The NFL offseason has arrived and the other 31 teams have plenty of work to do if they hope to make up ground on the Seattle Seahawks to claim the Lombardi Trophy in 2026. There is still some time before the new league year begins, which means free agents can't sign yet, but trades can be agreed upon in advance of the new league year.
The rumor mill is already swirling and Bleacher Report has weighed in, with Kristopher Knox proposing seven trades – including the likes of Maxx Crosby and Kyler Murray, among others – that could happen to shake up the offseason. Let's take a look at Knox's deals and see if they make sense or if they are too crazy to happen.
Raiders trade the rights to Fernando Mendoza
While most have assumed that Fernando Mendoza is destined to wear silver and black, Knox suggests an admittedly long-shot scenario that could see him end up in New York instead. Citing the Chicago Bears' trade out of the No. 1 pick in 2023, when Carolina took Bryce Young, Knox projects a move where the Las Vegas Raiders drop down to No. 2 to allow the New York Jets the opportunity to take Mendoza No. 1.
The Raiders would also get the No. 16 pick in this year's draft, a pick the Jets acquired from the Indianapolis Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade, so there would be some value there in the form of an extra one. Even with Knox's admission that the Raiders are unlikely to forego the chance to take Mendoza, this trade doesn't make sense since having the top pick in a draft with only one quarterback having a real first-round grade means they could get a lot more value for No. 1 than one extra first round pick from New York.
Verdict: Ludicrous
Maxx Crosby traded to the Rams
This proposal goes in tandem with the previous deal from Knox, who posits that the Raiders could use the No. 2 pick from New York to take an edge rusher and send Maxx Crosby to the Los Angeles Rams. Crosby is reportedly not happy with the organization after they shut him down late in the season and if fences can't be mended a move to capitalize on his value makes a lot of sense.
The deal would see the Rams send their own first round pick (No. 29 overall), their 2027 first round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick to Las Vegas for Crosby, who could be the last piece they need to get another Super Bowl title with Matthew Stafford. The Rams do have an extra first-round pick this year thanks to a shrewd deal with Atlanta last year so even if they send the Falcons' pick to Las Vegas instead of their own this package could make both sides quite happy.
Verdict: Nearly There
A.J. Brown distraction ends with the Eagles
It certainly feels like the Philadelphia Eagles need to move on from A.J. Brown, who became quite disgruntled over the course of the season. Knox suggests a deal to send Brown to Buffalo in exchange for a second-round pick and young receiver Keon Coleman, who is in an awkward situation with the Bills when owner Terry Pegula hinted in a post-season press conference that he was not GM Brandon Beane's preferred choice when the team drafted him.
Buffalo knows that they need to find more playmakers for Josh Allen if they hope to win a Super Bowl with him and getting Brown would replace what they lost when they moved on from Stefon Diggs prior to the 2024 season. The Eagles would make out well here as well, adding a second-round pick and a young receiver with plenty of talent that could benefit from a change of scenery in Philadelphia.
Verdict: On The Money
Dallas sends George Pickens to the Titans
The other big-name receiver who could be on the move this winter is George Pickens, who had a monster walk year for the Dallas Cowboys. The expectation is that Dallas will franchise tag Pickens if they can't get a long-term deal done, but various media outlets have suggested the Cowboys are open to trading him if they can't reach a deal, with Knox suggesting a potential swap to the Tennessee Titans for a second-round pick.
Tennessee needs weapons for Cam Ward and Pickens would be their unquestioned top receiver, with the Titans in position to satisfy his contract demands with nearly $70 million in salary cap room. This doesn't make much sense for the Cowboys, however, who traded Micah Parsons to give themselves more financial flexibility to keep players like Pickens in the building, so this seems rather unlikely.
Verdict: A Long Shot
Bears trade Cole Kmet to Buccaneers
This trade proposal by Knox is one to address a talented player who has been bypassed in his own locker room as the Bears' pick of Colston Loveland in the 2025 draft made Cole Kmet an overqualified No. 2 tight end. Knox notes that Chicago does have some salary cap concerns, entering the offseason over the projected cap by about $10 million, and trading Kmet would free up nearly all of that amount.
This is where Tampa Bay fits nicely since tight end Cade Otton is a free agent and Kmet would be a good replacement for Baker Mayfield. The projected price of a fifth-round pick seems a bit light since a player with Kmet's ability would have a market, but bumping this up to a fourth-rounder would be fair for both sides.
Verdict: Pretty Close
Saints reunite Alvin Kamara with Sean Payton
Despite plenty of speculation at last year's trade deadline, the New Orleans Saints held on to Alvin Kamara, who appeared to be in decline throughout the season. Kamara is now 31 and coming off a sprained MCL, which could lower his value even more, but Knox suggests reuniting Kamara with his former coach Sean Payton in a deal with the Denver Broncos.
Payton has openly talked about adding a "joker" type player to his offense and Kamara could be that guy since he played the role for him in New Orleans for years. J.K. Dobbins is set to be a free agent so trading for Kamara could help fill that hole for the Broncos, who could work with a tandem of Kamara and R.J. Harvey to provide a strong running game for Bo Nix. The projected cost of the deal (a 2026 7th rounder and a conditional 6th rounder in 2027) is a bit low for New Orleans, but with the team transitioning to more of a youth movement it could help them to do right by Kamara and create an opening for a younger player at the position.
Verdict: On The Money
Steelers find their next quarterback
The hiring of Mike McCarthy as their head coach made it clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers are prioritizing someone who can solve their revolving door at quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired. While most speculation has suggested that Aaron Rodgers could return for one more year with his former coach, Knox takes a bigger long-term swing at the position, having Pittsburgh send a 7th-round pick and a conditional 5th rounder in 2027 to Arizona to take a chance on reviving Kyler Murray's career.
Murray has fallen out of favor with Arizona and has a big long-term contract, so the Cardinals could be motivated to move on here to reset their books and give new coach Mike LaFleur time to find his own quarterback. Even with the contract concerns here, and acknowledging that McCarthy would have a shot to get more out of Murray than the Cardinals have, the lack of quarterbacks in the league and the number of teams looking for new signal callers should mean that Arizona can extract more draft value from a Murray deal than what Knox is proposing.
Verdict: Possible