The 2025 NFL season is now underway, and a picture is starting to form of who the contenders and who the pretenders are. It’s also becoming clearer which players may not be a fit now with their current teams, making them early-season trade candidates.
Tuesday, November 5, is the 2025 NFL trade deadline, as teams must make their deals before Week 10 of the season kicks off. So, let’s look at seven of the most realistic NFL trade candidates and where they may end up.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
The biggest and most common name on any 2025 NFL trade candidates list is going to be Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The 31-year-old wideout had the worst season of his career last year, and between pouting on the sideline and yet another round of domestic violence allegations, the Dolphins are likely willing to part ways.
The question is, can Miami find a team willing to take on a player who may have lost a step, with over $25 million in salary still guaranteed for this year, and who is a walking domestic violence allegation PR nightmare?
“Is there any reason you haven’t caught a pass for over 30 yards in a full year?”
Tyreek: “You trying to piss me off today.”
Tyreek Hill has gone a full calendar year without a catch over 30 yards
(Via @OmarKelly, @MiamiHerald) pic.twitter.com/2nHZzLpNRZ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 12, 2025
This is the NFL, so despite all these red flags, some teams will be willing to take a chance on all of this if they believe Hill still has some gas in the tank, which is why a trade is absolutely a realistic possibility.
Potential Landing Spots: Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. is both the quarterback of the future and QB1 right now for the Falcons, making Kirk Cousins the odd man out on the depth chart. But Atlanta is still paying him $40 million this season and with $115 million (not fully guaranteed yet) over the next two seasons, so a trade is a real possibility.
Cousins does have a full no-trade clause, so making a deal won’t be easy. However, if the 37-year-old signal-caller sees a way to get off the bench and back under center, he may jump at a deal that would send him to a team that legitimately needs a starting QB.
Potential Landing Spots: San Francisco 49ers, any good team with a QB injury
A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
After a one-target, one-catch, eight-yard performance on the Eagles’ opener, it seems as though A.J. Brown may no longer be a key piece of the team’s plans this offseason. Despite that performance and percolating rumors, Philadelphia isn’t ready to trade the superstar wideout.
That said, your best pass catcher pouting — or worse, reading a book — on the sidelines is not good for a team or a franchise QB. If Brown continues to be a second, third, or even fourth option in the Eagles’ offense, a trade before the deadline could happen.
Potential Landing Spots: Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders
Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami Dolphins
Hill may not be the only Dolphins trade candidate if things start to get away from the AFC East squad. Pass rusher Jaelan Phillips is playing out his fifth-year option on his rookie deal and will command a serious contract this offseason. If the Dolphins start to tank, a full rebuild could be in order, and re-signing Phillips won’t make sense.
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The former Miami Hurricanes star had 22.0 sacks in his first three seasons, but injuries have taken their toll, and he had just one last year. Now healthy again, Phillips could help bolster a contender’s pass rush.
Potential Landing Spots: Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ backfield is quickly becoming one of the most crowded in the NFL. Fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson carried the load in Week 1 with 12 carries and eight catches, while undrafted rookie Raheim Sanders got the team’s only rushing score.
Now, second-round pick Quinshon Judkins is ready to go, making Ford surplus to requirements. Ford is not a bell-cow back who can take all the carries, but he would be excellent as a second or third back to take some carries here and there on a contender.
Potential Landing Spots: Washington Commanders, Houston Texans
Greg Newsome II, CB, Cleveland Browns
Greg Newsome II is an excellent cornerback and part of a Browns defense that may actually be a legit top unit this season. After one week, the group was the seventh-highest-ranked defense in PFSN’s Defense Impact Rankings.
Still, Newsome is in his fifth-year option season as well, and given the Browns’ current state as a franchise, it may make more sense to trade the CB and get something for him rather than pay him big money this offseason or lose him for nothing.
Potential Landing Spots: Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
Romeo Doubs doesn’t have a fifth-year option as a fourth-round pick, so he is currently on the last year of his rookie deal. The Packers are flush with No. 2-type WRs, so they may want to get something for Doubs this season while they can.
Romeo Doubs scores the game’s first TD 🧀
WASvsGB on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/qaRPzx5YPo— NFL (@NFL) September 12, 2025
The Jayden Reed injury complicates things, but if Green Bay gets him and Christian Watson back by the NFL trade deadline, it may make sense to deal Doubs. If so, there will be a solid market for the young pass catcher’s services.
Potential Landing Spots: New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers
