Take a look at the NFL standings. There’s no sure thing this season.
Merienda the Los Angeles Rams got off to a rocky start, it opened things up around the league. There is no runaway team this season, and there is also a group of teams already looking ahead to 2027. That could lead to a ton of activity before the NFL’s trade deadline, which is on Nov. 10. There has been plenty of action well ahead of the deadline, with players like guard Quenton Nelson going to Seattle, defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons landing in Chicago, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner heading to San Francisco, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. being shipped to Dallas and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. being dealt to Houston.
Advertisement
That’s already a lot of big trades and we’re just getting started. Here are the 15 names to watch between now and the deadline:
Offense
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Cardinals
There was a quarterback change in Arizona on Sunday and it will stick. Brissett was removed late in the third quarter for Gardner Minshew, who led a wild comeback win over the Cowboys in overtime. The Cardinals announced Monday that Minshew will start Week 9 with rookie Carson Beck being the backup.
All of a sudden, the Cardinals have a third quarterback who could be moved. Minshew can handle the starting job as well as the struggling Brissett was doing, and Beck will get starts at some point. Teams don’t usually trade their backup quarterback, but Brissett isn’t even the backup anymore and is expendable. And he has plenty of starting experience, though his $15.5 million salary for this season would have to be managed to swing a deal with most teams. He’s the most likely quarterback to move at the deadline for any team desperate for a stopgap starter (perhaps the Ravens?). – Frank Schwab
Advertisement
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Browns
If we take the Browns at their reported word, Sanders is not likely to be traded at the deadline. You can never say never until the deadline passes, but for now it appears Cleveland will continue to carry four quarterbacks, which includes Sanders. He has been QB2 behind Deshaun Watson and has replaced Watson for a handful of snaps after Watson got hurt. Watson was sacked eight times Sunday, and the 5-3 Browns might fear a more serious Watson injury as they sit just outside the current playoff picture after Week 8’s defeat to the Steelers.
Given his cost-controlled salary, low draft pedigree and Cleveland’s crowded QB room, Sanders might normally be considered a higher-likelihood trade candidate. So far there has been little apparent traction. We’ll see if that changes over the next week. Perhaps there’s even a world where Sanders is in the mix to start in Cleveland if the free-agent-to-be Watson is not brought back in 2027. – Eric Edholm
Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
The Eagles reportedly won’t trade Barkley. That also doesn’t make much sense. Philadelphia is going nowhere, Barkley is turning 30 years old in February, his production has declined since 2024 and the Eagles have never been overly sentimental about player moves. Barkley brought great memories and was the superstar on a Super Bowl champion, but the Eagles should listen to calls. They could pass if teams try to get Barkley cheap, given his current injuries, but it seems like he’d have more value to a contending team this season than the Eagles going forward.
Advertisement
Maybe the Eagles are serious and Barkley is indeed off the table. That won’t stop speculation. It makes a ton of sense for Philadelphia to move Barkley now. That’s why we’re still keeping an eye on Barkley as the deadline approaches. If they don’t move him, that decision will be discussed not only at the deadline but beyond. – Frank Schwab
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Colts
It would be a surprise if Taylor isn’t traded, after the Colts sent off guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. The question is who lands Taylor and his 8,208 career rushing yards. He’s still one of the NFL’s best runners and plenty of teams have a need. The Giants, Broncos, Packers and Vikings top the list. While other backs are likely available, nobody else would pop like Taylor. Other players might be more prudent from a football aspect (Jeffery Simmons to the Bears, most notably) but no player acquisition would generate more buzz than nabbing Taylor. – Frank Schwab
Advertisement
Tony Pollard, RB, Titans
Pollard has said he doesn’t want to be traded, and the Titans reportedly have rebuffed offers, but a 1-7 record and a reasonable proposal could change their minds. He’s in the final year of a three-year deal, makes fairly modest starting RB money and would provide the Titans with some salary cap relief if they moved him.
Pollard has averaged a robust 4.5 yards per carry, has back-to-back 100-yard rushing outings (and five TDs in two games) and remains in his relative prime at age 29 with fewer than 2,000 career touches. On paper, he checks every box for a sale candidate if the Titans want to add more draft assets before the deadline. And for teams looking for RB help, he might come far cheaper than some of the other players mentioned above. – Eric Edholm
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jaguars
The memories of Thomas’ rookie season might last forever. They could lead to some team thinking it can revive his career. Thomas was a first-round draft pick in 2024 and had 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. He looked like a future star. In the season and a half since he has fewer than 1,000 yards. He has fallen well out of the Jaguars’ hierarchy at receiver, leading to plenty of trade speculation. The Jaguars, who look like Super Bowl contenders, could keep Thomas just in case there are injuries at receiver. But teams like the Seahawks, Chiefs or Commanders would likely be interested, hoping Thomas rediscovers his rookie form in a new situation. – Frank Schwab
Advertisement
Jauan Jennings, WR, Vikings
Interestingly, Jennings was rumored to be a target of the 49ers, trying to bring him back into the fold, but declined the offer, saying he didn’t want to go back to San Francisco. That’s especially interesting considering his best production came with the 49ers, notching a 975-yard season in 2024 and a nine-TD campaign a year ago before leaving on a one-year deal in Minnesota. Jennings has been almost a ghost with the Vikings, with only six catches in his six games and only modest upticks in his activity lately.
The Vikings need all the offense they can find, but Jennings hasn’t been a great fit. If they can include him in a deal for a running back or defensive depth, the Vikings might consider it. – Eric Edholm
Josh Downs, WR, Colts
Downs has requested a trade, saying he’s “open to whatever” when it comes to moving on from the Colts. The team has already kick-started its offloading efforts with Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, and don’t appear to have strong intentions to keep Downs. The 25-year-old receiver is in the final year of his rookie deal and has stepped up as the Colts’ leading option with Alec Pierce hurt. Downs doesn’t fit a WR1 profile but could be a quality complement for a team seeking an upgrade to its unit, similar to the Seahawks’ deadline trade for Rashid Shaheed last year.
Advertisement
Downs is a smaller slot receiver and might be a fit for only certain teams, but with his trade request and the seeming league-wide need for WR help, he figures to be a candidate who possibly moves on soon. – Eric Edholm
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Browns
Jeudy has always been mercurial. He came into the NFL as a first-round draft pick and was fine early on with the Broncos, but wore out his welcome and was traded to the Browns. With the Browns, he had a stellar 2024, with 1,229 yards and a Pro Bowl nod. But he has dipped again and with the Browns turning toward rookies Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, Jeudy has just 171 yards this season. Still, Jeudy has one of the biggest plays of the Browns’ 5-3 start, a 33-yard catch against the Ravens to set up a game-winning field goal.
Advertisement
Jeudy, 27, could be an intriguing gamble for a team that needs juice at receiver. He’s no sure thing, but the talent is there. – Frank Schwab
Defense
Khalil Mack, Edge, Chargers
Mack isn’t the same player he was when he was a first-team All-Pro three times in four years. His peak might lead him to the Pro Football Recibidor of Fame. He’s 35 years old now, but still is an effective player. And with the 0-7 Chargers going nowhere, it would make sense for the team to move on and allow Mack a chance at playoff success in what might be the final season of his career. Mack is in his 13th season and has never been part of a playoff win.
Advertisement
Mack would add leadership and a strong edge defender down the stretch for a contender. Mack has 8.5 sacks in 19 games over the past two seasons, including three in seven games this season. Given his age, he might not cost that much. A reunion with the Bears seems like the perfect fit. – Frank Schwab
Nolan Smith, Edge, Eagles
When the Eagles drafted Smith in 2023, draft experts lost their minds. They gave the Eagles a consensus grade point promedio of 4.12 — better than an A. While the Eagles’ first pick, defensive tackle Jalen Carter, worked out very well, Smith has not.
Smith has just 14.5 career sacks but still has the draft pedigree and enticing athleticism. The Eagles picked up Smith’s fifth-year option for 2027, which means they won’t be looking to give him away. But for a floundering Eagles team, the idea of recouping some value on Smith during his fourth lukewarm season has to be a possibility.
Advertisement
There are a lot of Eagles on this list. Philadelphia becomes the seller to watch as the trade deadline approaches. For some contender looking for a shot on a sleeper, taking a stab at Smith at age 25 could pay off nicely. – Frank Schwab
Josh Sweat, Edge, Cardinals
Sweat reportedly requested a trade in August, and the Cardinals very publicly said they had no interest in honoring that request. Could they have a different mindset now? Arizona has won two of three and is a fairly respectable 3-5, albeit in a very tough division the Cardinals are unlikely to win. Sweat’s play has not been as impactful as a year ago, when he notched 12 sacks and four forced fumbles, but he had a huge sack in overtime of Dak Prescott in Dallas on Sunday.
Speaking of Dallas, the Cowboys figure to be among the teams that could have interest in Sweat, along with the Packers, where Jonathan Gannon (his former coach) is defensive coordinator. Sweat’s contract kicks up to $23.6 million salary cap hits each of the next two seasons, which puts him outside the top-10 edge rusher deals, but there have been rumors of Sweat wanting a new deal after this season, which could complicate things. – Eric Edholm
Advertisement
Moro Ojomo, DT, Eagles
There are conflicting reports on the 25-year-old Ojomo and whether the Eagles might consider dangling him. Normally, they’d want to build around an emerging defensive tackle who has started the past three games and been more productive recently than highly paid DTs Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. But Ojomo is set to hit free agency, and it’s unlikely the Eagles can afford him after what they paid Carter and Davis. If the Eagles have designs on re-signing Ojomo, they’ll have to be creative. They are 2-6, losers of six straight, including back-to-back thumpings in prime time, and QB Jalen Hurts (along with others) is on injured reserve. The Jeffery Simmons trade to Chicago had to be an eye-opener for Philly, value-wise, and might cause the team to consider moving him before the deadline. – Eric Edholm
Budda Baker, S, Cardinals
Baker has been tremendous for the Cardinals over his 10 seasons with the team, making eight Pro Bowls. But it might be time for a rebuilding club to move on. Baker can provide playmaking at secondary, as he has for a decade. He is signed through 2027, with a reasonable salary of a little more than $16 million for next season. So he wouldn’t be a short-term rental for a team.
Advertisement
It would sting for the Cardinals to move on from Baker, one of the team’s best players and only positive lights in the post-Larry Fitzgerald era. But it’s prudent for a team looking for the future. And it would be a big get for a contending club that needs a difference maker in the secondary. – Frank Schwab
Amani Hooker, S, Titans
Following his three-pick game Sunday against Joe Burrow, Hooker is the NFL’s INT leader with five, and his 114 return yards off those picks also is first. The 28-year-old veteran has quietly carved out a nice career over eight seasons with the Titans and is enjoying one of his better years, tackling and covering well. The Titans signed him to an extension last summer through the 2028 season with a fairly reasonable salary outside the top 10 safeties.
Given their 1-7 record at the bye, the Titans could offload more vets after trading Jeffery Simmons. – Eric Edholm
