The 2025 NFL regular season came to a thrilling conclusion in Week 18. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, 26-24, to claim the NFC North crown and secure the final spot in the playoffs. For 14 teams, the competition continues. For the other 18, attention turns toward the NFL Draft, free agency, and what 2026 may (or may not) have to offer.
This was a singularly wild and unpredictable NFL season. Please take a trip down memory lane and read some prediction pieces from before the season. Nothing we thought would happen did. The Chiefs are dead. The Ravens were everyone’s favorite Super Bowl pick. That ain’t happening. Micah Parsons and the superteam Packers are a seven-seed. The No. 1 seeds? Denver and Seattle. Just like absolutely nobody predicted. A crazy season typically means a crazier offseason. Here’s one player from each non-postseason team that could, unexpectedly, end up on the move:
New York Giants: LB Bobby Okereke
Bobby Okereke started in all 16 of his appearances for the New York Giants this season, but members of the front office are mixed on his value, per Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News. Brian Burns has cemented his value as a star edge rusher, but Abdul Carter is waiting in the wings, in need of a more defined role moving forward. The rookie disappointed massively this season, but he’s still viewed as a cornerstone of the Giants’ future — for now, at least. Okereke enters the final nonguaranteed year of his contract as potential trade bait. Or the Giants can waive him to clear cap space for other moves.
Arizona Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray is due a crisp $53.2 million next season — and $43.5 million in 2027. That contract will complicate any efforts to trade him. And yet, this feels like an inflection point for this version of the Arizona Cardinals. Jonathan Gannon’s own future is uncertain at best. Jacoby Brissett did a better than fine job in Murray’s stead this season, despite all the losing. The former No. 1 pick still has gas in the tank, but one can’t help but feel like the Cardinals are ready to move on. Even if it requires eating some of the leftover money, expect Arizona to explore the market with a purpose.
Washington Commanders: DT Daron Payne
Despite muted sack numbers and an injury, Daron Payne was one of the few consistently impactful members of the Washington Commanders defense this season. The 28-year-old’s 2026 salary is nonguaranteed at $28 million, though, which is not nothing. He finished the season with a flourish against Philadelphia’s second stringers. That could, ideally, ramp up trade interest. Or maybe it’s simply not enough to save Payne from the chopping block. Even with Dan Quinn’s job secure, the Commanders need to induce major changes on defense this summer. Offloading Payne could be part of the equation.
New Orleans Saints: RB Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara’s salary doubles to north of $18 million next season, the final year of his contract. That is simply too much for an aging running back, especially given Kamara’s declining efficiency as a runner. He still provides value with his versatility and general veteran know-how, but the New Orleans Saints are in the beginning stages of a rebuild and can afford to move on from Kamara, as unthinkable as that once was. Contenders will like up around the block to give the 30-year-old a shot, but the Saints need to move on.
Dallas Cowboys: T Terence Steele
Terence Steele just completed year two of a five-year, $82 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys. His performance greatly underwhelmed. Jerry Jones has shown zero hesitance to get out from under big money, whether it’s Trevon Diggs recently, or Micah Parsons last offseason. The man is cheap, and if your performance isn’t up to par, he’ll pull the plug. Steele did not grade out well among right tackles last season despite boasting one of the highest salaries at the position. Dallas, a team predicated on winning in the trenches for so long, could consider drastic measures to improve and reshape this chronically flawed roster.
Atlanta Falcons: TE Kyle Pitts
Kyle Pitts finally put it all together for the Atlanta Falcons despite the team’s overall struggles offensively. Pitts accumulated 870 received yards and set a career high with five touchdowns. Finally, he looked like one of the best tight ends in football. Pitts is a free agent — the only free agent mentioned in this article — but it feels like most folks expect him to re-sign. Atlanta needs the pass-catching talent and Pitts was the No. 4 pick, a premium asset. That said, it’s worth remembering how bumpy the road to this point was, and wondering if Atlanta really trusts Pitts enough to pay him like a Pro Bowl tight end. Don’t be shocked if both sides look for greener pastures.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Chris Godwin
Chris Godwin’s future has been a topic of conversation for some time now. Last offseason felt like the time for change, but the veteran ultimately inked a three-year, $66 million extension. That’s that, right? Maybe not. Godwin is an incredible talent, and Mike Evans’ presumed retirement will only increase the emphasis on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bolstering their wide receiver room. But Godwin’s contract balloons to $36 million in 2026. He only appeared in nine games (six starts) this season and averaged 10.9 yards per catch, the second-lowest season average of his career. It wouldn’t be the least bit shocking if Tampa looks for the exit ramp and attempts to rebuild its pass-catching corps around Emeka Egbuka.
Detroit Lions: C Graham Glasgow
Graham Glasgow took over at center for the Detroit Lions after the sudden retirement of Frank Ragnow. A natural guard, Glasgow just was not up to the task. He was a crippling weak link in Detroit’s offensive line, which regressed dramatically from 2024 to 2025. Plenty of other issues doomed the Lions this season, but Glasgow stuck out like a sore thumb almost every week. He has one year left on his deal, worth $8.4 million, but the Lions ought to search for an upgrade. That could mean trading or cutting Glasgow to clear space and turn over the page on this dreadful campaign.
Minnesota Vikings: QB J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy’s first semi-full season as the Minnesota Vikings was a borderline disaster. He salvaged things a little bit with a strong finish, but McCarthy has dealt with multiple major ankle injuries now, not to mention a barrage of other smaller ailments (like his Week 18 hand issue) that have held him back. Meanwhile, when healthy, the performance just wasn’t up to par for a Vikings squad hoping to contend after their 14-win season with Sam Darnold. It’s far too early to write off McCarthy, but the Vikings aren’t in a position to be patient. Therefore, trading him to a rebuilding team and locking up a more experienced, win-now veteran (Daniel Jones reunion, anyone?) could be the best path forward for both sides. The Vikings invested a lot of time and energy into the McCarthy experiment, but the best front offices know when to abandon ship.
Tennessee Titans: DL Jeffery Simmons
Jeffery Simmons was a rare bright spot in an otherwise torturous campaign for Tennessee Titans fans. The 28-year-old has earned a Pro Bowl bid in four of the last five years. He finished the season with 10.0 sacks and 20 QB hits. He has two years left on his contract, worth $25.6 million and 28.5 million. A lot of competitive teams would happily sell the farm to add Simmons to the mix. His name was popular in the rumor mill at the trade deadline. Tennessee ultimately stood pat, but realistically, this team is at least a couple years away from doing anything. The front office might be smart to sell high and cash in.
New York Jets: LB Jermaine Johnson II
The 2022 first-round pick finished the season with 3.0 sacks in 13 games for the lowly New York Jets. Already a Pro Bowl linebacker, with the upside still untapped, Jermaine Johnson II should hold plenty of appeal on the trade front as he enters his final year under contract. The Jets are caught between a rebuild and the need for Aaron Glenn to prove himself. We should expect sweeping changes this spring. Trading Johnson, recouping assets, and spinning them forward could be the best path forward. New York reportedly received lofty offers for Johnson at the deadline. They won’t be quite so robust this offseason, but sometimes a trade is better late than never. The Jets can’t get sucked into a sunk cost here.
Las Vegas Raiders: EDGE Maxx Crosby
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini called the Las Vegas Raiders’ relationship with star edge rusher Maxx Crosby “strained.” The 28-year-old only recently signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension, of which he earned every penny. Crosby recorded 10.0 sacks and 20 QB hits for the last-place Raiders, earning his fifth straight Pro Bowl appearance. The return value in a trade will never be higher, and this team is not ready to contend. Tom Brady and Raiders ownership almost certainly want to change that as soon as possible, but Las Vegas needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror. It’s time to get what they can (a lot), remove a disgruntled player from the locker room, and start fresh.
Cleveland Browns: QB Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns will pick sixth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them a prime opportunity to finally draft a franchise quarterback. If Cleveland drafts a QB and welcomes back a healthy (and almost certainly untradeable) Deshaun Watson, it’ll be hard to find space for Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders on the roster. Both could end up on the move, but if Cleveland picks one to be QB3 (or even QB2), Gabriel was the higher pick and seems to have more respect in the organization. Sanders showed some fun flashes in his starting reps to end the season, but he was overwhelmingly not good. The headache inherent to keeping such a high-profile player on the roster when he’s not helping you win (or even playing) could spur Cleveland to test the trade market. There’s a team out there hoping to develop a solid backup quarterback who’d gladly take the plunge on Sanders for a late pick.
Kansas City Chiefs: DT Chris Jones
The best NFL front offices operate as a ruthless business, which means knowing when to buy, when to hold, and most importantly, when to sell. Sentiment cannot factor into decision-making, and for the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s clear that seismic changes are needed. One potential step? Trading star tackle Chris Jones, who finished the season with 5.0 sacks (tied for his lowest since his rookie season in 2016) and 23 QB hits. He still made the Pro Bowl, his seventh straight, but the 31-year-old began to show noticeable wear and tear. This Chiefs defense, so dominant for so long, was just not on par with expectations. Jones still has the respect leaguewide to net Kansas City a haul. Don’t rule it out.
Cincinnati Bengals: WR Andrei Iosivas
Andrei Iosivas has quietly emerged as a center cog in the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense, but he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract. Cincy’s front office, conservative by nature, has already spent a metric ton of cash to retain both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — not to mention the Joe Burrow contract. Now, Trey Hendrickson is a free agent, which could tie up even more cap space. If the Bengals don’t plan on paying Iosivas in a year, or extending him now, the move might be to trade him, recoup a nice mid-round pick, and draft his replacement with a fresh four years of control.
Miami Dolphins: RB De’Von Achane
De’Von Achane enters the final year of his contract as a hot commodity. The 24-year-old finished the season with 1,838 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns, averaging an NFL-best 5.7 yards per carry. Not much went right for the Miami Dolphins in 2025, but when healthy, Achane is the most electric running back in football. He’s pure electricity, and Miami could parlay that into a hearty trade return. The Dolphins are keeping Mike McDaniel, but the Tua Tagovailoa era is effectively over and changes are on the horizon. Paying running backs is a fickle investment nowadays. The Dolphins might be smart to let another team deal with Achane’s contract demands, whatever they may be.
Indianapolis Colts: WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Michael Pittman Jr. enters the final year of his contract, worth an uncomfortable $29 million, at an interesting juncture in his career. He caught a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025, but averaged only 9.9 yards per catch and was not nearly as productive as his contract might suggest. The Daniel Jones injury has something to do with that, of course, as the Indianapolis Colts spent the last few weeks of the season playing conservative football with a 44-year-old QB. But now might be the time to flip Pittman to a more established contender. Daniel Jones is a free agent and it’s unclear what exactly we can expect from this Colts offense in 2025. What we do know is, Pittman isn’t the WR1 of the future.
Baltimore Ravens: TE Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews will only make $6.9 million next season. He has incredible pedigree, but the veteran tight end finished a disappointing 2025 campaign with a career-low 408 receiving yards. Isaiah Likely often looks like the better tight end, and the Ravens have to be considering wholesale changes around Lamar Jackson, starting with John Harbaugh. Andrews is synonymous with Ravens football — he has spent his entire eight-year career in Baltimore — but the 30-year-old is beginning to show his age. He doesn’t look quite like himself. Another contender in need of a tight end is probably willing to take Andrews off their hands. Now might be the time to bite the bullet and shed the albatross.