Updated Preseason Trade Block

By
Logan Ulrich
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We’re coming up on the last weekend of preseason games and by Tuesday at 4 pm EST, all 32 NFL teams have to cut their rosters down from 90 to 53. That deadline will spark a lot of trade conversations and a flurry of waiver claims the following day as teams try to build the best roster they can for Week 1. 

James Bradberry

The action already kicked into gear with three trades yesterday, including the Commanders shipping former first-round WR Jahan Dotson to the division-rival Eagles for what effectively was a late third-round pick when you strip away all the moving parts. Dotson was one of the names set to be added to the trade block today, as Commanders HC Dan Quinn foreshadowed the move by saying the WR2 job that Dotson should have run away with was wide open. Plenty of other Washington players are in danger as well, as the new regime has no attachments to them. 

Here’s the full update to last week’s preseason trade block, including players who have dropped off, players who have been added and other players whose situations have changed. I’ve included a change log to summarize the updates: 

Updates: 

  • Bengals OL, Colts TEs, Browns DTs, Commanders LBs, 49ers CBs, Trey Lance

Removed:

Added: 

And here’s the full 2024 NFL Preseason Trade Block:

Quarterback

Things might never get off the ground for Lance at this point, as he has not necessarily been blowing the Cowboys away in camp and his preseason performance was a mixed bag. The indications from people plugged in with Dallas are that Lance would be the No. 3 quarterback behind veteran backup Cooper Rush, although Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was definitive that Lance would make the roster. That said, this is the final year of Lance’s rookie contract and he’ll be a free agent next offseason. Dallas almost has to listen to any trade interest it gets, if any. 

Mills is in kind of a similar situation as Lance buried behind a veteran the team trusts more to be the primary backup and in the final year of his rookie contract. Houston rebuffed trade interest in Mills last preseason so it’ll be interesting to see if they do so again. 

Atlanta has turned the backup reigns over to first-round QB Michael Penix Jr., relegating the veteran Heinicke to the third string. He’s an experienced starter and should have more value to another team besides the Falcons, who reports indicate would be open to trading Heinicke. 

Zappe is fourth on the depth chart after the Patriots drafted two quarterbacks and signed veteran Jacoby Brissett. More than likely, he’ll be waived and land on a new team after that. 

The Browns have four quarterbacks on the roster and under GM Andrew Berry have typically only wanted to keep two on the active roster. Last year’s injury tribulations might have changed that approach but that still leaves an odd man out. Cleveland has reportedly fielded trade interest in Thompson-Robinson and Huntley could be an upgrade for teams like the Chargers and Ravens who have unsettled backup situations.

Hall seemed ticketed for a practice squad berth as a long-term developmental backup behind three other quarterbacks in Minnesota. The injury to first-round QB J.J. McCarthy cleared some room ahead of him but Minnesota also signed former Panthers third-round QB Matt Corral this past week to get back up to four quarterbacks.

Running Back

As a pure runner, Herbert would start for several other teams right this moment. He averages a shade under five yards per carry for his career. However, the Bears have made notable investments in D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson, and Herbert doesn’t stand out as a pass protector, receiver or on special teams — areas where teams usually want their No. 3 running backs to contribute. 

Despite a breakout rookie year, Pierce took a major step back last season and wasn’t the best fit in OC Bobby Slowik’s zone rushing scheme. The returns this year haven’t been much better and Houston has added Jawhar Jordan in the draft and Cam Akers as a free agent. 

Sanders’ $4 million guaranteed base salary is the biggest obstacle to a trade. Carolina also can credibly keep him for the first part of the season while second-round RB Jonathon Brooks eases back in following last year’s ACL tear. That said, reports have indicated teams like the Cowboys are monitoring Sanders as a player who could potentially help address their backfield need. 

 
 

Perine is owed $3 million non-guaranteed and the Broncos have a crowded backfield. That salary might make him more of a cut candidate than a trade option. 

Carter and Demercado are competing for the No. 3 role behind starting RB James Conner and third-round RB Trey Benson. Demercado has generated more buzz so far.

Lions fourth-round RB Sione Vaki and gritty special teams mainstay Craig Reynolds seem to have the depth roles in the backfield locked up. Knight is good enough to stick as an RB3 somewhere, however. He’s more likely to be a waiver claim than a trade option.

The rest of these players might wind up on waivers at the end of the month. Edmonds is slipping behind younger players on the depth chart in Tampa Bay. Abanikanda made no impact as a rookie and the Jets drafted two more rookie backs this spring. McBride and Gaskin are buried on the depth chart in Minnesota. Spiller is also competing for a role and is a leftover from a previous regime in Los Angeles. Abdullah has been pushed hard by Raiders sixth-round rookie RB Dylan Laube for the pass-catching role.

 
 

Wide Receiver

 
 

Obviously Aiyuk is the headliner, and his situation has been well-covered from multiple angles on the site. Burks is another player we’ve gone in depth on but his position might be a little more secure with the injury to veteran WR DeAndre Hopkins. At minimum, the Titans don’t have to give him away for peanuts. 

The Patriots have a lot of receivers and already started culling the room by cutting veteran WR JuJu Smith-Schuster despite owing him $7 million in guaranteed salary for this season. The offense is going to heavily feature tight ends, too, so the Patriots might only end up keeping five wideouts on the final roster. Bourne, Boutte and Reagor seem like the most expendable. Bourne was an acquisition by the previous regime and would have some legitimate trade value even coming off a torn ACL last year. Boutte remains on his rookie contract and was a highly touted prospect once. Reagor is a former first-round pick with some return skills. 

The Chargers have claimed they’re not giving up on Johnston after just one year but he’s fourth on the depth chart right now behind Ladd McConkey, Josh Palmer and DJ Chark. A fourth or fifth-round pick might get Los Angeles to cut bait. 

 
 

Slayton is a regular on these kinds of articles as a player who’s good enough to put up okay production but too flawed to take the next step and someone the team will always look to upgrade from. New York seems like they might have finally got to a point where Slayton won’t be their leading receiver and he’s slid behind Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt. His salary is reasonable and there are teams that could use his speed as a threat to open up other parts of the offense. 

Houston has one of the deepest receiving corps in the league, making it a prime position for other teams to make calls on. Woods is owed a $6.25 million base salary with a small portion of that guaranteed. I would be surprised if he made the full $6 million and could see some kind of pay cut being negotiated. Brown stepped up when needed due to injuries last year and Metchie is starting to come on after a cancer diagnosis put his career on hold temporarily. The Texans could easily rebuff trade calls because contending teams always put a greater value on depth but there might be a point where the value is worth it. 

 
 

Atwell is entering the final year of his contract and showed he could be a useful player last year, even if he’ll never live up to his second-round draft capital. The Rams are also deep at receiver, which could make them re-evaluate their current stance that they’re not looking to trade Atwell. 

Marshall is left over from a previous regime and already requested a trade last year. It didn’t seem like anyone bit but a strong preseason might boost the former second-rounder’s value. 

Kansas City has some hard decisions coming up in their receiving corps and Toney, Moore and Ross are a trio of former highly-touted players who just haven’t made the impact that was expected. Toney is talented but mercurial and injury-prone. He’s also owed $2.5 million in guaranteed salary which is another big drag on his trade value. Moore hasn’t shown much as a former second-round pick. Ross occasionally flashes the highlight-reel catch ability he showed in college before injuries but reportedly isn’t a good fit for Kansas City’s system. All three might do better with fresh starts elsewhere. 

 
 

St. Brown and Wilson are veterans who could be pushed out by a youth movement in New Orleans. Peoples-Jones has had some success in the past but so far hasn’t stood out on an overall weak depth chart in Detroit. 

Bell has so far exceeded expectations as a seventh-round pick, making the team last year as a rookie, playing all 17 games and scoring three touchdowns. But the 49ers are just too deep at receiver, especially if they end up holding onto Aiyuk. Bell has special teams experience and just does a lot of things at a solid level.

Hodgins had a nice late-season run in 2022 but faded back into obscurity last year and looks like a roster longshot. A team looking for a possession wideout could be interested, even if just on waivers.

 
 

Phillips is a slot receiver who seems to have fallen behind some other options in Tennessee. The former fifth-rounder is going into his third year and also has some utility as a return specialist. 

Everyone else listed is a young receiver with some level of significant draft capital or intrigue who hasn’t made it work for their current team for whatever reason. Most will probably be available on waivers at the end of the month and won’t require a trade unless a team wants to skip the line. 

Tight End

 
 

The Colts have five tight ends with a strong case for the final roster. Most teams won’t keep that many. For the time being, Jelani Woods’ toe injury could clear up the logjam and the former third-rounder could start the season on injured reserve. Otherwise, One of either him, Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Drew Ogletree or Will Mallory would be on the chopping block.

The Bengals drafted two tight ends, signed Mike Gesicki and re-signed Drew Sample, so Hudson would seem to be the odd man out despite flashing last year. 

 
 

The Giants aren’t exactly set at tight end following the retirement of Darren Waller but fourth-rounder Theo Johnson is someone the coaching staff seems to be high on. Conversely, there seems to be more disillusionment about Bellinger. With guys like Chris Manhertz, Jack Stoll, Lawrence Cager and Tyree Jackson to potentially round out the room, Bellinger isn’t essential and could be more valuable as a trade chip. 

Turner and FitzPatrick are adjusting to new schemes for coaches who didn’t sign off on drafting them. Turner is more of a receiving threat, while FitzPatrick is a blocking specialist. Okwuegbunam is talented but hasn’t put it together yet and it doesn’t seem like it will be in Philadelphia. 

 
 

Offensive Tackle

Neal was not ready for the start of training camp after an offseason ankle procedure, and that might end up being the final straw for his tenure in New York. He’s struggled mightily the past two seasons at right tackle, and the Giants signed OL Jermaine Eluemunor with the idea he could play guard and shift to tackle if needed. They pulled the ripcord on that at the start of camp when Neal wasn’t ready and Eluemunor has been working with the first team unit. That leaves the future for Neal uncertain. He’s under contract for two more years and the Giants did invest the No. 7 overall pick of the draft in him. But it’s hard to see a path back to the lineup with how poor he’s played. New York will likely get some calls on Neal. 

 
 

Christensen hasn’t been awful when he’s played but he might not be a good fit for the new smashmouth system Panthers HC Dave Canales is installing. He can play tackle and Carolina’s depth there isn’t great at the moment, but given how NFL teams are usually in need of offensive line help, Carolina might see him as a greater asset as a trade piece, particularly to a more zone-blocking prominent team. 

Washington doesn’t necessarily have a good replacement for Wylie on the roster but there are some players they could sign and the new regime has no attachment to Wylie even though he was a prominent free agent signing. He’s missed some recent practices due to vague “tightness” which perked my radar. He’s owed $6.5 million this year, $2.5 million of which is guaranteed. 

Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are projected to start for the Jets, with first-round OT Olu Fashanu as the long-term heir to Smith on the blind side. That leaves Mitchell and Carter Warren competing for the backup job on the right side and so far Warren seems to have the edge. Most teams won’t keep five tackles so there could be a market for Mitchell. 

 
 

Beachum has been pushed down the depth chart by other moves the Cardinals have made this offseason. While he’s 35, the veteran still has some gas in the tank. 

Dallas expects to get calls on some of its offensive line depth, though that report was before Edoga’s toe injury that will sideline him into the regular season. They could still have enough surplus at tackle to make a trade. 

Borom has started 23 games over the past three years which is a strong return for a former fifth-round pick. However, he’s in the final year of his contract and Chicago added Kiran Amegadjie, a third-round rookie, and Jake Curhan, a swing tackle in Seattle under Bears OC Shane Waldron. Veteran OL Matt Pryor can play tackle, too, which gives the Bears the rare luxury of depth at tackle and a trade chip.

 
 

Green Bay signed Dillard to give them an experienced backup at tackle. But he’s seemed to struggle and the Packers have other options with position versatility to play tackle. Moving on from Dillard would free up space for other younger developmental options.

The Titans drafted Duncan just last year in the sixth round and he made five starts as a rookie. With GM Ran Carthon still entrenched in his job, there’s not new regime pressure on Duncan like other players. But the Titans did bring in OTs Geron Christian and Leroy Watson, the latter via a trade, both of whom worked for new OL coach Bill Callahan in Cleveland the past few years. Callahan is regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in football and his voice will carry a lot of weight when it comes to the final composition of the room.

The season-ending injury to Bengals OT D’Ante Smith might have saved a roster spot for Carman, as Cincinnati’s tackle depth would otherwise be thin. Then again, Carman hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence so far either.

 
 

Interior Offensive Line

Philadelphia has option on the interior of their offensive line now with former OT Mekhi Becton making a strong push to start at guard. That could help make Hennessy expendable. 

Stromberg hasn’t made much of an impact as a former third-round pick yet and the regime that drafted him is gone. 

Newman is in the final year of his contract and already took a pay cut to try and help his roster chances. He has a lot of starting experience, however, which could make him somewhat valuable to aonther team. 

If younger players like third-rounder Isaiah Adams and Jon Gaines show they’re ready to play, that could make Brown and Wilkinson expendable for Arizona. Brown has center/guard flexibility but Arizona has some good options at center. Wilkinson looks like OT5 on the roster right now which puts his status in some doubt, though he can also play on the interior which makes him valuable depth. He’s made 45 starts over the past six seasons.

 
 

Cleveland is a former third-round pick entering the final year of his contract. Despite the Ravens having two vacancies at starting guard this offseason, Cleveland hasn’t seemed to make a serious push for a starting job and has been getting some work at backup center. The Ravens have traded linemen in the past when they’ve been in the final year of their rookie deals and have some other depth on the interior to work with. 

The Jaguars have seven offensive linemen who are locks for the final roster. That leaves two or three spots for four players — Fortner, Shatley, Hodges and Hance. The first two are the most likely to have some trade value if Jacksonville is comfortable with replacing them with Hodges and Hance. Fortner is a former third-round pick with two years left on his rookie deal who was replaced by veteran C Mitch Morse this offseason after two rough years as the starter. Shatley has played 10 years in Jacksonville as a former undrafted free agent and made 51 starts.

 
 

Edge Rusher

 
 

The longer Reddick’s holdout drags on, the more likely it becomes that the Jets just look to cut their losses and wash their hands of the whole messy situation. Unfortunately Reddick’s current contract and his reported contract desires are major drags on his value. The best thing for both sides is to compromise but both have taken intense hardline stances that are hard to walk back without losing some pride. 

Seattle has some options at edge rusher with Uchenna Nwosu returning after missing 11 games last year and Boye Mafe looking to build on a nine-sack year. With Jones, Taylor and 2023 second-rounder Derick Hall, the Seahawks go five-deep at edge rusher, which could allow them to make a move. Seattle has been giving Jones a look on the edge after he wasn’t as impactful an interior rusher as the team hoped when they signed him to a big deal last year. Because of the way his deal is structured, he’s quite tradable though. Landing with a team that would put him back on the interior could be his best fit. Taylor has 21.5 sacks over the past three years but has been pushed down the depth chart. 

 
 

Even before the Falcons traded for OLB Matt Judon, who would have headlined this section otherwise, the status of guys like Ebiketie and Malone was in doubt because of their relative lack of size and Atlanta’s reported preference for larger players. Malone is in danger of not making the team while Ebiketie could be an interesting chip as a rotational rusher with six sacks last year. 

Martin has bounced around the league and has carved out a role as a rotational rusher who is good for a few sacks a season. The Bears need pass rush help but if they decide to go with the young guns on the roster or make a bigger move to address the position — they were a finalist for Judon — Martin could be on the chopping block. 

Jones is a former third-round pick entering the final year of his contract who the Vikings made multiple additions over on the depth chart. They might be able to get something small for him as he doesn’t seem like a significant piece of their plans going forward. He’s had five sacks over the past two years. 

 
 

Thomas is another former third-rounder who hasn’t hit his stride yet, though he has two more years remaining on his rookie deal. He was not drafted by the current regime. 

Toohill and Okwara are in danger of not making their current rosters, and all have flashed enough that they would potentially be candidates to be claimed on the waiver wire after roster cuts. And if a player is intriguing enough to merit a claim, there’s always a chance a team could look to try and skip the order. 

Dallas has clearly signaled it’s not content with its defensive line depth, signing DE Carl Lawson and DT Linval Joseph and swinging a trade for DT Jordan Phillips in the past week or so. Fehoko was a fourth-round pick last year but landed on injured reserve and didn’t play in a game as a rookie. Had he made strides in Year 2, the Cowboys probably wouldn’t have felt as motivated to address the position.

Defensive Tackle

 
 

The Jaguars have a plethora of big, long, tweener-style defensive linemen, including Travon Walker, Arik Armstead, second-rounder Maason Smith and more. Robertson-Harris fits into this category but it’s not exactly clear where he fits onto the roster. There’s nothing wrong with having a deep rotation but Robertson-Harris could also be an interesting trade chip, especially because Jacksonville restructured his contract this offseason and he’s due just a minimum base salary. This might be more of a deadline trade, as the Jaguars evaluate injuries and the progress of other younger players. 

Hurst went down with an injury last week but it doesn’t appear to be a long-term issue. The arrest of Browns second-round DT Michael Hall Jr. is a key factor, as if he misses time it would make make Hurst more essential. If Hall plays and continues the progress he’d been making, it could push Hurst out of a role.

Leal has yet to find his footing in Pittsburgh and there’s a lot of competition for roster spots on the Steelers’ defensive line. The former third-round pick could draw interest. 

 
 

Slaton has had a strong training camp but there remain questions about his fit as a big-bodied nose tackle in new DC Jeff Hafley’s defense which prioritizes players who can get up the field.

Mathis is another big-bodied nose tackle who missed his whole rookie year due to injury and didn’t meaningfully crack the rotation last year. Now there’s a new regime in Washington with no allegiances to the former second-rounder. 

Street is a veteran to watch who could be crowded out by other younger players the Falcons have invested in this offseason. The Dolphins also took a shotgun approach to reloading their defensive line and there will be NFL-caliber players, like Gallimore, who don’t make the team. 

The Colts’ defensive tackle depth got a big boost with the return of Raekwon Davis off the NFI list and a strong preseason from Adetomiwa Adebawore. That could put Bryan on the bubble.

 
 

Linebacker

Commanders fifth-round LB Jordan Magee will miss the start of the season due to a meniscus injury, which means Davis could be more essential to Washington as a depth player than he would have been otherwise. Magee seemed on track to pass Davis on the depth chart and Washington has been experimenting with Davis as an edge rusher to try and squeeze some value out of the former first-round pick. Davis’ athleticism and pedigree should get him another look if Washington shops him.

 
 

Tindall was a third-round pick in 2022 who hasn’t cracked the lineup yet for Miami, and the competition ahead of him hasn’t been formidable. Ditto for Asamoah. Phillips was a third-round pick in 2020 who hasn’t gotten his career off the ground due to injuries yet but has quality athleticism. The Texans have several linebackers vying for roster spots and Phillips has his work cut out for him. 

The Bills might not want to deprive their linebacker depth too much following the torn biceps injury to veteran LB Matt Milano. But if other younger options are ready to go, Jones and Morrow become a superfluous and could be flipped to other teams in more need of linebacker help. 

 
 

Cornerback

 
 

The last two years have been rough for Lattimore because of injuries, and that contributed to a deteriorating relationship with the team that created the possibility of a trade. So far in camp, Lattimore has missed a ton of time again with injuries. While the trade buzz hasn’t picked up, this is still a situation to watch. The Saints have the depth at corner to withstand losing Lattimore — and they’re already adept at working without him. 

Forbes struggled as a rookie and one of the big storylines for Washington this offseason has been how he’d fit in with a new staff. While coaches have been complimentary, the former first-round pick has had some struggles. His lack of size would restrict his market but there’s a case to be made the Commanders should look to sell while his value is still relatively high. First-round picks usually still have a good amount of shine left after one year. 

 
 

The Texans signed both Okudah and Henderson to compete for the second starting corner spot. Instead, second-round CB Kamari Lassiter seems to have seized that job, which makes at least one of those players expendable. Houston also seems like it’s moving forward with S Jalen Pitre as the nickel corner, which could make King expendable again after he was a surprise cut last preseason only to end up back with the Texans. Bryant could be competing with King for one spot as the backup nickel.

Farley just hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and another injury during camp might have sealed his fate in Tennessee. His athleticism and first-round pedigree could draw interest. 

Green Bay’s cornerback group has a lot of players vying for roles who got exposure last year due to injuries, and there’s probably not room for everyone. Ballentine did well enough that he could merit trade consideration. 

 
 

Williams and Armour-Davis are former mid-round picks who find themselves on the bubble in a deep and talented Ravens secondary. 

Needham has exceeded expectations as a former undrafted free agent, but the Dolphins have made moves in the secondary that could make the veteran slot corner expendable. 

At this point, it looks like the 49ers starting three corners will be Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir and second-round rookie Renardo Green. Veteran Isaac Yiadom is locked in as the top backup. That leaves a spot or two for Thomas, Womack, Luter and Ya-Sin. Whoever ends up on the wrong side of the bubble could draw interest from other teams. San Francisco will also need to carry extra depth at safety while Talanoa Hufanga recuperates from last year’s torn ACL, which eats up roster slots available for corners.

 
 

The Giants don’t have a strong secondary but they do have a plethora of players competing for roles who could draw interest from other teams to shore up their depth. The Eagles are another team with several young players on the bubble who could draw interest. 

Thomas was a UDFA standout who was claimed by the Cardinals last year off waivers from the Lions. He wasn’t able to translate that preseason performance to the regular season, however, and the secondary was a point of emphasis for the Cardinals this offseason. 

 
 

Safety

 
 

Bradberry is making the move to safety after a rough year at cornerback. The 31-year-old is the latest example of how age can strike quick for defensive backs. If he wasn’t already due $9 million nearly all guaranteed this year, the Eagles probably would have cut or traded him already. However, the move to safety could prompt enough interest to get a pick out of another team, though Philadelphia almost assuredly will pick up most of Bradberry’s salary regardless. 

The Titans clearly weren’t happy with their safety room, signing both Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs to go along with Amani Hooker. That leaves Molden in an interesting spot in the final year of his rookie contract. He’s also played nickel, but he’d be behind Titans CB Roger McCreary for that job too. 

 
 

Cine has played as many snaps on defense (10) as he has games in his career so far, and he’s been running with the third string during camp. The former first-rounder is in desperate need of a fresh start. 

Washington has a ton of depth at safety and Forrest could be the odd one out. He’s started 16 games over the past two years and opened last year as a first-stringer before getting hurt. 

Houston goes six deep at safety, five if you count Pitre as a corner instead since he’s likely to play nickel. That makes some of the depth like Johnson and Stewart expendable. 

The Bills have been hit hard by injuries at safety but if everyone is healthy, it’s hard to find room for Hamlin, who’s also in a contract year. 

 
 

Woods is a former third-round pick by the previous regime who is no higher than fourth on the depth chart right now. Robinson was drafted just last year but already is behind multiple players as well. Safety is actually one of the deeper position groups for Carolina. 

Dallas has a lot of depth at safety and new DC Mike Zimmer will be looking for different things than his predecessor. That makes guys like Mukuamu, who’s in the last year of his rookie deal, and Bell, a pet project of Quinn’s last year, worth watching. 

Schooler carved out a role as an ace special teamer under former Patriots HC Bill Belichick, who regularly devoted a handful of extra roster spots to special teams-specific players. New HC Jerod Mayo has indicated he wants to move away from having so many special teams-only players.

 
 

Kicker

Kicker trades are rare but they do happen from time to time. There are a handful of teams in rough shape at kicker and some competitions with multiple legitimate players. The most notable is Green Bay. Joseph has been kicking since 2018 and has a career accuracy rate of 82.6 percent, although that dips to just 57 percent beyond 50 yards. Carlson was a sixth-round pick last year and is probably the favorite to win the job based on the team’s investment in him, although the two have gone almost kick for kick during camp. 

Slye was brought in to push Ryland who was a fourth-round pick last year but was a dismal 64 percent on his field goal attempts. The veteran Slye has struggled too but has good range and if he ever found a consistent stroke would be a quality starter. 

Out of this whole bunch, Joseph or Carlson might be the likeliest to fetch a draft pick, while the others are more likely to be options on the waiver wire.

 
 

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