiefs have plenty of restructured candidates like Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, and Joe Thuney, all of whom could create ample cap space by lowering their 2025 base salary. That should provide Kansas City the room it needs to protect Mahomes and fix the team’s biggest roster hole.
Las Vegas Raiders: Acquire RB Zach Charbonnet
While the Las Vegas Raiders were in on the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes, the franchise is more than a quarterback away from contention. Specifically, the rushing offense was also the worst in the NFL in 2024. The Raiders ranked last in yards per rush (3.6) and EPA per rush (-0.22), as well as 31st rushing success rate (31.8%) ahead of only the Texans.
Some of that has to do with the offensive line, but the Raiders also ranked 31st in yards after contact per rush. Zach Charbonnet excelled in that category and is tied to the Raiders’ new leadership. In 2024, Charbonnet averaged 3.4 yards after contact per rush, the 10th-best in the league.
New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was Charbonnet’s head coach at UCLA during the running back’s two seasons in 2021 and 2022. In addition, new head coach Pete Carroll was part of the Seahawks regime that drafted Charbonnet in 2023 and coached the back during his rookie season.
With the Seahawks praising Kenneth Walker III ahead of his contract year, Seattle can choose between Walker and Charbonnet moving forward. Charbonnet would make a strong trade candidate to become the clear lead back somewhere else if they choose the former.
He might cost a fourth or fifth, given that he still has two more years on his rookie deal, but the Raiders could use the talent infusion in the backfield.
Los Angeles Chargers: Acquire WR DK Metcalf
DK Metcalf remains a good wide receiver who is being paid like a superstar. Metcalf’s $31.9 million cap hit for 2025 ranks third among WRs, which is out of proportion with the reality that Jaxon Smith-Njigba is now the Seahawks’ top receiver.
With 2025 being the last year of his deal before it voids in 2026, Metcalf is a prime trade candidate if the Seahawks retool. The Los Angeles Chargers could desperately use the upgrade on the perimeter. In 2024, Justin Herbert threw just 49% of his passes outside the numbers, his lowest since 2020. However, he excelled when doing so, passing for 15 TD to just one interception on those throws.
Bringing in a receiver like Metcalf would allow the Chargers to weaponize Herbert’s arm and open up more of the field. Los Angeles is among the few teams that could accommodate Metcalf’s salary, as they rank sixth with over $66 million in cap room.
Although many would expect a blockbuster return given Metcalf’s reputation and relative youth (he is still only 27 years old), his salary and lack of team control should keep the trade parameters manageable.
A framework similar to the Texans-Bills deal for Stefon Diggs last year could work. Houston got Diggs, a fifth, and a sixth from Buffalo for a second-round pick. While Diggs was three years older than Metcalf is now, he also had a more consistent track record of production and was considerably cheaper after his reworked deal ($22.5 million spread out over five years, including four void years).
Los Angeles Rams: Acquire CB Jamel Dean
Even with a group of promising young pass-rushers, the Los Angeles Rams generally struggled in pass defense last year. The Rams ranked 28th in defensive EPA per dropback, the worst of any team to make the playoffs, and finished 24th in PFSN’s Defense+ rankings.
Los Angeles could use a talent boost in the secondary, where veterans Tre’Davious White and Ahkello Witherspoon struggled significantly. Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean would be a solid scheme fit, as Tampa Bay and Los Angeles had a fair amount of coverage overlap last year. Both teams played roughly 75-25 zone vs. man coverage splits while ranking top-six in Cover 3 and bottom-five in Cover 1.
In terms of performance, Dean improved from a down 2023 campaign. After allowing a 111.0 passer rating and 8.6 yards per target two years ago, Dean cut that down to a 91.2 passer rating and 7.7 yards per target. He’s still only 28 years old and has two years remaining on a deal that pays him a $12.5 million base salary in 2025 and $13 million in 2026.
The Rams are in solid cap shape (15th with over $43 million in cap room) and have very few salary commitments on defense. Adding talent to the secondary would better complement the rising pass rush and could lead to significant improvement in 2025.
Miami Dolphins: Trade Away OLB Bradley Chubb
The Miami Dolphins already have the second-highest cap commitment for 2026 ($271 million), behind only the heavily mortgaged Browns. While some of that can be avoided via roster cuts next offseason, the Dolphins would be wise to get ahead of that and recoup some value for players who might not be worth their salaries.
Bradley Chubb still has three seasons left on his five-year extension with the Dolphins in 2022. Players with that much term left aren’t typically good trade candidates due to cap mechanisms, but Chubb’s deal is structured so that Miami could move on if needed.
Chubb had 11 sacks in 2023 before a torn ACL, meniscus, and patellar tendon in his right knee ended his season early and caused him to miss all of 2024. Although he’ll still be 29 years old at the start of next season, Chubb has now torn the ACL in both knees after suffering one in his left knee in 2019.
That makes him a more high-risk, high-upside play who might not warrant snaps over Chop Robinson and Jaelan Phillips. It’s highly unlikely Chubb will be on the 2026 roster at his cap hit of $29.3 million, so a cut or trade is likely coming one way or another. Given that he was still productive before his injury, the Dolphins could be selling high.
Miami would save a small amount against the cap with a trade ($1.3 million), though Chubb would leave dead money hits each of the next three years. Cap relief would be the Dolphins’ biggest gain from a trade, as the return likely wouldn’t be more than a Day 3 pick swap given his salary and injury situation.
Minnesota Vikings: Acquire RB Breece Hall
After two stellar seasons to begin his NFL career, Breece Hall struggled with his efficiency in 2024. The Jets running back averaged only 4.2 yards per carry and -0.12 EPA per rush last year, down from 4.8 yards per carry with -0.04 EPA per rush his first two seasons.
Entering the last year of his rookie deal, Hall’s future with the Jets is uncertain after New York added a pair of rookie running backs in Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis last year. The Minnesota Vikings are a logical landing spot as a contender needing a backfield upgrade, especially if Aaron Jones leaves in free agency.
But even if Jones returns, he’ll be 30 years old, coming off a career-low in yards per carry (albeit still a healthy 4.5 average). Hall recovered from a horrid start to finish strong, averaging 4.6 yards per carry over his final nine games. He would also bring enticing big-play ability to a Vikings offense that ranked 23rd in explosive run rate last year (only 10.7% of their rush attempts gained 10+ yards).
Assuming J.J. McCarthy starts at quarterback, the Vikings would do well to support him with a more explosive run game. The price tag shouldn’t be too high in a trade. For example, D’Andre Swift was traded with one year left on his rookie deal after three very efficient years with the Lions. The Eagles gave up a fourth-rounder (plus a swap of seventh-rounders) and saw Swift make the Pro Bowl during his only season in Philadelphia.
New England Patriots: Acquire WR Cooper Kupp
Eliot Wolf has tried to upgrade the NFL’s worst wide receiver room in recent years. Trade inquiries on Brandon Aiyuk fell short last summer, as did the free agent pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins two years ago. However, with an underwhelming wide receiver class in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, the trade market could be the New England Patriots’ best option to upgrade that unit.
Although Cooper Kupp is past his prime and not a splashy acquisition, he would likely come at a low cost. When the 32-year-old Hopkins was traded to the Chiefs during the 2024 season, he only cost Kansas City a conditional fifth-round pick (which would have turned into a fourth if he played more snaps). Similar terms would make sense for Kupp, who also turns 32 in June.
The former Super Bowl MVP has missed at least five games each of the last three seasons and would not solve the Patriots’ need for a No. 1 target. But New England needs any talent it can acquire at receiver, and even in a down year, Kupp averaged 1.99 yards per route run in 2024. That ranked 26th among wide receivers and is higher than any Patriots WR has averaged in a season since Kendrick Bourne in 2021 (2.0).
New Orleans Saints: Trade Down from the 9th Overall Pick
Perhaps the most boring trade on the entire list, this is a reflection of a franchise stuck in a salary cap labyrinth. The New Orleans Saints once again need to restructure numerous deals to become salary cap compliant, but they don’t have many trade candidates who would save salary.
The one obvious candidate is quarterback Derek Carr. The Saints could save $11.4 million in cap space by trading Carr, but GM Mickey Loomis publicly committed to him as the team’s quarterback in 2025. If we set Carr aside, no other trade would save the Saints even $4 million in cap room.
Of course, the other way to fix a team’s salary cap is to load the roster with cost-controlled young talent. New Orleans has repeatedly traded up in recent years, exacerbating their cap problems by failing to find enough viable rookie contract players. The Saints haven’t traded down in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft this century. In that time, they’ve traded up in the first three rounds 12 times.
It’s time for New Orleans to break that trend and rebuild a roster that is no longer competitive, even in the mediocre NFC South. The Saints’ pattern of roster building doesn’t offer much hope of that long-term perspective taking hold, but it’s a necessary step.
New York Giants: Acquire OT/G Trey Pipkins
An offensive tackle in his first five seasons, Trey Pipkins kicked inside to right guard in 2024 after the Chargers drafted Joe Alt to pair with Rashawn Slater at tackle. Pipkins was a better tackle (which he has openly stated he prefers to play), and Los Angeles could move on and save $6.75 million in cap space.
The Giants have a glaring need at four of the five offensive line spots, with left tackle Andrew Thomas being the only exception. Talent acquisition on the line through any avenue should be the priority, and the Giants have over $49 million in cap room to fit Pipkins’ $6.75 million base salary in the last year of his contract.
Pipkins had a strong season when he allowed two sacks and a 5.0% pressure rate over 14 starts in 2022. He regressed to a 7.1% pressure rate and 10 sacks allowed in 2023, albeit playing in a much more dysfunctional offense with Easton Stick starting four games. He’ll be 29 at the start of the 2025 regular season and is a decent flier, given how rarely starting-level tackles his age become available.
New York Jets: Acquire S Tyrann Mathieu
Nearly every defensive back not named Sauce Gardner is a free agent for the New York Jets this offseason. While much attention has gone to retaining D.J. Reed, each of the top five safeties in snaps played for the Jets in 2024 are also free agents.
New York may choose to overhaul that room, given their poor performance. One strong stopgap option could be acquiring Tyrann Mathieu from the Saints. Mathieu started all 17 games for the third straight season and has recorded at least three picks in six consecutive years. Even as he turns 33 in May, the Honey Badger still looks like a high-level starter.
The Saints could be reluctant to trade away a Louisiana hero, but if they trade him after June 1, New Orleans could save $7.25 million in cap space. Given the team's mortgaged cap outlook, Mathieu is in the last year of his deal and would likely need to take a steep pay cut to stay with the Saints beyond 2025.
The Jets still essentially have a veteran team despite the hole at quarterback, so reinforcing a pass defense that plummeted in 2024 would be wise if making the playoffs is the goal next season. New York will have enough cap room to accommodate Mathieu’s $6.25 million base salary, and compensation could be similar to what the Eagles sent the Titans for 30-year-old safety Kevin Byard in 2023 (a fifth, sixth, and depth safety in Terrell Edmunds).
Philadelphia Eagles: Acquire OLB Bradley Chubb
Chubb still has three years remaining on a five-year extension he signed after being traded to the Dolphins in 2022. While players with that many years left typically aren't traded, Chubb’s deal is structured so that Miami could move on if needed.
Chubb was a vital part of the Dolphins pass rush in 2023, racking up 11 sacks before suffering a torn ACL, meniscus, and patellar tendon in his right knee in Week 17. The injury and following rehab caused him to miss the entire 2024 season. Although he’ll still be 29 years old when the 2025 season kicks off, Chubb has now torn the ACL in both knees after tearing the ACL in his left knee in 2019.
That makes him a more high-risk, high-upside play befitting of a Super Bowl contender. The Philadelphia Eagles could step in if they can’t retain Josh Sweat in free agency and supplement one of the few thin positions on their roster. The Eagles ranked seventh in pressure rate last season but will need to restock the defensive line with both Sweat and Milton Williams free agents (and Brandon Graham potentially retiring).
Miami would save a small amount against the cap with a Chubb trade ($1.3 million), while the Eagles would be on the hook for a roughly $19.6 million cap hit. However, with how liberally Howie Roseman has used void years in contracts, they could rework the deal and lower his cap hit.
A trade could be contingent on voiding the last two years (similar to what the Texans did with Stefon Diggs in the 2024 offseason), thereby turning 2025 into a one-year prove-it season for Chubb.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Acquire QB Geno Smith
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to exceed expectations but have come well short of Super Bowl contention. That’s mainly due to an offense that lacks an exciting ceiling. Since PFSN’s Offense+ metric began in 2019, the Steelers are one of five franchises that have never finished above-average in the category. The others are the Jets, Giants, Bears, and Panthers.
Geno Smith regressed in 2024 after a strong 2023, ranking 21st with 0.03 EPA per dropback. But even that average starter figure would have been the best by a Steelers quarterback since 2018 (the final year of the Ben Roethlisberger-Antonio Brown pairing). No Steelers QB has started more than half the games and averaged a positive EPA per dropback since 2018 Big Ben.
Smith may not seem like the most exciting name, but PFSN’s QB+ metric has been a bigger fan of his game than his public reputation. In three seasons with the Seahawks, Smith has ranked 10th (2022), 18th (2023), and 15th (2024) in the metric. Part of that is because he’s performed very well when protected, ranking seventh in passer rating (107.4) when kept clean since 2022.
If the Steelers insist on continuing to chase playoff berths rather than retooling around a younger quarterback, they need to raise their offensive ceiling to give them a chance against the AFC’s elite offenses. Pittsburgh could accommodate a short-term extension for Smith, who is entering the last year of his deal in 2025. A trade could mirror something like when the Colts acquired Matt Ryan for a third-rounder in 2022.
San Francisco 49ers: Acquire DT Jonathan Allen
The Commanders drafted Allen in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. After eight seasons with the franchise, Washington permitted him to seek a trade before free agency. While the 30-year-old defensive lineman may become a cap casualty, the San Francisco 49ers could fill a hole at defensive tackle by trading for Allen instead.
The 49ers’ free agency splurge on Javon Hargrave in 2023 has gone belly-up, and the team plans to make him a post-June 1 cut to save $2.2 million in cap space this year and $10.1 million next year. San Francisco must replace his interior pass rush with top defensive tackle Maliek Collins, who is also entering the last year of his contract.
Allen is due $17 million in 2025, the final year of his deal. He’s been broadly consistent in hovering around a 10% pressure rate and 14% tackle rate on run plays, both of which are above average for defensive tackles.
Allen missed much of last season with a torn pectoral but surprisingly returned for Washington’s playoff run. Given his salary and age, the 49ers could probably acquire Allen for a late-round pick swap (such as a fifth-rounder for Allen and a sixth-round pick).
Seattle Seahawks: Acquire TE Evan Engram
The Seahawks are technically over the cap but will get compliant by moving on from Tyler Lockett and saving $17 million. While Seattle won’t have much room to add, one potential target could be Jaguars tight end Evan Engram.
Seattle tight ends combined to rank 23rd in yards per reception (9.4) and 18th in receiving yards (810) in 2024. Engram has been a reliable underneath weapon in Jacksonville and ranks second in receptions per game among TEs since joining the Jaguars in 2022 (behind only Travis Kelce).
Tight ends were a weapon for Smith over his first two seasons in Seattle. From 2022-23, he ranked fourth in the league with 8.5 yards per attempt throwing to TEs. That dipped to 7.5 yards per attempt in 2024, which ranked 14th.
Engram has one year remaining on his contract, albeit with a $14.75 million base salary. That would likely need to be negotiated down to facilitate a trade. Still, it would also likely reduce the compensation return to a Day 3 pick swap (which would be helpful for a Seahawks team currently missing picks in the fourth and fifth rounds).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Acquire CB Riq Woolen
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a fairly steady perimeter cornerback duo of Zyon McCollum and Dean last season. However, Dean has had a tough time staying on the field and has missed multiple games in all six seasons (including a career-high five games missed last year).
Should the Bucs choose to trade Dean and save a little over $8 million in cap space, one alternative could be acquiring Seahawks corner Riq Woolen in his place. Woolen is in the last year of his rookie contract and set to count $5.3 million against the cap for Seattle.
However, Woolen wasn’t the cleanest fit with Mike Macdonald. He allowed a career-high five touchdowns in coverage and saw his yards per completion rise from 9.4 in 2023 to 11.1 in 2024. Two years ago, the Bucs and Seahawks had much more similar coverage tendencies, and Woolen ranked fifth in the league with 5.4 yards per target allowed.
He still has plenty of promise, so although a trade cost wouldn’t be exorbitant with only one year of team control, Woolen would likely require a Day 2 pick. At the very least, the Seahawks would likely require the Bucs to match what the Chiefs got for L’Jarius Sneed (who was already off his rookie contract and on the franchise tag). In that deal, the Titans gave up a third-rounder two years out.
Tennessee Titans: Trade Down from the 1st Overall Pick
If any team understands the potential upside of trading down from the first overall pick, it’s the Tennessee Titans. In 2016, the Titans traded down from first to 15th with the Los Angeles Rams, who picked Jared Goff.
Tennessee got a massive haul in return, getting two firsts, two seconds, and two thirds (they also gave up a pick in the fourth and sixth rounds). Many of those Titans picks missed, but one massive hit – 2016 second-rounder Derrick Henry – was enough to illustrate the value of multiple swings.
To be clear, the Titans would be hard-pressed to get a similar haul this year. The Rams had to pay a premium since the Titans were moving so far down in the draft, and no quarterback in 2025 is viewed as highly as Goff was in 2016.
However, the Titans could still recoup a 2026 first-round pick and multiple Day 2 picks from a quarterback-needy team like the Raiders (No. 6 overall) or Jets (No. 7). When the Bears traded down from No. 1 to No. 9 with the Carolina Panthers in 2023, they received two firsts, two seconds, and WR DJ Moore.
Tennessee was the 30th-ranked team in PFSN’s overall rankings, thanks to the 27th-ranked offense and 22nd-ranked defense. There are holes all over the roster that would create a challenging environment for the development of a rookie quarterback. With new GM Mike Borgonzi in place, getting more swings at restocking the roster should be a higher priority than selecting a single blue-chip player at first overall.
Washington Commanders: Acquire DE Myles Garrett
The Washington Commanders enter the offseason with roughly $79.5 million in cap space, the third-most. Some of that is due to having a league-high 28 unrestricted free agents, and a good chunk of that could be budgeted for retaining contributors such as LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz, DE Dante Fowler Jr., and safety Jeremy Chinn.
Regardless, the Commanders can keep the shell of its NFC Championship team while still adding a true difference-maker. Trading for Garrett would likely require multiple first-round picks and another player (perhaps DT Daron Payne), but his salary isn’t a huge concern. Washington has the sixth-lowest total salary cap allocation for 2026 ($145 million) and seventh-lowest for 2027 ($71 million).
Even if they retain many internal free agents, the only looming big-money contract due is for wide receiver Terry McLaurin (whose contract is up after 2025). The Commanders would also likely want to extend Garrett to avoid a $41 million dead cap hit in 2027 when his contract voids. Nick Bosa ($34 million per year) is the only edge rusher making over $30 million annually right now, and Garrett would likely join him on a theoretical extension.
Washington has four more cost-controlled years of Jayden Daniels, as a lucrative extension wouldn’t kick in until 2028 if he continues on his current trajectory. That gives the Commanders a window to add some large non-quarterback salaries before reconstructing their roster around a potential Daniels megadeal.
As exciting as the 2024 season was for the Commanders, this roster still has significant holes and was far ahead of schedule in making a deep playoff run.
Washington ranked 17th in PFSN’s Defense+ metric, thanks mainly to a pass defense that ranked 24th in EPA per dropback. Adding a generational pass rusher is a great way to improve that, especially while the Commanders can comfortably fit a player like Garrett into their budget.