With the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline right around the corner, speculation is swirling about which moves will take place before it hits on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. At this stage of the year, it’s pretty clear for the most part which teams are buyers and which teams should be sellers.
Every year, plenty of big names get thrown around as potential trade targets for contending teams. They don’t always get moved, but players like Christian McCaffrey, Jalen Ramsey, Roquan Smith, and Leonard Williams have been major upgrades for their respective teams at the deadline in recent seasons. We’ve gone through and selected one trade all 32 teams should make as the NFL trade deadline draws near.
Arizona Cardinals: Acquire Breece Hall
One could certainly argue that the Arizona Cardinals are better off selling. In the long run, that might be right. But, sitting at 2-5 with Jonathan Gannon’s job as head coach in jeopardy if they fail to bounce out of their five-game losing streak, the current regime may feel inclined to make a move or two to try and turn things around.
Breece Hall is in the last year of his rookie deal for an abysmal Jets team, making him one of the more popular names at the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline. With James Conner out for the season, the Cardinals could look to upgrade their backfield by bringing in Hall, who’s currently eighth in the NFL in rushing yards.
Atlanta Falcons: Trade Kirk Cousins
At 3-4, the Atlanta Falcons are on the brink of contendership, but they’re not quite there yet. It might not make sense for them to be big spenders at the deadline, but it would be surprising if they made any major moves. That said, an obvious trade candidate is sitting on their bench right now.
They’d need to do some restructuring to get the money to work, but Kirk Cousins stands out as an obvious player for the Falcons to trade. He’s firmly behind Michael Penix Jr. on the depth chart, but he’s still a talented enough quarterback to bring value to a team. The market might not be extremely strong, but there are surely some QB-needy teams who would consider adding him.
Baltimore Ravens: Acquire Jaelan Phillips
Their trade of Odafe Oweh to the Chargers didn’t help, but the Baltimore Ravens have struggled to generate pressure off the edge all season. That lack of pass rush, along with injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, played a role in their falling to 1-5. With Lamar Jackson back and the team winning two games in a row since, though, they’ll need to be buyers at the NFL trade deadline to get back into the playoffs.
The Dolphins figure to be selling at the deadline, seeing as though they’ve fired general manager Chris Grier after a 2-7 start to the season. Interim general manager Champ Kelly could want to get a head start on their inevitable rebuild, and Jaelan Phillips would bring Miami back some good draft capital. Additionally, he would be a major addition to Baltimore’s inconsistent defensive line.
Buffalo Bills: Acquire Logan Wilson
Having struggled against the run this season, the Buffalo Bills would be smart to consider using this year’s NFL trade deadline to boost their front seven. In particular, they’ve played without Matt Milano for a few games this year, and with his injury history, he might not be a player they want to trust to stay healthy for the playoffs.
Logan Wilson surpassed 100 tackles in each of his last four seasons going into 2025, and he’s on pace to do it again this year. His numbers in coverage haven’t been too flashy this year, but he ranks 27th of 79 qualified linebackers in missed tackle percentage and has been a reliable run stopper this season.
Carolina Panthers: Trade Chuba Hubbard
Chuba Hubbard has been a reliable starting running back for the Carolina Panthers for the last couple of seasons, having reached 1,195 rushing yards and ten touchdowns just last year. But Rico Dowdle has had 623 yards from scrimmage in their last four games, and the franchise seems to be running with him as the starting running back going forward.
Dealing Hubbard at the 2025 NFL trade deadline could be a beneficial move for both sides. He’s still a talented back capable of starting in the league, and he deserves the chance to show it elsewhere. Likewise, the Panthers could get some decent draft capital in return, should they choose to trade him.
Chicago Bears: Acquire Riq Woolen
The Chicago Bears don’t have a ton of cap space this year, so if they make a move at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, it’ll likely be for a player on their rookie deal. That said, there are plenty of cornerbacks who could be trade options, and they could use another defensive back with Jaylon Johnson out for the year and Kyler Gordon slated to miss time.
Riq Woolen hasn’t quite been able to replicate his Pro Bowl ways from his rookie year in 2022. But he’s still a serviceable starting cornerback who fits the tall, lengthy mold that Chicago’s defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes at the position. He’d be a great short-term upgrade to keep the 4-3 Bears competitive for the rest of the year.
Cincinnati Bengals: Trade Logan Wilson
With a 3-5 record, it’s tough to gauge whether the Cincinnati Bengals should be buyers or sellers at this year’s deadline. Some may push against trading edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, but the Bengals have another defender who’s requested a trade that could net them draft capital to rebuild their defense cheaply in the long run.
Logan Wilson has been a reliable starter and a team captain for the Bengals, but he recently made his request known for a trade in the near future. Despite Cincinnati’s defensive faults, they seem to have two solid young linebackers in Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. Dealing Wilson would give the rookies more playing time and allow them to acquire more draft picks to address other parts of their roster.
Cleveland Browns: Trade David Njoku
It’s not particularly surprising that the Cleveland Browns’ season has gone down the way it has. Widely considered as a long shot to make the playoffs, they currently sit at 2-6 and feel like a stronger contender for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft than they do for a postseason appearance. That should make them sellers at the NFL trade deadline this year.
The Browns could look to deal offensive linemen like Joel Bitonio or Ethan Pocic, but David Njoku would be a real splash move. Though Harold Fannin Jr. has eaten into his target share in 2025, Njoku is still one of the top tight ends in the NFL and has plenty of production left in him. That should net Cleveland some good draft capital in a deal.
Dallas Cowboys: Acquire Jermaine Johnson II
The Dallas Cowboys have the second-lowest Defense Impact (DEFi) grade in the NFL, but they’re still in the mix for a playoff opportunity at 3-4-1. Assuming they operate as buyers at this year’s NFL trade deadline, their top priority should be improving their struggling pass rush.
A Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2022, Jermaine Johnson II now finds himself on the outside looking in on the Jets’ long-term plans. Rather than pay him a long-term contract, New York could look to offload him to an edge rusher-needy team that isn’t willing to quite pay top dollar for one of the league’s elite at the position. That description fits the Cowboys perfectly.
Denver Broncos: Acquire Quincy Williams
As you can probably tell by the way this list looks so far, the Jets find themselves in selling mode at the NFL trade deadline (trust me, there’s more). Another one of their key defenders is 2023 All-Pro Quincy Williams, who could be a valuable addition to a contending team in need of a linebacker.
The Denver Broncos find themselves in that situation. Their current linebacker duo of Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton has struggled with stopping the run this season. They figure to be buyers this year at 6-2, and adding a star player up front could help them continue their push for dominance in the competitive AFC.
Detroit Lions: Acquire Quinnen Williams
Of the Jets players picked for this list, Quinnen Williams is probably the least likely to be dealt before the 2025 NFL trade deadline. But he’s arguably the most valuable piece of the bunch, and dealing him could net some major draft capital for New York.
There are a few contending teams in need of defensive line help, but I love the Detroit Lions as a potential fit for Williams. They could use some additional investments along their defensive line, even with Al-Quadin Muhammad breaking out off the edge opposite Aidan Hutchinson. Bringing in an All-Pro defensive tackle would make the Lions’ defensive front incredibly tough to stop as they push for a Super Bowl.
Green Bay Packers: Acquire Alontae Taylor
All things considered, the Green Bay Packers’ defense has been impressive this season. They sit with the tenth-best unit in the league by PFSN’s DEFi grading, and that’s without any serious star power at the cornerback position. They’ve already gone all-in on defense with a trade for Micah Parsons; why not do it again?
Alontae Taylor has been a solid starting nickelback for a Saints team that should be focused more on selling than buying at this year’s NFL trade deadline. With his contract coming up, it would make sense for New Orleans to trade him for draft capital to a contending team, rather than risk letting him walk for nothing.
Houston Texans: Acquire Jackson Powers-Johnson
Though the increased competition in the AFC South makes it unlikely the Houston Texans see the playoffs this year, that doesn’t mean they can’t still make moves before the deadline. In particular, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them take a flier on a cheap, young offensive lineman with upside that hasn’t been tapped into all the way.
Jackson Powers-Johnson has had a rocky start to his time with the Raiders, having just been benched in his second season. But he’s shown some encouraging flashes in that time, he has center-guard versatility, and he’s only 22 years old. For an offensive line-needy team like the Texans, JPJ would be a low-risk, high-reward trade target.
Indianapolis Colts: Acquire Cam Taylor-Britt
Things seem to be working just fine right now for the Indianapolis Colts, as their offense is the most efficient in the league and their defense is consistently getting the job done. If they want to get aggressive at the NFL trade deadline, it could be a good idea for them to make a move towards their secondary.
Cam Taylor-Britt could be a relatively cheap option if the Colts don’t want to break the bank at the deadline. He’s been a respectable starter at cornerback for much of his time with the Bengals, though he was recently benched in a surprise move.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trade Jarrian Jones
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in that limbo going into the NFL trade deadline — not really clear if they should be buyers or sellers. It could make sense for them to make a move to improve the roster immediately, but having given up considerable draft capital to move up for Travis Hunter, they could recoup some of those picks with a trade or two.
Jarrian Jones has slowly but surely seen his role in Jacksonville’s defense decline. The likes of Hunter, Montaric Brown, and newly-acquired Greg Newsome are among those factoring into the cornerback room. Still just 24 years old, Jones could get some decent value back in a trade and would have a better chance to start elsewhere.
Kansas City Chiefs: Acquire Dre’Mont Jones
If last year’s Super Bowl showed anything, it’s that you can’t have too much pass rush. Having been on the receiving end of it last season, the Kansas City Chiefs could look to get active at the 2025 NFL trade deadline and make an addition to their defensive line.
Dre’Mont Jones is slated to hit free agency in 2026, and it wouldn’t make much sense for him to return to Tennessee in the current state of their organization. Trading Jones to a contender like the Chiefs would boost Kansas City’s pass rush leading up to the playoffs and give the Titans something in return, rather than just letting him walk.
Las Vegas Raiders: Trade Jakobi Meyers
It’s a possibility that the Las Vegas Raiders make a handful of moves at the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline. I’ve already included Jackson Powers-Johnson on this list, and while trading Maxx Crosby feels like a far-fetched idea, there’s no denying he’s their most valuable trade asset for a team in need of more draft capital to build towards the future.
In the end, though, Jakobi Meyers makes the most sense for the Raiders to ship out. He’s made it known he wants to be traded, and Las Vegas won’t be contending for a playoff spot this year. Given the blossoming market for veteran wide receivers, they could trade Meyers to the highest bidder and get a decent return.
Los Angeles Chargers: Acquire Chuba Hubbard
Though Omarion Hampton figures to return from the injured reserve in the near future, the Los Angeles Chargers clearly had a vision to have a two-back offense before both he and Najee Harris got hurt. Luckily for them, there’s a highly talented back who could be a realistic trade option.
As previously mentioned, Hubbard is still a capable RB1 in the NFL who just happened to lose his spot in Carolina’s offense after Rico Dowdle’s incredible run during his absence to injury. He would be a great addition for a team like the Chargers, who could likely get better use out of him than the Panthers have this season.
Los Angeles Rams: Acquire David Njoku
The Los Angeles Rams have a dominant receiving duo in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, which has resulted in an explosive passing attack and a 5-2 record as of this writing. But their tight end production has been weak, and with Tyler Higbee aging and second-round rookie Terrance Ferguson not ready for a bigger role, a trade could be in the cards.
With a cap hit of just over $1 million if acquired, David Njoku would be a great tight end to target for a contending team at the NFL trade deadline. He’s been one of the better players at his position the last few years, and the Browns could look to get something for him at the deadline as he projects to hit free agency after this season.
Miami Dolphins: Trade Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb
As previously mentioned, the Miami Dolphins recently fired general manager Chris Grier and sit at 2-7 as of this writing. They’re hardly in a position to buy at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. While Mike McDaniel might push against it to protect his job security, the best thing for the franchise is to be sellers this year.
READ MORE: Dolphins Announce Massive Decision on HC Mike McDaniel’s Future After GM Chris Grier’s Departure
Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are two valuable edge rushers who could provide a nice boost to a contending team’s pass rush. Phillips, being the younger player, would likely net the Dolphins more capital in a trade. That said, Chubb would only cost his new team $1.7 million this year if acquired in a trade, so that cheap contract could help Miami get a higher pick.
Minnesota Vikings: Acquire Kirk Cousins
How funny this would turn out to be. The Minnesota Vikings let Kirk Cousins walk in 2024’s free agency period in favor of the QB tandem of Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, and it worked out well for them last year. McCarthy got hurt and missed his rookie year, but Darnold led them to a 14-3 record.
But now, Darnold is in Seattle, McCarthy struggled before he got hurt, and Carson Wentz is done for the year as the second-string quarterback. With Cousins having no chance to start for a long stretch in Atlanta any time soon, going to Minnesota could see him return as their starter as they push for a playoff spot in a tight NFC North.
New England Patriots: Acquire Jakobi Meyers
The second player reunion on this list — the New England Patriots trading for Jakobi Meyers — would make a lot of sense. From a team perspective, the Patriots have put together an impressive offensive season thus far. Drake Maye has been playing at an elite level, and though Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte have been solid, adding one more weapon to the mix would make their offense very tough to stop.
Meyers’ trade request naturally makes him the target of potential trade rumors. He worked with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for the first three seasons of his NFL career, so he has familiarity with the offense. Coming off a 1,027-yard season in 2024, he’s a high-end WR2 who would take New England’s offense to another level.
New Orleans Saints: Trade Rashid Shaheed
There’s an outside chance the New Orleans Saints fully embrace the rebuild here at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. Doing so would see them deal either of Alvin Kamara or Chris Olave, if not both. Those are their two biggest assets on offense that stand out as realistic trade targets for other teams, but Rashid Shaheed should also come in high demand, too.
Shaheed is averaging a respectable 53.9 receiving yards per game in a lackluster Saints passing attack. Those are high-end WR2 numbers, and at 27 years old, he could be a perfect complementary weapon for a contending team in need of a speed boost to their offense.
New York Giants: Trade Evan Neal
Trading away Kayvon Thibodeaux would earn the New York Giants the most attention at the deadline this year. Still, Dianna Russini of The Athletic has indicated they’re looking for a first-round pick in a trade. It’s unlikely they’d get their asking price, but there’s another former first-round pick the Giants have a chance of trading this year.
Evan Neal hasn’t played a snap on offense in 2025, and the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft hadn’t lived up to expectations before that. That said, he’s only 25 years old, and teams often see players with strong draft pedigrees and convince themselves to take a shot on any leftover untapped potential.
New York Jets: Trade Breece Hall
I’ve included so many New York Jets players in this article as trade targets for other teams that it became tough for me to pick just one to put here. Though I could double down like I did in Miami, there aren’t multiple players at the same position worth dealing for. Thus, I settled on Breece Hall as the most likely trade candidate this year.
Hall has averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 2025, which is his highest average since his 2022 rookie campaign. He’s a valuable young back who can also catch passes well, which should be enticing to NFL teams looking to make a postseason push.
Philadelphia Eagles: Acquire Trey Hendrickson
Is a Trey Hendrickson trade wishful thinking at this stage? Potentially. But the Philadelphia Eagles need an infusion of pass-rushing talent to get their defense back to the standard it’s used to, and he’s a more realistic trade option than Maxx Crosby currently. If Howie Roseman wants to make a splash, this is it.
The losses of players like Milton Williams and Josh Sweat have been apparent in how the Eagles’ defensive line has gotten to the passer this year. Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowler for each of his last four seasons, and he could be in line for a fifth in 2025. He would be the big prize of the NFL trade deadline this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Acquire Rashid Shaheed
DK Metcalf has stepped in as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top wide receiver seamlessly, as he leads the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns heading into the 2025 NFL trade deadline. The Steelers have gotten receiving help from their tight ends and running backs, but no other receiver besides Metcalf has even 200 yards all season through seven games.
Rashid Shaheed would bring an element of speed to Pittsburgh’s offense, which is known heavily for its size and tight end-heavy personnel packages to this point. He’d be a realistic trade target with the Saints in a rebuilding phase, and he would give Aaron Rodgers another dynamic weapon to throw to, thus diversifying the Steelers’ passing attack.
San Francisco 49ers: Acquire Kayvon Thibodeaux
As mentioned before, the Giants have a very high asking price on Kayvon Thibodeaux, so that a deal might be a little far-fetched at this stage. However, if there’s any team that could justify giving up an early-round draft pick for more pass-rushing help, the San Francisco 49ers might be that team.
Nick Bosa is out for the year, and the 49ers have seen recent injuries to the likes of Bryce Huff, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Sam Okuayinonu. They took a low-risk move trading for Keion White, but they might not be finished. Despite the injuries to those edge rushers and several other key players, the 49ers are still 5-3 this year. In theory, once some of their guys get healthy, they could be an NFC powerhouse down the stretch. They could view the 2025 NFL trade deadline as an opportunity to push for a Super Bowl.
Seattle Seahawks: Acquire Kevin Zeitler
The Seattle Seahawks sit at 5-2 as of this writing, tying them with the Rams for the top spot in the NFC West. Sam Darnold has been a revelation for them, as he’s taken their passing attack to new heights this season. To help maximize their offensive efficiency down the stretch, adding some offensive line help for cheap isn’t a bad idea.
Kevin Zeitler is 35 years old on a one-year deal, so he’s clearly a stopgap option if acquired in a trade. That said, he’s shown few signs of slowing down on a lackluster Titans team. The Seahawks could likely acquire him for relatively cheap in a trade to boost their offensive line.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Acquire Mark Andrews
This move could be a long shot, seeing as though Mark Andrews has been a staple of the Ravens’ offense since entering the league in 2018. But he’s slated to hit free agency after this year, and factoring in age, they could be more likely to extend Isaiah Likely, who’s also been very productive at tight end in Baltimore.
Should the Ravens deal Andrews at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be a good landing spot. They have Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan on the injured reserve, and Chris Godwin’s injuries have only allowed him to play in one game all year. Cade Otton is a serviceable pass-catching tight end, but Andrews would be an upgrade to help Tampa Bay push for a deep playoff run.
Tennessee Titans: Trade Calvin Ridley
The connection between Calvin Ridley and rookie quarterback Cam Ward hasn’t been all that strong this year, as Ridley has just 16 receptions in the six games he’s played this season. With the Tennessee Titans seemingly prioritizing younger receivers like Eric Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, moving Ridley could make sense for the rebuilding squad.
The toughest thing about a Ridley trade would be the finances; his new team would take on $11.5 million in cap hit this season. But adding him in a trade would make him an easy cut candidate if he doesn’t bounce back in a better offense. For a contending team with some extra money this year, Ridley could make sense as a trade target who could be had for low draft capital.
Washington Commanders: Acquire DJ Moore
Both Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin have dealt with injuries this year, which has limited the Washington Commanders in their goal to repeat last season’s impressive breakout year. They could make a handful of moves at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, but DJ Moore would be a bold target that could make a big difference.
The Bears have a lot of mouths to feed in their offense, and it’s clear now that Moore has given up the WR1 spot to Rome Odunze in 2025. It doesn’t seem like Moore’s chemistry with Caleb Williams is as strong as it was with Justin Fields, but he still nearly had 1,000 receiving yards last year. Should Chicago listen to offers on him, the Commanders should give him a serious look.
