Updated 2026 Preseason Trade Block

By
Logan Ulrich
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Week 1 of the preseason is in the books, leaving two more to go before the deadline for roster cuts on August 30. The NFL doesn’t have a formal trade block like your fantasy or Madden league, but we try our best to approximate it here. We’ve gone position-by-position around the league to project which players could potentially be available via trade. 

Players removed from last week’s initial trade block launch have been noted below along with some brief reasoning. 

Removed: 

I wouldn’t take a Brissett trade off the table completely for 2026 but it seems more likely to be a deadline deal if another team loses a starting quarterback, not a preseason trade. 

Coleman caught a touchdown in his first preseason action and has held off challengers behind him on the depth chart. Despite owner Terry Pegula’s comments at the end of last season, it does feel like the organization is still behind the former second-rounder. 

Hudson feels like one of those players who will perpetually be more valuable to one team than the other 31. Those guys are, as you’d expect, tough to trade. 

The season-ending injury to Cardinals second-round G Chase Bisontis pushes Adams back into the starting lineup and off the trade block. 

If the Giants trade Thibodeaux, it’s far more likely to be at the trade deadline than roster cuts. 

Hobbs is down with a groin injury and it’s hard to trade players who are hurt. 

Quarterback

Now that McCarthy has officially lost the competition for the starting job to QB Kyler Murray, it opens up questions about his long-term future in Minnesota. He’s still under contract in 2027 on his rookie contract, meaning the Vikings do have a window to continue developing him. They don’t have to sell low and it’s unlikely that McCarthy will fetch much in terms of a trade. The complicating factor here is whether McCarthy makes a hard push for a fresh start behind the scenes. So far the sense is he recognizes he hasn’t put enough on tape to make that kind of power play and that it could do more harm than good. 

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. 

Both Howard and third-round QB Drew Allar looked good in the first preseason game. Rudolph did too, and his experience has made him the frontrunner for the backup job in Pittsburgh. However, he’s a known quantity, whereas Howard is young and has the allure of potential. If he shows he’s ready for the responsibility of the No. 2 job, it tilts the scales in his favor. The Steelers are truly going to keep just three quarterbacks, so that makes it Howard versus Rudolph for the last spot in this room. One dynamic to pay attention to — Rudolph is a veteran and does not have to go on waivers if cut. 

Richardson started the Colts’ first preseason game ahead of 2025 seventh-round QB Riley Leonard, his competition for the primary backup job. He outperformed Leonard statistically, completing 11 of 14 passes for 145 yards and rushing for a touchdown, but he also turned it over twice (one interception, one fumble). Leonard was 10-21 for 89 yards and a pick, so he didn’t run away with things either. If Richardson wins the backup job, it makes it easier for the Colts to hold out for a better trade offer. The Colts might say they want three quarterbacks to guard against injury this year, but that feels like a last-ditch effort to build some trade leverage. Richardson has been available all offseason and has generated little interest to this point.  

It was interesting that the Saints went out and signed Wilson in free agency despite having two more years left on Rattler’s rookie contract. That signaled at least an openness to moving Rattler, who made measurable strides in his second season before losing the starting job to Tyler Shough. Rattler’s first preseason game unfortunately didn’t help his trade value. He threw for just 42 yards on 11 attempts, took two sacks and lost a fumble. Wilson by comparison was 11-16 for 145 yards and a touchdown — and it’s not out of the question the Saints would flip him for the right offer. He signed just a one-year pact. 

Running Back

If I put my dot-connecting hat on, I can see the Giants making an unexpected shakeup to their backfield. New York was interested in a few big-name running backs this offseason, including Kenneth Walker and Jeremiyah Love. Tracy had one of the worst missed assignments you’ll see on the sack that got QB Jaxson Dart sent to the medical tent this weekend, and coincidentally or not, the team worked out RB Najee Harris on Monday. If the Giants make an addition, Tracy could be the odd one out. He’d have more trade value than Singletary, another option for the team to move. 

Johnson entered the game after Lew Nichols this past week, which is the latest indictment on how far the former third-round pick has fallen after just one season. He had just 28 carries for 65 yards as a rookie and a success rate of just 25 percent. He’s not a good third down back or a viable special teams contributor either, making his path to a roster spot slim, if not nonexistent.

Love’s high ankle sprain does mean the Cardinals need their depth at running back, which suggests a trade involving veteran RB James Conner would probably be put off. Benson might not be on Arizona’s three-deep even after that injury, though. He’s been hurt again in camp and hasn’t been practicing, which is crucial because he was viewed as an iffy fit for new HC Mike LaFleur‘s offense. He was a recent third-round pick, though, and that might prompt another team to toss a late-rounder Arizona’s way. 

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. 

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 — and Miller possibly on the wrong side of the bubble. 

In Denver’s preseason opener, fourth-round RB Jonah Coleman looked good and was pulled after a handful of snaps. McLaughlin caught a short touchdown but also fumbled. None of that changed the pecking order but it probably reinforced it. It’s unclear how much of a trade market McLaughlin would have since he was a free agent this past offseason and returned to Denver but his past experience makes him worth noting.  

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 is on the PUP list right now after a torn pec lifting weights this offseason, the latest injury in a long string of them. Injured players are rarely traded but there are occasional exceptions. Guerendo’s speed and pedigree might intrigue teams 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 has taken over his role as a starting big-bodied receiver. 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. 

New England was willing to trade Boutte for a fifth before the draft this spring. Perhaps the price has changed 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’d welcome a chance at a change of scenery and a bigger role. 

Palmer could be a sneaky trade candidate given the team’s depth at receiver. His $9.6 million salary is an obstacle, though, unless the team is willing to eat some of it, which reduces the benefit of trading him. 

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. There’s little reason for a Super Bowl contender like the Broncos to make the roster worse ahead of the season, but if Engram won’t have a big role, a trade could make sense. Denver’s scheduled to pay Engram $11.5 million, $5 million of which is guaranteed, so clearing salary both provides the Broncos a motive to do a trade and an obstacle that might make it hard to find a partner. 

Penn State has become an assembly line for NFL tight ends. Johnson’s not a household name but he has flashed during his first two seasons in New York. The challenge for him has been finding consistency and he might be running out of time with a new coaching staff in town. The Giants spent big on TE Isaiah Likely and he will probably be the No. 2 target in the passing game. New York wants to be a run-first team, though, which means big roles for TE Chris Manhertz and FB/TE Patrick Ricard, accomplished blockers. That could squeeze Johnson for snaps and he’s an interesting enough young piece to potentially fetch a decent return in a trade. 

Health has unfortunately made Jordan a “what if” at the NFL level, as the former Miami star didn’t lack for athleticism entering the league. He’s been hurt again in camp which might make a trade a moot point. 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. 

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. 

The Dolphins just put Jamaree Salyer on injured reserve, which means they have fewer alternatives at tackle if they do trade Jackson. Still, he’s probably not in Miami’s plans past this year, the last of his contract, and the Dolphins reworked his deal to the point where he might actually be an attractive trade asset. 

Jones is another player who took a pay cut, reducing his salary after qualifying for the PPE because he hit the playing time thresholds his first three years. Jones has shown potential and has rare size, but that has also worked against him with repeated injuries. Cleveland has him working as the swing tackle right now but the Browns have some depth at the position. With Jones in a contract year, it makes sense for the team to view him as a trade chip who could have value to other teams. 

The early return of OT Ozzy Trapilo throws a wrench into the Bears’ tackle competition, previously a four-way slugfest between Braxton Jones, Jedrick Wills, Theo Benedet and Amegadjie. Trapilo is likely still some time away from actually returning to the field from last year’s torn patellar tendon but Chicago has opened the door to having him at some point this season, which means one fewer roster spot. So far it feels like Amegadjie has been bringing up the rear, though it’s also possible he’s overtaken Benedet. Amegadjie’s athleticism and pedigree likely would draw more interest on the trade market than Benedet, a former UDFA. 

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. 

Buffalo has a history of flipping reserve offensive linemen for picks ahead of roster cuts. Lundt and Grable are competing for the No. 4 tackle spot, which typically is the last above the cutline for teams. Grable is the slight favorite with two career starts under his belt. 

Interior Offensive Line

Powers-Johnson is competing with Caleb Rogers for the starting right guard spot. He remains in the lead for now but I can guarantee other teams are monitoring the temperature here. It’s worth noting the coaching staff and GM who drafted him are no longer in Las Vegas. Powers-Johnson left practice Monday with an injury, which would complicate any potential trade. 

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. 

The writing is on the wall for Patterson after the Texans took multiple swings at upgrading the depth chart at center. He’s third in the pecking order, possibly lower. However, his 21 starts in his first three seasons could earn him a look as depth at minimum. 

The Bills have a fairly competitive offensive line room and a history of being willing to trade depth players for picks. Cushenberry has the most extensive NFL resume but he could have signed anywhere this past offseason as a free agent 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. 

Gaines is Arizona’s backup center and has some position flex to play the guard spots. However, he’s in the final year of his rookie contract. The Cardinals are in a position where they have to be looking past this season, making Gaines a trade candidate. 

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. 

Zavala had a tough preseason opener against the Bills, getting whipped in his snaps with the rest of the first-team offense. Everyone has bad days but Zavala has consistently underwhelmed since being drafted in the fourth round back in 2023. The Panthers have some other interior linemen pushing for the last few spots on the roster, including Samac who has recently been taking some snaps at guard. If he takes to that position, it improves both Carolina’s depth and his bid for a roster spot, as he’s third on the depth chart as just a true center. Both players are worth watching in a potential late-round pick swap deal given how desperate for OL depth the rest of the league generally is. 

Neal and Ezeudu (and particularly Neal) are tracking more toward being cuts than legitimate trade assets during roster cuts. Still, you never know. Ezeudu in particular has shown more than Neal even though his draft capital was substantially less. The Giants have been working him at tackle but a move to guard might be the best for him long-term. 

Interior Defensive Line

The longer Vea’s contract standoff with the Buccaneers continues, the more realistic a trade becomes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still unlikely. Vea’s a huge piece of Tampa Bay’s defense and this is a big year for the Buccaneers. Trading him for draft picks doesn’t help the team’s goals of contending this year. However, if Vea’s going to remain dug in on not playing for Tampa Bay without a new deal or trade, something has to give. He’s got a legitimate gripe with his $17 million salary, less than half of what the top of the market has moved to. If he’s willing to miss games to prove his point and the Buccaneers can’t work out some kind of compromise, then a trade becomes a logical end, especially if Tampa Bay can get a starting defensive lineman back in a deal. 

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.

Overall, the Bengals have more candidates for roster spots at defensive tackle than they probably do spots on the final roster, meaning there’s more fallout to come after trading for DT Dexter Lawrence in the spring. Moving on from Slaton, a true nose tackle like Lawrence, would free up $6.6 million, but there hasn’t been much momentum for that out of Bengals camp so far. Jenkins’ spot seems far more tenuous even though he was a second-rounder just two years ago. 

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

Cardinals brass, including GM Monti Ossenfort and LaFleur, have insisted Sweat remains in their plans for this season and is not a trade candidate. That’s a little hard to square with the facts, especially because they won’t refute the reports about Sweat asking for a trade this offseason. Sweat remains on the PUP list, officially because of a knee injury, although he played all 17 games last year and didn’t have any reported surgeries this offseason. He also stayed away from voluntary OTAs all spring. If (or when) the Cardinals do decide to trade Sweat, they should have a healthy market. Sweat may be 29, but he’s an accomplished pass rusher and there’s a big demand for that league-wide. 

Dallas made a high-profile move at pass rusher this week, adding Von Miller to bolster their depth. At this stage of his career, Miller is a situational rusher who will likely play only third downs or other obvious passing situations. Houston has a similar body type and would have likely played a similar role, so he obviously becomes more expendable. Liufau is on the bubble while attempting a position change from off-ball linebacker. The biggest name to note here is Williams, though. He’s more of an early-down player than Miller, but regardless, the room is now very crowded with those two plus Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence. He returned to Dallas on a cheap one-year deal this offseason, so it’s unclear how much of a market there would be for him, but he’s an interesting under-the-radar target to monitor for teams looking for help at edge rusher. 

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. 

The Bills have six strong bidders for roster spots at edge rusher and teams usually keep four, maybe five max. Hoecht is a former defensive tackle coming off a torn Achilles, and Solomon is 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. 

The Chiefs signed DE Emmanuel Ogbah to fortify their edge rusher room, and that could be the final nail for Anudike-Uzomah, who was on his final chance with the Chiefs this summer. He has three sacks in two seasons of work, however, as a former first-round pick, he could draw interest elsewhere. 

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 squarely on the bubble, especially with a two-sack preseason debut from UDFA DE Michael Heldman. 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. 

Harrison has slipped far down the depth chart per recent training camp reports, running with the third team. The signing of veteran LB Elandon Roberts is another nail in his metaphorical coffin. The veteran has 43 starts in six years, so there should be interest from other teams. Whether it materializes in a trade before the cut deadline remains to be seen. 

A success story as a former undrafted free agent, Pace unfortunately has lost momentum. His numbers have fallen off each of the past three seasons and he started a career-low six games in 2025. The tone on him from beat reports in camp this year is definitely more sour. He’s not competing with Jamal Adams anymore after the veteran’s season-ending injury but it’s notable that Minnesota felt compelled to make that addition in the first place. The lack of depth at linebacker helps Pace’s case for a roster spot, however, I wouldn’t rule out a move here. 

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. 

The Eagles have an abundance at the linebacker position for the first time in a while, with 2024 fifth-round LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. drawing rave reviews for the improvement he’s made in his third season. You never want to say any player is off-limits for Eagles GM Howie Roseman, but my guess is it would take a pretty penny for him to part with Trotter. The other depth linebackers could be more attainable, however. Mondon was a fifth-rounder just last year who probably won’t play much outside of special teams because of how well the rest of the room is playing, including Campbell — a practice squad player last year who is also getting praised by teammates and coaches. Lawson is a rookie UDFA but he had a good first preseason game. He’s putting himself in position to be a waiver claim, and if a team is willing to claim a guy, there’s always the possibility they’re willing to make a cheap trade. 

Cornerback

Things have not played out how they were expected to for the Giants at cornerback. Adebo signed a big deal just last year but got off on the wrong foot with new HC John Harbaugh in the spring and has fallen to second string on the depth chart so far in camp. Banks is one of the players who’s overtaken him, which no one covering the team would have expected after his first few years. New York declined his fifth-year option in May and zero eyebrows were raised, yet he’s done a lot to revive his stock. With Greg Newsome and second-rounder Colton Hood, the Giants have a ton of options at corner. Adebo has a $17.25 million guaranteed base salary which would be harder to trade compared to Banks’ rookie deal. 

Phillips is worth discussing separately because he plays slot corner instead of outside. He’s gotten significant pressure on his role from S Ar’Darius Washington, one of the many former Ravens players Harbaugh added this offseason. Phillips has also been hurt the past week or so, which has caused him to lose more ground. He’s in the third year of his rookie contract.  

There’s a case that Samuel has been the best cornerback in camp for the Steelers so far. He’s also just on a one-year deal which means the team has less invested in him than guys like Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean and third-rounder Daylen Everette. Cornerback is a good position to be deep at, but those circumstances are worth noting. 

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. 

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.

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