2024 NFL Midseason Trade Block

By
Logan Ulrich
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October is here. Not only does this mark the peak of autumn for most of the country, but it also is the unofficial beginning of trade season in the NFL. All 32 teams have at least four games under their belt and we’re starting to see a delineation between the contenders and the non-contenders — aka the teams who will be buying and the teams who will be selling ahead of this year’s trade deadline. 

Haason Reddick

That deadline will come a week later than normal thanks to a good decision by the league to shift the trade deadline to the end of Week 9, which this year will be November 5. From now until then, we’ll be running this 2024 NFL Midseason Trade Block post to keep you updated on which players could be on the move around the league. 

Teams call each other about trading for players all the time, but it takes two to make a deal. We’ve combed through depth charts, beat reports, contract details and trade rumors to connect the dots on which players might be up for grabs in the coming weeks. 

Think of this like an old-timey mail-order catalog. Need a pass rusher? Or a slot cornerback? Or depth at swing tackle? Here’s an overview of what the options could be. And make sure to check back each week, as players will be added and removed as the picture changes ahead of the trade deadline. 

Quarterback

In-season quarterback trades are rare for a reason. The quarterback is expected to have complete command of the playbook, but most get the entire offseason and training camp to study up. A quarterback joining a new team midseason is akin to being dropped into Organic Chemistry 202 after the midterm and being expected to not only ace the class but tutor other students. 

Acquiring a quarterback as part of a long-term developmental plan makes more sense, which is why these three are listed. Young’s future in Carolina is obviously shaky after his benching and the subsequent success of veteran QB Andy Dalton. While the Panthers have said they’re not interested in trading Young, who’s under contract for two more seasons at $10.1 million total, there surely is a price at which they’d be willing to cut their losses given how dismal Young has played. Conversely, former No. 1 picks always get second, third and fourth chances, so Young will have some interest. 

Lance and Wilson are third-stringers for their respective teams after going off the board in the top three picks in 2021. Both are in the final year of their contracts as well, which hurts their trade value given any interested team can just try to sign them in the spring. 

I do think both Dallas and Denver view them as purely speculative value assets at this point and would be willing to flip for a pick. Otherwise they’re just playing the compensatory pick game in the offseason. 

Running Back

Even though the Bears running game is struggling, it does not seem like Chicago views Herbert as a potential solution. The former sixth-round pick is in the final year of his contract and has a career 4.8 yards per carry average. There are enough teams struggling with depth at running back that the Bears could feasibly net a pick by trading Herbert, who is a quality runner even if he’s not the most well-rounded player. 

The looming debut of Panthers second-round RB Jonathon Brooks will push Sanders to third on the depth chart in Carolina, as fourth-year RB Chuba Hubbard is also playing well. Sanders is playing better than last year, and if the Panthers are willing to eat a couple million of his remaining salary, they could potentially have a market from a RB-needy team. 

Pierce didn’t completely lose his job as the backup to RB Cam Akers but he missed his opportunity by also getting hurt at the same time as starting Texans RB Joe Mixon. Houston has Mixon, Akers and passing down back Dare Ogunbowale, which makes Pierce potentially superfluous. He had over 1,100 yards from scrimmage as a rookie. 

Abdullah probably wouldn’t fetch much, if anything, in a trade but he’s a good special teamer and scatback who might be pushed out in Las Vegas if the Raiders elect to evaluate younger options if the season gets away from them. 

Wide Receiver

Plenty of people were sick about the constant trade speculation involving Adams — including Adams himself. The fact of the matter is, though, there were too many factors pointing to a trade being a serious consideration. Adams is a top-shelf player who could be a legitimate difference-maker for contending teams in need of a boost at receiver. Now that the Raiders have made him available, there will be considerable interest. 

There’s a strong argument that trading Adams is in the best interest of the Raiders. Las Vegas is 2-2 and has a chance to get to 3-2 with a win over the Broncos, but no one is mistaking the Raiders for a serious contender this year. Current starting QB Gardner Minshew is just a bridge until the team can find someone better, and Adams might not be around when that player comes along. He’ll be 32 next year and due $36 million, which the Raiders almost certainly are not going to pay. 

The Raiders could try to work out an extension with Adams that reduces their financial obligations, but otherwise, they’re going to end up cutting Adams and getting nothing back. Conversely, if they traded Adams now they would still have players like WR Jakobi Meyers and first-round TE Brock Bowers to funnel the offense through plus an extra Day 2 pick to rebuild the team or go after a quarterback. While a trade could take Adams away from the West Coast, it could also land him on a winning team which would be a perk considering how obvious his frustrations have been in Las Vegas the past few years. 

At any rate, expect receiver to be a hot position in terms of buzz ahead of the deadline, as Adams isn’t the only big name possibly available and plenty of NFL teams are struggling on offense. Tennessee has two receivers worth watching in Hopkins and Burks. The latter has yet to find his footing as a first-round pick and is now playing for a different regime than the one that drafted him. The former can still contribute as a quality possession receiver even if he’s not one of the best wideouts in the game anymore. Hopkins is in the final year of his contract and would be one of the best trade assets the 1-3 Titans currently have. 

Jacksonville is the only winless team in the league right now and that makes the Jaguars worth watching as sellers ahead of the trade deadline. Kirk leads the team in targets but there is an out in his contract next offseason when the Jaguars could be staring at some major changes. His experience as a slot receiver could intrigue other teams but his $15 million 2024 compensation would be a significant roadblock. For now, the Jaguars are also invested in winning games and saving jobs, not collecting future assets. 

Bourne’s name came up in trade talks in August and the veteran is set to return from the PUP list for a New England team starved for playmaking at wide receiver. They just extended Bourne this past offseason as well, but the fact that he was dangled in trade talks just a couple months ago makes him worth watching. 

Metchie had a good summer by most reports but remains buried in a deep Texans receiving corps. He was a healthy scratch for the first three weeks before getting a jersey in Week 4 and recording his first catch. He’s still on his rookie contract through 2025, so the Texans can keep him, but he would be a chip should other needs crop up for Houston. 

Slayton is in the final year of his contract and so far has been able to hold off Hyatt for the deep threat role in New York’s offense. New York could move him to clear snaps for Hyatt — or move the youngster who hasn’t been able to oust the veteran yet. 

Tight End 

Bengals fourth-round TE Erick All has emerged as a factor for Cincinnati, which already has veteran TE Mike Gesicki as well. That’s crowded out Hudson who has some solid snaps in the past as a receiving option. The Bengals rarely make trades but in this case they have rare depth they could use to bolster other weak areas of the roster. 

Bellinger still doesn’t have much of a role with the Giants who are enamored with fourth-round TE Theo Johnson. That could make Bellinger, a former fourth-rounder himself, expendable. 

Offensive Tackle

While Little hasn’t played all that well this year or last, he’s a former second-round pick who has flashed competency and is in the final year of his rookie contract. In a league starved for quality offensive line play, particularly at tackle, there would be notable interest in Little if the Jaguars decided to move on. He’s still just 25 years old and a team confident in its offensive line coaching could view him as a steal. 

Neal lost his hold on the starting job thanks to a lingering injury and two years of horrendous tape. But the former top-ten pick has outstanding athletic gifts and would be an intriguing reclamation project, assuming the Giants are willing to part with him with two years remaining on his rookie contract. 

Christensen can play just about anywhere on the offensive line, which would enhance his trade value for other teams. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract and does not seem like a fit for the new coaching staff, which wants more of a power approach up front. Christensen has 24 starts under his belt, however, and could be a starter for a team with more athletic, zone-based principles up front. 

Green Bay has options for depth at tackle which could make Dillard expendable. He has traits, experience and pedigree as a former first-round pick on his side even if his tape so far in his career looks tough. 

The Jets are five-deep at tackle at the moment, though that’s not factoring in the injury to veteran RT Morgan Moses. Starting LT Tyron Smith has an extensive injury history of his own, so keeping all five might make sense for the Jets. Still, Mitchell is the most expendable of the group and could draw interest with another year left on his rookie contract and 12 career starts. 

Petit-Frere has had an abysmal start to the season, to the point where the Titans could just elect to cut bait and trade him for whatever they can get — or perhaps even cut him. 

Interior Offensive Line

Arizona has plenty of depth along the interior of its offensive line, which could make someone expendable. Brown remains the best trade candidate given he’s cheap, in a contract year, experienced and can play all three spots on the interior line. 

Cleveland remains buried on the depth chart even with some of the injuries the Ravens have faced up front. He’s in a contract year, which makes him a clear and obvious trade candidate for Baltimore if the Ravens get a chance to lock in a pick rather than hoping Cleveland nets them a comp pick. 

Fortner is a former third-round pick who lost his job to veteran C Mitch Morse, signed by the Jaguars this offseason. He has one more year left on his rookie contract in 2025 and is a fresh start candidate. 

Edge Rusher

The longer Reddick holds out, racking up millions in fines and lost earnings, the less likely it seems that he ever plays for the Jets. Embarrassing as it is, GM Joe Douglas might have no choice but to cut his losses and trade Reddick for whatever he can get. 

Ojulari has seen his snaps fall after the Giants acquired OLB Brian Burns this offseason, and he’s a distant third in the rotation behind Burns and OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal, making his future in New York uncertain. He did have eight sacks as a rookie and was a second-round pick, however, so the Giants could net a decent pick for a team that isn’t as deep at pass rusher. 

Ebikietie and Malone aren’t scheme fits in Atlanta’s new defense and have seen their snaps dip sharply. While both are former Day 2 picks from 2022, Ebiketie has flashed a lot more than Malone so far and would have more trade value. He notched six sacks last season. 

Defensive Tackle

Robertson-Harris remains an under-the-radar trade candidate who could be a key contributor for a playoff team looking for defensive line help (perhaps the 49ers?). The veteran’s contract was restructured this offseason, meaning he currently is playing for the minimum salary and would be much easier for an acquiring team to fit onto its books. The Jaguars have some younger players behind Robertson-Harris, and if they shift into evaluation mode as losses pile up it makes sense to trade him. 

Leal is a rotational player in Pittsburgh but his draft status (third round in 2022) could garner him some interest as a trade candidate. 

Linebacker

Signed by the Eagles to compete for a starting role at linebacker, White instead fell behind other options and has been a healthy scratch all season. That doesn’t bode well for him being a positive addition for another team but White is still a former first-round pick with absurd athleticism. A team desperate for linebacker help that believes in its coaching staff could roll the dice — and it wouldn’t cost much. 

Davis is another former first-round pick who has fallen out of favor, though he’s still with his original team. He hasn’t been able to crack the field much in Washington through the first few games. 

Tindall and Asamoah are both athletic former third-round picks from the 2022 class who have yet to make a mark. That’s actually not that uncommon for linebackers, as what the NFL asks them to do is far different from what they were tasked with in college. Most take time to develop. Tindall and Asamoah have physical gifts that give them some upside if they ever put it together, so it’s a question of if their current teams have run out of patience. 

Cornerback

Rebuilding teams like New England have to consider any trade interest they get in older players who aren’t under contract and aren’t necessarily viewed as part of the future — just like the Patriots did during camp when they dealt OLB Matt Judon. Jones is another veteran who could draw interest from a cornerback-needy team. 

Forbes played in Week 1 and Week 4 with an injury sidelining him in between. Washington’s secondary has been one of the worst in football so far this season. It’s not all obviously Forbes’ fault but as a second-year first-round pick, the hope obviously was that he’d be part of the solution. With an entirely new regime in place from the one that invested in him last season, Forbes’ status is tenuous. 

Safety

Baker is healthy and back to playing fairly well as a physical enforcer and emotional leader on defense for the Cardinals. But Arizona is 1-3 and Baker’s in the final year of his contract. With his long-term future with the Cardinals in doubt, Baker has to be considered a potential trade chip. 

Bradberry is hurt right now which makes his trade value non-existent, but if he gets healthy the Eagles will almost assuredly try to shop him to get something of value and clear space on their roster. The veteran is a liability at cornerback right now but could have some utility as a safety still.

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