With the 2025 NFL season all but wrapped up, it’s time to take a look at the ten players who could be traded in the 2026 NFL offseason.
Ten Trade Candidates To Watch For The 2026 NFL Offseason
10. DT Daron Payne, Washington Commanders
Payne has a $28 million cap hit, which the Commanders could look to move on from in the last year of his deal in 2026.
9. WR D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears
Moore finished the 2025 season with the least production of his career, both in catches and yards. Moore isn’t high in the pecking order of Chicago’s pass catchers with Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, and Luther Burden, which could lead to a trade this offseason.
8. QB Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Jones enjoyed a career revival in 2025. Stepping in for an injured Brock Purdy, Jones started eight games, throwing 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He is under contract for one more season in SF, but a team could trade for Jones and extend him.
7. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
The Tua tenure in Miami might’ve ended with the quarterback watching from the sideline in the last couple of games of the season. Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa due to his poor play, opening up the door for a trade this offseason. The Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley as head coach after firing McDaniel, and he could opt to bring in his own quarterback.
6. WR Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
The former 2024 first-round pick had a down season after a stellar rookie season. There were talks around the trade deadline about teams calling about trading for Thomas Jr., but ultimately, the Jags decided to keep him. With Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and the return of star two-way player Travis Hunter in 2026, Thomas could be the odd man out.
5. CB Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs and McDuffie couldn’t come to terms on a contract before the 2025 season. If the Chiefs can’t agree with McDuffie this offseason, they could look to trade him for a high pick.
4. QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray was essentially benched by the Cardinals this season. After missing a couple of games due to injury, backup Jacoby Brissett came in and performed well in Murray’s absence. The Cardinals chose to keep Murray sidelined, feeling that Brissett offered a better chance to win, and the expectation now is that Murray’s time in Arizona could be coming to an end. He was drafted first overall in 2019, and a ton of quarterback-needy teams will be calling about Murray.
3. Edge Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Crosby finished up his seventh season with the Raiders, earning ten sacks and another Pro Bowl honor. However, despite his high level of individual play, it wasn’t enough for the Raiders as a whole, as they finished with the worst record in the NFL and the top pick for the 2026 NFL draft. The last three seasons have been frustrating for Crosby, as the Raiders have had three different coaches and three losing seasons. Crosby has talked about his desire to win. He’d prefer it to be with the Raiders, but there’s no doubt teams will be calling the Raiders to trade for him.
2. OLB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have the most expensive defense in the NFL and one of the oldest. And with Mike Tomlin stepping down, changes could be coming to that side of the ball in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh could look to trade Watt and look to get younger on that side of the ball.
1. WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Brown’s tenure could be coming to an end in Philadelphia. The Pro Bowl wide receiver has expressed frustration the last two seasons about his role in the offense in Philadelphia. Every week, Brown spoke through the media and other platforms, expressing his unhappiness with how Philly’s offense was run. Brown’s frustration led other players on the team having to answer questions about his displeasure, and it prompted a meeting with ownership, where it was reported Brown vowed not to complain about his unhappiness publicly.
There is no doubt Brown is one of the better wide receivers in the league, which is why Philly would be hesitant to trade him, but Brown might not.
Main Image: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
