Updated 2024 NFL Midseason Trade Block

By
Logan Ulrich
-

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. 

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. 

Updates: Week 6

Added: 

Removed

Updated

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 an 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

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. The Raiders are holding out for a second-round pick but will probably have to compromise and eat some cash in the deal to get that. It’s a fair trade-off. About half a dozen teams are in or on the periphery of the Adams sweepstakes now. 

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 picked up its first win of the season in Week 5 but remains worth watching as a potential seller 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. 

Carolina has to balance a few realities about its situation right now. This is one of the worst rosters in the NFL and a legitimate contender to earn the No. 1 pick for the second straight year (which thankfully they own the rights to this time). This is also a veteran-laden team led by a first-year head coach desperate to establish credibility and buy-in for his program. So while it makes sense for the Panthers to explore trading veteran receivers like Johnson and Thielen who may be in demand ahead of the deadline, there are reasons why the Panthers could choose to hold onto both. 

Of the two, I think Carolina would be more willing to move on from Thielen than Johnson. Both have uncertain futures beyond this season — Johnson is a pending free agent and there’s an out in Thielen’s contract next year heading into his age-35 season. But the whole offense is being routed through Johnson right now as the No. 1 receiver, whereas Thielen’s role is already being filled by younger players while he’s on injured reserve. Carolina’s more likely to get a compensatory pick for Johnson than Thielen as well which could factor into things. Neither player is cheap which reduces the chances of another team offering a pick the Panthers couldn’t turn down. 

Williams’ name has come up in trade buzz as the Jets have been linked to Adams. If New York pulls off the trade, it would make for a bit of a crowded receiving corps with Adams, Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Williams, who is more talented than Lazard but has been supplanted because of Lazard’s superior chemistry with the quarterback and Williams’ lack of practice time coming off last year’s torn ACL. Trading Williams would be a way to potentially recoup a pick or even sweeten the deal with the Raiders to get Adams, as Raiders GM Tom Telesco drafted Williams with the Chargers and signed him to a major extension. 

The Packers and WR Romeo Doubs seem to be moving past last week’s conflict which reportedly centered around Doubs being unhappy with his role in the offense. But there’s blood in the water now if other teams call. Doubs is in the third year of his rookie contract, making him an attractive trade deadline target. Green Bay has enough depth at receiver to be fine if they decided to move Doubs. 

Browns WR Amari Cooper is drawing most of the trade speculation, but the Browns currently are more motivated to get him going in the offense and win games rather than trading him away. They are probably less attached to Moore, who’s in the final year of his rookie contract but still hasn’t been able to get his career off the ground since being traded from the Jets to the Browns. 

Bourne’s name came up in trade talks in August and the veteran is back 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 of months ago makes him worth watching. 

Chark hasn’t played yet due to a hip injury (which has been a recurring problem in recent years) and in his absence former first-round WR Quentin Johnston has stepped up in a big way and become a useful player. The veteran might be obsolete by the time he’s healthy enough to play.

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. 

The Rams have had to lean on their depth at receiver due to injuries to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. But with both players expected to come back at some point this season, that could offer an opportunity to trade and shore up another area of weakness. Atwell is in the final year of his rookie contract while Robinson is an interesting name to keep in mind for a team like the Chiefs. 

While most expect the Chiefs to trade for a receiver instead of trading one away, it’s telling that Moore has had little opportunity to fill the void that’s opened on offense and dropped one of the only two targets that’s come his way. Kansas City could look to jettison him in a bid to open a roster spot for someone with a better chance to help. 

The Bears were lampooned for drafting Jones in the third round in 2022 when he was already almost 25 years old and known more for his return skills than anything else. Score one for the lampoons, as Jones lost his return duties after an early-season miscue on the kickoffs and has barely touched the field since.

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. 

Dulcich was a healthy scratch this past weekend and has failed to stand out in a motley crew of tight ends in Denver. The former third-round pick might need a fresh start and could draw some interest elsewhere. 

Granson is listed here primarily because the Colts have four tight ends on the roster and he feels like the one they would be most willing to part with. He’s in the final year of his rookie contract and trading him would free up snaps for Will Mallory, a similar receiving-first option. 

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. He’s not even the sixth tackle in jumbo packages right now. 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. 

The Raiders have juggled a lot of different lineups as they search for a winning combination on the offensive line. Seven players have played 40 percent of the snaps or more. However, Peat is at just 10 percent of the snaps. If he’s not going to be a factor for the Raiders, other offensive line-needy teams (like Peat’s former team the Saints) might have interest. 

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. 

The injury to Panthers C Austin Corbett will likely push Christensen into the starting lineup for the remainder of the season and remove him from trade consideration. 

Interior Offensive Line

Arizona has some depth along the interior of its offensive line, which makes Brown worth watching as a cheap, experienced and versatile veteran in a contract year. However, the loss of starting G Will Hernandez for the year is a big hit and makes Brown less expendable. 

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. 

Davis was a major free agent addition for the Bears just last season but his first two years have not played out the way Chicago hoped. Davis has missed a lot of time, especially in training camp, with various maladies. When he’s been on the field, he hasn’t played particularly well either. The Bears recently reached their breaking point, benching him for journeyman OL Matt Pryor. In Week 5, converted DT Bill Murray was the first one off the bench, not Davis. At the current trajectory, Davis is a lock to be a cap cut this offseason, and if the Bears find a taker for the remainder of his $9.25 million 2024 compensation, he could be gone sooner. 

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. 

The Falcons have work to do on defense but one area in which they actually have some depth to work with is the front four (or five depending on the package). Atlanta has 13 roster spots dedicated to those positions, and there’s room to rebalance by trading a backup lineman or edge rusher. Moving Graham, if there’s interest, would free up snaps for second-round DT Ruke Orhorhoro or fourth-round DL Brandon Dorlus.

Linebacker

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. 

The Eagles cut White on Tuesday after he was a healthy scratch for the first four games. The former first-round pick will now look to sign elsewhere with a chance for a bigger role. 

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 Weeks 4-5 with an injury sidelining him in between. Washington’s secondary has been one of the worst in football so far this season but the team is winning games and that helps turn down the pressure. While Forbes wasn’t drafted in the first round by this regime, he’s a young player still figuring things out and should get a little bit more leash. 

Elam is in his third year as a former first-round pick and still has not managed to carve out a role for himself on defense. He’s played just 23 snaps this year and fallen behind Ja’Marcus Ingram — an undrafted free agent who joined Buffalo the same year as Elam — on the depth chart. It might be time for a fresh start. 

White signed with the Rams this offseason to stabilize the secondary as a veteran presence. Instead, opposing offenses have targeted the 29-year-old relentlessly until the Rams took him out of the lineup this past weekend. I’m not even sure if the Rams could get anything back in a trade for White at this point but his track record makes it worth exploring. 

If Carolina were to start playing more younger players as the year wears along, Hill could draw some interest from a contending team that needs help at nickel. He’s 33 years old but still capable of being a stopgap player. 

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.

Edwards was part of Buffalo’s offseason makeover at safety but has only played a measly seven snaps on defense so far. Injuries during camp put him behind but he just doesn’t seem like a good scheme fit. He could be more impactful in a different system, perhaps a return to Tampa Bay where he started his career makes sense. 

If the Panthers do decide to start selling off veterans, Woods is a candidate to monitor, as there’s enough depth at safety for Carolina to get by and he’s a solid player.  

Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?

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

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a Reply