The NFL trade deadline is a week away. With stars including Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins already on the move, there should be plenty of shakeups as teams solidify their rosters for the playoff push. Here are some of the players most likely to be traded as the deadline approaches, plus a few superstars who are darkhorse candidates.
Diontae Johnson, Panthers
The Panthers have a bevy of players they could consider trading and Johnson is at the top of the list. He is on the final year of his contract and is on a rebuilding team that is inexplicably tight on cap space in 2025. Johnson is still an elite possession receiver when he has adequate quarterback play. He averaged five catches for 65 yards after Andy Dalton took over in Week 3. The 49ers and Texans have each lost one of their top two receivers to a season-ending injury. Nico Collins and Deebo Samuel are also banged up but should be back sooner rather than later. Both teams should be making offers for Johnson and even Adam Thielen, who has been designated to return from injured reserve and would cost less to acquire than Johnson.
A few injury situations in Carolina might prevent other potential trades from happening. They could trade one of their quarterbacks—either Bryce Young to a team looking for a project or Andy Dalton to a contender—but Dalton is dealing with a sprained thumb. Chuba Hubbard is another name that may be on the move. However, Jonathan Brooks has yet to return from the torn ACL he suffered in his final season at Texas and Dave Canales didn’t rule out the idea that he would not play this year. Even in the midst of a lost season, the Panthers won’t leave themselves with just Miles Sanders in the backfield. Sanders himself could be a trade candidate, though it’s not clear if there’s a market for his services after two disastrous seasons in Carolina.
Cooper Kupp and Matthew Stafford, Rams
The Rams’ Thursday night win over the Vikings seemingly closed the door on a hypothetical trade of either Kupp or Stafford.
Sean McVay was asked by @LATimesklein whether he would double down on Thursday’s comments expressing that Rams wont trade Cooper Kupp after inquiries from teams:
“That’s not a move that we want to make.” And, “He’s a Ram and we expect him to stay that way.”
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 25, 2024
At 3-4, the Rams are only one win short of the other three teams in the NFC West and they have played one fewer game than those squads. They are shockingly live to win their division and could still surge to a wild card spot if they don’t bring home the crown in the West. That, however, won’t stop teams from checking in on their aging stars. A loss to the Seahawks this week would give them a 1-2 record in their division, putting them further behind in the playoff hunt.
This trade is too good to be true, but Kupp would be an ideal fit in Tampa Bay. Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen held the same role with LA in 2022 and spent three previous seasons with the Rams. Tamp Bay lost Chris Godwin to a season-ending ankle injury two weeks ago and will also be without Mike Evans for a few games because of a hamstring issue. Kupp is a natural replacement for Godwin’s role and could immediately slide into the offense based on his familiarity with Coen’s scheme.
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Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, Bengals
Higgins’ latest injury makes trading for him more tricky. He missed Week 8 with a quad issue and his status going forward is unknown. Injury aside, moving him makes sense for the Bengals. The two sides failed to reach a contract extension for years and Higgins was forced to play on the franchise tag this season. He even requested a trade in March during his contract dispute. With the Bengals unlikely to up their offer in the upcoming offseason, Higgins appears to be playing his final season in Cincinnati. The Bengals could squeeze more value out of the situation by trading him a few months before he walks. The Chargers, who have been unable to keep one of their big-bodied X receivers healthy, could be a potential fit for Higgins.
Pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson also requested a trade in the offseason. Hendrickson has one year left on his deal and is up to seven sacks on the year. He hit 17.5 sacks in 2023. The extra year on Hendrickson’s deal could make trading for him more appealing as he won’t be just a one-year rental, even if his new team chooses not to pursue a new contract with the pass-rusher.
Maxx Crosby, Raiders
The Raiders already threw in the towel on their season when they traded Davante Adams. Crosby should be the next to go. His team is at the bottom of a lengthy rebuild and Crosby will likely be out of his prime by the time Vegas is a legitimate contender. A trade to Detroit, who lost pass-rushing star Aidan Hutchinson earlier this year, makes sense for both sides. Raiders owner Mark Davis isn’t interested.
With Maxx Crosby unavailable, one of the most logical pass-rushing trade targets is the Cleveland Browns’ former Pro Bowl defensive end Za’Darius Smith, who has drawn some attention across the league.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2024
Darius Slayton, Giants
Slayton has been the subject of trade and cut rumors in multiple offseason. Despite seemingly never having the buy-in of his coaches, Slayton has always produced when called upon. He is quietly on pace for 892 yards. That would go down as the best statistical season of his career. The surging Broncos haven’t gotten much out of their young receiver room this season. Troy Franklin and Devaugn Vele are still their best options in the coming years, but a veteran like Slayton could help them smooth out the production while the young players come along.
Mike Williams, Jets
The Jets have already made their intentions with Williams known. Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams are locked into high-usage roles and friend of the quarterback Allen Lazard rounds out their three-receiver set when healthy. There’s no role for Williams in New York. Sending him back to LA would be a practical reunion. The Steelers are also rumored to be in on Williams, who could excel in a play-action-centric passing attack.
Myles Garrett, Browns
Like the Raiders, Cleveland waived the white flag by trading away their No. 1 receiver. They will be taking the biggest dead cap hit in the history of the league this offseason if (when) they cut Deshaun Watson. To make things worse, they don’t have a deep reservoir of young talent to fall back on because they gave away so many picks to land Watson. If they are willing to trade away Amari Cooper, they should be exploring all options, including moving on from Myles Garrett for a king’s ransom. If the Browns want to move him out of conference, the Eagles and Packers are both contending teams with middling pressure rates.
While a Garrett trade is unlikely to happen, the Browns could still be sellers in the EDGE market. Za’Darius Smith has been the subject of trade rumors with Adam Schefter saying in no uncertain terms he and Diontae Johnson “are going to be traded before the deadline” in his opinion. Smith has five sacks this season and one year remaining on the two-year, $23.5 million extension he signed with Cleveland this offseason.
Khalil Herbert, Bears
Herbert has barely played this year and was rumored to be a cut candidate in the offseason. He was a healthy scratch last week and hasn’t logged a touch since Week 3. His usage has been baffling as he rushed for 1,775 yards at 4.9 yards per carry in his first three seasons with the Bears. A running back needy team like the Cowboys should be interested in scooping Herbert for a late-round pick before next week.