NFL · 4 weeks ago

ESPN’s NFL Trade Block 2026: 14 Stars Who Could Be on the Move, Ranked

Joe Cervenka

Host · Writer

1. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Analysis: Jacksonville's WR room is crowded after the Jakobi Meyers trade and the rise of Parker Washington, leaving the former LSU standout in a "prove-it" limbo. While Brian Thomas Jr.'s sophomore stats dipped, his draft pedigree suggests he’s a prime "post-hype sleeper" candidate for a vertical-passing offense like Buffalo or Pittsburgh.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "There has been no indication that trading Thomas is something the Jaguars are planning, but there are teams monitoring the situation in case the hypertalented LSU product has fallen far enough down the Jacksonville depth chart that the front office would consider a move."
- Solak’s Tape: "Thomas was better as a prospect than any wide receiver in the upcoming 2026 class. He had 707 yards and two scores in 2025, but he went for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie."
ESPN NFL Trade Big Board: 14 Elite Targets to Watch
The Landscape: The 2026 NFL offseason has officially shifted into high gear following the breaking news of Kyler Murray’s release from the Arizona Cardinals. With the league year rapidly approaching on March 11, teams are no longer just looking at the draft—they are hunting for established, blue-chip talent.

The Source: To cut through the noise, we are diving into the latest "Trade Big Board" from ESPN’s NFL reporters, Dan Graziano and Ben Solak. By combining Graziano’s deep-rooted league buzz with Solak’s elite film-room analysis, we’ve stacked the top 14 trade candidates currently dominating front-office conversations.

Our Take: From Maxx Crosby's friction in Vegas to the Philadelphia Eagles' potential cultural reset with A.J. Brown, we provide the context you need on where these stars might land and what they'll cost.

Full rankings and expert analysis originally reported by Dan Graziano and Ben Solak at ESPN.com.
14. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, New York Giants
Analysis: The Giants’ defensive line is suddenly a "surplus" unit after the addition of Abdul Carter, making Kayvon Thibodeaux a high-value chip in a trade market that is thin on true pass-rushing talent. While his motor has been questioned, his "first-step" explosiveness is a trait you simply cannot teach, making him a gamble worth taking for any 4-3 defense.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "The Giants have a surplus of impact defensive linemen... and it seems more likely they'll try to find a trade partner for Thibodeaux than extend the 2022 first-round pick."
- Solak’s Tape: "Thibodeaux's motor can run hot and cold... But a contract year could light a fire under Thibodeaux, who generates quick pressures with hand usage and a killer first step."
12. Tanner McKee, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Analysis: Tanner McKee has the size and stick-and-move pocket presence that traditionalists love, but his path to a starting job is blocked by Jalen Hurts. With only one year left on his rookie deal, the Eagles have to decide if his value as a "premium insurance policy" outweighs the draft pick they could net by sending him to a QB-starved market.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "The Eagles think very highly of Jalen Hurts' backup QB... If the Eagles feel as if [he wants to be an NFL starter], they could look to get something for him from a team seeking an affordable upside solution."
- Solak’s Tape: "McKee looks like a young quarterback worthy of development in his preseason and late-season starts. ... comfort reading the field to make aggressive throws from the pocket."
11. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: The financial "dead-weight" of Tua Tagovailoa’s contract is the primary hurdle here, but the talent is still undeniable for the right system. If a team can stomach the cap hit—or if Miami eats enough of the money—Tua represents a "plug-and-play" solution for a coach who wants to run a timing-based, RPO-heavy offense.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "Benched at the tail end of last season for Quinn Ewers, Tagovailoa no longer looks like the future in Miami. ... Miami will end up having to cut Tagovailoa and swallow $99.2 million in dead money cap charges."
- Solak’s Tape: "As a bridge, his quick release and pinpoint accuracy in the run-pass option work well for a team looking for an easy identity on offense. ... threw 20 touchdown passes and a career-high 15 interceptions last season."
10. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: As Jeff Hafley installs a new defensive identity in Miami, a veteran "safety valve" like Minkah Fitzpatrick might be viewed more as a trade asset than a foundation piece. At 29, he’s in the "ring-chasing" stage of his career, making him the perfect veteran addition for a contender whose secondary is just one elite communicator away from a deep playoff run.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "He is 29 years old and definitely slowing down, but he has plenty of high-level experience and a reputation as a strong locker room leader. The Dolphins have a new coaching staff... under incoming coach Jeff Hafley."
- Solak’s Tape: "Fitzpatrick... is still an impactful single-high coverage defender with enough size and coverage ability to step into the box. ... registered 82 tackles and an interception last season."
9. Spencer Rattler, QB, New Orleans Saints
Analysis: While the Saints’ record with Spencer Rattler under center was abysmal, scouts still see a live arm and the "creation ability" that made him a high-profile prospect. With New Orleans shifting their focus toward Tyler Shough, Rattler becomes an intriguing "lotto ticket" for a team like the Raiders or Rams looking for a high-upside developmental passer.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "There could be teams out there that think enough of his talent to bring him in to see if they can coach him up into a more consistent starter."
- Solak’s Tape: "Rattler excelled as more of a quick-distribution point guard last season, but he also showed good creation ability on longer, movement dropbacks. He could fight... a free agent veteran in training camp."
8. Renardo Green, CB, San Francisco 49ers
Analysis: Renardo Green is a twitchy, aggressive corner who thrives when he can play "on an island," but the transition to Raheem Morris’s defensive system in San Francisco may leave him without a clear role. He’s the type of "buy-low" trade target for a team that prioritizes man-coverage traits and needs a young starter with two years of cost control remaining.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "The Niners have a new defensive coordinator in Raheem Morris, and Green might not be a scheme fit. The 2024 second-round pick... seemed to fall out of favor a bit with the coaching staff at times last season."
- Solak’s Tape: "Green isn't a particularly big outside corner, but he makes up for it with quickness and aggressiveness. Double-digit pass breakups in each of his first two seasons is a testament to that."
7. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Analysis: Managing a "Super Bowl window" often means making the difficult choice to move a young star before their market value peaks. Sam LaPorta is still one of the premier young TEs in the game, but Detroit’s looming extensions for Branch and Gibbs might make him the sacrificial lamb for the sake of cap health.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "The Lions have four 2023 draft picks they want to extend -- LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, and Brian Branch -- and there are people around the league who wonder whether they'll be able to get all of those deals done."
- Solak’s Tape: "Teams looking for a high-volume receiving tight end might be willing to spend a draft pick now on LaPorta, instead of risking a bidding war in free agency in 2027."
6. DK Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Analysis: The Mike McCarthy era in Pittsburgh could bring a schematic shift that leaves DK Metcalf as the odd man out. His suspension-related contract quirk makes him far more "tradable" than your average superstar WR. If he hits the block, expect a bidding war between teams that prioritize raw size and 50/50 ball wins.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "His two-game suspension at the end of the season for an in-game altercation with a fan voided that guarantee and could in turn make Metcalf easier to trade, if the Steelers are so inclined."
- Solak’s Tape: "Metcalf is a team-specific player; not all systems will endure his limited route tree. Those teams that... can feed him a steady diet of vertical routes will value a player who is still under 30."
5. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Analysis: A.J. Brown’s tenure in Philly has been defined by elite production and visible sideline emotion. With the Eagles entering a transitional phase, the front office must weigh his top-tier talent against the "noise" that follows him. Any team trading for him is getting a physical mismatch who has proven he can carry an offense on his back.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "Brown made no secret of his frustrations with the Eagles' offense in 2025. ... The questions are whether he's unhappy enough there to force the issue and whether the Eagles want to move on from the situation."
- Solak’s Tape: "An acquiring team is risking that Brown is beyond his athletic prime (he will turn 29 this summer)... And the recent ceiling of Brown's play has been top-five receiver level."
4. Maxx Crosby, Edge, Las Vegas Raiders
Analysis: The "Condor" has been the face of the Raiders, but the organizational friction at the end of 2025 has cracked the door for a departure. Maxx Crosby isn't just a pass rusher; he’s an "Iron Man" who rarely leaves the field, a trait that makes his $29 million annual salary look like a bargain for a defense-starved contender like Chicago.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "Unless Crosby forces the issue and tells the Raiders he doesn't want to play for them anymore, it's hard to see the team moving him. But if that does happen, there would be a ton of interest."
- Solak’s Tape: "One of the league's best three-down defensive linemen, Crosby is an iron man who creates tackles for loss in the running game and can beat even elite offensive tackles in one-on-one pass-rush situations."
3. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: Moving Jaylen Waddle would signal the end of an era in South Beach, but the salary cap is a cold reality. With 2027 salary guarantees approaching, Miami has to decide if they can afford a WR2 at a WR1 price point while they have massive dead money on the books. For an acquiring team, you're getting a 27-year-old in his physical prime.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "With Tyreek Hill released, a Waddle deal would represent a significant reset in Miami. And if the Dolphins are going to handle a $99.2 million dead money hit for Tua Tagovailoa, they are going to have to cut costs somewhere."
- Solak’s Tape: "Waddle has multiple seasons of cost-controlled play on his existing contract, is only 27 years old, and can be both a yards-after-catch slot option and a downfield vertical threat."
2. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Analysis: The Dolphins are at a crossroads, and De'Von Achane is their most liquid asset. While most "rebuilds" involve hoarding young talent, Miami might view his elite speed as the ultimate trade chip to recoup the draft capital lost in previous years. He remains the most explosive weapon in a league that is increasingly desperate for home-run hitters in the backfield.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "The league seems to believe the Dolphins are in a full rebuild... call any Achane trade a significant long shot that would take an awfully enticing package to get done."
- Solak’s Tape: "The 24-year-old running back has game-breaking speed, high-volume receiving ability and much better toughness and tackle-breaking skills than his slight frame might suggest... his 5.7 yards per carry ranked first in the NFL."
1. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Analysis: Jacksonville's WR room is crowded after the Jakobi Meyers trade and the rise of Parker Washington, leaving the former LSU standout in a "prove-it" limbo. While Brian Thomas Jr.'s sophomore stats dipped, his draft pedigree suggests he’s a prime "post-hype sleeper" candidate for a vertical-passing offense like Buffalo or Pittsburgh.
- Graziano’s Buzz: "There has been no indication that trading Thomas is something the Jaguars are planning, but there are teams monitoring the situation in case the hypertalented LSU product has fallen far enough down the Jacksonville depth chart that the front office would consider a move."
- Solak’s Tape: "Thomas was better as a prospect than any wide receiver in the upcoming 2026 class. He had 707 yards and two scores in 2025, but he went for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie."
ESPN NFL Trade Big Board: 14 Elite Targets to Watch
The Landscape: The 2026 NFL offseason has officially shifted into high gear following the breaking news of Kyler Murray’s release from the Arizona Cardinals. With the league year rapidly approaching on March 11, teams are no longer just looking at the draft—they are hunting for established, blue-chip talent.

The Source: To cut through the noise, we are diving into the latest "Trade Big Board" from ESPN’s NFL reporters, Dan Graziano and Ben Solak. By combining Graziano’s deep-rooted league buzz with Solak’s elite film-room analysis, we’ve stacked the top 14 trade candidates currently dominating front-office conversations.

Our Take: From Maxx Crosby's friction in Vegas to the Philadelphia Eagles' potential cultural reset with A.J. Brown, we provide the context you need on where these stars might land and what they'll cost.

Full rankings and expert analysis originally reported by Dan Graziano and Ben Solak at ESPN.com.

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ESPN’s NFL Trade Block 2026: 14 Stars Who Could Be on the Move, Ranked

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