10 blockbuster NFL trades we want to see this offseason
The 2026 scouting combine gets underway next week, meaning we're only days away from the NFL rumor mill kicking into high gear. Decision-makers will mingle with agents as everyone starts making big plans for the weeks and months ahead.
With that in mind, here are 10 proposals for realistic deals we want to see this offseason.
Maxx Crosby ➡️ Lions
Do the Raiders want to trade Crosby? Probably not. But the relationship between player and team is clearly strained after he was shut down for the last two games of the 2025 season. And with Las Vegas embarking on what figures to be a multi-year rebuild, the superstar defensive end, who turns 29 in August, doesn't seem to line up with their competitive timeline. If Crosby wants out, the Raiders should welcome the opportunity to stockpile picks.
The Lions will presumably be among the many teams lining up to take advantage. A pair of first-round selections might seem like a significant price to pay, as Crosby isn't quite on Micah Parsons' level as a pass-rusher. He's still among the league's premier players in that department, though, and he might be the NFL's best run defender, regardless of position - Crosby has recorded a league-high 133 tackles for loss since being drafted in 2019. A player like that lining up opposite Aidan Hutchinson would be terrifying for opposing offenses. Crucially, Crosby is also already under contract for the next four years, and the $116 million he's due over that stretch is a bargain relative to an exploding edge-rush market. If the Lions can get some better injury luck on the back end, this is the kind of move that could finally push them over the top.
A.J. Brown ➡️ Ravens
Perhaps the change at offensive coordinator opens the door for Brown to stay in Philly. That's the ideal outcome for the organization, as a trade would leave behind $43.4 million in dead money. But the fractures in this relationship seem to go much deeper than scheme. Even if a deal has to wait until after June 1, allowing his cap penalty to be spread over the next two years, the Eagles may have no choice but to move on. A package including a Day 2 pick and a replacement receiver is likely the best they could do.
Brown turns 29 in June. There are questions as to whether he's on the downside of his career after he barely cracked the 1,000-yard mark while posting a career-low 12.9 yards per catch last season. A fresh start should help, and his ability to overwhelm defensive backs isn't going anywhere. Brown is the exact type of physical boundary target the Ravens need opposite Zay Flowers. If the opportunity to play with Lamar Jackson brings out the dominant form we saw from Brown prior to his frustrating 2025 campaign, this trade would look like a steal for Baltimore. Assuming Jesse Minter's arrival has the expected impact on the Ravens' defense, Brown could be the piece that gets the team right back into Super Bowl contention.
Kyler Murray ➡️ Vikings
A starting quarterback for a fourth-round pick? Yeah, it's complicated. No matter what you may think of Murray, he's worth more than a Day 3 selection. But the contract matters too. Having effectively telegraphed their decision to move on from the former No. 1 pick, the Cardinals can't expect to receive much from a team that will be inheriting $36.8 million in guarantees this year. The Cardinals should be happy with whatever they can get if another club is willing to take those commitments off their hands.
Murray is far from a perfect fit for the Vikings' offense, and his contract won't be easy to fit into a dicey salary-cap situation. If Minnesota is merely aiming to bring in some veteran competition for J.J. McCarthy, holding out hope he can still establish himself as the long-term quarterback, a reunion with Kirk Cousins may be the more logical move. But Murray is a unique talent who's shown flashes of top-12 quarterback play over his seven years in the NFL. Throwing to Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in a Kevin O'Connell offense could help Murray reach that level on a more consistent basis. If that happened while Minnesota's defense remained excellent, the Vikings could quickly re-emerge as a playoff team.
Jaylen Waddle ➡️ Bills
The Bills have to make a big move at receiver. They were reportedly sniffing around Waddle at the trade deadline, and general manager Brandon Beane seemingly confirmed as much when he later said the Bills had the strongest offer on the table for an AFC East rival's wideout. With Miami in the midst of a complete teardown, the Bills should circle back and try to get this done.
Maybe the Dolphins will simply refuse to trade Waddle within the division. They wouldn't be the first team that has no interest in going up against one of its former star players two times per season. But what if Buffalo is the only team willing to offer a 2026 first-rounder? The Bills can rationalize the cost; a speedy wideout who can both stretch the field and make plays after the catch would go a long way toward maximizing what's left of Josh Allen's prime. Buffalo could even dangle former top pick Keon Coleman as part of the trade package if the Dolphins want to take a shot on a young wideout who could use a fresh start.
T.J. Watt ➡️ Chargers
Watt wearing anything other than black and gold would be unimaginably strange. And considering the Steelers' long-running distaste for rebuilds, we probably can't expect them to focus on the future. But this exercise is less about predicting what teams will do and more about identifying what they should do. As painful as it might be, moving on from Watt's expensive contract ahead of his age-32 season fits into the latter category for Pittsburgh. Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, and Jack Sawyer still make up a formidable trio of edge rushers.
After Watt's seven-sack season, the return for trading him would probably disappoint most Steelers fans. Los Angeles is one of the few teams that could justify the short-term move, though. With a projected $82 million in cap space - and a few obvious cuts that could push that number into the triple digits - the Chargers have a clear opportunity to go all-in and chase a Super Bowl in what may be their only season with Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator. Los Angeles should have plenty of money to spend even after bolstering the offensive line in free agency, and a turnover machine like Watt could help the defense maintain its level of play despite losing Jesse Minter as a coordinator.
Trent McDuffie ➡️ Rams
Kansas City could stop the McDuffie trade talk by working out an extension. The former first-rounder has put himself in a position to command between $25 million and $30 million per year on a new deal. The longer the Chiefs wait, the less eager they seem to meet that kind of price tag. After the Rams watched their secondary crumble, spoiling what could have been a Super Bowl season, they likely wouldn't hesitate to pay up.
Los Angeles is uniquely positioned to address its most glaring need with this kind of move, as last year's draft-day trade with Atlanta brought in an additional 2026 first-round pick (No. 13 overall). The Rams have strayed from their former "F them picks" philosophy since finding success drafting and developing their own stars, but the window to win with Matthew Stafford may not be open for much longer. Giving up the later of their two Day 1 picks to acquire one of the best corners in football would be a no-brainer for Sean McVay and Les Snead.
D.J. Moore ➡️ Giants
Moore has long been a productive player, but Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III, and Colston Loveland represent a fascinating young trio of weapons to grow with Caleb Williams. And if Chicago is going to bolster the defense this offseason, it'll require freeing up some money. Trading Moore clears $16.5 million in cap space. The Giants, who need to give Jaxson Dart a strong No. 2 target alongside Malik Nabers, should be happy to take on the remaining four years of that contract at less than $25 million per season.
We don't often see a player-for-player trade in the NFL, but this one makes a lot of sense. The Giants can afford to move on from Thibodeaux with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter holding down the lead roles on the edge. The former first-rounder fills a glaring pass-rush need for Chicago, upgrading the starting spot opposite Montez Sweat. Thibodeaux is due $14.7 million for the option year of his rookie contract, and the Bears could create some additional short-term flexibility by bringing that number down with an extension.
Budda Baker ➡️ Bears
Bolstering the defensive line should only be the start of Chicago's efforts to retool the roster on that side of the ball. The Bears also have an obvious need on the back end of the defense, with Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker heading for free agency. Re-signing at least one of them would be ideal, but a splash move for Budda Baker is one heck of a way to upgrade the other spot.
While the Cardinals may resist the idea of parting with their eight-time Pro Bowl safety, the 30-year-old is unlikely to be a game-changer when this team is finally ready to compete. Arizona might be wise to pick up a Day 2 pick while it still can, and parting with Baker would save the organization $32 million in cash commitments over the next two years of the ongoing rebuild. The Bears can find a way to make the numbers work if it means adding a defensive playmaker who can help them take the next step toward Super Bowl contention.
Denzel Ward ➡️ Eagles
The Eagles will naturally be connected to any superstar edge rushers on the market, but that position group is in decent shape with Nolan Smith Jr. and Jalyx Hunt complementing the interior trio of Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo. If Howie Roseman can find enough money for a big move on defense, why not round out the league's best cornerback room instead? Ward joining Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean would be nightmare fuel for opposing quarterbacks.
A pair of third-round picks admittedly seems a little light for one of the best cover men in football. The Browns could hold for more on account of the five-time Pro Bowler's continued high-level production. However, Ward will be 29 in June, making the Dolphins' 2023 trade for Jalen Ramsey the most relevant comparison. Ramsey, like Ward, had multiple years left on his contract at the time of that deal. Even so, the Rams managed to net only a single third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long from Miami. Unspectacular as this return may be for Ward, the additional draft capital would help the Browns stockpile talent that better matches their projected timeline for a return to relevance (it's going to be a while).
Jonathan Greenard ➡️ Bengals
The Vikings could have some tough decisions ahead, as they'll need to clear $43.2 million in cap space to get under this year's ceiling. Those efforts will have to go quite a bit further if they're planning any notable addition to the quarterback room, such as the above Kyler Murray proposal. Trading Greenard clears over $12 million in cap space. While that kind of move would be a major loss for Brian Flores' defense, Dallas Turner is likely ready to step into a more significant role opposite Andrew Van Ginkel on the edge.
Cincinnati needs all the help it can get on defense, particularly with Trey Hendrickson becoming a free agent in March. A pair of mid-round picks would be a small price to pay for a player who's just one year removed from a 2024 campaign in which he racked up 80 pressures, good for third behind only Hendrickson and Myles Garrett, according to PFF. Greenard could be the first and most important piece the Bengals add in an effort to put together a suitable defensive complement for one of the most potent scoring attacks in the game.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.