NFL Trade Deadline: 1 player each of 9 obvious sellers should trade and where they should go

As Week 9 comes to a close, teams across the league are beginning to take shape. By now, teams have a general idea about their chances of competing for a postseason berth. The few teams that have a legitimate chance of making it to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans don’t want to squander the opportunity. 

Playoff contenders can use the trade market to bolster their roster for a postseason run, especially since teams that have fallen out of contention could be willing to part with some of their talented players in an attempt to shed salary. 

Nine teams haven't been able to win more than two games through Week 9 of the 2024 season, and all of them have received calls inquiring about some of the talented players on their roster.

Here’s a look at some of the players that could be moved before the trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 5.

One player each of the 9 obvious sellers should deal away at NFL trade deadline and where

Giants: LB Azeez Ojulari

It’s clear that the New York Giants’ season isn’t heading anywhere after they suffered their fourth consecutive loss on Sunday. New York fell to a 2-7 record after their crushing 27-22 loss against the Washington Commanders.

The Giants have reportedly attempted to trade linebacker Azeez Ojulari, who has recorded six sacks this season. Ojulari is still young enough to get better with each snap he takes, but the Giants are already paying outside linebacker Brian Burns and have a looming contract for outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. 

Trading Ojulari now would make sense. The 24-year-old is in the last year of his contract, and he’s likely to leave in free agency after the season if New York doesn’t trade him. This could be the team’s last opportunity to get some value for the young pass rusher.

The Cincinnati Bengals improved to 4-5 after their 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, but they could still use some help across from defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who has accounted for most of Cincinnati’s sacks this season. Ojulari had a stellar performance against the Giants earlier this season when he recorded two sacks, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits against the Bengals. Maybe that was enough to catch Cincinnati’s attention. 

Azeez Ojulari trade landing spot: Cincinnati Bengals

Browns: DE Za'Darius Smith

The Cleveland Browns entered the 2024 season with high expectations after their magical 2023 campaign, but Cleveland’s postseason hopes were crushed by quarterback Deshaun Watson’s disastrous performance. The Browns fell to a 2-7 record after their 27-10 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 9, making them ideal candidates to sell any veteran pieces they have available.

While there are plenty of teams that would love to get their hands on defensive end Myles Garrett, it’s unlikely that the Browns will be willing to part with the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Instead, teams seeking a pass rusher will have to settle for Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

Smith would be an ideal addition for the Detroit Lions, who are hoping to make a postseason run after improving to a 7-1 record in Week 9. Detroit has looked like the best team in the league this season, but the loss of star defensive end Aiden Hutchinson has left the Lions in need of a pass rusher. 

Smith is 32 years old, but he has registered five sacks in nine games this season. The veteran pass rusher has spent time with four different teams during his 10-year career, so it likely wouldn’t take him long to get comfortable in Detroit’s defensive scheme.

Za'Darius Smith trade landing spot: Detroit Lions

Raiders: LB Robert Spillane

The Las Vegas Raiders suffered a humiliating 41-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and fell to a 2-7 record on Sunday. Their struggles shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise after they entered the season with uninspiring quarterback options, but they certainly should have been better than they have been.

The Raiders already traded wide receiver Davante Adams to the New York Jets. There has been plenty has been plenty of speculation around defensive end Maxx Crosby, but the Raiders are unlikely to trade the heart and soul of their team. 

However, the Raiders could opt to move on from some other defensive players after firing their defensive coordinator on Sunday night. There has been speculation that Las Vegas could trade linebacker Robert Spillane. Spillane has emerged as one of the defense’s leaders, but he is on the last season of his two-year deal. The Raiders have to re-sign linebacker Divine Deable, so moving on from Spillane could make sense. 

The 29-year-old linebacker could draw interest from the Buffalo Bills, who have needed help at the position ever since linebacker Matt Milano suffered a torn bicep during a practice in August.

Robert Spillane trade landing spot: Buffalo Bills

Dolphins: DT Calais Campbell

The Miami Dolphins saw their campaign get derailed when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a career-threatening concussion against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Despite having their franchise quarterback in the lineup for Week 9, Miami dropped their second game against the Bills in a 30-27 loss and fell to a 2-6 record.

Miami could shed some salary by trading defensive tackle Calais Campbell. The 38-year-old veteran signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason and has emerged as one of the bright spots on the team. With Miami unlikely to make a postseason berth, Campbell could be in line for a reunion with the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona needs defensive line help and currently holds the top spot in the NFC West. Miami likely wouldn’t get much in return for the aging veteran, but it would at least give him a chance to compete for the playoffs as he nears the end of his playing career.

Calais Campbell trade landing spot: Arizona Cardinals

Patriots: WR Tyquan Thornton

The New England Patriots are going through the typical bumps that should be expected for a team with a rookie general manager, head coach and quarterback. New England needs to be careful and find a balance between selling valuable pieces and keeping enough talent to build around quarterback Drake Maye.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Patriots have considered trading safety Kyle Dugger, which would be shocking if it’s true. The 28-year-old safety is one of the leaders of New England’s defense and he is in the prime of his career. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo shot down the trade rumors surrounding Dugger, but plenty of Patriots wide receivers still remain as potential trade candidates.

Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton was inactive against the Tennessee Titans in Week 9, and the vertical threat could draw interest from teams looking for a deep ball specialist. The 6-foot-2 has raw potential and plenty of speed, which could make him an ideal developmental project for the Kansas City Chiefs, but they just acquired pass rusher Josh Uche from the Patriots last week. 

Instead, Thornton could find more opportunities on the field with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are currently without wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. 

Tyquan Thornton trade landing spot: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Panthers: WR Adam Thielen

The Carolina Panthers managed to capture their second win of the season with a narrow 23-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean they have much to be excited about this year.

The Panthers selected wide receiver Xavier Legette in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and the emergence of undrafted free agent wide receiver Jalen Coker has inspired some hope in Carolina’s future. The Panthers could use this season to focus on their development, and trading away some of their veteran wideouts could create more opportunities for their young talent. 

Carolina already traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens, but they could still have an opportunity to send veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen to another AFC North team. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still desperately searching for wide receiver help, and Thielen could be a solid addition if nothing else works out. Carolina also already has some history of trading with Pittsburgh — they initially acquired Johnson in a trade with Pittsburgh during the offseason.

Adam Thielen trade landing spot: Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaguars: RB Travis Etienne

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a talented nucleus of players surrounding quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but they haven’t been able to overcome their own dysfunction. The Jaguars fell to a 2-7 record with a 28-23 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, erasing any hope of them storming back to win the division like they did in 2022.

The Jaguars are clearly selling their veteran talent. Jacksonville already traded away left tackle Cam Robinson despite struggling to protect their franchise quarterback, and they were expected to trade wide receiver Christian Kirk before he suffered a broken collarbone.

The emergence of running back Tank Bigsby could make running back Travis Etienne expendable, and Jacksonville should consider loading up on draft picks while they can. Etienne, who is returning from a hamstring injury, received just three carries behind Bigsby in Week 9. 

While there aren’t many teams in the market for a running back, the Dallas Cowboys could clearly use some help at the position. The Cowboys season appears to be slipping away — Dallas fell to a 3-5 record after their 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Injecting some 

Travis Etienne trade landing spot: Dallas Cowboys

Titans: DE Arden Key

The Tennessee Titans managed to pull out a 20-17 overtime victory against the New England Patriots in Week 9, but it was only their second win of the season. Tennessee is clearly in a rebuilding phase, so it would be wise to move on from any players who aren’t a part of the team’s long-term plans. 

Titans defensive end Arden Key could garner some interest from teams who aren’t able to acquire Ojulari from the Giants or Smith from the Browns. Key is only 28 years old and he’s still under contract through the 2025 season, so he could serve as more than a short-term rental than Smith. 

Key has recorded four sacks and forced two fumbles through eight games this season, which could be enough to catch the attention of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals improved to a 5-4 record with a win over the Bears, and they are currently sitting atop the muddy NFC West division. Arizona’s defensive line has been depleted by injuries, and Key could help the Cardinals separate from the rest of the division.

Arden Key trade landing spot: Arizona Cardinals

Saints: CB Marshon Lattimore

The New Orleans Saints began the season with two dominant wins, but they have lost seven consecutive games since then. The Saints reached a new low point in their season with a 23-22 loss against the lowly Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Saints will face plenty of salary cap hurdles in the coming offseason, but they could get a head start on shedding salary now. Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore has received plenty of trade interest, and New Orleans could receive valuable compensation if they can manage to trade him before the deadline.

Trading Lattimore could create some difficult salary cap ramifications, and the trade would be further complicated by his hamstring injury. Still, it’s not entirely off the table. Recent reports have suggested that the Kansas City Chiefs have attempted to acquire Lattimore from New Orleans after cornerback Jaylen Watson suffered a season-ending injury. 

Marshon Lattimore trade landing spot: Kansas City Chiefs