The 2022 NFL trade deadline is just three weeks away. The Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons got the action started Sunday night by completing a Deion Jones trade, and there will be more deals before Nov. 1. With that in mind, let’s go around the league and identify the top trade candidate for every NFL team.
Top Trade Candidate for Every NFL Team
Some clubs are already in sell mode, while others may need to experience a few more losses before they’re willing to trade away certain players. And while competitive teams won’t move their contributors, spare parts can always be had for the right price.
Arizona Cardinals | OL Josh Jones
A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jones is a left tackle by trade, but he’s played primarily right tackle and right guard for the Cardinals. D.J. Humphries just signed an extension and is blocking Jones’ path to playing time at left tackle.
Although Arizona might want to pencil in Jones as their 2023 starter at right tackle if Kelvin Beachum departs in free agency, they could also see what they could get for him on the trade market.
Atlanta Falcons | EDGE Lorenzo Carter
After trading Jones this week, the Falcons could listen to offers on several of their players. However, that probably won’t include defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, who inked an extension in May and has become a cornerstone in Atlanta.
Carter, though, could appeal to some teams in need of depth on the edge. He’s played on 83% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps (including 97% in Week 4), offering attractive availability. Carter is a free agent at season’s end, and his exodus would result in more playing time for rookies Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone.
Baltimore Ravens | TE Nick Boyle
At times, Boyle has played a critical role in Baltimore’s run scheme. This season, he was inactive for the Ravens’ first two games and has played just four offensive snaps over the last three. Boyle, 29, has been usurped in the TE pecking order by fourth-round rookie Isaiah Likely and trade acquisition Josh Oliver.
Buffalo Bills | TE Tommy Sweeney
Like the Ravens, the Bills are both competitive and dealing with a myriad of injury issues. As such, they may be unwilling to trade from their ample depth.
Sweeney might make sense as a trade candidate if starting Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox can return from injury in Week 6 as expected. With Knox out against the Steelers on Sunday, the Bills started Quintin Morris over Sweeney, who is scheduled to hit the free agent market next spring.
Carolina Panthers | RB Christian McCaffrey
After firing Matt Rhule on Monday, the Panthers could theoretically hold a firesale at the trade deadline, accruing as many picks as possible in an effort to brand Carolina as a desirable landing spot.
While trading young building blocks like Brian Burns or Jeremy Chinn isn’t advisable for the Panthers, they could try to find a taker for McCaffrey’s contract. CMC is a potent offensive weapon when deployed properly, but running backs can only be so valuable, and he won’t be in his prime when Carolina is next in theirs.
Chicago Bears | EDGE Robert Quinn
The Bears might have been prudent to trade Quinn over the offseason, when his value peaked following a 17-sack, second-team All-Pro campaign. At age 32, he’s fallen back to Earth and then some this year.
Through five games, Quinn has just one sack, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits, well off last season’s pace. Still, he could tempt teams searching for a boost on the edge, especially if Chicago is willing to pay down some of his $12.8 million salary.
Cincinnati Bengals | OL Jackson Carman
Carman has been a liability in every sense since the Bengals selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft. Off the field, he’s been accused of horrendous behavior. On the field, he’s taken a backseat to rookie left guard Cordell Volson. Realistically, Carman may be closer to a release candidate than a trade candidate.
Cleveland Browns | S Ronnie Harrison
Running back D’Ernest Johnson has been the subject of trade rumors, but the Browns may want to hang onto him now that rookie RB Jerome Ford is on injured reserve. On the other side of the ball, Harrison isn’t part of Cleveland’s long-term plans. He’s played just 75 defensive snaps behind starters John Johnson III and Grant Delpit.
Dallas Cowboys | DT Trysten Hill
Cooper Rush has kept the Cowboys in the NFC playoff race, so Dallas isn’t about to sell off contributors. Hill is only 24 years old, but he’ll already be a free agent next offseason. If the Cowboys feel good about the defensive tackles in front of him (Osa Odighizuwa, Neville Gallimore), they might be willing to trade Hill, especially if they can use him to upgrade another part of their roster.
Denver Broncos | EDGE Bradley Chubb
Trading Chubb would represent an admission that the Broncos’ season is over, so they’d need to lose several more games before this becomes a realistic possibility. Given that there are only three weeks until the trade deadline, Denver would probably have to lose to the Chargers, Jets, and Jaguars and fall to 2-6 before they’d consider moving Chubb.
Let’s assume that happens. George Paton is a forward-looking general manager. While he could use the franchise tag to retain Chubb in 2023, Paton might be hard-pressed to shy away from draft capital-laden trade offers. If another team offered a first-round pick for Chubb, would Paton take it?
Paton didn’t draft Chubb, and trading the pass rusher could allow him to recoup some of the picks Denver used to acquire Russell Wilson. Admittedly, this is an unlikely scenario. But if Denver’s season gets worse in the forthcoming weeks, it might be on the table.
Detroit Lions | DT Michael Brockers
Losers of their last three, the Lions still appear to be at least one year away from competing in the NFC. Their defensive struggles may cause them to hold onto a veteran like Brockers for fear of things becoming completely unraveled. Still, Detroit’s front office is smart enough to know the 31-year-old is more valuable as a trade chip than as a run-stuffer on a poor defense.
Green Bay Packers | WR Amari Rodgers
The Packers need a boost at wide receiver, but it doesn’t look like it will come from Rodgers, who’s managed just four receptions (all in 2021) since being selected in the third round of last year’s draft. Rodgers lost Green Bay’s kick-returner job to Christian Watson, and he might have lost their punt-returner gig by fumbling against the Giants on Sunday.
Rodgers has fallen far behind Romeo Doubs and Watson on the Packers’ WR depth chart. Other teams might be interested in taking a chance on him as a lottery ticket, but probably only if the cost is a late-round pick swap in 2025.
Houston Texans | OT Laremy Tunsil
The odds of a Tunsil trade went down when the Texans restructured his contract in March. Still, Houston’s decision to reduce Tunsil’s base salary to the league minimum and push money into the future will increase his appeal from rival teams, who would only be responsible for his Paragraph 5 cash.
MORE: Dameon Pierce Runs Roughshod Over Jaguars
The Texans are in this for the long haul, so taking a cumbersome dead money hit would be the trade-off of acquiring picks for Tunsil. Any team that loses its starting LT over the next three weeks could express interest. The Rams could be a potential fit, while the Titans and Colts would stand out as suitors if they didn’t play in the same division as the Texans.
Indianapolis Colts | EDGE Ben Banogu
The 2019 draft was a trainwreck for the Colts. Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin has already been traded, wide receiver Parris Campbell has been constantly injured, and Khari Willis retired over the summer. Bobby Okereke has been a league-average linebacker, but edge rusher Ben Banogu was a complete whiff.
Partially a product of ineffectiveness and partly a product of injury, Banogu’s snaps decreased in each of his first three NFL seasons. This year, he’s seen action on just 8% of Indy’s defensive plays.
Jacksonville Jaguars | S Andrew Wingard
A 14-game starter in 2021, Wingard hasn’t played a single defensive snap this season. The Jaguars’ new coaching staff has put Rayshawn Jenkins and Andre Cisco on the field for 100% of their plays in 2022. Wingard is a valuable special teamer, but he’s a free agent next offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs | RB Ronald Jones
Jones was everyone’s favorite Best Ball pick over the summer, with the thought being he could overtake Clyde Edwards-Helaire to become Kansas City’s starting running back. Instead, he hasn’t been active for a single game. Jones is pure insurance behind CEH, Jerick McKinnon, and Isiah Pacheco. He makes more sense on a different roster.
Las Vegas Raiders | EDGE Clelin Ferrell
While Ferrell has been a bust relative to expectations, it’s not his fault the previous Raiders regime overdrafted him. He’s perfectly adequate as a rotational edge rusher. Las Vegas declined Ferrell’s fifth-year option, indicating they’re not interested in signing him to an extension.
Los Angeles Chargers | DL Jerry Tillery
Tillery was drafted in the first round by current Chargers GM Tom Telesco, but head coach Brandon Staley doesn’t have any attachment to him. Los Angeles specifically beefed up their interior defensive line over the offseason because of Tillery’s lack of production. Like Ferrell, Tillery’s fifth-year option was not exercised.
Los Angeles Rams | RB Darrell Henderson Jr.
Henderson started LA’s first three games, but he’s since seen his attempts dwindle all the way to zero. He’s still a factor in the passing attack (nine targets over the Rams’ last two games), but Sean McVay has never seemed to trust Henderson. With Malcolm Brown back in the fold to handle passing work behind Cam Akers, Henderson isn’t a must-keep for the Rams.
Miami Dolphins | RB Myles Gaskin
Remember when Gaskin looked like a dual-threat weapon out of the backfield for the Dolphins? Of course, you do — it was only last season.
Gaskin has since been overtaken by Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert in Miami’s backfield. He’s been active just twice, and his only game action came in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Jets. Gaskin is an excellent receiver who earned at least three targets in 11 games last year, and that skill set could be intriguing to several teams.
Minnesota Vikings | OL Oli Udoh
Udoh was a 16-game starter in 2021, but the emergence of rookie right guard Ed Ingram has forced him to the bench. On Sunday, Udoh played his first offensive snap of the year as an extra offensive lineman.
While Udoh is only 25, the Vikings appear set at guard. Minnesota has already cleared out a good portion of ex-GM Rick Spielman’s draft picks, and Udoh could be next in line.
New England Patriots | OT Isaiah Wynn
Shifted from left tackle to right tackle for the 2022 campaign, Wynn has ceded snaps on the right side in two games this year. Although he played every snap against the Lions in Week 5, Wynn also committed two more penalties, bringing his season total to six, tied for the most in the NFL.
Bill Belichick has never been afraid to move on from any player. If the Patriots decide that the recently re-signed Marcus Cannon is a better option at RT, they could ship Wynn out.
New Orleans Saints | EDGE Marcus Davenport
The Saints’ salary cap maneuvers have once again left them with an untenable situation heading into 2023, when they’re projected to be nearly $55 million over the cap. The bill will come due at some point, and New Orleans will have to make some difficult decisions.
They won’t trade someone like Davenport unless they fall out of the playoff race. The Saints have made too many “all-in” moves to give up on the season this quickly.
But if things go south, the former first-round pick could be a trade candidate. Davenport isn’t under contract after this year, and New Orleans selected his potential replacement, Payton Turner, in the 2021 draft.
New York Giants | WR Darius Slayton
Slayton was the Giants’ leading receiver in their Week 5 win over the Packers, but that was almost entirely by necessity. With Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, and Wan’Dale Robinson all sidelined, New York had no choice but to give snaps and targets to Slayton.
Still, expect Slayton to head back to the bench when those other receivers get healthy. He was inactive in Week 1 and non-existent in Weeks 2-4. While his Week 5 performance may have changed how New York’s coaching staff views him, Slayton probably won’t get a chance to rise up the depth chart barring continued injuries above him.
New York Jets | WR Denzel Mims
There may not be an NFL player whose career has involved more trade rumors per year of service than Mims. General manager Joe Douglas surely doesn’t want to give up on a receiver he drafted 59th overall just two years ago, but Mims is clearly not part of the Jets’ plans. He’s been inactive for every game this season, and he’s at least sixth on New York’s WR depth chart.
Philadelphia Eagles | OT Andre Dillard
The Eagles designated Dillard to return from IR last week, and it seems like he’ll return to the field soon. The former first-round pick is an outstanding swing tackle, and he’s more than capable of being a starter for a number of teams — just not the Eagles, who have two of the NFL’s best offensive tackles in Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson.
MORE: Week 6 NFL Power Rankings
The only problem with the concept of trading Dillard is that Philadelphia is hurting along the offensive line. Mailata was inactive for Week 5, and Landon Dickerson and Jason Kelce both went down against the Cardinals. Given those issues, the Eagles might not be willing to give up any OL depth.
Pittsburgh Steelers | WR Chase Claypool
Claypool exploded onto the scene with nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2020. His receiving totals in 2021 were nearly identical, except for the fact that he scored just twice.
This year, Claypool is on pace for just 439 yards, and he hasn’t yet found the end zone. The Steelers extended Diontae Johnson over the summer and invested second- and fourth-round picks in George Pickens and Calvin Austin III, respectively.
Add it all up, and Pittsburgh could be preparing to move on from Claypool — either immediately via trade, or after 2023 when his contract expires.
San Francisco 49ers | TE Ross Dwelley
Dwelley had been the preferred backup to George Kittle in 2019 and 2020, but the tide started to turn in 2021 when Charlie Woerner began to see increased playing time. That trend has continued this season, as Dwelley has played only 60 snaps to Woerner’s 106. San Francisco also has Tyler Kroft on its roster, so Dwelley could be expendable.
Seattle Seahawks | CB Sidney Jones
Jones dealt with a concussion earlier this season, but he’s not seeing playing time even now that he’s healthy. Re-signed to a one-year, $3.6 million contract, Jones has lost snaps to Mike Jackson and impressive rookie Tariq Woolen. Teams need plenty of bodies at corner, and if the Seahawks feel like they have enough, they might see what type of return they could get for Jones.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | WR Scotty Miller
If anything, the Bucs will be buying at the trade deadline. But if there’s one player they might consider moving, it could be Miller.
Tampa has dealt with so many receiver injuries that retaining depth seems like a prudent move. Yet, with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage all healthy (and Julio Jones and Breshad Perriman getting there), Miller won’t have much of a role. Plus, he’ll be a free agent in 2023.
Tennessee Titans | TE Austin Hooper
Nominally signed to be Tennessee’s starting tight end, Hooper is playing fewer snaps than Geoff Swaim. Here are his receptions per game thus far: one, one, two, one, one. The Titans should make an effort to get rookie Chigoziem Okonkwo on the field more often, and trading Hooper would be a step in that direction.
Washington Commanders | DT Daron Payne
The Commanders have reportedly rebuffed trade offers for Payne in the past, but they could be reaching a breaking point. Washington (1-4) is going nowhere fast. Payne will be a free agent in March, and the Commanders are already heavily invested in fellow DT Jonathan Allen.
Ron Rivera is fighting for his job and has no reason to sign off on a Payne trade. But if Washington makes a coaching change over the next three weeks, the idea of a Payne deal could become more palatable.