The 2025 regular season is in the rearview mirror, and for many teams, preparation for 2026 has already begun. Several head coaches and coordinators have already been shown the door, while their potential replacements are lined up for interviews.
There will be plenty of movement among the league’s playing staff, too, with some big names set to hit the open market this offseason. As well as free agency, the NFL Draft will introduce fans to another seven rounds of talented rookies, all hoping to make their mark.
In this article, though, we’ll highlight six established names who could be on the move via a trade, starting with a move that would send shockwaves through both conferences.
Top Potential 2026 Offseason Trades: Lamar Jackson to the Los Angeles Rams
There has been a lot of speculation about Lamar Jackson’s future of late, and it’s not the first time the two-time MVP has been linked with a move away. The Baltimore Ravens missed out on the postseason after rookie kicker Tyler Loop missed a playoff-clinching 44-yard field goal as time expired in Week 18.
That has only stoked the flames regarding a potential move for Jackson, and there would be plenty of interested suitors should he become available. Only one of those teams could set him up for an immediate Super Bowl run, though, and with two first-round picks in this year’s draft, the Los Angeles Rams are a team to watch.
Current Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the favorite to be named MVP this year, but the Rams allowed Stafford to explore his options last offseason. The veteran’s incredible form may convince the team to reconsider its stance, but the opportunity to land a player like Jackson would surely be impossible to pass up.
Brian Thomas Jr. to the New England Patriots
After a phenomenal rookie season that took many by surprise in 2024, Brian Thomas Jr. took a step back in Year 2. Despite the Jacksonville Jaguars enjoying a successful first season under the offensive guidance of Liam Coen, Thomas struggled to build on his significant hype.
Trevor Lawrence looks to have finally found his groove in the NFL, and the Jaguars should be a team to fear for the foreseeable future, but Thomas’ role is unclear. Lawrence appears to prefer short-intermediate targets, which have suited Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington in recent weeks.
Thomas can have success on those routes, but his deep-ball prowess made him an elite weapon in 2024, and complemented gunslinger Mac Jones far better than Lawrence. With Travis Hunter also breaking out before his unfortunate injury, a previously unthinkable move to trade away Thomas may now make sense.
Drake Maye is among the league’s best deep-ball throwers, and the New England Patriots are both a win-now team and a long-term contender under Mike Vrabel. Going all-in on Maye’s rookie contract makes sense, and with few top receiving weapons beyond 32-year-old Stefon Diggs, the electric Thomas makes a lot of sense.
D.J. Moore to the Buffalo Bills
Staying in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills have work to do if they’re to take back control of their division in 2026. The Bills are still among the favorites for the Super Bowl, but they can’t take anything for granted with several teams joining the AFC contender conversation this year.
That may mean finally addressing their wide receiver room, after patching things together since trading away the aforementioned Diggs. Keon Coleman hasn’t worked out as hoped so far, while Amari Cooper and Brandin Cooks are among the mercenaries brought in to help Josh Allen in recent seasons.
Ben Johnson’s dramatic turnaround of the Chicago Bears in 2025 has been outstanding and may even earn him Coach of the Year. That turnaround has had its casualties, though, and D.J. Moore has been one of them. Despite a late bump in volume due to injuries, Moore set career lows in receiving.
With Johnson’s offense set to focus more on Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland, Moore makes sense as a trade candidate. Moore’s powerful build would suit the frozen Buffalo winters, and with the playoffs now a yearly tradition in Western New York, that’s all the more reason to make the move.
Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens
Despite missing the playoffs this season, the Baltimore Ravens remain one of the very best teams in the NFL, and a yearly contender for football’s ultimate prize. Obviously, if the first trade on this list came true, that might change, but in a vacuum, this trade is one that makes a lot of sense.
The Ravens boast one of the best defenses in the NFL on paper, but have struggled to balance their commitments to stopping the run and the pass in recent seasons. That has led to Kyle Hamilton being moved around in a reactionary manner, which the addition of Malaki Starks in last year’s draft was no doubt intended to help with.
Regardless, the Ravens allowed the third-most net passing yards (total passing yards minus sack yardage) in the NFL in 2025 (4,214). Continued improvement on the back end would help, but the Ravens really struggled to impact opposing quarterbacks this year. Baltimore created pressure on just 19% of dropbacks, the fifth-lowest rate in the league.
The team’s 30 total sacks tied the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals for the third-fewest in the NFL, highlighting an obvious weakness that needs addressing. The Las Vegas Raiders should be in full rebuild mode after securing the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and Crosby would add yet another star name to Baltimore’s defensive lineup.
Mac Jones to the New York Jets
Okay, so this one isn’t as earth-shattering as some of the previous trades on this list. However, with the New York Jets holding five first-round picks in the next two drafts, the way they navigate their latest rebuild attempt will be fascinating viewing.
The obvious way to use some of that draft capital would be on a new signal-caller, but with the volatile nature of rookie quarterbacks in the NFL, that would be a huge gamble. The position the Jets find themselves in doesn’t come around all that often, and after a fire sale at the trade deadline, they have a huge chance to turn things around.
Mac Jones has proven on the West Coast that he can produce in the NFL, having won five of his eight starts this season, throwing 13 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He also won the hearts of San Francisco 49ers fans for gritting it out through multiple injuries to defeat the Rams in Week 5.
Having proven he can perform at the desired level, win games, and win over a fan base, Jones would be a far safer (and cheaper) bet than a rookie quarterback. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are examples of similar bets that have paid off massively, and the Jets could instead focus their draft capital on building the core of a team.
Kendrick Bourne, with whom Jones has a great connection, is a free agent this offseason, adding an easy receiver pick-up into this scenario. The Jets’ offensive line ranked 18th in PFSN’s O-Line Impact metric, and will need addressing, while the team has plenty of other holes to fill, without having to draft a top QB.
Minkah Fitzpatrick to the San Francisco 49ers
Finally, after sending one player from Santa Clara to the AFC East, we’re sending Minkah Fitzpatrick the other way. Despite having only been traded to the Miami Dolphins last summer, the five-time Pro Bowler is an obvious trade-away candidate for the team this offseason.
Fitzpatrick counts for almost $19 million against the cap in 2026, before becoming a free agent in 2027. The Dolphins refused to commit to a rebuild last offseason, but after benching Tua Tagovailoa toward the end of the season, they can’t avoid it any longer. With their chances of an immediate bounce-back slim, it would be wise to recoup what they can.
The 49ers have performed outstandingly this season, especially given their 2025 offseason exodus and the seemingly never-ending list of injuries to star players. Robert Saleh should have Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to call upon again in 2026, and adding Fitzpatrick would give him a veteran presence at every level of his defense.
The 49ers have weathered the storm and are still contenders, but have holes to fill this offseason. With a ludicrously young secondary, adding a veteran would make sense and allow the team to focus on other areas in the draft.
