Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- With free agency and the NFL Draft concluded, several high-profile players remain on rosters where they’re unlikely to start the season.
- Multiple teams are evaluating trade possibilities for veterans, citing strained relationships, positional depth, and strategic cap management as key factors.
- The potential movement of these players could significantly reshape contending teams’ rosters and strategies before training camp begins.
With free agency and the NFL Draft now behind us, you might be thinking that NFL offseason drama is over, but you'd be wrong!
Because now it's time to think about trades. While some players were dealt pre-draft, there are a handful of players around the league who remain on rosters that, more than likely, they will not be on when the season begins.
WR A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
I mean, we obviously have to start with the name that's been trending more than any other one when it comes to trade discussions: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is almost certainly preparing to become a member of the New England Patriots.
There were reports throughout the season of growing discontent between Brown and Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, with suggestions that a big issue was a lack of creativity in the pass game. Hurts is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, but he's also a player who remains a bit limited as to what he can do as a passer.
With Philly's decision to use a first-round pick on wide receiver Makai Lemon, it's clear Brown's time with the team is essentially over, and reports have linked him strongly with the Patriots, a team with a young, MVP candidate under center that's coached by Mike Vrabel, Brown's former head coach with the Titans. It'd be shocking if this doesn't happen.
WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have to trade Brandon Aiyuk at some point. Too much damage has been done in the relationship to expect it to ever be repaired, and the team has said as much at this point. So, why is he still on the roster?
Well, there's the obvious reason, which is that teams know the 49ers want to move on from Aiyuk, so why trade for him when they can just go after him in free agency?
The counter to that is that if Aiyuk hits free agency, anyone can sign him. If you're a team that definitely wants him, you should consider giving up something for him. At the same time, though, the weirdness of this situation means that teams might be very hesitant to trade for Aiyuk because what if he's just as disgruntled in his new home?
QB Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Now that teams know what their quarterback situations look like post-draft, it's probably time to revisit the whole "Anthony Richardson could be traded" thing.
Sure, the fact it didn't happen at the draft means there likely aren't many teams willing to give up assets for Richardson, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will stay that way. Injuries can still pop up that will lead to teams needing to add to their quarterback rooms, and there could still be teams out there looking to take a flyer on a guy like Richardson. If Trey Lance can find his way on to rosters still, then Richardson — a bust who is still far less of a bust than Lance — should be able to as well.
I also can't imagine the asking price even exists here. Like...a seventh? That's enough, right? The Indianapolis Colts are done with Richardson, so any deal where they move off his contract is a good one. And while his struggles with accuracy are an issue, he's still got a big arm and plenty of mobility, so there should be at least one team willing to take on this risk, right?
EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux - New York Giants
New York Giants EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux is a solid NFL player, but after four seasons in New York, it's probably time for him to move on. That's especially true after Arvell Reese — who has a claim to being the best defensive player in the 2026 NFL Draft class — dropped to No. 5 overall. With Reese, Abdul Carter and Brian Burns all out there to rush the quarterback, extending Thibodeaux after his rookie contract ends seems like a misuse of cap space.
That leaves two options. First is letting Thibodeaux play out this final season and then hit free agency, an option that bolsters the Giants' pass rush in 2026, if the Giants want to make a run at the NFC East title. That might be a pretty short-sighted move, though, because Thibodeaux will just walk after that.
The other option is to trade him this offseason to a team willing to extend him. Dan Duggan of The Athletic reported during the draft that the Giants wanted a second-round pick for Thibodeaux and no team was willing to meet that price. I don't think a future second is on the way either, but if the Giants lower the asking price to a future third? Then they might have takers.
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