3 teams who should sell at the NFL trade deadline but won't

It’s one of the more interesting times of the NFL season. With the NFL trade deadline approaching, teams have to be really honest with themselves about where they're at and where they're headed over the remainder of the year.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen several players on the move and many more rumored to be on new teams before the deadline. But there are always those teams that are hesitant to make any drastic moves. Some don’t want to trade away some players that could help them go on a late-season run as they’re still optimistic they can turn things around. And others aren't eager to make any big moves in case they don’t end up making up the ground necessary to contend for a playoff spot.

Let’s take a look at the former. There are a handful of teams that could instantly shift their focus to next season, and probably should. They haven’t done enough to make it seem realistic they could end up in the playoffs. But denial ain't just a river in Egypt, and they aren’t willing to give up hope yet — for better or worse.

Here are some teams that should be selling before Tuesday’s deadline, but probably won’t. 

3 teams who should sell at the NFL trade deadline but won't

1) Cincinnati Bengals

This hasn’t been quite the season Cincinnati had expected. They started out by losing the first three games of their season, and while they’ve gone 3-2 since to stabilize things, there’s nothing we’ve seen from this Bengals team that instills confidence that they’ll return to the postseason — much less challenge the Chiefs, Ravens, Bills and the rest of the top of the AFC.

Dogged by health issues, Cincy's defense hasn’t looked anything close to the units that once had Lou Anarumo at risk of being lured away for a head coaching job. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins remain dangerous, but time again we've seen them fail to keep pace with the best teams on their schedule. The Bengals have pieces to move that could not only help them next season, but not even force them to completely tank the rest of the 2024 season as well. Two players in particular that come to mind are Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson. 

Though Hendrickson backed off his initial trade request from the offseason, it could be something to monitor if the Bengals decide to get active. Hendrickson could yield a great return as he’s up to his destructive ways, with seven sacks on the season. It would make sense for Cincinnati to hold on to him, but if they wanted to pivot with an eye toward reloading in 2025 and beyond, he could be a great trade asset.

As for Higgins, well, the Bengals aren’t bringing both him and Chase back next season. It wouldn’t make sense to let Higgins walk without getting a return if they ultimately decide they don’t want to bring him back. Though the Bengals said they don’t plan on moving him, things could change before Tuesday; nothing clarifies a team's decision-making like a deadline.

The Bengals have to consider making moves now and make the most of what’s left. Is it worth holding onto Higgins and maybe Hendrickson if you finish 9-8 or worse and miss the playoffs?

2) New York Jets

The New York Jets finally won a game for the first time in what’s felt like forever. But it seems the Bills are going to run away with the division, so at best, New York is playing for a Wild Card spot. And even then, it's a crowded race: They’re battling it out with the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

It’s a tough spot to be in for Aaron Rodgers and Co. When you fire your coach midseason, that usually means you’ve reached rock bottom and don’t plan on turning things around before next year. That said, they also went and traded for Davante Adams, and that’s not a move a team that should be selling would do. I think if the Jets lost on Thursday, it would be a clear sign to start offloading players. But with the win, things are murkier. And it might instill some belief the Jets can get back to contending this season.

New York has put all their eggs in this year's basket, and it can't afford to not hedge at least a little bit. They should put themselves in a similar position as the Bengals and offload just enough to get a return on a couple quality players while retaining enough to be competitive, if they still believe the playoffs are within reach.

3) Miami Dolphins

Staying in the AFC East, I think the Dolphins should consider making some moves: Jalen Ramsey, Tyreek Hill and possibly Calais Campbell.

The Dolphins have lost five of their last six games. And while QB dysfunction had a lot to do with that, not even getting Tua Tagovailoa back is going to be able to save this season. After a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in which Tagovailoa played well, that might all but solidify that this year is a wash for Miami.

Hill is still almost as electric as ever despite his age, and would still net a hefty return if made available before the deadline. Even if the team decides to move him, Jaylen Waddle could become the No. 1 option in that offense without a ton of dropoff. Campbell doesn't fit with Miami's timeline if it decides to punt on 2024, while Ramsey's salary has officially outpaced his production.

The Dolphins don’t have to trade away all three players, but it might be worth looking into what you could get for them just to see what their value is. That said, it’s not likely Miami makes any moves; they feel they can still find a way to sneak into a crowded pool of Wild Card potentials, and they're heavily invested in competing this season.