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2025 NFL Midseason Trade Block: Week 9 Update
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2025 NFL Midseason Trade Block: Week 9 Update

Originally posted on NFLTradeRumors.co  |  By Logan Ulrich  |  Last updated Oct 29, 2025 10:03 AM ET

The NFL trade deadline is in less than a week and we have another update to our list of players who could potentially be available. Some players have been peeled off but more names have taken their place. It’ll be interesting to see what shakes out. 

Near the beginning of October, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter predicted there could be 10-12 more trades before the deadline on Tuesday, November 4. After a hot start to the month, the pace slackened before picking up again so far this week. Either Schefter was wrong and it’s going to be a quiet deadline, or he was right and things are about to get a little crazy. 

I don’t mind saying I’m hoping for the latter. 

As always, this list is compiled not just by sifting through reports from beat reporters and national writers, but by leaning on NFL Trade Rumors-specific expertise to connect the dots on other players who could be available. 

Added: 

Removed: 

The season-ending injury to Giants fourth-round RB Cam Skattebo means the team will need the depth and experience Singletary provides. His salary made him a fairly uninspiring trade candidate to begin with. 

Ogunjobi made his return from suspension and immediately had a big role, playing almost 50 percent of the snaps in his debut. Injuries have thinned the Bills’ depth at defensive tackle, particularly a biceps injury for Ed Oliver, so there’s no longer a potential surplus to trade from. 

Both Titans corners are off the list — McCreary because he was dealt last week and Sneed because he was placed on injured reserve. Sneed’s injury history and contract always made it unlikely that the Titans would find a trade partner, and now they have to hope they can get out of the $7.5 million that’s guaranteed for injury in his contract next year when they cut him. 

Scott has actually played okay for the most part this year, enough to keep a pair of younger players on the bench behind him. It’s clear the coaching staff values him a lot more than the fanbase.  

Quarterback

With the Vikings losing veteran QB Carson Wentz for the rest of the year, it’s worth talking about whether Cousins makes sense for Minnesota. As a veteran backup, the answer is probably no. He has a $27.5 million salary and the Falcons have been reluctant to eat much of that sum. Top-level backups make from $4 to $8 million a year, so the math doesn’t math for the Vikings if they just want depth behind QB J.J. McCarthy. 

If they need a starter, either because McCarthy is injured or the Vikings decide he’s not ready, then the possibility of a Cousins trade starts to look viable. It’s still an unlikely move given all the logistics involved with salary and draft compensation, but the Vikings believe they have a veteran team capable of making some noise this year. They’d be willing to go to some lengths to preserve that chance, and Cousins is a known commodity in the system. 

The Giants have made it abundantly clear they would be willing to trade Wilson — it’s just a legitimate question whether they’re going to get any bites. He’s the backup for now but there’s a case to be made veteran QB Jameis Winston is better suited for that role given how fiercely Wilson was booed when he had to make a cameo appearance in a Thursday win over the Eagles. There’s a decent chance the Giants release Wilson after the trade deadline and move forward with Winston and first-round QB Jaxson Dart. 

Howell’s name bubbled up in reports about the Bengals searching for help at the position, and he’s already been traded twice this year. He’s third on the Eagles’ depth chart and I’m sure if the opportunity came for the team to turn a profit from the investment it made acquiring him, they’d take it. Philadelphia dealt a fifth and a seventh for Howell and a sixth in August. 

There’s not much of a line between DeVito and other practice squad quarterbacks that are free for any team to sign away to their roster, but it’s enough to suggest the Patriots would need a little something to part with him, if there’s any interest. 

Running Back

Hall is one of the six players I’m confident WON’T be dealt before the trade deadline but he’s still listed here because of the significant buzz and his status in a contract year. 

The Dolphins traded a third-round pick for the rights to draft Wright in the fourth round last year, and he was supposed to take a step forward in Year 2 to give them a viable No. 2 in the backfield. The fact that there’s legitimate trade buzz about Miami giving up on Wright with two more years left on his rookie contract shows how that went. Wright lost the job in camp and then got hurt, only recently returning to the roster. He has not been involved on offense except at the end of Week 8’s blowout win. 

McLaughlin, a former UDFA out of Youngstown State, has legit wheels and could be a spark for another offense where his path to touches is clearer. He’s been working behind RB Tyler Badie, who Broncos HC Sean Payton seems to love as a passing down specialist despite having two other strong backs in veteran J.K. Dobbins and second-rounder RJ Harvey. 

The Ravens finally dusted the cobwebs off Mitchell and gave him a role in the game plan in Week 8. He had four carries for 43 yards, including a 25-yard scamper, hearkening back to his rookie year when he was a jolt of lightning for the offense, averaging 8.4 yards per rush and 10.3 yards per catch. Was it a sign of things to come? Or a showcase before the trade deadline for a player who’d been buried on the depth chart? 

Ford still has a role as a passing-down back but he’s in the final year of his contract and a prime trade candidate. Running backs often don’t have a lot of trade value, but there are some sparse backfields around the league and the Browns should be able to flip Ford for an asset as they lean even more on the youth movement on offense. 

Pierce has hardly factored into the Texans’ backfield despite its struggles. Perhaps a change of scenery could help him recapture his rookie year form when he nearly hit 1,000 yards rushing and was a bear to tackle. Houston changed schemes between his first and second years, though it should be noted they went back to a more gap-heavy system this year and it hasn’t improved the results for Pierce. 

One of either Mostert or White will operate from week to week as the handcuff to first-round RB Ashton Jeanty. The other becomes potentially expendable. Mostert has speed, experience and some special teams versatility on his side. White is younger and a hammer. Both are in contract years. 

Eagles RB Tank Bigsby seemed to take over the No. 2 role for Philadelphia in Week 8, toting the rock nine times for over 100 yards. It came the same week that Dillon was a healthy scratch for the second week in a row. Bigsby and Dillon are both hammer backs, Bigsby just has a couple extra gears that Dillon doesn’t. 

The Bears’ run game has improved dramatically over the past couple of games coming out of the bye, but it’s been with virtually zero contributions from Johnson. He had one carry each of the past two games for a total of 17 yards. The former fourth-round pick seems extraneous and could spark some trade interest from another team with bigger plans for him. 

Wide Receiver

Thomas was a first-round pick in 2024 who was superb as a rookie, catching 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. It wasn’t just the numbers, it was the way Thomas piled them up that put him on the map as one of the game’s bright, ascending young stars. He was way faster and a better route runner than he had any business being at 6-3 and 209 pounds. So it was startling when it was reported that the Jaguars were listening to trade offers for Thomas, even though he’s had some struggles to start the year. 

Jaguars HC Liam Coen has since come out to do damage control and tell the press the team has “no plans” to trade Thomas. Plans change though. Even though Thomas was just drafted, he was not selected by Coen and GM James Gladstone. For as great as his rookie season was, his first impression for Coen and Gladstone has been subpar. If they don’t view him as a fit for the program they’re building, it’s not totally out of the question that they’d look to trade him — for a haul of course. 

It would not make a lot of sense for the Saints to trade Olave, but that’s not going to stop other teams from trying to pull one over on New Orleans. Barring a dramatic breakdown in contract talks, Olave will be a Saint. The other two wideouts are more attainable for other teams. Shaheed is on an expiring deal and up for a new contract as well. Negotiating that alongside Olave’s deal presents some complications, as does the Saints’ salary cap situation. They’re less financially handicapped in 2026 than they’ve been for a while but keeping both Olave and Shaheed given the wide receiver salary inflation could be a tall task. 

Cooks is the most expendable of the three but the 32-year-old has just 14 catches in seven games and guaranteed money both this year and next, which makes him less attractive to other teams as a prospective trade candidate. Still, there’s some buzz around him. If he’s dealt, Cooks would set the record for most times traded as a player. 

Tennessee gave the 30-year-old Ridley a huge $92 million contract as a free agent in 2024, with guaranteed money stretching into the third year of the deal. He has a $22.5 million guaranteed salary this year and a $20 million salary next year, $3 million of which is guaranteed. Unless he and the team are able to figure out how to make him a more consistent part of the offense before then, there’s a good chance he’s a cap casualty, as the current front office didn’t sign him. Ridley had over 1,000 yards last season but has not been efficient, with a catch rate hovering right around 50 percent. 

The veteran has been productive enough that it’s possible another team could show trade interest, particularly because the market for available veteran wideouts isn’t great this year. The Titans might need to take on a chunk of cash, potentially including Ridley’s 2026 salary guarantees, to facilitate a deal, and the return would be an early Day 3 pick at best. Still, if Ridley isn’t in their plans past this season and if trading him won’t hurt the development of No. 1 pick Cam Ward too much, it would be a prudent move for the Titans. 

Meyers has been one of the buzziest trade candidates this season, probably because he requested a trade during camp and hasn’t walked it back. The 28-year-old veteran is in the final year of his deal and will be an unrestricted free agent next year. The Raiders haven’t been able to agree on a contract extension, but also have been turning away all trade callers so far, likely because HC Pete Carroll is as anti-tank as it gets. It’ll be interesting to see if their price wavers as the losses mount and the trade deadline nears. They should be able to get a pretty solid pick for Meyers given how few decent wideouts are available. 

The Bills are probably fine keeping Samuel as depth for the rest of the year, especially because his nearly $7 million salary is already guaranteed. The Bills would also probably be fine with another team taking on that money in a trade. Unfortunately for them, the salary also makes Samuel far less appealing as a trade asset, as does the veteran’s long injury history. 

Lazard has six catches for 40 yards and a touchdown this year. He’s far more impactful as a blocker and dirty work player, but those attributes aren’t typically what teams are hunting for at the trade deadline — unless it’s a team like the Steelers. 

Tight End

Andrews continues to generate some trade buzz as the Ravens explore their options to try and turn the season around. Baltimore elected to keep the veteran in the final year of his contract despite trade interest this offseason, but now there’s a case to be made the best move would be flipping Andrews for help on defense. The Ravens have a couple other starting-caliber tight ends on the roster, so odds are they’d be just fine to pick up any slack. Andrews hasn’t been particularly dynamic in 2025 but he’s still a reliable pass catcher who would be an upgrade for some offenses. 

Any veterans on expiring contracts are worth watching as potential trade candidates for the Browns, especially the more losses the team accrues. Njoku fits that category, and because of the way his contract is structured with a minimum base salary and most of his compensation already paid out as a bonus, he’s extremely tradable. The Browns should field notable interest from teams interested in adding a boost to their pass-catching group. 

The emergence of third-round TE Harold Fannin is a factor here, as the rookie has more targets and catches than Njoku through four games. But the more relevant factor for the Browns will be how likely they see the odds of Njoku returning in 2026, as his asking price could be notable and Cleveland will still be rebuilding on a budget. 

Okonkwo is in the last year of his rookie deal and has flashed as a flex type at tight end. Whether it was his own inconsistency or a lack of imagination from the Titans’ coaches, it hasn’t come together in Tennessee. The team has made some other young investments in the position, and if Okonkwo isn’t in the long-term plans, it makes sense to shop him for a pick. 

Ruckert is in the final year of his rookie contract and was not drafted by the brand-new Jets regime. He did manage to win the No. 2 tight end job and has held onto it to start the year. There are two other tight ends on the roster behind him if the Jets get trade interest and elect to go in a different direction. 

Hudson’s worth mentioning because the Bengals got even deeper at tight end when they signed veteran Noah Fant and it pushed Hudson even deeper down the depth chart. Then again, the pectoral injury to veteran TE Mike Gesicki might open up snaps for Hudson. 

Offensive Line

Jones was placed on injured reserve this past weekend, which makes a trade highly unlikely as teams don’t like to acquire injured players. But the chances aren’t zero, as it’s more obvious than ever that Jones isn’t in Chicago’s plans. Jones opened the season as Chicago’s starting left tackle but was replaced by former Canadian undrafted OT Theo Benedet. He’s in the final year of his contract and positioned to do well as a free agent given how hungry teams are for even average tackle play. 

As for the other players, it’s worth keeping in mind that teams will treat offensive linemen differently in trade talks because of the leaguewide shortage. A bad offensive line is more damaging to the overall team environment than any other position group — outside of maybe quarterback. Even rebuilding teams want to be cautious about destabilizing things too much. 

For instance, the Titans have a rookie quarterback whose development is paramount to the long-term success of the organization. Ward is already on pace to break the rookie record for sacks, though a lot of that has to do with his tendency to hold onto the ball. While a player like Zeitler on an expiring deal would normally be a prime trade candidate, the Titans will want to be cautious not to degrade the environment around Ward too much. 

That consideration is why the Browns have made more moves to bring in offensive linemen via trade this season rather than ship them out. Teller is playing at a solid level in his age-31 season and would be attractive to contending teams looking for a stabilizing presence up front, especially because he’s only making a little over $2 million this season. The Browns could turn to former third-round G Zak Zinter, who was drafted to be an heir to either eller or G Joel Bitonio (by the way, Bitonio is not on this list because like Kamara, he would probably retire rather than play for a different team at this point). But Zinter has shown very little so far to make the Browns confident in a move like that, though. There’s a decent chance the Browns try to re-sign Teller next season, partially because there’s not a clear replacement and the team still has a host of needs, partially because a short extension would help stretch out the dead money from how often the Browns restructured Teller’s contract. 

The dropoff from Pocic to backup C Luke Wypler isn’t as intense, so the Browns might be more likely to make that move. Pocic is less attractive as a trade candidate because he’s making $6 million this year and isn’t a fit for some schemes. 

Any Jets players on expiring contracts will be viewed as potential targets for other teams, including Simpson. He’s making just under $6 million this year, half of which has been earned. That’s a touch pricey for a midseason trade addition but starting linemen are rarely moved at the trade deadline and there would probably be some demand for Simpson if the Jets were willing to let him go. 

There have been some interesting developments in recent weeks for the Commanders’ offensive line, as second-year OL Brandon Coleman has been demoted a year after starting 12 games for the team at left tackle as a rookie. He was supplanted by former seventh-rounder Chris Paul at guard. Wylie has been working ahead of Allegretti at guard but he’s been pushed to the bench soon with the return of G Samuel Cosmi after a torn ACL last year. Teams are cautious not to leave themselves too thin at offensive line, and you’d expect Washington to exercise a lot of patience for a former third-round pick like Coleman, but either Allegretti or Wylie could still be expendable. 

Radunz signed a prove-it deal with the Saints this offseason and has made two starts as an injury fill-in. When everyone up front is healthy, he’s a backup with some versatility to play guard or tackle. However, the team has some other rookie free agents it could look to give playing time later this season instead if the losses continue to pile up, and Radunz could be more valuable as a trade chip on a one-year deal than as a role player. Losing C Erik McCoy for the season makes a trade less likely. 

Neal, a former top-ten pick out of Alabama, has had a plethora of chances to prove himself in the lineup and has come up small each time. The Giants kicked him inside to guard this preseason in a last-ditch effort to help him find a groove, and so far he’s been a healthy scratch in every game. If the Giants get any kind of offer for him after declining his fifth-year option this past May, they’d likely jump at it. 

Mitchell is another Jets player drafted by the previous regime who’s in the final year of his rookie contract. New York also has both veteran Chukwuma Okorafor and UDFA Esa Pole at tackle behind first-round bookends Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou. If the Jets trust Okorafor as the swing tackle, they could be comfortable enough to trade Mitchell. 

Defensive Tackle

There’s probably a case that the Titans should reconsider making Simmons one of the only players they’ve put off limits. He’ll be 29 next year and has two more years left on his contract at salaries of $20.1 million and $23 million. By the time the Titans are competitive, Simmons might be on the way out. In comparison, any draft picks the team gets by trading Simmons could be building blocks in a rebuild. Still, for a team without a lot of good players, I could see how dealing away the best one would be a hard leap to make. 

There should be far less controversy if the Titans want to trade Joseph-Day or Tuttle, but also far less of a market for players who are basically two-down run stuffers at this point. Joseph-Day is due $3.5 million this year; Tuttle is on a minimum contract. 

Harris is in his age-34 season but has been a productive contributor in Cleveland’s dominant defensive line rotation, including the game-winning blocked kick against the Packers in Week 3. He’s another veteran on an expiring deal in Cleveland, and the Browns have enough depth at defensive tackle to be able to part with him for a pick if there’s a contender in need of reinforcements. 

Edge Rusher

The Bengals’ comeback win over the AFC North-leading Steelers may have slammed the door shut on any potential Hendrickson trade, even given the loss to the Jets the following week. It wouldn’t have been Cincinnati’s style anyway to deal away a player as important as Hendrickson midseason, but it was at least a consideration if the season was lost before Halloween to explore getting something for him instead of nothing. The Bengals won’t do anything to put out the spark they got from the trade for Flacco. 

Chubb and Phillips should dominate the headlines in the leadup to the trade deadline and provide another reason for all eyes to be on Miami this season. Both face uncertain long-term futures. Phillips isn’t under contract past the end of this season as he plays out his fifth-year option worth $13.25 million. The only way to guarantee he doesn’t reach free agency is the franchise tag and the Dolphins are currently in the red in terms of projected cap space in 2026. Miami has let a battalion of young players walk the past couple of years because it didn’t have the cap space to keep them, and Phillips seems poised to join that cohort. 

Chubb is under contract through 2027 but has no more guarantees on his deal starting in 2026, making him a potential cap casualty this offseason. He’s playing well with four sacks so far this season but has a long injury history. At a salary of nearly $20 million next year, he becomes a risky asset to keep for a Dolphins team that will be undergoing some form of a rebuild. 

Phillips has had multiple major injuries in his career, too, which will be a factor as other teams ponder their options. Phillips is 26 compared to 29 for Chubb, but the older veteran is dramatically cheaper for this year due to his minimum base salary. Depending on the context, that could mean a stronger return. Given the league-wide demand for pass rushers, the Dolphins would have interest if or when they decide to start selling. 

Chubb and Phillips will get most of the attention, but Judon is also likely available for a much cheaper price. The veteran was a healthy scratch in Week 7 and hasn’t made a major impact in his limited snaps. At 33 years old, his best years are behind him, but in the right system or role, he could still potentially be productive. He has $2.5 million in compensation this year. 

Johnson has sparked trade inquiries from other teams curious about how highly New York values the former first-rounder. He is under contract for one more season after the team picked up his fifth-year option this past offseason, and at 26 years old he feels more like a player the Jets would want to build around rather than trade away. But it all depends on the evaluation HC Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey make, as well as what another team puts on the table. Do Glenn and Mougey like Johnson enough to turn down a Day 2 pick, for example? 

Granderson has come up as a potential person of interest on the Saints from other teams. The veteran has been a starter the last two years and is en route to a career year so far in 2025 with 4.5 sacks in eight games. He’s on the older side at 28 years old and has two more years remaining on his contract after this one at salaries of $10.75 million each (half of that guaranteed in 2026). However, at a minimum base salary for 2025, Granderson would be very attractive as a trade asset if the Saints decided to move him. That’s also not a prohibitive number for the future, so Granderson could command a sneaky strong return for someone who’s a nice player but not a household name for a lot of fans. 

Jordan is much more well-known, but like Kamara, he has earned enough equity with the franchise not to be traded unless he requests a deal or another team comes calling with a monster offer. Last year, Jordan was reportedly pushed to the brink of requesting a trade and saw his snaps fall under 50 percent. This year, he’s back up to a normal workload and is playing pretty well. He’s got 2.5 sacks in eight games and is on just a $1.255 million minimum salary. 

Mafe does not have a sack yet this season but ranks 10th among all edge rushers in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. It’s been something of a career theme for the former second-rounder out of Minnesota, who has just 18 sacks in four seasons but has been much higher in other metrics that track overall disruption. That could make it tough for him and the team at the bargaining table, as Mafe’s in the final year of his rookie contract. Normally a contending team like the Seahawks wouldn’t think of trading away a pass rusher, but Seattle is legitimately four players deep with Mafe, DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall. It’s possible the right offer could pry Mafe out of Seattle. 

Ebiketie is another pass rusher on an expiring contract who could be available. He’s playing a shade over 40 percent of the snaps for the Falcons, and while Atlanta overall has a much-improved pass rush, Ebiketie doesn’t have a sack yet this year after back-to-back seasons of hitting the six-sack mark. He’s more of a complementary rusher than a major addition but teams are always looking for pass rushers. 

The Raiders’ struggles could cause them to re-evaluate how certain players fit. Koonce re-signed to a one-year contract this offseason after tearing his ACL in 2024 when he seemed on the precipice of a monster season. He hasn’t been able to recapture that groove, with just one sack so far this season. If the Raiders don’t plan to re-sign him, it makes sense to try and flip him to another team. 

Wilson has another year under contract after this one, but the former top-ten pick might be running out of chances. The Raiders drafted him as a developmental project and the two sides are still trying to figure out the best role for him as tweener interior/edge rusher. The regime that selected him is gone, too. 

The Titans have a bunch of edge rushers who should draw interest from other teams now that it appears as if Tennessee is calling time of death on the season. Jones is the biggest name and has just a $2.5 million compensation package remaining after the Titans paid him a $6 million signing bonus. He’s had an interesting career, starting out primarily as an interior defender with the Broncos before shifting into essentially a full-time edge rusher over the past two years. He’s listed at 6-3 and 281 pounds, so he has the size to play both depending on what a new team is looking for. 

Key is a more traditionally built pass rusher at 6-5 and 240 pounds who’s carved out a solid career as a complementary player — not the tip of the spear for a defense’s pass rush but a strong role player. He’s in the final year of his contract, making him a strong trade candidate, but the catch is he’s owed $6.75 million this year which is a lot pricier than many of the other options available. Teams will likely ask the Titans to pick up a portion of that figure. 

Ward is playing for his seventh team in 10 years and is the definition of a journeyman veteran. He’s not a flashy player but that experience could be valued for a contending team looking to add a role player for 15-20 snaps a game. 

Wright and Tryon-Shoyinka are both on expiring deals. Tryon-Shoyinka was a dart throw signing this offseason as the Browns filled out their rotation. Wright is a former third-round pick who flashed in his first two years before tearing his ACL in 2024. He’s back and so far has been a bright spot in a contract year, perhaps setting himself up for a contract the Browns can’t or don’t want to match in 2026. If they see that coming, it makes some sense to try and lock in a pick for him now instead of playing the compensatory pick game. 

Jennings was the subject of some trade rumors this summer but remained on New England’s roster through cutdown day. He’s a workmanlike player who does a lot of dirty work in the run game, but has played a bit role so far this season with around 20 percent of the snaps. 

Taylor signed with the Texans as a rotational rusher this offseason but has played in just three games. If he’s fallen out of favor in Houston, a change of scenery would make a lot of sense. Taylor had 24.5 sacks in his first four seasons, primarily as a sub-package rusher. 

Enagbare is a former fifth-round pick who has carved out a role as a rotational rusher for the Packers, but is in the final year of his rookie deal. The injury to Packers DE Lukas Van Ness might make them reluctant to part with edge rusher depth but they do have another mid-round pick in Barryn Sorrell who could step up to fill the void, plus another edge rusher in Brenton Cox who’s eligible to come off injured reserve. Enagbare has ten career sacks. 

Linebacker

With last year’s breakout All-Pro Zack Baun and first-rounder Jihaad Campbell, the Eagles have one of the better linebacker duos in the league through the first third of the season. That leaves them in an interesting spot now that Dean, a starter last year who tore his patellar tendon in January during the playoffs, is healthy enough to make his return to the lineup. He proved himself as a capable starter last year, racking up 128 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, an interception and four pass deflections in 15 starts. But Campbell and Baun are playing too well to take off the field, and the Eagles have some other players who can serve as backups. Dean is in the final year of his rookie contract and likely signing elsewhere after this season, so the Eagles could try and flip him to shore up another spot on their defense. 

Williams is another linebacker in a contract year to pay attention to. He signed his deal for former GM Joe Douglas, not the current regime of Mougey and Glenn. That matters when looking ahead, as the new regime doesn’t have the same commitment to him both as a player and as a schematic fit. If the Jets don’t plan to bring him back next year, it makes sense to explore their options before the deadline this year, even though the defense has been awful. Williams just came back from injured reserve and has a $6.5 million base salary this season. 

Wilson has been a mainstay in the middle of the Bengals’ defense since the 2021 season, but just lost his starting job as Cincinnati moved fourth-round LB Barrett Carter ahead of him. The former Wyoming star was a 24-year-old rookie and just turned 29, so it seems like he got caught in the Bengals’ youth movement on defense. If that turns into a willingness to trade away players, Wilson is worth watching. He’s owed a little under $6 million this year, then $6 million and $6.6 million the next two years. 

NFL Media mentioned Werner in a recent report about Saints players who could be or have been of interest in the lead-up to the trade deadline. Werner has seen a noticeable dip in his snaps the last few weeks as New Orleans sprinkles reps to some other younger players. If they like what they see, it could make them more willing to deal Werner, even though the 26-year-old has two more years after this on his contract at very reasonable salaries of $6.25 and $6.5 million. 

Davis fits in the category of Saints veteran players who are good enough to draw trade interest and have enough established credentials to get a say in the process, like Kamara. If Davis wanted out, the Saints would be willing to move him in the final year of his contract. If Davis wants to finish his career in New Orleans, he’ll likely be afforded that opportunity. 

Gay was a camp and preseason standout who looked poised to seize a much bigger role than the Dolphins expected when they signed him to a small contract. Instead, he’s played just 33 snaps on defense, including none in Week 6 when the Dolphins were down starting LB Tyrel Dodson. He’s on just a one-year deal, so if the Dolphins aren’t planning to play him, it would make more sense to trade him. 

Baker signed a one-year deal this offseason and is playing behind a couple of other players so far to start the season. His deal is structured with a veteran minimum salary, so if the Browns decide to move ahead with other younger options, they should be able to find a taker for Baker. 

Tavai started the season on the injured list and has been back for four games, mostly in a sub-package role that results in about 12-15 snaps a game. That’s a sharp decrease from the last two seasons, as Tavai is running into the same issue other holdovers have had with fitting into the new defensive system under Vrabel. 

At one point, Harris was a budding starter with promise for the Texans on defense. Since then, injuries have derailed the former third-round pick’s career and he’s played just 35 snaps on defense all season. In the final year of his rookie contract, Harris is a candidate for a fresh start elsewhere. 

Cornerback

The latest bump in the road between Diggs and the Cowboys was this past week when the team put him on injured reserve again with a knee issue — not the concussion he got away from the team that surprisingly sidelined him in Week 7. Diggs’ health has been a source of frustration for Dallas in the last year or so, as after signing him to a big deal, the Cowboys lost Diggs for 21 games over the past two years. The team exercised a de-escalator in his contract for not doing his rehab at their facility. Diggs has had some tension with the coaching staff and front office as well, including the rehab issue, the scheme and something else that caused him to be benched to start Week 4. It’s not outside the realm of imagination to see the Cowboys being willing to move on if another team is willing to take on the rest of Diggs’ $8.5 million guaranteed salary, even if it does leave a short-term hole at cornerback. 

Taylor was mentioned in an ESPN article about potential trade candidates, which said while the Saints weren’t shopping Taylor, they also weren’t making him completely unavailable either. Taylor is the starting slot corner for the team but doesn’t come off the field when the Saints go to base defense. He’s in the last year of his contract and poised for a quality deal as an unrestricted free agent. While Taylor is the type of player the Saints would love to re-sign, time will tell if they can, which is why it sounds like they’re not ruling out a trade. 

Fulton was one of the Chiefs’ big signings this offseason, inking a two-year, $20 million contract. However, the Chiefs have gotten just two games out of him so far. Health has played a major role in that, with a couple different injuries dating back to the offseason that have limited him, but in recent weeks Fulton has been a healthy scratch. If the Chiefs like their other cornerbacks more, they could cut their losses with Fulton and try to salvage some value. He was in relatively high demand just a few months ago. Fulton had salaries of $4 million this year and $10 million next year, half of which is already guaranteed.

Carter signed a brand-new contract extension just over a year ago but was banged up in 2024 and now is playing for a different head coach and general manager who aren’t as personally invested. New York has some depth at cornerback, especially after trading for Titans CB Jarvis Brownlee who was billed as a potential nickel coming out as a prospect and has been working at that position in New York. Sending out Carter could be the other shoe to drop. He’s due just $1.6 million this year, followed by $9.7 million in 2026 with $1.38 million guaranteed already, plus another $4 million vesting in March. At one point, he was a high-level slot corner, so he could draw some interest. 

There was an interesting report about other teams viewing Woolen as a potential trade candidate ahead of the deadline, which is serious buzz to pay attention to. Woolen is in the final year of his contract, has been inconsistent under HC Mike Macdonald and has the athletic gifts to spark interest from other teams. Seattle is also deep enough at cornerback to be able to make the move with some short-term secondary injuries set to clear up coming out of the bye in Week 8. 

A recent injury to Giants CB Paulson Adebo could complicate things, as New York would be thin in the secondary, but Banks remains a trade candidate to watch heading into the deadline. The former first-round pick has struggled to find consistency in his first three seasons and has been platooning with Cordale Flott at the second boundary corner spot across from Adebo. Flott has played much better, so the biggest reason for the platoon seems to be giving Banks a chance to turn things around, not anything Banks is doing on the field. A fresh start might be the best thing for both sides. 

Taylor-Britt started 29 games over the past two seasons for the Bengals and looked like a solid starter potentially in line to take a leap in a contract year. Instead, his play has fallen off a cliff in 2025 and he was just benched completely in Week 7 before returning to the field in Week 8. Cornerback is one of the hardest positions to play in the league and performance can be inherently volatile from year to year. A change of scenery might be best for Taylor-Britt, it’s just a question of whether it happens as a free agent in March or if the Bengals are willing and able to find a taker for him before the deadline. 

Williams is playing a lot on special teams right now but hardly at all on defense after seeing between 30-40 percent of the snaps in each of his first three seasons. That experience could make him appealing for a corner-needy team, and the Chiefs could use Williams as a chip ahead of the deadline to try and add more help to the roster or a future pick. 

Safety

With the return of Malik Mustapha from an offseason ACL injury, the 49ers now have three young safeties who were drafted in the middle rounds over past three seasons — 2023 third-rounder Ji’Ayir Brown, 2024 fourth-rounder Mustapha and fifth-round rookie Marques Sigle. In the past couple of weeks, Mustapha and Brown have seen their playing time rise significantly at the expense of Sigle and Pinnock, who each played 100 percent of the defensive snaps the first five games. Pinnock, signed to a cheap deal this offseason to provide veteran insurance, is the most expendable of the quartet and could allow the 49ers to deal from a position of depth to address a weakness or just add more draft capital. 

Jenkins is one of several Browns veteran players who are in contract years who could be dangled on the trade block. The 31-year-old is on a minimum salary deal and playing just over 20 percent of the snaps so far. 

Adams has been usurped by fourth-round S Malachi Moore and is in the final year of his contract. If the Jets don’t plan to bring him back, he makes sense as a trade candidate if he sparks interest from other teams. 

The Titans have some depth at safety, including younger players whom it makes sense to prioritize snaps for. Third-round S Kevin Winston just made his debut after a torn ACL in his final college season. Freeing up snaps for him might mean removing Diggs or Woods from being roadblocks at some point.

This article first appeared on NFLTradeRumors.co and was syndicated with permission.

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