A team-by-team look at players who could be dealt
There are multiple good receivers who could be appealing to teams ahead of the Nov. 2 deadline….
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The NFL trade deadline is less than two weeks away — 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 2 — and teams are setting up their rosters for the stretch run of the 2021 season.
When evaluating rosters, certain players and situations stick out. Will the Chicago Bears trade third-string QB Nick Foles? Would the struggling Patriots trade former first-round pick N’Keal Harry? Will the Cowboys trade WR Michael Gallup for depth on defense? And could the Packers trade Jordan Love in hopes of swaying Aaron Rodgers to return in 2022? The depth of the Broncos’ cornerbacks and the Ravens’ running backs could be of interest to a number of teams. And though New York could use all the help it can get, Evan Engram‘s time with the Giants seems like it might be up.
We asked our NFL Nation reporters to pick potential trade targets for every team. Our list includes veterans who can’t get on the field, players who have overstayed their welcomes and guys who just need a change of scenery. There is a candidate for almost every team — though some teams don’t have an obvious choice. Let’s take a look, starting with the AFC East.
Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Pick a backup defensive lineman
The Bills have a significant amount of talent on the defensive line after drafting two edge rushers this year. Among the players who could be considered for a possible trade are Mario Addison, Jerry Hughes and Efe Obada. The Bills engaging in a trade is not guaranteed, however. The depth on the line allows them to use a rotation that has been successful this season. With the way things have been going, a quite compelling offer might be necessary. — Alaina Getzenberg
I could have picked one of Miami’s safeties not named Jevon Holland, but the former 30th overall pick Igbinoghene has been a healthy scratch in all but two games this season — with one of those coming when the team was down its top two corners. With so much money invested into Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, it seems inefficient to keep all three on the roster, and Igbinoghene could benefit from extended playing time for a team with a need at cornerback. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
WR N’Keal Harry
Harry has contributed to the Patriots’ offense in a niche role since coming off injured reserve and is behind Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne on the depth chart. But a team perhaps envisioning a greater role for him — projecting that a change of scenery could result in more promise reflective of his first-round draft status (No. 32 overall in 2019) — might be able to entice the Patriots to move him for modest compensation (e.g., a Day 3 draft pick). — Mike Reiss
Maye, playing on a $10.6 million franchise tag, doesn’t appear to have a long-term future with the Jets. The time to do a contract extension was last offseason, but the two sides never got close. Why would they do it next offseason when he is 29? He is also facing possible league discipline because of pending DUI charges. The Jets are falling out of contention and could acquire a future asset if they deal him now. Maye is said to be open to a trade. — Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier this month that Baltimore has received trade inquiries from teams interested in its current group of running backs. Freeman’s playing time has been limited behind Latavius Murray. If Baltimore traded Freeman, Ty’Son Williams or Le’Veon Bell could receive increased snaps. — Jamison Hensley
TE Drew Sample
Sample, the Bengals’ 2019 second-round pick, has found various roles in Cincinnati’s offense. He still lags behind C.J. Uzomah in snap share and overall productivity, however. It’s highly unlikely that the Bengals will be looking to trade Sample, but given his output and the value he could have to other teams, he could be a potential trade target. — Ben Baby
Billings was a projected starter before the season. Now, he has lost his rotation spot to Sheldon Day and was a healthy scratch Sunday. He has 37 career starts, so any team looking for veteran help up front should have some interest. — Jake Trotter
After losing WR JuJu Smith-Schuster for the season, it’s almost counterintuitive to offer up another wide receiver as a potential trade target, But Washington already expressed a frustration with his lack of involvement in the offense during the preseason. And after playing just eight snaps in the first game without Smith-Schuster on Sunday night, Washington’s concerns seem valid. Without Smith-Schuster, Steelers tight ends got more involved in the passing game — and Washington got only one target. — Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
The biggest trade candidate on the Texans’ roster right now is Watson, who asked to be traded in January. Less than four months later, 22 civil lawsuits had been filed against Watson alleging sexual assault and inappropriate behavior. Despite the lawsuits, the Texans have talked to several teams about trades. Will a team be willing to risk trading for Watson now and meet the Texans’ high asking price? — Sarah Barshop
RB Marlon Mack
Mack requested a trade earlier this season after it became clear he would be the third running back behind Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines. “Just had an agreement with what’s best for me,” Mack said. “They supported me 100 percent. It’s a mutual agreement I would say.” Mack signed a one-year deal with the Colts during the offseason after his 2020 season was cut extremely short by a torn Achilles suffered in Week 1. Mack’s best season was in 2019, when he rushed for 1,091 yards. — Mike Wells
DT Taven Bryan
Bryan has been disappointing since he was drafted 29th overall in 2018, and the emergence of rookie DT Jay Tufele the past three weeks had Bryan inactive for the first time in his career Sunday against Miami. Bryan probably wouldn’t fetch much in a trade, but as injuries across the league mount, he could draw some interest. Bryan is strong and durable (he had never missed a game until Sunday) and could be a role player or a stopgap starter somewhere. Tufele suffered a broken hand in warm-ups last weekend, so Bryan probably will be back in the rotation after the Jaguars’ bye week. — Michael DiRocco
Reynolds signed with the Titans in hopes of getting a chance to be their No. 2 receiver. That was thrown out the window when the team acquired Julio Jones. Reynolds was hurt during camp leading to unlikely candidates Chester Rogers and Marcus Johnson emerging as key role players. Reynolds could be a good option for a team looking for a hungry veteran receiver who can contribute immediately. — Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
CB Kyle Fuller
The question is whether the Broncos would want to surrender the coveted depth they have at cornerback, and they didn’t want to earlier this season when teams inquired. The Broncos already have had to lean on that depth when Ronald Darby missed four games because of a hamstring injury. But when Darby returned against the Raiders on Sunday, it was Darby and rookie Pat Surtain II in the starting lineup and Bryce Callahan as the nickel cornerback with Fuller on the bench. Fuller played just two snaps on defense against the Raiders. He is a better option for many teams than what they have, so the Broncos could be enticed to make a move despite the risk of injuries among their depth chart in a season in which they still think they can compete. — Jeff Legwold
Blythe has been inactive for each of the first six games, and the prospects of him getting into a game aren’t good with rookie Creed Humphrey playing so well. But he might be of interest to a team that needs help at an interior line position. He also can play guard. — Adam Teicher
Had the Raiders lost in an especially disappointing fashion at Denver, I was ready to proclaim RB Kenyan Drake as the best target here. Maybe even CB Casey Hayward Jr. or QB Derek Carr to get the most back for a rebuild. But Las Vegas won convincingly, and all three stepped up. So where to look? It’s not Ferrell’s fault the Raiders used a No. 4 overall draft pick on him. Ferrell has become a role player. He has yet to start this season, and his 19 defensive snaps played at Denver were his second most this year. Maybe a fresh start is exactly what he needs. And yet, it’s hard to see the Raiders getting enough in return. — Paul Gutierrez
No candidate
The Chargers have all of their draft picks and more than $12 million in cap space, which makes them more likely to deal a pick to upgrade the roster than trade away their depth. Their run defense is their Achilles’ heel, especially with DT Justin Jones, LB Kenneth Murray and LB Drue Tranquill all on injured reserve. They’re giving up a league-high 5.5 yards per carry and have allowed 55 first-down runs, most in the league. — Shelley Smith
NFC EAST
The Cowboys wouldn’t want to do this, but Gallup has not played since the opener because of a calf injury and is in the final year of his contract. Would the Cowboys be able to swing a deal for an immediate need (cornerback, defensive tackle) or a potential draft pick? Gallup is a big-play threat and a great fit with Dak Prescott in the passing game, but Cedric Wilson has filled in nicely as the No. 3 receiver behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb. Of course, Wilson is set to be a free agent as well. Given the talent in the group, the Cowboys might be able to get something in return, but they wouldn’t want to walk away from Gallup. — Todd Archer
TE Evan Engram
It’s over. Both sides are in need of a divorce here. Engram has become an afterthought with the Giants, even when they’ve been short-handed offensively. The 2017 first-round pick has barely over 100 yards in four games. As an impending free agent, the Giants should try to get something in return while they can. — Jordan Raanan
LB T.J. Edwards
The Eagles were open to moving one of their linebackers this offseason, and there’s little reason to have changed their stance. Edwards has been productive in his role (26 tackles, sack, 1 TFL), but has been relegated to early-down work for the most part. For those who value physical linebacker play and special team contributions — Edwards had a key punt block against Carolina — he could be an attractive target. — Tim McManus
DT Tim Settle
While fans would want to trade Landon Collins, his contract makes that tough. So the only place Washington has excellent depth is the defensive line. Settle could start on more than a few teams. But here, he is getting only 14.6 snaps per game. Because he is a pending free agent after the season, he would not bring much in return, but Washington could get something for the 2022 draft rather than wait to see about a compensatory pick in 2023. — John Keim
NFC NORTH
QB Nick Foles
The former Super Bowl MVP is collecting dust as the Bears’ third-string quarterback behind Justin Fields and Andy Dalton. Foles, who still plays at a reasonably high level, desperately needs a change of scenery and would probably welcome any trade scenario. Barring injuries to both Fields and Dalton, there is no chance Foles sees the field for the Bears. — Jeff Dickerson
OLB Trey Flowers
Flowers joined the team on a five-year deal as a free agent in 2019 and is fulfilling a pivotal role — especially with all of Detroit’s recent injuries. But he is one of the few players on this team who could have trade value based on his résumé as a two-time Super Bowl champion. If the Lions want to continue their rebuild, they could consider going in a younger direction completely across the board. The chances of this happening are slim, however. — Eric Woodyard
QB Jordan Love
It’s not likely that the Packers would do this trade, but here’s a case in favor of it: It would show Aaron Rodgers that they’re truly committed to him beyond just this season. That might prompt Rodgers to sign a contract extension that would not only help ensure he could finish his career in Green Bay, but also alleviate some of the salary-cap issues that might force the Packers into a rebuilding mode in 2022. It would be risky, because there’s still a chance Love — the No. 26 overall pick in the 2020 draft — could be their next franchise quarterback, but it’s not like he has done anything so far to assure the team of such a future. — Rob Demovsky
With Everson Griffen playing his way into the starting lineup and D.J. Wonnum next in line, Stephen Weatherly hasn’t gotten a whole ton of run as a rotational edge rusher. His snap count has dwindled into the single digits the past few weeks after he took a $500,000 pay cut to avoid being released at the start of the season. The Vikings’ defensive line is one place they aren’t hurting for depth, so if Minnesota could land a sixth- or seventh-round pick for Weatherly, expect the team to deal him at the deadline. — Courtney Cronin
NFC SOUTH
TE Hayden Hurst
The reasoning on this is fairly simple. The Falcons, for all they use two tight ends, have not been giving Hurst all that much work. He is in on 53% of offensive snaps and has 13 catches on 15 targets for 103 yards and one touchdown. He is not Atlanta’s best pass-catching TE (that’s Kyle Pitts) or blocking TE (that’s Lee Smith). Hurst is a good player and could be a No. 1 tight end elsewhere. Plus, he is in a contract year and with the Falcons not picking up his fifth-year option in May, it could mean he’ll be somewhere else in 2022 anyway. So if the trade value was right, it could be sensible to move Hurst. — Michael Rothstein
I can’t see this happening. Not with Gross-Matos or anybody on the roster unless there’s a young left tackle a team wants to move on from. And that’s unlikely. But general manager Scott Fitterer has made 13 trades this year, the second most in the league. And Gross-Matos’ snaps have been greatly reduced due to injuries and others playing well. But the Panthers like his future, so this one is hard to imagine. — David Newton
LB Zack Baun
The Saints used two third-round picks to acquire Baun with the 74th pick of the 2020 draft. And he showed flashes of his potential in the preseason and Week 1 this year. But rookie Pete Werner has since passed him up in the pecking order, and playing time will be even harder to come by when veteran Kwon Alexander returns from injury. Linebacker is one of the few positions where New Orleans has a good deal of depth. — Mike Triplett
No candidate
Just like last season, when they traded for defensive tackle Steve McLendon, the Bucs will try to maximize Tom Brady‘s championship window as much as possible by acquiring a veteran player at the trade deadline. — Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
The answer would have been inside linebacker Jordan Hicks at the start of the season, but he has established himself as a critical piece of this year’s defense. However, Kennard has seen his playing time drop since he missed Week 9 last season because of COVID-19 protocols. He’s averaging about 10 fewer snaps per game this season than in games he played last season. If a team is looking for a veteran presence who can still rush the passer off the edge, Kennard would be the answer. But he won’t get the same kind of playing time in Arizona behind Chandler Jones and Markus Golden that he would elsewhere. — Josh Weinfuss
1:04
Stephen A. Smith reacts to the Eagles trading Zach Ertz to the Cardinals.
No candidate
The Rams are a Super Bowl-caliber team, but depth is not exactly a luxury. There is a significant drop-off from their bona fide talent to their young, midlevel draft picks who have filled out the roster, leaving the Rams without any players other teams would want and whom L.A. would be willing to trade. “A lot of it is based on resources you have at your disposal, different things that lead to what’s the flexibility that you have,” coach Sean McVay said when asked if a deadline move was ahead. “You won’t see any big splash moves like maybe you’ve seen from us in the past.” — Lindsey Thiry
Pick a backup defensive lineman
For multiple reasons, it’s hard to see a deal for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (and his contract) coming together. So, we turn to the only position group the Niners have enough depth to deal from. The Niners love their depth on the defensive line, but if a team is willing to offer something for one of their many backup linemen in the final year of his contract — tackles Maurice Hurst, Kentavius Street and Zach Kerr and ends Arden Key and Jordan Willis are up after the season — they’d have to consider it. — Nick Wagoner
DE L.J. Collier
There has been no indication the Seahawks are looking to trade Collier, and he might not have enough trade value to even make it a worthwhile consideration. But it’s worth a mention here given that the 29th pick of the 2019 draft is now buried on the depth chart. After showing some glimpses during a three-sack 2020 season, he has been a healthy scratch in four of six games. He is making $1.5 million in base salary this season and has another year left on his rookie deal. — Brady Henderson
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