Matt Johnson
We’ve seen a few NFL trades made this offseason, including Michael Pittman Jr. landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Geno Smith getting dealt back to the New York Jets and Trent McDuffie landing with the Los Angeles Rams. It leaves us hoping that the 2026 NFL offseason has more left in store, both in blockbuster deals and other swaps to shake up next season.
Let’s dive into our list of five NFL trades we’d love to see this month, deals that both sides would hopefully not back out of days later.
Anthony Richardson Gets Fresh Start with Green Bay Packers
The Indianapolis Colts have given former first-round pick Anthony Richardson permission to seek a trade, and the Daniel Jones contract extension makes a deal feel even more inevitable. It’s obvious that Richardson isn’t ready to step in and start immediately this season, but he’s only turning 24 years old in May and the tantalizing physical tools that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft are still there. He needs a spot with no pressure to perform and a history of developing quarterbacks.
- Green Bay Packers trade: 2027 fifth-round pick
- Indianapolis Colts trade: Anthony Richardson, 2027 seventh-round pick
While a fifth-round pick might seem a bit pricey, the Green Bay Packers are going to be receiving multiple compensatory picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. This move gives head coach Matt LaFleur a new project to work with, like he did with Malik Willis. Keep in mind that Willis was acquired by Green Bay on Aug. 26 and a month later he had a 2-0 record as the Packers’ starting quarterback. The Packers are still in the market for a backup quarterback with upside and this is the perfect spot for Richardson to learn and develop.
Related: 5 Most Improved NFL Teams This Offseason
New England Patriots Pull Off the A.J. Brown Trade
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman certainly seems to have a high asking price for an A.J. Brown trade. If there was any team willing to offer it, the disgruntled All-Pro wide receiver would’ve been moved by now. With the 2026 NFL Draft drawing closer and the Dallas Goedert contract becoming a bit of an issue, Philadelphia might need to bite the proverbial bullet and just make the change.
- Philadelphia Eagles trade: A.J. Brown
- New England Patriots trade: 31st overall pick, 131st overall pick
The signing of Romeo Doubs doesn’t prevent the New England Patriots from going out and landing a true No. 1 wide receiver. Brown is both a field-stretcher and third-down option who can elevate New England’s receiving corps, pushing everyone into roles they are more suited for, while making Drake Maye better and helping out the run game. New England wasn’t as aggressive as it needed to be this offseason at edge rusher, but it can make up for that by adding a playmaker on offense who defenses must game plan for each week.
Related: Early Winners, Losers from First Week of NFL Free Agency
Los Angeles Rams Make a Long-Term Bet on Spencer Rattler
The New Orleans Saints have found something in quarterback Tyler Shough. Now it’s about building a better supporting cast around him, and one way to do that is by spinning depth into more draft capital. While there isn’t an immediate destination out there where Spencer Rattler could step in and be the starting quarterback, there could be a good long-term landing spot for him.
- Los Angeles Rams trade: 93rd overall pick
- New Orleans Saints trade: Spencer Rattler, 132nd overall pick
Rattler had a strong six-game stretch to open last season, putting up a 6-1 TD-INT line with a 91.9 passer rating and a 68.5 percent completion rate from Weeks 1-6. While he’s undersized at 6-foot, the physical tools are clearly there. He would be an ideal insurance plan for the Los Angeles Rams behind Matthew Stafford, and Sean McVay would have a new developmental quarterback who he can get the most out of long-term. Plus, Rattler is under contract for the next two seasons and his cap hit never even reaches $1.3 million.
Related: 5 NFL Teams Seemingly Poised to Tank in 2026
Kayvon Thibodeaux Lands with Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t re-sign Odafe Oweh because the asking price just got too high. What Oweh’s success playing opposite Khalil Mack showed is how great of a landing spot this can be for another edge rusher. Acquiring Maxx Crosby is off the table, but Los Angeles absolutely can pull off a trade for another former first-round pick at edge who hasn’t quite lived up to expectations.
- New York Giants trade: Kayvon Thibodeaux
- Los Angeles Chargers trade: 123rd overall pick, Denzel Perryman
For the New York Giants, this might be around the best possible return they could get for one season of Kayvon Thibodeaux. Acquiring Denzel Perryman gives New York more depth at off-ball linebacker and the front office could find a role player with the additional fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This move gets Thibodeaux a much-needed change of scenery, with the Harbaugh brothers helping one another out.
Read More: Worst NFL Offseason Moves 2026
Seattle Seahawks Go All-In with Maxx Crosby Trade
The Las Vegas Raiders might be more open to keeping Maxx Crosby now, but trading the All-Pro edge rusher is still in everyone’s best interest. This is a franchise that needs to be rebuilt from the ground up and Crosby’s contract obviously doesn’t fit into the team’s long-term plans. So, why not have head coach Klint Kubiak strike a deal with his former team.
- Seattle Seahawks trade: 32nd and 64th overall picks
- Las Vegas Raiders trade: Maxx Crosby
For the Seattle Seahawks, the time is now to go all-in and build a defense that could potentially win the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. Crosby might carry some long-term durability risks, but Seattle would have depth at edge rusher behind him. What’s most important is that for the next two seasons, he could be one of the best three-down edge defenders in the NFL and having a disruptor of his caliber would allow Mike Macdonald to get even more creative with his defense. Plus, Seattle does have the cap space to pull of something like this.
