The NFL Draft is over, and there are dozens of teams thinking they killed it. The headlines were insane this time, with Shedeur Sanders falling to the fifth round after coming in as a possible top-three pick. One storyline that never came to fruition was a star getting moved during the draft. We see it very often where teams will trade stars during the draft.
The only player that got traded was backup quarterback Sam Howell, going from the Seattle Seahawks to the Minnesota Vikings. However, that's not really impressive. It's not Randy Moss to the Patriots in 2007 or the Herschel Walker disaster. Since there weren't any trades on draft weekend, we still expect some of these veterans to move. Who could still find a new team prior to Week 1?
15. Kenneth Walker
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks have been revamping this offense all offseason. They’ve already traded DK Metcalf and Geno Smith and released Tyler Lockett. The offense is now centered around newly-signed Sam Darnold and young upstart receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks also have these two amazing running backs who can drive value on that side of the ball.
Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet have been an incredible duo. Just three seasons ago, Walker was the runner up for rookie of the year. He’s a power runner who can break away from tackles and make a big play at any moment. However, here’s the issue for the Seahawks, Charbonnet is just as good as Walker when given an opportunity.
Walker also hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and that devastated his season last year. Walker only played 11 games, and he was probably healthy for four of them. That’s why Walker only averaged 3.7 yards per carry. He had a career low in yards, touchdowns, and almost all of the rushing efficiency stats.
He still has value across the league. The Seahawks used him much more in the passing game. Teams will really like that, and his explosive ability will have a team sending assets to Seattle. Give the rock to Charbonnet and call it a day.
14. Najee Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
It probably feels crazy to think a player who literally just signed with a new franchise could get traded, but this is hardly off the table for a guy like Jim Harbaugh. He is all about what’s best for the team, and if Harris doesn’t make sense for their offense from Day 1, it might be best to find him a new home. We’re talking in hypotheticals here, but the stage has been set.
The Chargers used their first round pick to select Omarion Hampton, the running back out of North Carolina. He was the consensus number two in this draft behind Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, who went sixth to the Raiders. Some even believe that Hampton will have a better career than Jeanty when it’s all said and done.
If Hampton really is as good as people say he is, why would they keep another former first rounder on the roster just to take carries from him? Harris wants to be a starting running back, and he’s probably a top-32 RB in the league. Would he be happy playing second fiddle when he just showed up?
Of course, Hampton would have to beat out Harris in training camp and the preseason for this to work out. Harris also needs to prove he is worthy of a trade.
13. Jalen Ramsey
Miami Dolphins
This rumor has been swirling for months. We’re starting to wonder what the Miami Dolphins are expecting in a trade for Jalen Ramsey. Or maybe, teams just aren’t interested in a 30-year-old cornerback. Something is happening here because the Dolphins have been open about trading the star.
When asked about not trading Ramsey at the draft (as reported by the Miami Herald), Dolphins GM Chris Grier said “We had conversations through the weekend with teams. Whenever it happens, we will make the deal at the appropriate time.” That doesn’t sound like a team that’s in a rush, but it does sound like Ramsey has taken his last snaps in Miami.
There’s also the situation of the cap hit. If the Dolphins trade Ramsey today and don’t date it for later in the offseason, it would put a $25 million dead cap hit charge on them. If they wait until June 1, that hit is reduced to around $8-9 million this year with some money split next year.
Ramsey is probably the one guarantee on this list. The Dolphins have been open about wanting to find him a new landing spot. He’s motivated to play for a contender, and the Dolphins look like anything but after the offseason they’ve had.
12. Tayson Hill
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have loved the flexibility brought to them by Taysom Hill. He plays just about every position, lining up at literally every position outside the offensive line. He came into the league as a quarterback, but he’s taken running back snaps, caught the ball as a receiver and tight end, and also ran some Wildcat packages for both Sean Payton and Dennis Allen.
With Kellen Moore in the building as the guy running the show, and with rumors that Derek Carr might be looking at a missed season, the Saints need to focus their offense a little more. Hill is a luxury they can’t really afford at this point. New Orleans might be looking at a full-fledged rebuild starting with this season. Understanding that fact, what use could a 34-year-old gadget player hold for them?
The question here is if a team would trade for Hill with his current $10 million base salary. He is in the last year of his deal, so maybe some up-and-coming offenses would bring him aboard, but it’s hard to pin down which team would make that move.
We are talking about the NFL here. Offensive coordinators love options, and they love an excuse to get creative. There are few weapons in the league, even at his advanced age, that bring the package flexibility that Hill has.
11. Jameis Winston
New York Giants
What a strange career it has been for Jameis Winston. The former number-one overall pick thought he would leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and have a laundry list of options to choose from for starting jobs. It’s literally never worked out that way. He went to New Orleans to learn under Drew Brees, but he was given the starter’s job only to lose it due to injury. Surprisingly, he spent four years in New Orleans before signing in Cleveland last season.
He was actually pretty decent with the Browns last season. He was inconsistent, but that’s nothing new. He threw for 2,121 yards and 13 touchdowns with 12 interceptions for the putrid Browns. He did this over seven starts.
At times, Winston still showed an ability to make something out of nothing, but he also threw interceptions with an intense frequency. He was fourth in interceptions last season despite only those seven starts. It just wasn’t the best showcase for Winston.
Winston signed with the New York Giants this offseason, but a lot has happened since then. The Giants went on to sign another veteran in Russell Wilson, and they’ve basically already named him the starter for the year. Then, they traded back into the NFL Draft’s first year to acquire Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss. He’s the future for them. Winston really doesn’t have a spot, but another team might desperately trade a Day 3 pick for him if they suffer some QB injuries.
10. Mark Andrews
Baltimore Ravens
We’re surprised that Mark Andrews is still a member of the Baltimore Ravens franchise. He’s a superstar tight end, sure, but the stink of how last season ended has to be a cloud over his place in Baltimore. He dropped a two-point conversion that would have tied their Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills. Who knows what would have happened next, as the Ravens seemed more equipped to beat the Chiefs than the Bills were.
Throughout the offseason, there have been rumors that Andrews might not be long for the Ravens. GM Eric DeCosta even eluded to the fact that last season might have been Andrews’ last with the Ravens, but a trade still hasn’t happened. The Ravens, like so many other teams on this list, are waiting for the right partner and the right opportunity.
That was, until the other day when DeCosta said the opposite. He says he “expects Mark Andrews to be on this team.” That’s fine to say, but let’s call it what it is. That’s a negotiating tactic. Unlike Ramsey on the Dolphins, where Miami is belaboring the point that they want to find a deal, the Ravens are trying to gain leverage in a market that’s pretty robust with veteran assets.
Andrews is making around $10 million next season. That’s hardly going to stop teams from making the move. Andrews was really good in the second half of last season. Tight ends are a premium in today’s NFL. There are only a few who can do what Andrews does, and we expect that to force a team’s hand to make the deal.
9. Kayvon Thibodeaux
New York Giants
The New York Giants are still wheeling and dealing this offseason, trying to find the perfect formula to gain traction in the NFC East. Unlike other teams in the Giants’ position, everyone’s jobs are on the line. GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are on the hottest seats in the league at both positions. The Giants are pretty close to cleaning house.
So, expect them to remove anything that’s repetitive on the depth or anyone who isn’t working out. Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux fits into both of those categories. The Giants just drafted Abdul Carter, who appears to be a transcendent pass rusher, with the third-overall pick. He should make an immediate impact on the league, especially playing next to Dexter Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Thibodeaux has been downgraded on the Giants roster. It comes at a terrible time for him as well. The Giants just picked up his fifth-year option. His next contract should be on the horizon. However, it will be hard to maximize his value if he’s not the team’s top pass rushing option.
It makes sense for everyone to get value out of the former fifth-overall pick. He has one 11.5 sack season under his belt, but he followed that up with 5.5 last year. A team will believe in his upside, especially at just 24 years old, but the Giants should see the value in moving him.
8. Cole Kmet
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears made one of the shocking draft picks of the night in the first round. With superstar Penn State tight end Tyler Warren on the board, they instead went for Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th-overall pick. It continues with their commitment of building an offense of weapons around Caleb Williams. They also drafted wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second round, giving Williams almost too many weapons.
So, it makes sense for them to move one of those weapons. Cole Kmet has been in the top half of the league in terms of tight end production for most of his career, but he’s never been able to take that next step forward.
Kmet signed a four-year, $50 million contract extension just two years ago. He responded to that deal with just 434 receiving yards last season. We hear the Bears want to keep Kmet in the offense, even saying he could have a significant role. That just doesn’t seem logical. The Bears now have Loveland, DJ Moore, Burden, and Rome Odunze. That’s on top of D’Andre Swift, who is a pass-catching running back. Where are these significant targets coming from?
Kmet would have more value for another franchise. He’s still young at 26 years old and he’s proven to be a contributor in the past. He just now needs a new opportunity.
7. Trey Hendrickson
Cincinnati Be
This rumor continues to persist, so we can’t ignore it. After the Cincinnati Bengals signed both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to monster extensions, the Bengals are in a bad way with salary cap, both now and in the future. That has a lot of analysts believing that Trey Hendrickson isn’t next on the list to get a monster deal himself.
Hendrickson was incredible last season for a Bengals defense that did nothing outside of his contributions. He finished the season with 17.5 sacks for the second-straight year. He dominated the line of scrimmage, and his pass-rushing ability is up there with the best in the league. An elite pass rusher is hard to come by, and the Bengals have one.
However, they didn’t necessarily help themselves to quell the rumors. The Bengals drafted Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart. Some analysts point out that Stewart and Hendrickson might complement each other well, but it could just be a simple replacement. Hendrickson is on the wrong side of 30, and he might want one last large payday before he’s too old to get one.
It’s not crazy to think the Bengals could make this work. A Bengals defense without Hendrickson definitely isn’t going to get better. They want to compete in the AFC with one of the top QBs in football, but they can’t always be playing from behind. We do have to follow the signs, and a trade still appears to be the most likely option.
6. Brock Purdy
San Francisco 49ers
Admittedly, this is the shock of the list, but let’s go through everything we know about the relationship between the San Francisco 49ers and Brock Purdy. Purdy brought the Niners out of a bad situation with the Trey Lance draft pick, one of the biggest busts in recent memory. The former last pick in the draft is now a top-16 quarterback in the league.
The 49ers and GM John Lynch have to ask themselves what that is worth. Do they want to give Purdy top-of-the-market money like the Jaguars did with Trevor Lawrence or the Packers did with Jordan Love? The 49ers might think Purdy is a product of Kyle Shanahan, and they might like what a desperate team would pay for a legit starter if theirs goes down. Imagine if the Vikings see JJ McCarthy get hurt again or if the Saints want to jump into the future without Derek Carr?
Purdy has incredible value on the market. If he was a free agent, a team would absolutely pay him upwards of $50 million per season for his services. For some reason, the 49ers are hesitant to go that far.
The issue with this theory is timing. This made much more sense when the 49ers could have signed Sam Darnold or traded for someone like Geno Smith. Aaron Rodgers is still out there, and he has a history with California from his college days, but he might still be mad they overlooked him in the draft 20 years ago. They could also shoot for a guy like Jake Browning or Kirk Cousins. There is a route to make this work.
5. Kirk Cousins
Atlanta Falcons
Speak of the Devil, the Atlanta Falcons really put themselves in a corner with Kirk Cousins. There’s no way he will want to sit behind Michael Penix from the start this season. That could turn into an ugly situation if the Falcons don’t go about this in the right way. At the end of the day, as long as Cousins’ ridiculous paychecks clear, the 36-year-old quarterback has to keep showing up.
The consensus is that Cousins’ money is making this trade nearly impossible. He’s owed $40 million this year, and that cap number jumps to $57 million next season. There is some relief after this season, but teams will still have a serious dead cap number on their hands if Cousins is done after the year.
Even cutting Cousins after June 1, 2026 would hit a team with a $22.5 million cap hit. Signing up for that is going to be tough at the bargaining table. Of course, we expect the Falcons to eat a ton of money, but they don’t seem to want to be in the business of taking on the entirety of the hit.
Cousins is going to have to be patient while he waits for his next gig. Honestly, it will likely be to a stop we’re not even thinking about because an injury will have to do with it.
4. Jameson Williams
Detroit Lions
The relationship between Jameson Williams and the Detroit Lions has always seemed a little strained. The uber-talented wide receiver was drafted to be THE guy there, but he was coming off a major injury that delayed his development. Then, when he returned, he was suspended for gambling. He was suspended again last season for violating the league’s ban on PEDs. This is now a trend, and the Lions are trying to be a Super Bowl contender. They can’t rely on him if he’s going to constantly get himself into trouble.
Despite the suspension, Williams still put together his first 1,000-yard season last year. He also scored seven times in the prolific Lions offense. He proved to be a dynamic option next to Amon Ra St. Brown. The Lions’ offense is incredible with those two, along with the running back duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Like half of the teams on this list, the Lions shut down trade rumors. Sure, it would be nice to have an ideal scenario where Williams breaks out in Detroit, but it’s more likely he does that elsewhere. This prolific offense doesn’t need him like other teams would. A team is going to pay for a wide receiver who seems to be on the precipice of making the leap.
3. Jaire Alexander
Green Bay Packers
This is another rumor that has been persistent for most of the season, but it doesn’t always make the most sense. The Green Bay Packers want to be a contender this season. Their city just hosted the NFL Draft to great fanfare. The vibes in Wisconsin seem to be high around the Packers. Why would they want to trade their legendary cornerback who is still playing at a high level?
The talk seems to surround injuries and salary. Alexander is expected to make $16 million next season and $18 million in 2026. He’s also missed 21 games over the past two seasons. Knowing his injury history, the $17 million in cap space they’d get for trading him has to be enticing for the Packers.
There are also reports that Alexander is not thrilled with how this has gone down. Those hurt feelings happen all the time and can be fixed, but it’s not the best place to be going into May and the rest of the NFL offseason before training camp.
This will likely come down to two possibilities: either Alexander restructures his contract with the Packers or he plays in another uniform next season. The Packers would probably prefer that happens through a trade so they get assets back, but it could also come in the form of a release.
2. Tyreek Hill
Miami Dolphins
The last two on the list could literally change a tweener team into a Super Bowl contender. Let’s start with Tyreek Hill, still one of the best wide receivers in the National Football League. Hill is getting up there in age, but he’s shown no signs that his ability is dropping. However, he is dropping hints that he could want out of Miami.
The Dolphins are in a strange place. They have Tua Tagovailoa entering his prime, but the rest of the roster smells like rebuild. Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier might be on the hot seat, so tanking the season doesn’t seem to be in their interest. Yet, the moves they are making points to that being the goal.
Maybe Miami surprises everyone and keeps the roster mostly intact at this point. Maybe they even add some pieces. It wouldn’t floor most people if the Dolphins snuck into the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
Yet, it makes more sense to collect assets for the future and figure out what’s next in the 2026 offseason. Hill should bring them a significant package, and another team can figure out if they should sign him to an extension. Life with Tyreek Hill is a roller coaster. The Dolphins might want to get off.
1. Micah Parsons
Dallas Cowboys
Micah Parsons is one of the few non-quarterbacks who can still change the dynamic of a team’s roster by just being there. He’s probably the best defensive player in the league. And because the Dallas Cowboys haven’t learned from Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, and a host of other star players, they are letting this contract negotiation drag out.
This should be as simple as any deal in the league. Ask Micah Parsons what he wants to get paid. Compare that to the rest of the league, and find something realistic. Parsons should be the highest-paid defensive player in the league. Myles Garrett was just given $40 per season. Beat that and this is probably a done deal.
But that’s not how the Cowboys do business. Everything has to be complicated, and there will come a point where Parsons wants out. Unlike other superstars, Parsons has the leverage to force a trade if he’s over the process. Any team will give him what he wants. He’s special, and there are only so many players in the history of the league as talented as Parsons.
The Cowboys would get an insane haul if they did trade Parsons, but it would still send the Cowboys in the wrong direction. No amount of assets or cap space would make this deal worth it. That doesn’t mean the Cowboys won’t do it.