The NFL’s trade deadline isn’t until Nov. 5, but wide-receiver-needy teams are acting early.
On Tuesday, the New York Jets finalized their long-rumored trade to acquire WR Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Just hours later, the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills responded by picking up fellow wideout Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.
Which pass catchers could be traded next? Let’s run through five more wideouts who might be on the move before next month’s deadline and identify their best fits around the NFL.
Which NFL WRs Will Get Traded After Davante Adams and Amari Cooper?
Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers
- Remaining 2024 salary: $4.62 million
Diontae Johnson has already been traded once this year. The Carolina Panthers landed Johnson and a 2024 seventh-round pick (No. 240) from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason in exchange for CB Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-round pick (No. 178).
Pro Football Network ranked the Panthers’ Johnson acquisition as the best trade of the 2024 NFL offseason.
Dalton 🎯 Diontae for 6!
📺: #ATLvsCAR on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ziAgEojCST— NFL (@NFL)
Johnson was held to 36 receiving yards with Bryce Young working as Carolina’s starting quarterback but has thrived once Andy Dalton took over in Week 3.
The veteran WR caught 10 passes for a career-high 122 yards and a touchdown in Dalton’s first start. Over the past four weeks, Johnson ranks second among qualifying wide receivers in on-field target share (30.3%) and fourth in yards per route run (2.55).
- Best fit: Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City still has future Hall of Fame TE Travis Kelce and first-round rookie WR Xavier Worthy. But general manager Brett Veach might have to consider trading for another pass catcher. Patrick Mahomes already lost running back Isiah Pacheco and wideouts Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown to injuries, so the Chiefs may need to make a move.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans
- Remaining 2024 salary: $6.13 million
Things aren’t going great in Brian Callahan’s first season as the Tennessee Titans’ head coach. Tennessee is 1-4. Second-year quarterback Will Levis looks like a lost cause. Offseason signing Calvin Ridley loudly complained about his lack of offensive involvement after catching zero passes on eight targets in Week 6.
It might be time for the Titans to take a look in the mirror, realize they aren’t a realistic postseason contender in 2024, and start selling off any valuable assets.
DeAndre Hopkins should be at the top of that list. While he was limited to begin the season, Hopkins has posted 50+ yards in two of Tennessee’s last three games. He’s 32 years old, but Hopkins topped 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his career last season. He’s still a more-than-viable option on the perimeter or from the slot.
- Best fit: Washington Commanders
The Commanders were strongly linked to a Brandon Aiyuk trade over the summer, while they were mentioned as a potential suitor for Adams before he went to the Jets.
Jayden Daniels would be in the MVP conversation if the season ended today. Washington’s offense ranks first in EPA per play through six weeks, including second in passing efficiency.
Still, Dan Quinn’s club has room for another receiver. Aside from stalwart Terry McLaurin, the Commanders have been rotating pass catchers like Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown, Noah Brown, and Olamide Zaccheaus.
Hopkins’ contested-catch acumen would complement McLaurin’s speed, giving Daniels options at every level of the field.
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
- Remaining 2024 salary: $3.3 million
Although the Seattle Seahawks began the season 3-0, three consecutive losses have reduced their playoff odds to just 17%. First-year head coach Mike Macdonald won’t throw in the towel just yet, but Seattle could explore trading certain veterans if it continues to drop games.
While Tyler Lockett isn’t a pending free agent, he might as well be. The Seahawks won’t be interested in paying his $30+ million cap charge in 2025, making him an obvious cap casualty next offseason.
Depending on how the next few weeks play out, Seattle might try to get something for Lockett on the trade market rather than cutting him in a few months. Lockett is already 32; he’s not an ideal fit for a Seahawks roster that will undergo a transition over the ensuing seasons.
- Best fit: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens selected Devontez Walker in the third round of April’s draft with the hope that he’d become Lamar Jackson’s deep threat in 2024.
But Walker has been a healthy scratch in every game. And for as good as Lamar has been, he’s struggled when targeting Baltimore’s receivers downfield.
On passes of at least 20 air yards this season, Jackson ranks 15th in EPA per dropback (+0.22), 16th in completion rate (33.3%), 19th in yards per attempt (11.1), and 25th in CPOE (-8.5%).
Lockett could help. Since 2018, on throws of 20+ air yards, Lockett ranks ninth in targets, third in receptions, and fourth in yards. Only Tyreek Hill and Mike Evans have hauled in more 20+ air yard TDs during that span.
Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Remaining 2024 salary: $10 million
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 1-5 following their Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears. Head coach Doug Pederson is officially on the hot seat, while GM Trent Baalke can’t feel good about his job, either.
While Pederson and Baalke probably want to hang onto as many talented veterans as possible to keep winning games, an interim GM might take a different view. If Pederson and/or Baalke are fired before the trade deadline, Jacksonville’s new decision-makers could decide to blow things up.
In that scenario, Christian Kirk would become one of the Jaguars’ most attractive trade chips.
Lawrence finds Kirk in the flat for a @Jaguars TD!
📺: #JAXvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/3vxncQVnsJ— NFL (@NFL)
He’s a little more expensive than some of the other wideouts that could be on the trade block. Even teams that are interested in acquiring Kirk might not be willing to shell out $10 million to employ him for the rest of the season. Will Jacksonville be amenable to eating some of Kirk’s salary to receive better draft pick compensation?
Kirk posted 84 catches for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns for Jacksonville in 2022 and was on a similar pace in 2023 before suffering a season-ending groin injury in Week 13.
- Best fit: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have been searching for another wide receiver since trading Johnson to the Panthers in March. They nearly completed a trade for Aiyuk just before Week 1, while Adams was also regularly linked to Pittsburgh this year.
Kirk has reportedly drawn interest around the league and could make sense as a slot weapon for the Steelers. He’s seen his most success inside, so Pittsburgh might need to be willing to play more 11 personnel than it has thus far — 44.9%, 18 points below league average — if Kirk comes to town.
Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams
- Remaining 2024 salary: $967,000
The Los Angeles Rams limped through a lost 2022 season after winning the Super Bowl the year before, and the 2024 NFL campaign is starting to shape up similarly.
Sean McVay’s squad is 1-4 entering Week 7. Wide receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are hurt; starting offensive linemen Jonah Jackson and Steve Avila are on injured reserve. It’s hard to see L.A. getting back in the playoff race, especially with games against the Minnesota Vikings and Seahawks over two of the next three weeks.
While Tutu Atwell is seeing offensive snaps with Nacua and Kupp sidelined, he’ll shift back to a reserve role once the Rams’ premier wideouts return. The Rams probably won’t re-sign Atwell when he hits the open market next offseason.
- Best fit: Los Angeles Chargers
Let’s keep Atwell in Los Angeles and send him to the Chargers, where he could become a viable deep threat for Justin Herbert.
Atwell wouldn’t penetrate the Bolts’ starting three-WR set of Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer, and Quentin Johnston, but he could act as a situational speed demon. Among wide receivers with at least 100 targets since 2022, Atwell ranks 11th in average depth of target (13.7 yards) and 20th in yards per reception (14.4).
The Chargers are 3-2 and squarely in the AFC playoff picture, but they don’t seem ready to make a significant move. Bringing in a pending free agent like Atwell — at what should be an extremely low price — could represent a modest transaction for head coach Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz.