10 NFL trade candidates who could be moved this offseason

The San Francisco 49ers have known what was coming. They have a top-heavy roster of All-Pro players and the NFL salary cap means only a few of them can be kept. With quarterback Brock Purdy now eligible for a contract extension, someone on this 49ers roster has to go. It will be offensive weapon Deebo Samuel, who turns 29 in January and carries a $15.825 million cap hit in 2025 with $13.705 million in dead money for 2026. San Francisco might have to cover some of Samuel’s contract, but there will be several suitors interested in acquiring the dynamic offensive weapon.

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Trey Hendrickson requested a trade this past offseason but the Cincinnati Bengals didn’t grant it. Now 30 years old, Hendrickson will be coming off his second consecutive season with 14-plus sacks and his third in the last four years. He’s also in the final year of his deal. Cincinnati already has to figure out long-term deals with Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase this spring, leaving no avenue for Hendrickson to get paid. He’ll once again try to force a trade and the Bengals front office might finally have to move him given all the holes on their roster and the need for more premium draft picks and cap space.

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The NFL rumors have been circulating for months regarding Garrett Wilson. He voiced his frustration with the New York Jets front office after the 2023 season and things only got worse this year. Now, after three consecutive years of his production being brought down by below-average quarterback play, Wilson has to think about his future. He’s eligible for a contract extension and wants to become one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL while playing for a perennial contender. With the Jets roster likely being overhauled for a mini-rebuild in 2025, Wilson will do everything in his power to force his way out and New York might go for it if a first-round pick is on the table.

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The fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Kyle Pitts has never come close to replicating his 1,000-yard rookie season. Injuries have evidently taken a toll on his elite athleticism and his blocking leaves a lot to be desired. The 24-year-old tight end is owed $10.878 million fully guaranteed in 2025. The Falcons need to invest that money on the defense and Pitts isn’t a long-term part of the team’s plans. Expect Atlanta to shop him this offseason, in large part to get out of the final year of his deal. As long as the Falcons cover a portion of his salary, there should be a few teams willing to take a shot on Pitts in a one-year tryout period.

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In December, reports emerged that Myles Garrett will essentially leave the Cleveland Browns with an ultimatum. Either the front office commits to going all-in to be contenders in 2025 or the perennial All-Pro defensive end will request a trade if the team attempts a rebuild. Given the state of the Browns roster and the lack of cap space because of the Deshaun Watson contract, there’s no realistic path for contention. The best thing for Cleveland to do long-term is to tear this thing down again and rebuild from the ground up. If that decision is made, Garrett would be one of the most coveted NFL trade candidates in several years.

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With Aaron Rodgers highly unlikely to play for the New York Jets in 2025, it’s only a matter of time until Davante Adams requests a trade. He’s proven late in the 2024 NFL season that he can still be a high-end wide receiver, so there will be a market of suitors for him when he hits the trade block. What’s uncertain is if Adams has learned from his poor decision-making of the past when he forced trades to teams where his best friends were the quarterbacks. If friendship is his priority, Adams might be with the New Orleans Saints in 2025.

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After a breakout season with the New York Jets in 2023 (10 sacks), Bryce Huff landed a three-year, $51 million contract from the Philadelphia Eagles. In an NFL offseason filled with home-run moves by the Eagles front office, this one backfired. Huff has just 2.5 sacks through 10 games and has essentially become a non-factor. Philadelphia would only free up $1.17 million in cap space with a post-June 1 trade of Huff, but both sides might feel a change of scenery is best for everyone involved.

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NFL coaches love reclamation projects, there are examples of that every year. Will Levis – 81.9 QB rating and 61.2 percent completion rate – has largely been a disaster with the Tennessee Titans. However, you can bet there will be multiple teams interested in the 33rd overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft as a fun project. After all, look at how things have turned around for Malik Willis since he was traded to the Green Bay Packers. Levis won’t have a shot at a starting job in 2025, but coaches like Andy Reid or Sean McVay could view him as a buy-low quarterback to develop behind a veteran QB.

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Some NFL trade candidates in 2025 will be shopped around the league before being released. That’s potentially the case for Cooper Kupp. As integral as the All-Pro receiver has been to Sean McVay’s offense, the Los Angeles Rams can’t justify a $29.78 million cap hit for a 32-year-old receiver with durability issues. The Rams’ first option will be to see if Kupp is willing to take a significant pay cut. Once that is taken off the table, Los Angeles will shop him around the league to see if anyone will package some daft picks for Kupp as long as the Rams send cash in the deal. If that doesn’t provide the returns the team is looking for, Kupp will likely be released this offseason.

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The Atlanta Falcons made the right decision benching Kirk Cousins. The reports following the move also highlight the quarterback desperation around the NFL and just how many teams will be willing to give Cousins a shot in 2025. While releasing Cousins is an option, the level of interest in the Pro Bowl quarterback will certainly lead to Atlanta first exploring its trade options this offseason. If the Falcons are willing to cover some of his cap hit – $40 million in 2025 – there’s an even higher chance some desperate time might be willing to give up Day 3 picks for him.

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