2026 Preseason NFL Trade Block

By
Logan Ulrich
-

The preseason is officially underway as of last Thursday, and all 32 teams have games this upcoming week. This time of year tends to ignite the trading market as teams clarify where their rosters stand, both in where they’re thin and where they’re thick, ahead of final roster cuts due on August 30. There are some notable free agents still available but for teams who can’t find what they’re looking for on the market, trades represent a real alternative. 

Here’s the first of what will be a weekly update looking around the league, position by position, at players who could be moved in trades in the coming weeks. 

Quarterback

Arizona and Brissett worked out the contract standoff that kept him out all spring, netting the veteran an extra $10 million. That reflects Brissett’s status as the unquestioned starter, as it doesn’t seem like the Cardinals really tried to squeeze him by pitting the cheaper veteran QB Gardner Minshew against him as an alternative bridge passer this year. It’s the type of deal that should take Brissett off the market. 

However, the Cardinals are in a unique spot this year with no clear long-term solution at quarterback on the roster aside from third-round QB Carson Beck. The only way to evaluate Beck is for him to play, which puts a clock on Brissett at some point this season. Given how good Beck looked in the Hall of Fame game, maybe that clock gets moved up. 

Levis has been competing with veteran QB Mitchell Trubisky for the backup job this summer. Trubisky should be heavily favored to win out given his experience, contract and history with OC Brian Daboll. The writing has been on the wall for Levis since the end of the 2024 season but for whatever reason, maybe holding out for a better trade offer, the Titans have not pulled the trigger yet. Roster cuts this year might provide the final impetus to take what they can get. 

Despite talking up McKee as a backup they were extremely confident in and would only take a prime pick to part with via trade, the Eagles went out and acquired Dalton this summer. Those two have been competing for the No. 1 quarterback role behind Jalen Hurts and it’s been fairly even by most accounts. The Eagles also drafted fifth-round QB Cole Payton and fifth-rounders generally are pretty secure as far as roster spots go. That means one of either McKee or Dalton will probably be on the move later this preseason. Both are in contract years and both should have trade value. McKee is younger but we ranked Dalton notably higher in our backup QB power rankings because he’s significantly more experienced. 

Once again the Browns have four quarterbacks vying for spots on the roster. While you never want to completely count the Browns out from doing something unconventional, it’s also fair to be skeptical of their claims that they’re willing to keep all four, as they said the same thing last year before ultimately trading two passers. Gabriel has had a strong camp by most reports, which might be exactly what Cleveland needs to recoup some value because he still feels the most expendable of a group that includes Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and sixth-rounder Taylen Green. 

O’Connell is in the last year of his contract and checks a lot of the boxes that teams look for in a backup quarterback. That could give him some trade value ahead of roster cuts but at the same time, Las Vegas probably isn’t just trying to give him away. With how flooded the backup quarterback market is, that value sweet spot might not come together. 

We’ll see how genuine the Steelers’ love for Howard is after talking him up for a year, because the roster math in Pittsburgh is cut and dry. They have four quarterbacks on the roster and aren’t even trying to BS about keeping more than three. Rudolph’s experience makes him the primary backup to Rodgers unless Howard can show enough to unseat him. Odds are other teams will just wait this out and make Pittsburgh cut someone but with quarterbacks you can never rule out a trade. 

Richardson has been available all offseason and no trade market has developed. He’s been competing with last year’s seventh-round QB Riley Leonard for the primary backup job, so it’s far from guaranteed Richardson would see the field if starting QB Daniel Jones were to get hurt. If Richardson is the No. 3 quarterback, it becomes harder for the Colts to justify not trading him even if the optics of giving up on the former No. 4 pick aren’t good. 

Running Back

The Steelers took Johnson in the third round just last year but things have been bad enough that he’s already on the ropes. Johnson struggled as a rookie, mustering just 28 carries for 65 yards. He averaged 2.5 yards per carry and had a success rate of just 25 percent. Not only did Pittsburgh add Rico Dowdle, one of HC Mike McCarthy’s guys from Dallas, to the backfield this offseason, the Steelers also drafted local darling Eli Heidenreich and signed Travis Homer. Both can contribute on passing downs and special teams, two other weaknesses of Johnson’s game. Unless he’s improved dramatically, which will be hard to tell before the preseason games, Johnson might already be on the wrong side of the bubble despite his draft capital. 

Based on the way Arizona has talked about veteran RB James Conner after reworking his deal, slashing his salary but guaranteeing the remainder, I would hazard a guess that the plan is to keep him as a valuable veteran presence and insurance in the room even though they added Tyler Allgeier and Jeremiyah Love. I doubt Benson has the same leash. The former third-rounder has had issues with his reads to start his career and that’s not a great fit for the new offense. He also hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and that includes getting banged up during camp this year. It might actually be more likely that Benson is cut than traded but his recent Day 2 draft capital leaves the light on for that possibility. 

Singletary is an accomplished veteran but teams typically want third-string backs to contribute on special teams or passing downs, and that’s not quite his forte at this stage of his career. Even though the Giants want to be run-heavy, Singletary might be a luxury they can’t swing. 

Wright didn’t take a leap in his second year and now both the coaching staff and general manager who drafted him are gone. He has two years left on his rookie contract and can be an explosive player, but his margin for error is diminishing. 

With a one-two punch of Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara locked in on top of the depth chart, the Saints have a host of other options competing to round out the roster. Miller is a former third-round pick but he hasn’t been able to stay on the field, including this summer. That creates an opening for Devin Neal, a sixth-rounder last year who flashed, to pass him even though he’s less physically talented. If the Saints keep a fourth running back, it would probably be for special teams, which gives Ty Chandler a potential leg up as a kickoff returner. 

McLaughlin elected to re-sign with the Broncos despite the team phasing him out over the past few years. That was before Denver drafted RB Jonah Coleman in the fourth round and he’s the heavy favorite for third running back duties. That leaves McLaughlin competing with RB Tyler Badie for the No. 4 job in whatever form that takes, including potentially on the practice squad. 

Ford’s experience and resume as a kickoff returner would make him an interesting option if the demand for running backs picks up this month. Washington got him on a veteran salary benefit deal and he has some tough roster math to overcome to earn a spot on the final 53.  

Guerendo’s inability to stay healthy has seemingly prompted the 49ers to move on with other options, as they’ve used mid-round picks on running backs each of the past two years. He’s hurt now but if he recovers, his speed and pedigree might intrigue teams, especially ones looking to weaponize the dynamic kickoff in its second year. 

Wide Receiver

In June, I floated the idea of the Browns trading Jeudy because of how strong rookie WRs Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion looked. That hype hasn’t abated during camp. Cleveland isn’t necessarily conducting a fire sale, as the Browns want to be respectable and get a good evaluation of the quarterbacks on the roster. However, as the Myles Garrett trade shows, they have a price for everyone. 

Jeudy’s inconsistencies are well-documented but he’s just 2027 and two years removed from a 1,200-yard season. His $13.4 million in salary is also pretty affordable considering how much the market for receivers has boomed, and if a trade is executed after September 1, the Browns are responsible for nearly all of that tab. The market for Jeudy could be surprisingly strong, especially if injuries hit another team hard. 

Tillman is the other Browns receiver to watch as Boston will probably take over his role and make him obsolete as anything other than depth. He’s also due $3.6 million after hitting the Proven Performance Escalator, so unless he agrees to a pay cut, the Browns could look to save some money. 

If you’ve been paying attention, the Patriots have done everything short of blasting out a tweet to tell other teams they would take a fifth-round pick for Boutte. Perhaps Boutte has forced that conversation to change with how well he’s played during camp, but he’s still working no better than fourth on a healthy depth chart and the Patriots have six other receivers they’d love to keep. Boutte has done an admirable job of controlling what he can control, but it’s clear from his media availabilities he would welcome a chance at a change of scenery and a bigger role. 

The Bills have a crowded receiving corps and it could result in a trade. Coleman is the headliner after owner Terry Pegula’s comments and his status as a former first-rounder. However, Palmer could be a sneaky trade candidate. His $9.6 million salary is the biggest obstacle to a trade and something the Bills would probably love to shed after he didn’t meet expectations as a notable free agent last offseason. If Coleman takes a step forward, it could be at Palmer’s expense. 

Denver upgraded its receiving room in a big way with the trade for Jaylen Waddle, as not only did it add a dynamic No. 1 option to the room, it pushed everyone else down the pecking order into roles that should be better suited to their talents. It also means less targets for everyone, and it’s possible Denver could make a trade from its newfound surplus of depth. Of a trio of young receivers that include Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims, I think Franklin’s role might be in the most jeopardy, even though he has two years left on his rookie contract. He’s been the least consistent of that bunch. 

Jones has a return touchdown in each of his first three seasons but is facing competition for his role and roster spot. That track record might still be enough to net the Bengals something if he misses the cut. 

Hyatt is on this list solely because of his draft capital, not for anything he’s done in his first three seasons. 

Tight End

One of the big trends this offseason has been teams leaning into multiple tight end formations, which could mean keeping more on the active roster than usual. It could also spark trade interest on players further down the depth chart than usual. 

Engram was supposed to be one of the matchup players Broncos HC Sean Payton covets, but with 50 catches for 461 yards and only one touchdown, that’s not quite how it turned out after he was signed last year. The early word from camp has been that Engram’s role isn’t noticeably different. Denver’s scheduled to pay him $11.5 million, $5 million of which is guaranteed, so that might handicap them from finding a trade partner. It does feel like both sides might be open to trying to find a better fit, though. 

Jordan’s status will be one of the test cases for whether teams are changing how they approach tight end. The Texans have four other tight ends arguably ahead of Jordan in the pecking order, but if they’re willing to carry five, he could make the cut. If not, he’s a potentially interesting dart throw as an athletic pass-catching tight end who’s had tough injury luck. 

The Bengals are another team that could either keep five tight ends or trade a reserve to a team that wants to beef up its room. Hudson was free for any team to sign this fall but he does have a lot of experience banked, which is valued more in September than it is in March. 

The Jaguars double-dipped on tight ends this April. Long is almost certainly a cut, so a team could just wait to sign him, as he’s a veteran who doesn’t have to clear waivers. Morris might be more borderline. Jacksonville loves to wheel and deal, and Morris could draw calls. 

Ordinarily players like Smartt and Calcaterra would be below the line I’d consider for trade-worthy, but if the demand for tight ends drives up the need for more bodies, they could get consideration. The Eagles have more depth here than they’ve had in a while. 

Offensive Tackle

This is a position that teams don’t mind carrying more depth than they think they will need, as an injury or two here can muck things up for the entire offense considering how steep the dropoff from starter to reserve is. Still, it means the demand is usually strong. 

In the Jaguars’ case, Little has been one of their starting five through camp as they wait for OT Cole Van Lanen to return from a late-season injury. If Van Lanen is healthy, Little becomes an $11 million backup, which is not a terrific use of resources for a team tight to the cap this year and next. He’s good enough to get a decent pick in the right circumstances. 

Miami retained Jackson on a reworked deal but we’ve seen that actually become an avenue to facilitate trades in recent years, turning veterans who otherwise would be unappealing because of their salary into legitimate trade assets. It does not feel like Jackson’s in Miami’s plans past this year, and if a viable alternative on the roster like Jamaree Salyer emerges, the Dolphins could flip Jackson into a pick that can be reinvested back into their rebuild. 

Jones has shown potential as a starter in his first three years but has missed a total of 27 games due to injuries. Like many players his size (a listed 6-8 and 375 pounds) he struggles to stay healthy. The Browns negotiated a pay cut that makes it easier to keep him around as a backup swing tackle but it also would make him a more appealing trade asset. 

The Bears have been giving all of their options a legitimate look at left tackle, with Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills the frontrunners and Theo Benedet mixing in with Amegadjie. The latter might be the most expendable, however, and it feels unlikely Chicago can keep everyone. Amegadjie’s athleticism and pedigree could draw interest. 

Fisher has two years left on his contract, which combined with his status as a former second-rounder could be intriguing to teams that had a good grade on him as a prospect. He’s the fourth tackle as things stand right now. I don’t think the Texans would cut him but they’d have to listen if another team made an offer. 

Rouse is flirting with the wrong side of the bubble, and while a team could wait to put in a claim, you’ll often see players in this category traded for a late-round swap or conditional pick from a team that wants to skip the line. 

The Eagles have a good competition for the No. 4 and maybe even the No. 5 tackle spots on the roster. Johnson is an eight-year veteran and started eight games last year, so he’s a proven and accomplished commodity as a reserve. Hinton and Williams were sixth-rounders taken as developmental projects last year because Philadelphia thought they had starter-caliber traits. Teams only have so much patience for projects, though. 

Interior Offensive Line

Powers-Johnson is competing with Caleb Rogers for the starting right guard spot. He remains in the lead for now but there continues to be a sense that the Raiders want more out of him. It’s worth noting the coaching staff and GM who drafted him are no longer in Las Vegas. It doesn’t feel like anything is imminent but this is a situation I can easily see being on the radar of opposing teams. 

Meredith is probably much more readily available with the Raiders upgrading at center to Tyler Linderbaum. He re-signed on the restricted tender worth $3.5 million for this upcoming season, so he’s affordable. There are a few teams who have questionable center situations and the injuries have yet to even really kick in. 

Noted OL analyst Brandon Thorn recently graded Adams as the No. 13 right guard and No. 78 best offensive lineman overall. Yet the Cardinals signaled they wanted something different with their pick of second-round G Chase Bisontis, so Adams might end up a victim of a scheme shift. A starting-caliber guard with two years left on his rookie deal would be a valuable trade asset for Arizona. Gaines isn’t as well regarded but has some position flexibility and made five starts last year. 

The Bills have a fairly competitive offensive line room and a history of being willing to trade depth players for picks. Cushenberry has the longest NFL resume but he could have signed anywhere this past offseason and had a cold market. Van Pran-Granger has two years left on his rookie contract and might be more appealing given his youth. Both play center. 

The writing is on the wall for Patterson after the Texans took multiple swings at upgrading the depth chart at center. He has 21 starts in his first three seasons, which could earn him a look as depth at minimum. 

Zinter was drafted with the hopes he would eventually succeed either Joel Bitonio or Wyatt Teller. His lack of development made it necessary for the Browns to spend up this offseason on veterans as they rebuilt the offensive line, and Zinter is squarely on the roster bubble. 

Neal and Ezeudu (and particularly Neal) are tracking more toward being cuts than legitimate trade assets during roster cuts. Still, you never know. 

Interior Defensive Line

Perhaps injuries and absences up front have curtailed the Panthers’ ability to trade Brown, but I do think they might be willing to move on if they don’t start to see what they were hoping for when he was signed last offseason. He’s owed about $6 million this year, half of which is guaranteed. For now, keeping him takes the pressure off of youngsters Cam Jackson and second-rounder Lee Hunter.

There could still be a shoe to drop from the Bengals’ trade for DT Dexter Lawrence. Cutting or trading Slaton, the backup nose tackle to Lawrence now, would free up $6.6 million. If they don’t want to do that, it could push out Jenkins who was a second-round in 2024. Overall, the Bengals have more candidates for roster spots at defensive tackle than they probably do spots on the final roster. 

The Dolphins have been complimentary of Grant, a first-round pick last year, so I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of smoke here. It’s still a situation I’m keeping my eye on because Grant is a classically built nose tackle, which is not a priority in new DC Jeff Hafley’s defense that wants to push up the field aggressively. 

Edge Rusher

Sweat was placed on the PUP list to start training camp, officially because of a knee injury. Considering he played all 17 games last year, didn’t have surgery this offseason that we know of, stayed away from voluntary OTAs all spring and reportedly is unhappy with the team, it’s fair to cock an eyebrow at this “injury.” The Cardinals insist Sweat will be ready for Week 1 but this continues to be a situation to monitor for the handful of teams interested in trading for an impact pass rusher. There’s a lot of logic to the idea of Arizona trading the 29-year-old even if the Cardinals just signed him last year. 

The Giants haven’t been particularly motivated to trade Thibodeaux, at least not for the offers they’ve been getting. But they have three other potential high-end edge rushers and Thibodeaux will be in the last year of his contract, so the realities of the situation are tough to avoid. They could play the compensatory pick game but that potentially handicaps them in free agency next year. This is another situation to watch, but more ahead of the trade deadline than this month. 

The Cowboys have been talking about adding, not subtracting, at edge rusher. However, they have enough bodies here that I could see someone like Williams being dealt to facilitate a move for a higher-profile player. Liufau is attempting a position change from off-ball linebacker and is squarely on the bubble. 

Chargers OLB Nadame Tucker has a real shot at the roster thanks to playing for new DC Chris O’Leary at Western Michigan. The collateral damage would be someone like Dupree or Kennard. Dupree is a situational pass rusher at this point in his career, while Kennard was a fourth-round pick just last year who only appeared in five games. 

Unless the Bills carry six edge rushers or someone gets hurt between now and Week 1, it feels like something has to give with six strong bidders for a position where teams usually keep just four or five. Hoecht and Solomon are on the bottom two rungs, with Hoecht a former defensive tackle coming off a torn Achilles and Solomon a speedy sub-package rusher who is an intriguing fit in the new scheme and a core special teamer. 

Johnson flashed the ability to be a legitimate No. 4 pass rusher with two sacks last year, but could get squeezed out by Cincinnati’s active offseason up front. Other teams definitely took notice of Johnson, too. 

Anudike-Uzomah was a first-round pick in 2023 who missed all of last season with an injury. He has just three sacks in two seasons and is probably close to his last chance in Kansas City. Despite the minimal impact so far, his pedigree as a former first-rounder could garner interest. 

Braswell is in a similar boat with slightly less regard as a former late second-round pick. He has two years left on his rookie deal, but the Buccaneers made a concerted effort to get better at edge rusher this year and that could push him out. He has 2.5 sacks in his first two seasons. 

Isaac has made minimal contributions in his first two seasons as a former third-round pick. Baltimore annually has some of the toughest roster cuts in the league, and they could elect not to carry a fifth outside linebacker if they want to keep a promising player at another position. 

Rumph and Jennings slot in as the fifth and sixth edge rushers, putting them on the bubble. Jennings signed with the Saints this offseason as a dirty work kind of veteran player. Rumph has followed DC Brandon Staley from the Chargers to the Saints and had two sacks as a rotational player last year. 

Linebacker

Dodson is in the last year of his contract, and while the reports from camp indicate he’s putting up a heck of a fight in a position battle with second-round LB Jacob Rodriguez, there’s really only one way that is going to end barring some kind of injury. That means the Dolphins have a real trade chip to cash in at some point between now and the trade deadline. Gay might be one, too, although he was a free agent this past offseason and ended up back in Miami. 

Bertrand had a rough stint in the lineup last year and that probably played into why the Falcons attacked the position so aggressively this offseason, adding multiple free agents and draft picks. He has enough reps to potentially garner interest from another team hoping a change of scenery revives him. 

Sewell started nine games for the Bears last year and had some flashes of the player that people thought might be a first-round prospect a long time ago at Oregon. He faces a ton of competition in Chicago’s linebacker room this year, but that tape could earn him a look elsewhere. Sanborn is another established player who might be on the outside looking in for the Bears. 

Injuries have derailed Sanders’ career so far and he’s in the last year of his rookie contract. The Broncos are also experimenting with him at edge rusher. If he still has his prime athleticism, though, another team might take a gamble. 

Cornerback

Banks was all but written off heading into this offseason given how and how much the former first-rounder had struggled. New York predictably declined his fifth-year option in May, setting this up as a contract year. Yet so far the reports on him have been positive coming out of Giants camp. With Banks, Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome and second-rounder Colton Hood, the Giants all of a sudden have a wealth of options at outside cornerback. Banks (and Adebo to a lesser extent) would be worth watching as trade candidates out of this surplus given the new coaching staff helmed by HC John Harbaugh has invested the least in them. 

Pittsburgh has a strong starting duo of outside cornerbacks in Joey Porter Jr. and Jamel Dean. Behind them, the early returns from third-round CB Daylen Everette have been positive. That leaves Samuel fourth despite earning plenty of plaudits from the coaching staff for his strong play during camp. Cornerback is a good position to be deep at, but Samuel is also on just a one-year deal, making him a potential trade chip. 

There’s a lot for the Chiefs to sort out in the secondary but assuming there aren’t any serious injuries, they will go into roster cuts with a big surplus at the position. Kansas City could have nine realistic candidates for five or six roster spots. If they look to make a trade, Fulton and Kohou stand out as potential options. Fulton was a notable free agent addition last year and wasn’t able to get on the field consistently due to injuries. He’s due almost $10 million, nearly half of which is guaranteed. If he’s still not going to play, it makes sense for the Chiefs to unload that. 

Kohou is on a much cheaper contract, as he signed to compete for the starting slot corner job after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. He made 38 starts for the Dolphins his first three years. However, the Chiefs have a glut of viable options to play in the nickel right now. 

The 49ers were aggressive adding to their cornerback room and one of the consistent themes from camp has been how well their secondary has been playing. That will likely cool the trade speculation around former second-rounder Renardo Green going into his third season. San Francisco still is heavy on numbers here, so it’s possible they could look to trade someone like Hobbs who signed a cheap deal as a veteran this offseason. His injury history might make for a chill market, though. 

Ringo didn’t take the step forward the Eagles hoped for last year, and they made other moves to address the No. 2 boundary corner spot. He’s still a promising size-speed athlete which will intrigue other teams, and the Eagles have a lot of depth at corner. Bennett is someone they acquired last year ahead of the trade deadline as a dart throw who is also super fast. 

The Cardinals have invested a lot in their cornerback room and other teams will be watching this closely during roster cuts. Thomas and Murphy-Bunting have started for stretches, while Jones was a Day 2 pick in 2024. 

Carson and Stiggers were both mid-round picks in 2024. The former is on shakier ground with new additions to the roster in Dallas and a new coaching staff. Stiggers also faces a lot of competition, and while he’s shown more to prompt the Jets to keep him around, New York GM Darren Mougey has shown a proclivity for making small-time deals to churn the bottom of his roster. 

Safety

Safety is one of the positions where teams have the most success signing players off the street when the need arises during the season, which lessens the need to make a trade. That’s partially why there are so few options listed here. 

One starting-caliber option who might shake loose is Pola-Mao, a former undrafted free agent who earned a contract extension ahead of last season. However, the Raiders added S Dalton Johnson in the fifth round and his college teammate, second-round DB Treydan Stukes, has also been working with the safeties quite a bit. Pola-Mao will have a lot of pressure on his starting spot in a contract year, and the Raiders will be on the alert to potentially keep adding picks going forward. 

Houston is deep enough at safety that Stewart could be fifth on the depth chart, which might make them willing to part with him if another team is interested. Jaylen Reed and fifth-rounder Kamari Ramsey are young depth options behind Calen Bullock and Reed Blankenship. 

Hamlin is another trade candidate who might be fifth or sixth on the depth chart. He’s an experienced special teamer and has accrued some real reps on defense over the past couple of years. 

Butler started 13 games back in 2023 and looked like he was on the cusp of being a bona fide player. In the two years since, he’s started a combined six games, and he played just two percent of the defensive snaps for Washington last year. It seems like the Commanders value him for his special teams contributions but Butler almost certainly wants another chance to prove he can be a full-time starter.

Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?

Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a Reply