The NFL season is coming to an end, and we’re about to crown a brand new champion. It’s very surprising, as none of the original favorites are in the championship. The preseason Super Bowl odds, as tracked by Pro Football Reference, went as follows: Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, and San Francisco 49ers. None of those teams made the final four, and half of them didn’t even make the playoffs.
With such a crazy development that left us with a final four of the Patriots, Broncos, Rams, and Seahawks, we see many star players looking for new homes and former top contenders looking to make their next run towards the Lombardi Trophy.
And there are a few stars in situations where they need to get out. Sometimes it's a superstar on a floundering team with no future, or it’s a player who has overstayed his welcome, or one who needs a new coach. When it comes to players who desperately need to get out of the position they’re in, one seems to be the most obvious.
1. Maxx Crosby
Las Vegas Raiders
Maxx Crosby has been in rumors for years, but it’s always ended with his returning to Sin City and playing for the Raiders. He’s facing the reality of playing for his fourth head coach in four seasons. He advocated for Antonio Pierce to take over as head coach full-time after taking over for Josh McDaniels in 2023, but he only had the big job for one season. He even threatened to request a trade if that didn’t happen.
This was the first time we’ve heard of Crosby getting put in trade rumors. However, they’ve been louder and louder with each offseason. This year, it feels like the Raiders finally laid the groundwork for saying goodbye to their superstar pass rusher. With the season already over, and the first-overall pick on the line, the Raiders made the decision to shut down Crosby ahead of their matchup with the New York Giants. That apparently didn’t sit well with Crosby.
Crosby is still 28 years old, and he has plenty of time left to be a game wrecker. If he goes to a team where he’s not the only defensive presence, he could easily get close to 20 sacks. It’s good for the game for the Raiders to get a bounty for Crosby, and it’s even better for the player himself.
2. Justin Jefferson
Minnesota Vikings
Going right into some heat. Now, remember, this is for NFL stars who should ask for a trade. There are few players who we think even come close to Justin Jefferson. The situation in Minnesota is insane, as the offense has no real direction with J.J. McCarthy under center. There is very much a Zach Wilson feel to McCarthy, where there are some aspects of a great quarterback layered under unsatisfying results. We all know how the Wilson era ended in New Jersey.
The Vikings could have had Sam Darnold, who is currently trying to get his team into the Super Bowl, Daniel Jones, who was an MVP candidate before he got hurt, or Aaron Rodgers, who got the Pittsburgh Steelers into the playoffs again. They went with McCarthy and Carson Wentz, and that went terribly.
Unless we see a big change in Minnesota, we don’t see Jefferson ever hitting the heights he saw earlier in his career. He’s still considered one of the best wide receivers in football, and a team would give up a haul for him. Which is why we think the Vikings would consider it. They have other issues, and they have Jordan Addison, who could be a number one. Getting a haul of draft picks could allow them to revamp the offense and build a defense around a new coordinator.
3. Garrett Wilson
New York Jets
Here’s another one we’ve heard about multiple times, but we can’t see this ending with Garrett Wilson in a New York Jets uniform in 2026. He missed most of this season with various injuries, but even when he was on the field, the quarterback play was literally impossible. He was targeted a ton when he was playing, but the Jets lost almost every game with Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor throwing to him.
Wilson played in one win, and he caught zero passes against the Cleveland Browns. In four seasons in the league, Wilson has played for the winning side 20 times. That’s an average of five wins per season, which might seem like more than we remember from this moribund franchise.
It’s time for Wilson to get away from the Jets. It’s unfortunate for the fanbase. They are passionate and deserve stars, but Woody Johnson has not produced any results. With the New England Patriots looking like a championship caliber roster once again, and the Jets sticking with Aaron Glenn for some odd reason, there’s no future in New Jersey. Wilson has to see the writing on the wall and ask for a new start with a different franchise.
4. Trey McBride
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are reportedly having trouble finding someone who is excited to be their head coach. They are nobody’s first choice, but someone will eventually take the job. As the smartest analysts say, there are only 32 of these jobs to go around every year. That’s just math.
However, is that really how we want to go into the season with a team that has the best player at a position? Trey McBride became the heir apparent for Travis Kelce. While Mr. Taylor Swift comes to the end of his career, McBride’s best years are ahead of him. Which is why a move from the Cardinals is needed. Where does he expect this team to be next year? Will it get better the year after?
It seems like the Cardinals are going to “survive” at the quarterback position next season, with a trade of Kyler Murray likely. The free agent options aren’t great, and the trade options aren’t much better. There will be no good quarterback for the Cardinals this season. This hasn’t stopped McBride before, as he broke records this season with Jacoby Brissett under center, but does he really want that to be the narrative of his career? Is he following the Larry Fitzgerald blueprint? If that’s the case, we hope he gets his equivalent of Kurt Warner.
5. Marvin Harrison Jr.
Arizona Cardinals
Sticking with the Cardinals, Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to ask for a trade for a completely different reason. He needs to salvage his career. He’s just 23 years old (turning 24 in August), and he has his entire career ahead of him. There are multiple receivers in the draft who are the same age. However, we haven’t seen much of anything at the next level, and if Harrison is looking to repeat his father’s legacy, he needs to take seven steps forward next season.
That’s not happening in Arizona. It’s just not. He finished last season with 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns. He struggled to get open consistently, and the Cardinals' offense hasn’t seen much positive momentum.
We don’t expect that offense to be any better in 2026. In fact, the Cardinals might be targeting the first-overall pick in 2027. Now, they could find their version of Tyler Shough (maybe Drew Allar or Garrett Nussmeier) and set the stage for a surprising season, but that’s unlikely at this point. Plus, another team would be willing to pay a good price for Harrison. He’s far from a distressed asset, but one more season with mediocre statistics might put him in a more uncomfortable conversation.
6. Blake Corum
Los Angeles Rams
There are two teams in the NFC Championship Game with a running back duo that basically eats from each other, and any of those four names can be on this list. We went with Blake Corum slightly ahead of Kenneth Walker because Walker was still a 1,000-yard rusher this season. Corum, on the other hand, played multiple games where he was an afterthought.
When Corum was given a chance to shine, he shone. Only eight players have at least 700 yards rushing and more than five yards per attempt this season. Corum is in the same conversation as De’Von Achane and Bijan Robinson. He clearly has the skill set of a starting running back. He’s just sitting behind one of the best in Kyren Williams.
We don’t think the Rams have any interest in losing Corum. They like having two incredible running backs in the backfield, but it’s definitely hurting Corum’s ability to cash in. If he is able to showcase his skills next season, he has two more years until he can become a free agent, but he can demand a new contract (since his current one pays him close to the minimum). It will be awkward, but if he’s a Super Bowl hero, he will deserve a payout. If the Rams can’t provide it, someone else would be happy to give it to him.
7. Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is by far the most impactful name on this list. He also feels very unlikely that he would go this route, but we have to talk about it. This season was bizarre for Burrow. Many analysts said they were getting Andrew Luck vibes from the former number-one overall pick. It’s been a few rough seasons in Cincinnati, where his own injuries have prevented a run to the playoffs. We all remember Burrow taking the Bengals to the Super Bowl, but that was five seasons ago now. It might be time to see what’s out there.
The college football landscape has changed. Since players are getting paid, guys like Dante Moore and Trinidad Chambliss are fighting to stay in school instead of the other way around. Quarterbacks are scarce in the league, and it’s only going to get worse. So, a guy like Burrow, even with the injury concerns, is incredibly valuable.
The problem for the Bengals is that trading Burrow means they need to find another quarterback, and they will have trouble finding one. Maybe they can take a chance on a guy like Kyler Murray, but that’s a huge downgrade. The situation probably doesn’t end up working out, but Burrow should seriously consider his next move. Where he goes next, if anywhere, will define his legacy. It’s been too many years where Burrow was watching the playoffs from his couch.
8. Derrick Henry
Baltimore Ravens
This one is spicy, but we think it makes sense. Maybe this is less imperative since John Harbaugh was shown the door, but there were multiple times in Baltimore where Derrick Henry was the obvious choice to drive the offense, and he was on the bench. He has been incredible since signing a two-year deal with the Ravens in 2024. Last season, with just an $8 million salary expected in 2025, Henry signed a two-year extension that ripped up the first contract and close to doubled his salary.
Henry is going into the last year of his contract, and at 32 years old, he’s facing his own mortality. Despite his age, he’s still one of the best in the league. He’s largely avoided major injuries, and he’s built like an Adonis. Henry should be one of the most impactful running backs next year, and he could continue that impact well into his 30s.
Many might say the best route forward for Henry is sticking with the Ravens, but if he really wants to win a championship, there are better opportunities. Obviously, the Chiefs are likely losing Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, so they would jump at the chance to trade for Henry.
9. Mike Evans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The biggest surprise on this list is Mike Evans. He is Tampa Bay Buccaneers football, but everything changed for him last season. He missed out on 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, which started in 2014. This season, injuries really hurt him, but he wasn’t even on pace for 1,000 yards. He had fewer than 400 yards in eight games. Simple math shows that even if he played all 17 games, that wasn’t going to get him to 1,000 yards.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were messy this past season. They still had a chance to make the playoffs, but a weird tiebreaker meant that the Carolina Panthers lost a win-and-in scenario, but then still got in because the Falcons beat the Saints. The NFC South is the worst division in football, with every team ending the season under .500.
Evans has a Super Bowl ring, so he’s not desperate for a championship, but he could add another to his name and really stamp his Hall of Fame candidacy. If he goes to the Chiefs or Patriots and wins a championship there, it only helps his case. We think, at this point in his career, Evans is going to push for that.
10. Jeffrey Simmons
Tennessee Titans
Full disclosure, Jeffrey Simmons is at the end of this list because we’re on the fence about what he should do next. The Tennessee Titans just hired Robert Saleh to be their next head coach. Having such a great defensive mind leading the pack has to be enticing for him. We’re also sure he was a big reason why Saleh wanted the job. He’s a superstar who has been stuck on a middling franchise for most of his career.
At the end of the day, Simmons is going to be 29 years old, and the Titans are still pretty far away from competing for a championship. By the time they get there, who knows how old Simmons will be and how effective he’ll be on the field. We can see that get in the way of franchise loyalty.
Simmons is a class act, and this will definitely be a hard decision, but he only has a few more years left of really impressive impact on the field. He had 11 sacks last season, and that would go really far, especially at the defensive tackle position. Twenty NFL teams would line up to sign Simmons if he were to become available. Let the man get to a contender, and maybe he will re-sign with the Titans later in his career. We’ve seen that done before.