With less than a month until the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline, the rumor mill is churning at warp speed. While not quite the midway point of the season, we are beginning to understand which teams are in it for the long haul, and which teams can probably smash the reset button and start thinking about next year. The contenders will attempt to upgrade and augment their current rosters. The pretenders will be on the prowl for value. More specifically, draft capital.
There are plenty of trade candidates picking up steam, all of them from unique circumstances. No two trade targets are created equal. Circumstance, skill set, age, preferences — all that factors into whether or not a player might fit with a new team in a new locale.
The Week 6 NFL slate solidified plenty of important narratives, from the Chiefs' rebound to Baker Mayfield's MVP candidacy. Meanwhile, here are 10 possible trade chips and their ideal destinations, on paper.
CB Rasul Douglas, Miami Dolphins → Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions' DB room is in complete shambles right now due to injury, which was on full display in their Monday night loss to the Chiefs. This Detroit offense is a singular force, but it won't matter whatsoever — especially late in the campaign — if the Lions are unable to keep their opponents' pass attack in check. In comes Rasul Douglas, who inked a one-year contract in August and has since performed admirably while the Miami Dolphins collapse around him.
Put the veteran on a real team and watch him flourish. There's no doubt whatsoever that Douglas, an ex-Super Bowl champ with the Eagles back in his rookie season, would benefit, personally and professionally, from playing out the final year(s) of his prime in a winning situation. The Lions can give him an earnest shot.
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens → Buffalo Bills
For many, the Baltimore Ravens began the season as favorites to win the AFC, even the Super Bowl. Flash forward to now and Baltimore is 1-5, Lamar Jackson is hurt, and their season already feels dead in the water. It's too early to write the obituary, but the historical precedent for 1-5 teams is bleak.
DeAndre Hopkins popped early in the campaign when Jackson was still healthy. He looked well on his way to a vintage season. Unfortunately, his production (and his usage) has stalled. Hopkins only has nine catches through six weeks, averaging a whopping 19.8 yards per reception. He can still make dazzling catches over the top, he can still beat receivers one-on-one on the outside, but Hopkins' days as a WR1 are over, Still, the Buffalo Bills can always use more experienced weapons at wide receiver. If you can't stay afloat with Jackson in Baltimore, following the chain of opportunity to Buffalo is an ideal outcome.
TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns → Los Angeles Chargers
All that is missing from the Cleveland Browns franchise is, well, a franchise quarterback. And a new head coach. And preferably a complete, top-to-bottom teardown that cleans house and meaningfully resets the vibes. That is almost certainly off the table, however, but we can still expect Cleveland to shop top players around at the deadline. Especially those on short-term contracts.
Njoku has 23 receptions for 223 yards and a touchdown in six starts for the Browns. His per-catch output isn't what it once was, but Njoku still provides to a towering lob threat for quarterbacks in high-leverage spots (one TD, seven first downs) and a solid blocking presence at 6-foot-4, 246 pounds. Of all the realistic NFL contenders, the Los Angeles Chargers have by far the worst tight end setup right now. It's time to get Justin Herbert some help and launch Njoku's career to the next level by getting him out of the Cleveland-based purgatory in which he presently resides.
DE Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals → Kansas City Chiefs
It feels like the Kansas City Chiefs are going to be just fine after an impressive Sunday Night Football victory over the previously 4-1 Lions. Patrick Mahomes looked like his old self, albeit without much resistance from an injury-battered Detroit defense.
That said, the Chiefs' defense could can use reinforcements of its own, and Campbell — a 39-year-old rental, no doubt hoping to scale the mountaintop and win the Super Bowl before he retires — fits like a glove. He offers Kansas City stellar run protection on the defensive line, which is something the Chiefs have struggled with all season. He is also a tremendous veteran leader for any locker room, even one with Kansas City's wealth of built-in experience.
Even after a slow start, the Chiefs are the safest bet to win their conference by default. Campbell can go out swinging with a great team, while the 2-4 Arizona Cardinals take the L and start to build toward the future.
RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints → Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers naturally throw the football a ton with Aaron Rodgers lined up under center. Credit where it's due, Arthur Smith has adjusted beautifully to his new quarterback and put the Steelers in a position to win every week. That said, the run game needs help. Jaylen Warren assumed RB1 duties following Najee Harris' free agent departure. It was a long time coming, but Warren simply looks overmatched relative to other bell cow backs around the league.
Alvin Kamara is a unicorn of sorts — the rare veteran running back who's still putting up Pro Bowl numbers in his early-30s. Pittsburgh probably views Kamara as a rental, but he's a far more dynamic option working out of the backfield. He can run between the tackles, bounce to the outside, or run crisp routes and impact the game as a pass-catcher. Kamara's arrival pushes Warren back to his more natural change-of-pace duties and gives Rodgers another accomplished, dependable weapon to incorperate offensively. This is a great outcome for all parties invited.
RB Breece Hall, New York Jets → Dallas Cowboys
Breece Hall has 88 carries for 410 yards through six weeks, averaging a healthy 4.7 yards per tote despite the New York Jets' otherwise anemic offense. He's a shining star in the dimmest possible environment. We need to disband the Jets, but in the meantime, we should get Hall to a more competitive team. His contract is about to expire and the Jets are in no position to spend big money on extending a running back.
The Dallas Cowboys have been trying to figure out their running back situation for two-plus years now. Rico Dowdle appeared to offer a solution out of the blue in 2024, but Jerry Jones let him walk and now he's dropping 200-plus yards on Dallas in a Panthers uniform. Javonte Williams has performed well through six weeks, finding pay dirt five times and averaging 5.2 yards per carry, but he's not a bell cow, workhorse-type back the same way Hall is. If Dallas is willing to pay up long term, Hall can stimulate an already-elite offense in exciting ways, setting up an explosive pass attack from Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
DE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals → San Francisco 49ers
Trey Hendrickson was the focal point of trade rumors all offseason as the Cincinnati Bengals refused to extend him. Both sides eventually agreed to terms on a one-year stopgap contract, but it's becoming harder to imagine the Bengals keeping him around. As another season spirals down the drain, now feels like the time to get value on the trade market and retool.
Plenty of teams could use an All-Pro edge rusher like Hendrickson, who led the NFL in sacks last season. He posted 17.5 sacks in back-to-back campaigns and is up to 4.0 already in 2025. The San Francisco 49ers recently lost Nick Bosa to a season-ending ACL injury. The Niners front office has spent the last couple summers shedding salary, which ideally sets them up to splurge on a trade like this and even re-sign Hendrickson come the offseason. Hendrickson is great on his own right now. Pair him with Bosa in 2026, and the vaunted Niners defense will be back in peak form.
QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts → New York Jets
Daniel Jones has blossomed into a true franchise quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. At least, that's how it feels, with Indy posting the highest point differential of any team through six weeks. That sets up what feels like an inevitable Anthony Richardson trade. For as bad as Richardson has been to start his career, he's too valuable as a former first-round pick to let him rot on the bench.
The Jets, meanwhile, can't keep trotting Justin Fields out there every week. Do I expect Anthony Richardson to come in and thrive behind a shoddy offensive line with a milquetoast playcaller, in a generally unserious clubhouse with poor leadership at every level? Of course not, but he's so crazy talented that it's worth a shot in the dark for a Jets team that needs to be thinking about the future. A future that very clearly does not include Justin Fields. Richardson's athleticism and arm talent are elite. He needs a lot of work on the mental aspects of the game, but New York can offer him trial by fire in game action, unlike the Colts.
QB Russell Wilson, New York Giants → Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens' season is just about cooked. Once Lamar Jackson is back, he is going to pick right back up as starter, too. So Russell Wilson might not see the field much, if at all, once he's in Baltimore. But we can be honest: there isn't a starting job available to Russ right now. The Bengals made a lot of sense, but Cincinnati chose Joe Flacco. The correct choice, in my book.
That said, Cooper Rush clearly isn't hacking it as the fill-in quarterback right now. Wilson, for all his faults, did throw for 450 yards in a game this season. He can still turn back the clock on occasion. The résumé is undeniable. He's a good leader, a nice practice partner for Lamar, and a workable stopgap who can actually deliver a few wins in a pinch, should Jackson continue to miss time.
QB Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons → Minnesota Vikings
Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know. But let's face it, Kirk Cousins would look awfully good in a Minnesota Vikings uniform right now! He's in the final year of that contract and the Vikings are paying pennies on the dollar at the quarterback position right now between J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz. While Wentz has done well enough in McCarthy's stead, there's a much higher ceiling with Cousins, who knows the Kevin O'Connell playbook like the back of his hand, and who was a Pro Bowl-level starter the last time he donned a Vikings uniform.
McCarthy will reclaim the starting gig upon his return from injury, but this is the second ankle ailment in two seasons for McCarthy. He's hardly reliable. Plus, what we saw pre-injury did not exactly inspire confidence. At worst, Cousins is an overqualified veteran mentor, not dissimilar to his current role with the Atlanta Falcons. At best, he can step in for half a season, deliver Minnesota to the playoffs, and then cede the reins to McCarthy in 2026 when the kid is more up to speed.