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The most surprising NFL trade proposals that actually make sense

Don't sleep on the NFL's offseason; you never know who could get traded.
ByWynston Wilcox|
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Alex Highsmith
Alex Highsmith | Cooper Neill/GettyImages

Key Points

Bullet point summary by AI

  • NFL teams still have time to make under-the-radar trades before the 2026 season begins. Several surprising player movements could realistically happen soon.
  • Proposed deals include Alex Highsmith joining the Bears, Cole Kmet heading to the Panthers, Jordyn Brooks to Dallas, and James Conner moving to Seattle.
  • These depth-building moves provide teams with critical consistency, veteran reliability, and necessary injury cover ahead of intense playoff pushes.

Don’t get lost in all the big-name players you heard could be on the move. There are quite a few under-the-radar players that could be good trade bait ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Your favorite team still has time to make some moves before Week 1, so don’t get wrapped up in where players like Maxx Crosby, Josh Sweat or Kayvon Thibodeaux end up. There are other options out there that make a lot more sense.

EDGE Alex Highsmith

The Pittsburgh Steelers drew a line in the sand this offseason when they extended Nick Herbig. That meant there wasn’t really room for Alex Highsmith anymore. The Steelers aren’t trading T.J. Watt for the time being, so Highsmith is the odd one out. There are quite a few teams that could benefit from a secondary pass rusher. For what it’s worth, the only team I see worth turning him into a No. 1 option is the Chicago Bears. 

I think the Bears would be better off with someone like Maxx Crosby or Josh Sweat, but it feels like those options have sailed. The Bears make the perfect landing spot because they need to add a true pass rush threat to their defense. Highsmith had 9.5 sacks in 2025, which would have been the second highest on the Bears last year behind Montez Sweat. As good as Sweat is, he needs help and having Highsmith could be the difference between another playoff run cut short and turning into real NFC contenders. 

TE Cole Kmet

Could Cole Kmet become trade bait for the Steelers in a deal for Highsmith? Probably not. In fact, the Steelers have a bit of a tight end conundrum themselves after extending Darnell Washington. That said, Kmet will be able to find a home with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers need to find weapons for Bryce Young and more importantly, need to find a reliable tight end. While Kmet has fallen off the last couple of seasons, he’s as good as done in Chicago with Colston Loveland’s arrival. 

The addition of Kmet to Carolina isn’t about getting an elite tight end, it’s about getting a reliable one. For now, Tetairoa McMillan is really the only true weapon on this offense. Adding a tight end to this offense is only going to make Young better. He looked good last year, but he has a contract due. He still has to prove to Carolina he’s worth being a franchise quarterback; adding Kmet gives him one more piece to work with. 

LB Jordyn Brooks

The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of depth at linebacker. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them turn to Jordyn Brooks as a reliable option. That’s the one thing Dallas has struggled with: solid linebacker play over the last few years. They have one potential answer, but Brooks gives them consistency. In 2025, Brooks had 99 solo tackles, which was first in the NFL, per ESPN. He also had 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, 20.5 stuffs and three passes defended. 

The Cowboys need a linebacker that can create havoc all over the field, especially when it comes to creating plays on run defense. This feels like a move that would probably happen closer to the NFL trade deadline if Brooks ultimately goes to Dallas. The Cowboys are going to see what their young players do through the preseason and evaluate if it’s worth turning to more stability. Once they’re hovering around a playoff spot, they’ll make a desperate move and that feels like this. Don’t be surprised to see Jerry Jones pull the trigger.

RB James Conner

The Arizona Cardinals have no reason to hold onto James Conner with Jeremiyah Love in the picture. It won’t be hard to move Conner with his team-friendly $4.3 million cap hit. The question will be who will actually bite. Seattle could be a team in the mix. I know it’s crazy to think Conner would get traded within the conference. Last year, Joe Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals from the Cleveland Browns, so it’s not irrational. 

The Seahawks are kind of waiting around to see when Zach Charbonnet is going to be ready to go. He most likely won’t be ready for Week 1, but he could still return early in the season. Going after Conner makes sense because this will not only give them depth when Charbonnet returns, but it will take some of the pressure off first-round pick Jadarian Price. The only caveat here is Conner is coming off a severe right foot injury that halted his season after three games. Do the Seahawks want to gamble for a running back in a similar position as Charbonnet?

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