Believe it or not, but we're less than one month away from the Nov. 4th NFL trade deadline, meaning that the rumor mill is absolutely buzzing right now. Deals haven't really been made yet, but teams are starting to figure out whether they're buyers or sellers, and are starting to figure out areas of need as well.
While most of the blockbuster deals we'll see get finalized won't get completed until closer to the deadline, it feels safe to identify needs that all 32 NFL teams should be addressing, with the deadline rapidly approaching.
Each NFL team's biggest trade deadline need
- What every AFC East team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every AFC North team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every AFC South team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every AFC West team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every NFC East team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every NFC North team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every NFC South team should be targeting at the trade deadline
- What every NFC West team should be targeting at the trade deadline
What every AFC East team should be targeting at the trade deadline
New England Patriots: Pass defense
Against all odds, the New England Patriots lead the AFC East over one-third into the regular season, and Drake Maye's emergence has a lot to do with that. The Patriots' offense looks as good as it has in years, but the defense could use some work, particularly against the pass.
The Patriots held the New Orleans Saints to just 19 points in Week 6, but Spencer Rattler completed 20 of his 26 pass attempts (76.9 percent) for 227 yards. He was able to move the ball down the field with ease against New England, and a better offense might've converted those yards into more points. The Patriots did well to keep the Saints out of the end zone, but Blake Groupe still attempted and made four field goals. New England can ill-afford to be that beatable in the air defensively.
Buffalo Bills: Run defense
The Buffalo Bills' offense hasn't been quite as dynamic as expected in recent weeks, but there are reasons to believe that as long as Josh Allen is healthy, that side of the ball will be fine, even with the clear need for another playmaker. Defensively, though, the Bills have a glaring red flag against the run.
Bijan Robinson ran for 170 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons in Week 6. Sure, he's one of the best running backs on the planet, but the Bills have allowed 156.3 rushing yards per game, the third-most in the NFL. It was a problem before facing Robinson, and Robinson made it clear just how big of a problem their run defense is right now.
Miami Dolphins: Future assets
This season is officially a wash for the Miami Dolphins. The team is 1-5 after another heartbreaking loss in Week 6, and while they've lost some nail-biters, they are who their record says they are. Coming back from a 1-5 record, especially without Tyreek Hill, to even sniff the playoffs just isn't happening. Given that, looking ahead towards the future is their only real option.
Darren Waller and Jaelan Phillips are both on expiring contracts and should be near locks to get dealt. Given the unlikelihood they'll compete in 2026, Miami ought to consider parting with players under contract as well, if the right return is available.
New York Jets: Capitalize on Breece Hall's value
The New York Jets are the NFL's last winless team. They are 0-6 after an excruciating loss in London, and given how poorly they played in that game, I have absolutely no idea when, or frankly even if, they'll win a game. Perhaps that's harsh, but what could have gone wrong has for New York this season.
Finding a way to win one game to avoid the embarrassment of going 0-17 is certainly important, but so is focusing on the future of the organization. By extending Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner but not Breece Hall, another member of that same draft class, the Jets made it clear that Hall was unlikely to be part of their future. After Hall's cryptic Instagram message, the Jets should be more motivated now than ever to trade the upcoming free agent for whatever they can get.
What every AFC North team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Pittsburgh Steelers: Wide Receiver
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting comfortably in first place in the AFC North, but they're far from a perfect football team. Their defense is starting to play up to its potential after a sluggish start, but their need for another receiver, which was abundantly clear entering the year, remains a glaring hole.
D.K. Metcalf has played quite well in Pittsburgh thus far, but they do not have a WR2. Calvin Austin is that guy right now when healthy, but he's probably best served as a WR3. When Austin is hurt, as he was in Week 6, who is there for Aaron Rodgers to throw to? The only wideout to record a single reception other than Metcalf in Week 6 was Roman Wilson, who had one catch for 12 yards. It's been time for the Steelers to fill this hole, and hopefully, with the team off to a 4-1 start, Omar Khan gets it done.
Cincinnati Bengals: Capitalize on Trey Hendrickson's value
The Cincinnati Bengals had high hopes for 2025, particularly after coming to terms on a revised one-year pact with Trey Hendrickson, but the season has not gone as planned. They began the season 2-0, but those wins came with Joe Burrow starting both games. They've gone 0-4 since he suffered a major injury, and it's anyone's best guess as to when or even if he'll be back. The team acquired Joe Flacco to try and help in the short term, but it's hard to believe he's good enough to save the season.
Assuming they struggle to remain competitive ahead of the trade deadline, it's imperative that they capitalize on whatever value Hendrickson has on the trade market. They won't get back what they should, but with the odds slim that he'll be with the organization long-term, the Bengals must get something for their lone star defensive player.
Baltimore Ravens: Defensive line
The Baltimore Ravens are 1-5, but unlike the Bengals, it's easy to believe that an immediate turnaround could be coming. Lamar Jackson is poised to return after Baltimore's Week 7 bye, and their schedule, which was ridiculously tough to begin the season, will lighten up down the stretch. I don't know whether they'll make the playoffs or not, but improving their defense to pair with a healthy Lamar Jackson would give them a puncher's chance at least.
Admittedly, the Ravens need help just about everywhere defensively, but their defensive line, which has been riddled by injuries and underperforming players all year, could use a boost, particularly after they added Alohi Gilman to their secondary.
Cleveland Browns: Future assets
This season has gone as poorly as most Cleveland Browns fans expected. At 1-5, Cleveland's odds of making it to the playoffs are practically zero. They've already begun playing for the future by benching (and eventually trading) Flacco to make room for Dillon Gabriel under center, and I suspect more moves could be coming.
The Browns could look to move David Njoku, given Harold Fannin's emergence, and they could also look to trade veterans on expiring contracts like Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, or Devin Bush. Players who are not seen as part of Cleveland's plans in 2026 and beyond should be traded at this year's trade deadline in exchange for young players or draft capital.
What every AFC South team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Indianapolis Colts: Secondary
The Indianapolis Colts were without both Kenny Moore and Mike Hilton in Week 6 due to injury, and lost Kenny Moore to an injury of his own in pregame warmups. They were able to beat the Arizona Cardinals in spite of those injuries, but backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett was able to complete 61.4 percent of his 44 pass attempts for 320 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Colts were able to win the game, but their secondary kept the Cardinals alive.
Sure, injuries explained their Week 6 struggles for the most part, but the Colts still rank just outside of the bottom 10 by allowing 232.8 passing yards per game. That isn't good enough, and must be addressed sooner rather than later if they want to make an impact in the playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Pass rush
Even after a disappointing Week 6 loss, the Jacksonville Jaguars are 4-2 and have impressive wins against the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers. They've defied expectations thus far, and for them to continue doing that, they're going to have to address their pass rush.
After allowing the Seattle Seahawks to throw for nearly 300 yards in Week 6, the Jaguars have allowed 256.3 passing yards per game, the third-most in the NFL. They've done great when it comes to creating turnovers, as their 10 interceptions lead the NFL, but they have just eight sacks thus far, the third-fewest in the league. Arik Armstead and Travon Walker have combined for 5.5 of those. They need another pass rusher, and quickly.
Houston Texans: Offensive line
The Houston Texans showed signs of life in Weeks 4 and 5 before their Week 6 bye, outscoring the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens by a 70-10 margin. We've known for a while now that their defense is elite, but their offense had looked putrid in the first three weeks of the season. While it was nice to see them have their way offensively with the Titans and Ravens, the fact that they played the Titans and Ravens cannot be overlooked.
We've yet to see the Texans' offense be semi-competitive against a formidable foe, and while C.J. Stroud hasn't been perfect in those games, a lot of the blame has to go on the offensive line, a unit everyone knew was a weakness entering the year. It's hard to envision the Texans even making the playoffs, let alone making a run, without bolstering the offensive line.
Tennessee Titans: Capitalize on Jeffery Simmons' value
The Tennessee Titans are an absolute mess. They didn't really deserve to win the one game they've won in six tries this season, Cam Ward has gotten off to a shaky start after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick, and head coach Brian Callahan was fired. The Titans look as dysfunctional as ever, and frankly, they just need to reboot things.
The odds that they actually trade Jeffery Simmons, their franchise player, who is under contract through 2027, are probably slim, but this might be their best chance to get a star-level return for the defensive lineman, and frankly, trading him would be doing right by a great player who has spent his entire seven-year career in Tennessee.
What every AFC West team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Los Angeles Chargers: Offensive line
The offensive line was arguably the Los Angeles Chargers' greatest strength entering the year, but that's far from the case now. Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury during an August practice, and Joe Alt has been out since Week 4 with an injury of his own. Those are two all-world offensive tackles that the Chargers are without. Justin Herbert was able to make it work against an abysmal Dolphins defense in Week 6, but their schedule will get tougher as the season progresses.
Alt might return in Week 7, so not all hope is lost on the offensive line, and there's obviously nobody who can outright replace Slater, but the Chargers must do something.
Denver Broncos: Offensive guard
For the second straight week, the Denver Broncos had to place an offensive guard on injured reserve. Ben Powers should be out for quite a while after suffering a torn bicep, and his replacement, Matt Peart, was placed on IR with a knee injury.
Perhaps the Broncos' offensive line would survive with a backup guard for a while, but in no way should they be interested in playing a third-stringer past the deadline. The Broncos were struggling offensively even with Powers, and Bo Nix will have a tougher time getting his season going if his team doesn't boost the offensive line.
Kansas City Chiefs: Running back
The Kansas City Chiefs rank in the middle of the pack of the NFL by averaging 118.7 rushing yards per game, but it's Patrick Mahomes, not a running back, leading the team's ground attack. Mahomes has long shown that he can be a dual-threat, but the Chiefs needing to rely on him in that area as much as they have highlights just how lackluster their running backs are.
Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt aren't awful, but are they a Super Bowl-caliber tandem? The fact that Mahomes leads the team in rushing suggests clearly not. The passing attack is going to get a major boost in Week 7 when Rashee Rice returns from his suspension, but the Chiefs will need a more formidable rushing attack for them to get back into the Super Bowl conversation.
Las Vegas Raiders: Offensive line
The Las Vegas Raiders have averaged just 17.2 points per game this season, tying them for the fourth-worst mark in the NFL. While this might be seen as an easy copout, I do believe the offensive line is to blame.
Geno Smith hasn't played well by any means, but he's been under a ton of pressure this season, and the 18 sacks he's taken thus far emphasize that. Where the offensive line struggles make themselves very clear, though, is on the ground, as Ashton Jeanty, their blue-chip running back, has averaged just 4.0 yards per carry on 125 attempts. Jeanty can play better, but the lack of holes for him to run through has been very apparent in most of the Raiders' games. Improving the offensive line will make everyone play better, even if this season might be a wash at this point.
What every NFC East team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Philadelphia Eagles: Edge rusher
A lot of the Philadelphia Eagles' struggles have been pinned on their offense, and while the offense has been a problem, there's no reason to believe they don't have the right personnel there. Defensively, though, the Eagles need more, particularly on the edge.
Edge was an issue before the shocking Za'Darius Smith retirement, and now that area of the team is in shambles. Smith was leading all Eagles edge rushers with 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss. That was not good enough, and now with him gone, the Eagles must address this at some point.
Washington Commanders: Defensive playmaker
A major factor in determining the winner of any given NFL game has to do with the turnover battle. Generally, forcing more turnovers than you commit would put your team in a good spot to win a game. Jayden Daniels has done a pretty good job holding onto the ball, but the Washington Commanders' defense has been unable to turn the opposition over much at all.
They've created just three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble recovery) this season. Washington's defense hasn't been awful, but a contributing factor to the team allowing the fourth-most yards per game in the NFL (356.8 ypg) has to do with their inability to turn anyone over. Hopefully, that changes sooner rather than later.
Dallas Cowboys: Defense
The Dallas Cowboys have scored 29.7 points per game, the third-most in the NFL, yet they're 2-3-1 on the year. They've scored 25 or more points in four of their six games and are just 2-1-1 in those contests. Whether they can win even when scoring 25+ is a coin flip, and their odds of winning games in which they score fewer than 25 points are incredibly slim. That's because they have, quite possibly, the worst defense in the NFL. Perhaps trading Micah Parsons away was a bad idea.
Defensive Stat | 2025 Cowboys | NFL Rank |
|---|---|---|
Yards/Game | 411.7 | 32nd |
Passing Yards/Game | 269.5 | 32nd |
Rusning Yards/Game | 142.2 | 29th |
Points/Game | 30.7 | 31st |
Just give this team any sort of defensive player. I don't know if they can realistically improve their defense enough to make the playoffs at this year's trade deadline, but any sort of defensive upgrade (and one wouldn't be hard to find) would make too much sense.
New York Giants: Wide receiver
Somehow, the New York Giants have defeated the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles in two of their last three games to improve to 2-4 on the year. Jaxson Dart certainly looks like the real deal under center and Cam Skattebo has established himself as the Giants' running back now and in the future, but Malik Nabers' season-ending injury still feels like a major blow.
To his credit, Wan'Dale Robinson has really stepped up in his absence, but who else is there for Dart to throw to? Darius Slayton? Jalin Hyatt? Theo Johnson? There just isn't enough talent here for Dart and Brian Daboll to work with. I don't know whether the Giants can win enough games to remain in the playoffs even with a receiver upgrade because of how tough their schedule is, but ensuring that Dart has enough to work with has to be a priority. A serviceable wideout, even if the Giants are unable to land a star, feels like a must.
What every NFC North team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Green Bay Packers: Defensive playmaker
It's challenging to identify a major weakness in the 3-1-1 Green Bay Packers, but one area of concern is their inability to force turnovers. As mentioned above in the Commanders' blurb, it's really hard to win without winning the turnover battle, and the Packers, as of this writing, are -1 in that area. They've only given the football away three times, which is encouraging, but they've taken it away twice all year. Only the winless Jets have forced fewer turnovers.
Their defensive line, led by Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, is quite good, but their secondary is a bit suspect, particularly with the lack of turnovers forced. Finding a playmaker to plug into the secondary might go a long way toward making an already formidable defense that much better.
Detroit Lions: Secondary
The Detroit Lions' secondary is in dire shape right now. Terrion Arnold, D.J. Reed and Avonte Maddox all missed their Week 6 game in Kansas City, Kerby Joseph played through an injury, and the same can be said about Brian Branch, who, after playing, was hit with a one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct. In other words, they were without three cornerbacks, and their star safety duo was at less than 100 percent.
Patrick Mahomes can look good against any secondary, but he had no issues beating the depleted Lions' back end. Adding to the secondary, even if the additions made aren't major, is a must for a Lions team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Minnesota Vikings: Offensive line
The Minnesota Vikings got Christian Darrisaw back from injury in Week 3, but the rest of their offensive line is a mess. Just look at all of these injuries.
- LG Donovan Jackson: Out since Week 3
- C Ryan Kelly: Out since Week 4
- OL Michael Jurgens: Out since Week 4
- RT Brian O'Neill: Out since Week 4
The Vikings might get a couple of these guys back for Week 7, but the offensive line has been in a state of flux, really all season long. The team hopes to make it back to the playoffs and see J.J. McCarthy establish himself as their quarterback of the future, but accomplishing those goals is incredibly difficult behind a makeshift offensive line. Hopefully, the offensive line is addressed at some point, even if it's just in a depth capacity.
Chicago Bears: Run defense
The Chicago Bears have managed to win three games in a row to get over the .500 mark at 3-2 on the year, but they've been able to do so in spite of horrifically bad run defense. Chicago has allowed 156.4 rushing yards per game, good for 31st in the NFL, and it's honestly been as bad as it's looked.
The Bears have allowed 120+ rushing yards in each of their first five games. Even the Raiders, a bottom-ten rushing offense in the NFL when looking at yards per game, put up a whopping 240 yards on the ground against the Bears in Week 4. The Bears must add to their defensive front if they want to keep up with the rest of their supremely talented division.
What every NFC South team should be targeting at the trade deadline
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Skill position depth
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have as much skill position depth as any team in the NFL, yet I think they need more of it. The reason for that has to do entirely with injuries. Here's a look at their injury log right now.
Player | Position | Injury | Week 7 Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Bucky Irving | RB | Foot | OUT |
Mike Evans | WR | Hamstring | Questionable |
Chris Godwin | WR | Fibula | OUT |
Emeka Egbuka | WR | Hamstring | Questionable |
Jalen McMillan | WR | Neck | OUT |
Bucky Irving has been out since Week 4 with a foot injury, and he won't play in Week 7. Mike Evans has been out since Week 3, and he might not play in Week 7. Chris Godwin has played just two games this season and is out for Week 7. Emeka Egbuka has been the guy holding their offense together by beginning his career on an unbelievable note, but he might not play after suffering an injury in Week 6. Even Jalen McMillan won't be back anytime soon with a neck injury.
The Bucs have been finding ways to win even with their injuries, but at a certain point, the ailments will catch up to them. Assuming all five of these skill position players are out in Week 7, Baker Mayfield will be forced to rely on the likes of Sterling Sheppard, Rachaad White and Cade Otton. I don't care how well he's playing, that's a brutal spot for any quarterback to be in.
Atlanta Falcons: Wide receiver
Drake London is ninth in the NFL in receiving yards, Bijan Robinson is a dominant dual-threat running back, and even Kyle Pitts is off to a nice start. While this is an outstanding trio for Michael Penix Jr. to lean on, it's hard to ignore the fact that London is really his only reliable wideout on the Atlanta Falcons.
Darnell Mooney ranks fourth on the team and second among receivers with just 79 yards receiving this season. Yes, he's been injured, but in the three games he's played, he's averaged just 26.3 yards per game. Guys like Ray-Ray McLoud and Casey Washington don't add enough value either. I think this Falcons offense can really take off with another stout wideout in the mix, so hopefully that comes to fruition.
Carolina Panthers: Pass catcher
Bryce Young has developed a really nice connection with first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, but who else is there in this Carolina Panthers' offense for him to throw to? Tommy Tremble ranks second on the team with just 16 receptions and 126 receiving yards. That's good for a tie for 96th and 119th, respectively. Tremble is fine, but as a No. 2 target? Not good enough.
Rico Dowdle has emerged in the last couple of weeks, and Chuba Hubbard has some talent, but both of those players are running backs. For the Panthers' offense to take a true step forward, they ought to consider giving Young another player to throw to. This amounting to a playoff berth is unlikely, but it'd certainly help Young's development.
New Orleans Saints: Future assets
Admittedly, the New Orleans Saints have played better than I expected them to entering the year, but at the end of the day, they're still 1-5 overall. The odds of them making it to the playoffs or even approaching .500 are incredibly slim, so looking ahead towards the future should be this organization's only path forward.
From Chris Olave to Alvin Kamara to DeMario Davis to Cameron Jordan, the Saints have a ton of players who'd garner some interest on the open market in exchange for draft capital. They haven't shown a willingness to go all-in on a rebuild yet, but doing so makes the most sense at this time.
What every NFC West team should be targeting at the trade deadline
San Francisco 49ers: Pass rush
The San Francisco 49ers are as banged up as any team in the NFL, making one area for them to focus on really hard to pinpoint. With that being said, while their offense is dealing with injuries, most of their key producers should be back sooner rather than later. The same cannot be said about their defense.
Nick Bosa is out for the season after tearing his ACL, and Fred Warner joined him with a season-ending injury of his own in Week 6. Replacing either of them outright is impossible, but improving their pass rush is a must if they want to seriously compete in the NFC even when their offense gets healthier.
Seattle Seahawks: Wide receiver
Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the NFL by a fairly wide margin with 696 receiving yards, and he's a huge reason why the Seattle Seahawks have gone 4-2 to start their season, but the lack of secondary options is a bit concerning.
Cooper Kupp is a big name, but he's eclipsed the 60-yard mark just once this season, and there's little reason to believe he'll stay healthy the entire year. It's hard to envision guys like AJ Barner and Tory Horton playing major roles in crucial games down the stretch and potentially into January. Adding one more wideout would help this offense establish itself as one of the NFL's elite.
Los Angeles Rams: Kicker
This is admittedly unorthodox, and the odds of the Los Angeles Rams pulling off a trade for a kicker of all positions are incredibly slim, but hear me out. Joshua Karty, for whatever reason, has followed up a strong rookie year with a disastrous sophomore campaign. It's gone poorly enough for the Rams to consider moving on from him.
Karty has missed four field goal attempts in his last four games and has gone 10-for-14 on field goals this season. His 71.4 percent success rate has him tied for the worst mark with Matt Gay of the Washington Commanders among kickers with at least three games played. To make matters worse, Karty has gone 14-for-16 in extra points, the third-worst mark in the NFL. Games can be won or lost by one point, and Karty missing as many kicks as he has can easily hold the Rams back.
Trading for an upgrade, as weird as that'd be to see, sounds better than just picking someone up off the street and hoping for the best.
Arizona Cardinals: Running back
James Conner suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3, and Trey Benson landed on IR just one week later. Benson is expected to return in a 4-to-6 week span, but with him dealing with a knee injury, who knows how he'll look upon his return or even if he'll be back in that timetable? With that being said, a trade for a running back makes sense.
For now, the Arizona Cardinals are leaning on Michael Carter, Bam Knight, and Emari Demercado in the backfield, but I can't say any of those guys are starting-caliber backs in the NFL, or even close to it. I mean, they averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in Week 6. Their offense will need an upgrade in the backfield to tread water in a brutal NFC West.