NFL trade season is officially here. The Minnesota Vikings traded J.J. McCarthy, at long last, shipping him to the New York Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick. This was obviously a wildly disappointing ending to McCarthy's tenure in Minnesota, but the Vikings were able to trade him before his value completely tanked. Meanwhile, the Giants acquired an insurance policy, which was important with Jaxson Dart out for the remainder of the regular season.
McCarthy was the first to go, but he'll be far from the last to get dealt before the NFL's trade deadline. With many teams off to subpar starts, here's a fresh look at FanSided's updated trade deadline big board, with players like Maxx Crosby and Kayvon Thibodeaux no longer in the mix.
10. S Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
Potential landing spots: Bills, Patriots, Chiefs
The Arizona Cardinals stunned the NFL world by earning a shocking Week 1 win, but they've lost two straight to NFC West rivals, falling to 1-2, and it's not like their upcoming schedule lets up anytime soon. This is a team likely to be in a position to sell off veteran talent at the deadline in exchange for future assets, so why not consider dealing the longest-tenured Cardinal, Budda Baker?
This wouldn't be the outcome anybody would want, as Baker is in his 10th season with the Cardinals and is under contract through next season, but Baker, who has 20 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season, can still net the Cardinals a prime asset. Odds are, Baker, who is already 30 years of age, won't be in Arizona or even in the NFL when they're competitive. They should get something for him now, rather than waste the final stretch of his career.
9. QB Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
Potential landing spots: Buccaneers, Texans, Giants
NFL quarterback injuries are prevalent around the league, which is why the Giants made the trade they did for McCarthy. There's reason to believe that deal could be the first of many, and if another desperate suitor were to come about, why shouldn't the Pittsburgh Steelers entertain the idea of trading Mason Rudolph?
Aaron Rodgers just had what might've been his best game with the Steelers in their Week 3 win, further emphasizing the fact that he's the starter and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Young quarterbacks Drew Allar and Will Howard are in the organization as well, itching for an opportunity. Rodgers is the quarterback of the present and Allar and Howard are fighting to be the quarterback of the future. Rudolph fits in neither of these situations, and can net the Steelers a draft pick of some sort from a desperate franchise.
8. WR Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
Potential landing spots: Steelers, Bills, Chiefs
Jerry Jeudy is a 27-year-old with a strong track record, but to say things haven't gone well for him this season would be an understatement. The wide receiver has been targeted five times and has two receptions for 26 yards in three games this season. In Week 3, Jeudy wasn't targeted a single time and was only on the field for 51.4 percent of the Cleveland Browns' offensive snaps.
Jeudy has as many receptions as, and fewer yards than, Blake Whiteheart, their backup tight end. If that's not a sign of where he stands on their depth chart, I'm not sure what to tell you. Both sides could probably use a fresh start at this point.
7. CB Keisean Nixon, Green Bay Packers
Potential landing spots: Cowboys, Steelers, Lions
Keisean Nixon is in his fifth year with the Green Bay Packers and he continues to have his share of ups and downs. He played pretty well in Week 1, but struggled mightily in Weeks 2 and 3. He's a big reason why Green Bay's defense has underwhelmed three weeks into the year and why the team is 1-2. He ranks 71st out of 99 cornerbacks with a 53.5 PFF grade, yet is still a starting outside corner. Yikes.
In addition to Nixon's struggles, the team is trending in the wrong direction, with Thursday's loss against the Atlanta Falcons being particularly alarming. Trading Nixon right now is probably a non-starter, but he's on an expiring contract, and I'm not sold on the Packers ever turning things around. If they fall out of contention, it'd make sense for all parties for Nixon to get a fresh start.
6. EDGE Josh Sweat, Arizona Cardinals
Potential landing spots: Ravens, 49ers, Eagles
Josh Sweat's name has been in trade rumors ever since the Cardinals let head coach Jonathan Gannon go, and while he remains in town, it's fair to wonder how long. Not only are the Cardinals now 1-2, looking like the last-place team they were expected to be, but Sweat has looked like a guy wanting a change of scenery thus far.
He has yet to record a sack and has just three tackles in three games thus far. In 2025, Sweat had 12.0 sacks and 30 tackles (13 for loss), so the difference is quite stark. Perhaps with a change of scenery, Sweat can get back to his usual level of production, and given his track record, the Cardinals should be able to get assets that'll help aid their rebuild.
5. LB Josh Uche, Miami Dolphins
Potential landing spots: Patriots, Chiefs, Cowboys
Speaking of teams trending in the wrong direction, how about the Miami Dolphins? The Dolphins are now 0-3, and look like the likeliest team to finish with the worst record in the NFL. With the Dolphins falling out of contention, trading veterans on expiring contracts should be a no-brainer. Josh Uche is a prime example of this.
Uche, who was traded at the 2024 trade deadline and signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason, already has 11 tackles and three QB hits this season. He can add depth in a linebacker room on any contending team, and his $1.2 million cap hit makes him particularly appealing.
4. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
Potential landing spots: Chiefs, Raiders, Vikings
How about a dark horse? Should the Cardinals trade Marvin Harrison Jr.? Probably not. I mean, he was a top-four pick just two years ago, and they'd be trading him at his lowest value, given that he has just four receptions and 73 yards in three games. With that being said, what if it never works out for Harrison in the desert?
This guy was supposed to be the next great wideout when the Cardinals drafted him, but he had a somewhat uneven rookie year, and has only regressed since. Trading him now, when he's only 24 years old and still has tons of potential, could very well backfire, but it could also prove to be an example of Arizona maximizing whatever value is left. This could be one to watch, especially with Michael Wilson, Jeremiyah Love and Trey McBride all looking like more serious organizational building blocks.
3. EDGE Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers
Potential landing spots: Bills, Lions, Ravens
Khalil Mack returned to the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal, expecting to play on a Super Bowl contender. Instead, he's on a Chargers team that lost home games to expected bottom-feeders, the Cardinals and Raiders, and lost in Week 3 as well, falling to 0-3 on the year. Now, the Chargers, who play in a brutally tough AFC West, and have a brutally tough schedule ahead, might need to come to terms with reality.
The odds of them making the playoffs feel inredibly sim at this point, and if that's the case, trading a 35-year-old on a one-year deal is the responsible thing to do. This is especially true when said 35-year-old is off to another great start and can presumably bring the Chargers a nice piece or two back in return.
2. QB Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Potential landing spots: Buccaneers, Vikings, Cardinals
Trading a reliable backup quarterback is never something that contending teams want to do, knowing that an injury to the starter could then prove to be extra detrimental, but consider the circumstances. Not only is Mac Jones likely to depart the San Francisco 49ers organization after the year as a free agent with a starting role in mind, but if the Niners were to trade him now, there's every reason to believe they'd get to acquire a high-end draft pick. I'm talking about a pick in the first two or three rounds.
Now, if such an offer isn't on the table, sure, hold onto him for the year and give yourself the best chance to win in the event of a Brock Purdy injury. However, if such an offer is on the table, do the Niners really want to turn that down? Why not get a valuable draft pick in exchange for a player you hope never sees the field? Again, if the Niners have this kind of opportunity in front of them, it'd be foolish for them to ignore.
1. CB Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Potential landing spots: Lions, Cowboys, Vikings
I wish I could remove Joey Porter Jr. from the board because he shouldn't belong here. He's a 25-year-old star at a premium position on a good team, and he should be on that good team for a long time. Unfortunately, Porter wants an extension, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have not paid him. A back injury has kept him out for this long, but the longer extension talks remain stagnant at best, the louder trade talks will get.
It was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions are among the teams to express interest in acquiring Porter, and assuming he continues to go on without a deal, more and more teams are likely to join a bidding war. The Steelers shouldn't want to trade him, but if they won't pay him, it makes sense to cash in now rather than lose him for nothing.
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