The NFL trade deadline keeps growing with activity every year, and there's no reason to think this season will be any different. With the trade deadline a week away (Oct. 31), we asked our NFL Nation writers to pick one player from the team they cover who could be dealt between now and Halloween.
Trade season has already begun, with two of the highest-priced free agents of the 2022 cycle being moved a year later, as the Denver Broncos traded defensive end Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers while the Los Angeles Chargers sent cornerback J.C. Jackson back to the New England Patriots, where he played from 2018 to 2021. The Philadelphia Eagles also made waves Monday, trading for Tennessee Titans Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard.
Who are some of the bigger names who could be on the move? We have 32, from star receivers to top pass-rushers to one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
This is based solely on next year. Gallimore is scheduled to be a free agent when the season ends; he is likely to sign somewhere else; and the Cowboys are unlikely to gain a 2025 compensatory pick in return. So if they can get a low-end pick, a trade might make sense. Gallimore has played pretty well and might have value to a team looking for a solid tackle with some pass-rushing ability.
If he is dealt, rookies Mazi Smith, the Cowboys' first-rounder, and Viliami Fehoko, a fourth-round pick still looking to be active, could see larger game-day roles in the final two months of the season. Dallas will likely be quiet at the deadline, however. -- Todd Archer
New York Giants
We all saw how this played out in the offseason, when Barkley and the Giants couldn't reach a long-term deal before agreeing to an adjusted franchise tag with $1 million in incentives. Why, suddenly, will they be able to bridge the gap after this season, especially given that he already has missed three games? It will be interesting to see whether the Giants are willing to move Barkley and admit this season is lost. -- Jordan Raanan
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were intrigued by the thought of pairing Penny with one of the best offensive lines in football when signing him to a one-year deal in March. He fell to fourth on the depth chart after a quiet summer, however, and has appeared in just one game, rushing three times for 9 yards. If a running back-needy team wants to take a shot on his upside, perhaps the Eagles could get a late-round pick in return. -- Tim McManus
Washington Commanders
DE Chase Young
The likelihood of Young getting traded is slim, though teams have been calling Washington for a few months about him and Montez Sweat. Washington did not pick up Young's fifth-year option, but the current staff had told him previously that it would reward him if he was productive. Young has played six games and has five sacks and is fourth in the NFL with 32 pass-rushing wins. With the Commanders at 3-4, however, another loss could force them to look at possible trades. -- John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Two veteran Bears defensive backs whose names have come up in conversations around the league are Johnson and safety Eddie Jackson. Jackson's foot injury might make it difficult to move him at the deadline, but Johnson is 24 years old and in the final year of his rookie deal. General manager Ryan Poles has said he wants to keep Johnson, but if a contending team is looking to make an upgrade with a player who has been terrific in coverage this season, the Bears might have no choice but to make a move. Johnson is coming off one of the best games of his career Sunday, as he had three tackles and two interceptions (including a pick-six) in the win over Las Vegas.
Something that complicates this situation is Terell Smith's mononucleosis diagnosis, however. If Johnson is traded, Smith would take over at outside corner, but he is set to miss the next three to four weeks. -- Courtney Cronin
Detroit Lions
WR Marvin Jones Jr.
Jones returned to the Lions in free agency for a second stint to bring a veteran presence to the locker room while adding depth to the receiving corps. He hasn't gotten off to the greatest start, however, as he has five catches for 35 yards, including two drops and a fumble, through the first six games. In Jacksonville last season, he had 529 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He hasn't found a groove in Detroit but could still be of value in the league with his knowledge and solid reputation among his peers.
"Marvin is one of the pieces of the puzzle, and when the opportunity is there, he's going to make the play," Lions passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand said. -- Eric Woodyard
NOTE: Jones announced Tuesday that he is stepping away from the Lions "to take care of personal family matters."
Green Bay Packers
OLB Preston Smith
The Packers are likely going to have to give Rashan Gary a massive contract extension, and they just used their first-round pick on Lukas Van Ness, so perhaps they'd be looking to deal their most veteran edge rusher before they'd have to either cut him or restructure his deal this coming offseason. The acquiring team would have to be willing to take on his $5.7 million base salary for this year, but a team desperate for pass-rushing help might be willing to do so.
Smith's pressure rate is around half of what it was last season, 4.8% in 2023 compared with 9.8% in 2022, according to ESPN Stats & Information data. He's on pace for just 17 pressures after having a career-high 36 last season, and his pass rush win rate and run stop win rate are down as well. -- Rob Demovsky
Minnesota Vikings
OLB Danielle Hunter
Hunter's eight sacks is tied for the NFL lead. He has proved adept at playing as a 4-3 end, as a 3-4 outside linebacker and in a hybrid role between the two, and his renegotiated one-year contract prohibits the Vikings from using the franchise tag next spring. It's not yet clear whether Minnesota will make him available, but every playoff contender would benefit from adding an edge rusher of his caliber. -- Kevin Seifert
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
WR Scott Miller
It would be surprising to see Miller get moved, but he hasn't had much production this season, and Atlanta traded for Van Jefferson earlier this month. Miller has four catches for 60 yards this season and has played just 21.9% of the offensive snaps, averaging 15 snaps per game this season. It appears he's fourth on the receiver depth chart. Another name to watch here could be defensive lineman Ta'Quon Graham, who was inactive for two games before playing Sunday. -- Michael Rothstein
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are 0-6 and don't have a first-round pick next season after trading theirs to Chicago to get quarterback Bryce Young at No. 1 in the previous draft, so they could use one. But by process of elimination their best candidate to be traded is Jackson for a middle-rounds pick. Outside linebacker Brian Burns is their most valuable asset, but he's unsigned next season, which makes him hard to trade, particularly for a first-round pick that would be required. And so far there hasn't been much interest in Burns, per a league source. Safety/LB Jeremy Chinn would make sense to trade, but Chinn is in the last year of his deal and will miss up to six weeks with a quad injury, so that is highly unlikely. That brings us back to Jackson, who has a very team-friendly contract and could help a contender. -- David Newton
New Orleans Saints
CB Isaac Yiadom
Yiadom made the team this summer and played well enough that the Saints cut Bradley Roby. He played well again when asked to fill in for two games because of injuries, with six pass breakups and a pick. The Saints haven't needed him much behind Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor, and he's making the league minimum, so another team with injuries could be looking to add a defensive back for a late-round pick. -- Katherine Terrell
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Mike Evans
Is this likely to happen? No. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention it. Evans, who will be a free agent next year, and his agent, Deryk Gilmore, voiced their displeasure over failing to reach an agreement on an extension before the start of the season, even saying that if Tampa Bay has no plans for Evans in its future that it should trade him so he can secure his future with another team. The 30-year-old has 30 catches for 468 yards and four scores so far, and he's on pace for his 10th straight 1,000-yard season. -- Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
TE Zach Ertz
Ertz, who's coming off a shortened 2022 because of a knee injury, has not been productive this season. His 187 receiving yards gives him an average of 26.7 yards per game, which has him on pace for the lowest per-game average of his career. He's averaging 6.9 yards per catch, also the lowest rate of his career. At 32, Ertz's opportunities to win another Super Bowl are dwindling. And Arizona drafted his replacement, Trey McBride, last year. Although Ertz has run more than twice as many routes as McBride, he is averaging fewer yards per route than McBride. -- Josh Weinfuss
Los Angeles Rams
OL Joe Noteboom
Noteboom is under contract through the 2024 season, but the Rams might be able to get value for him in a trade. They already have traded running back Cam Akers and receiver Van Jefferson, both in the final year of their rookie deals. Kevin Dotson started at right guard while Noteboom was injured and stayed in the lineup Sunday against the Steelers, even with Noteboom active.
Even though they are 3-4, it's hard to imagine they would consider trading away more foundational players on their roster. When asked whether the Rams are assessing the possibility of adding players as the trade deadline approaches, coach Sean McVay said, "No, we don't really have the availability. ... You kind of have to have some resources and different things like that for those to be options, so I don't know that those conversations will be as prevalent as maybe in years past." -- Sarah Barshop
San Francisco 49ers
A backup running back
There aren't any obvious trade candidates here, as the Niners like their roster and depth, but there are a couple of reasons they could trade a running back if they get a desirable offer. First, starter Christian McCaffrey has been the clear-cut focal point at the position, playing 75.6% of the offensive snaps through six games. They made a similar move after acquiring him last year, dealing Jeff Wilson Jr. to Miami for a fifth-round pick.
Jordan Mason has pushed oft-injured Elijah Mitchell for the second spot, and the 49ers probably wouldn't move him, but 2022 third-round pick Tyrion Davis-Price is also an option. -- Nick Wagoner
Seattle Seahawks
CB Mike Jackson
There has been no hard evidence the Seahawks want to part ways with Jackson, so this is pure speculation based on how deep Seattle is at cornerback. A solid starter last season, he is now the fourth cornerback behind Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon and Tre Brown. If the Seahawks could get some D-line help in exchange for Jackson, that's something they'd have to consider. If not, they'll gladly keep him as an experienced depth player who's making only the NFL minimum. -- Brady Henderson
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
CB Kaiir Elam
Buffalo's first-round pick last year was a healthy scratch through the first four games of the season after 2022 sixth-round pick Christian Benford and 2020 seventh-round pick Dane Jackson outperformed him in training camp and the preseason. Elam, who's dealing with an ankle injury, started in Week 5 and Week 6. He was targeted 14 times on 65 coverage snaps as the nearest defender, giving up 10 receptions for 135 yards and a quarterback rating of 101.8, per NFL Next Gen Stats data. Elam isn't a player the Bills will move on from easily after they traded up to draft him, but the fit hasn't clicked so far. -- Alaina Getzenberg
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are committed to younger edge rushers Ogbah, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, but all three of them have been outplayed by Andrew Van Ginkel through six games. Ogbah, who represents a significant financial obligation after he signed a four-year, $65 million extension last year, could be a prime trade candidate this offseason. That contract might be tough to deal, but good pass-rushers are hard to come by, and Ogbah has proved to be capable, as he had 18 total sacks from 2020 to 2021. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques
New England Patriots
TE Mike Gesicki
Heading into Week 7, 6-foot-6, 245-pound Gesicki had played 51.5% of the Patriots' offensive snaps as a complement to top tight end Hunter Henry (75.4% playing time), catching 17 passes for 149 yards and one score. He could easily be a No. 1 option for a team that has a tight end need. New England signed Gesicki to a one-year contract in the offseason, and if another team was willing to part with a middle-rounds draft pick, that might be something the Patriots at least consider with No. 3 TE Pharaoh Brown also on the depth chart.
"Mike's a really smart guy. Understands the passing game, techniques, routes, spacing, reading coverage on the inside part of the field," coach Bill Belichick said in early September. "He's got a good catch radius, good hands, competitive blocker." -- Mike Reiss
New York Jets
DE Carl Lawson
Lawson, the Jets' big-ticket free agent signing in 2021, has tumbled down the depth chart to the point he's averaging only 18 snaps per game. He's no better than fourth in their defensive end rotation, behind John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson and Bryce Huff. He insists that a back injury from training camp, which kept him out one month, no longer is affecting him. His production -- three tackles, two QB pressures -- suggests otherwise. Lawson is in the final year of his contract, which makes him a candidate to be dealt. -- Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' only expendable candidate is Huntley, the primary backup to Lamar Jackson who is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Huntley has shown flashes as a fill-in starter and could get targeted by a team dealing with an injury at quarterback. Baltimore has shown an affinity for veteran No. 3 quarterback Josh Johnson by keeping him on the 53-man roster, which means the team has someone ready to move into Huntley's role. -- Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
WR Tee Higgins
Higgins and the Bengals couldn't come to terms on a long-term deal this offseason. Cincinnati has been adamant in its resistance to trading Higgins, a productive receiver who is in the final year of his rookie year. If he isn't in the team's long-term plans, though, the Bengals should test the market to see what they could get in return, especially because they could be replacing Higgins and No. 3 wideout Tyler Boyd as soon as next season. Higgins has 21 touchdown catches since being drafted in Round 2 in 2020. -- Ben Baby
Cleveland Browns
Peoples-Jones is a starter and had 839 receiving yards last season, but he has only eight catches for 97 yards over six games this season. He's also in the final year of his rookie deal. The Browns have other options at receiver in rookie Cedric Tillman and veteran Marquise Goodwin. It still seems unlikely they would trade away a starting receiver, especially for, say, Day 3 draft considerations. But Cleveland is not going to mess with its stellar defense. And offensively, Peoples-Jones seems to be the only player potentially worth watching. -- Jake Trotter
Pittsburgh Steelers
OT Dan Moore
This is a long shot, but if the Steelers wanted to make a splash, they could do worse than trading their starting left tackle -- especially with a first-round rookie waiting in the wings. Broderick Jones, the No. 14 pick in April's draft, played well in place of the injured Moore against the Ravens in Week 5, but the Steelers restored a now-healthy Moore back to his starting spot in Week 7. With 38 NFL starts under his belt, Moore could fetch a decent return from offensive-line-needy teams. But because Pittsburgh's tackle depth behind Moore and Jones is shaky, it's not a move that would behoove the organization. -- Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Perryman has played just three games this season because of a broken hand. He's a starter when healthy, but Blake Cashman has emerged as a useful contributor and rookie Henry To'oTo'o ranks second on the team in defensive snaps (331). Perryman has 21 tackles in his limited time with the team, but because the 30-year-old will be a free agent after the season, the Texans would be inclined to listen to trade offers. They could choose to play their younger off-ball linebackers. -- DJ Bien-Aime
Indianapolis Colts
If the Colts got a substantive offer for their playmaking safety, they'd have to consider it, given the presence of 2022 third-round pick Nick Cross. The team is looking for opportunities to get Cross on the field as a third safety because it likes his upside. He has started to grab the eyes of coaches after a slow start as a rookie last season. Blackmon, meanwhile, is in the final year of his rookie contract. -- Stephen Holder
Jacksonville Jaguars
Johnson was a free agent signing last March, but Jacksonville drafted Tank Bigsby in the third round and the rookie has become the No. 2 back. Johnson has just seven carries, and he's a proven veteran backup who had two 100-plus-yard games with Cleveland.
If Walker Little were healthy, the Jaguars could dangle Cam Robinson in trade talks. They're unlikely to keep their longtime left tackle, who was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, beyond this season because of a high cap figure. -- Michael DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
DL Teair Tart
With safety Kevin Byard getting traded Monday, Tart is next on the list. Tart is playing on a one-year, $4.3 million tender and wants to sign a long-term deal. Any team looking to upgrade its run defense would be wise to acquire the 6-2, 304-pound lineman armed with one of the swiftest swim moves among all defensive tackles. Tart has three quarterback hits and three tackles for a loss in four games while being limited by a toe injury, but Titans coach Mike Vrabel expects him to be back on the field soon. -- Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
WR Jerry Jeudy
Coach Sean Payton has said that the Broncos aren't actively looking to trade their players but that they will answer calls from other teams. They could have several players in play, but wide receiver is one spot where this thin roster has some depth to make a move. Jeudy has 25 total receptions in six games this season -- that ranks second on the team behind Courtland Sutton -- and he has not consistently shown the crisp route running for which he was drafted. Denver picked up his fifth-year option in May, which means he is under contract through next season. He will earn $12.98 million in 2024. -- Jeff Legwold
Kansas City Chiefs
With Isiah Pacheco established as the Chiefs' primary back and Jerick McKinnon still a reliable third-down back, there really isn't much of a role for Edwards-Helaire, a first-round pick in 2020. If an offer comes along, the Chiefs would be silly not to get something in return for him in the final year of his contract. In May, Kansas City declined his fifth-year option, and he has 32 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown this season. -- Adam Teicher
Las Vegas Raiders
The 2021 Pro Bowler has fallen out of the rotation and is losing snaps to third-round draft pick Tre Tucker, whose speed flashed on the 48-yard deep ball from Brian Hoyer against New England that was the Raiders' longest play from scrimmage this season. Renfrow, who caught 103 passes two seasons ago, played a career-low seven snaps against the Patriots and, despite carrying a $13.1 million salary cap hit this year, was not targeted once. He did, however, field the Patriots' onside kick attempt to seal the game. He has just eight catches for 73 yards so far. He is under contract through 2024. -- Paul Gutierrez
Los Angeles Chargers
ILB Kenneth Murray Jr.
The Chargers declined Murray's fifth-year rookie option in April, making him a free agent after this season. Murray is just 24 years old, and although he has struggled over his first four seasons, he has shown promise this season. Coach Brandon Staley called Murray's Week 3 performance against the Vikings, when he had a sack and 10 tackles, his "best game since I've been the coach." Murray has averaged 65.7 defensive snaps per game this season, and he has 43 total tackles.
If Murray is moved, the Chargers would likely turn to Nick Niemann, who fared well in two starts this season while Eric Kendricks was out because of a hamstring injury. There's also the team's third-round pick this year, Daiyan Henley, who has played primarily on special teams. -- Kris Rhim