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NFL players who should be traded before the deadline
Todd Kirkland/Icon Sportswire

NFL players who should be traded before the deadline

The NFL trade deadline is Oct. 29, and if recent seasons are any indication, there could be plenty of wheeling and dealing. These 25 players are top trade candidates as we get closer to the deadline.

 
1 of 25

Adrian Clayborn, DE, Falcons

Adrian Clayborn, DE, Falcons
Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports Images

The Falcons defense has been a dumpster fire through six games, and head coach Dan Quinn's job could be in jeopardy. After leaving Atlanta for New England last year, Clayborn has returned to the Falcons but the stats haven't followed (one sack). As a pending free agent, Clayborn could be made available if there's any market for him at age 31.

 
2 of 25

Vernon Davis, TE, Redskins

Vernon Davis, TE, Redskins
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images

Davis is the de facto starting tight end in Washington with Jordan Reed suffering from a concussion, but Davis has had concussion issues of his own. He's missed the last two games, though his play in recent years shows he can still help in his mid-30s. Washington has nothing to play for after a 1-5 start to the season.

 
3 of 25

Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings

Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings
Brace Hemmelgarn / USA Today Sports Images

Diggs seemed unsatisfied in Minnesota earlier this season, getting fined for missing team activities. Things might have changed after a spectacular game vs. Philly, with 167 yards and three touchdowns, but the market for his services should be lively if the Vikings do opt to trade their star wideout.

 
4 of 25

Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins

Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins
Rich Barnes / USA Today Sports Images

Drake is seeing part-time snaps on the NFL's worst team and has 60 touches through five games. Now in his fourth season, the versatile back is being wasted on the Dolphins and would likely fetch some draft capital for a team that's tanking.

 
5 of 25

Bud Dupree, OLB, Steelers

Bud Dupree, OLB, Steelers
Kyle Terada / USA Today Sports Images

Trading their first-round pick for Minkah Fitzpatrick would indicate that the Steelers aren't yet throwing in the towel after Ben Roethlisberger's injury, but they still have reason to consider moving Dupree. They should be able to find decent value for the pending free agent, as he already has three sacks in six games, and the Steelers would be trading from an area of strength.

 
6 of 25

Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals

Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals
Joseph Maiorana / USA Today Sports Images

Eifert has been extremely injury prone during his career and is no longer the red-zone threat that he was early on, but he's still a gifted pass catcher. Now in his seventh season, Eifert is doing little for an 0-6 Bengals squad and would make a nice addition for a team like New England, which is craving tight end help.

 
7 of 25

A.J. Green, WR, Bengals

A.J. Green, WR, Bengals
Aaron Doster / USA Today Sports Images

Green is nearing a return from his ankle injury, but the Bengals haven't won without him. Now a pending free agent, he's one of the faces of the franchise but has been a problem recently, missing significant time in three of the last four seasons. When healthy, Green remains an elite wideout, so the Bengals should be able to find nice value for him as they likely go into a rebuild.

 
8 of 25

Chris Harris, CB, Broncos

Chris Harris, CB, Broncos
Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today Sports Images

Harris didn't seem enthused with the Broncos franchise in the offseason and has been the subject of trade speculation already. The four-time Pro Bowler remains a solid cover corner at age 30 and will be a free agent after this season. There are plenty of teams that could use his services down the stretch with the Broncos in poor position to make the playoffs.

 
9 of 25

Xavien Howard, CB, Dolphins

Xavien Howard, CB, Dolphins
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

Howard had a league-leading seven interceptions in his 2018 Pro Bowl campaign, and he remains a capable cover corner. Miami has been willing to trade anything that's not tacked down early this season, and Howard is certainly a candidate to be moved despite missing Week 6 with a knee injury.

 
10 of 25

Janoris Jenkins, CB, Giants

Janoris Jenkins, CB, Giants
Paul Rutherford / USA Today Sports Images

Jenkins signed a monstrous five-year deal with the Giants in 2016, and he hasn't played as well as hoped. Still, the almost-31-year-old corner has proved to be a decent player at times and a willing tackler. He's signed through 2020 but could be moved with teams hungry for secondary help and New York struggling for wins.

 
11 of 25

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Jets

Trumaine Johnson, CB, Jets
Vincent Carchietta / USA Today Sports Images

Johnson signed a five-year deal with the Jets under a different front office and coaching regime. Injuries have been a storyline early in his contract, and the Jets are already effectively out of the playoff race this year. If anyone is willing to take on Johnson's contract, the Jets should happily oblige.

 
12 of 25

Reshad Jones, S, Dolphins

Reshad Jones, S, Dolphins
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

The relationship between Jones and the Dolphins hasn't been harmonious recently, but he remains on the roster. He missed time early this year with an ankle injury but remains one of the only quality players on a tanking squad. If Miami can find anyone to take on his salary, it's probably time to move on.

 
13 of 25

Markus Golden, OLB, Giants

Markus Golden, OLB, Giants
Greg M. Cooper / USA Today Sports Images

Golden is doing a great job reviving his value after some injuries late in his tenure with the Cardinals. Through six starts, Golden has five sacks and a scoop-and-score. Signed for a low price this year, he should be an attractive trade candidate unless the Giants opt to sign him long term.

 
14 of 25

Josh Norman, CB, Redskins

Josh Norman, CB, Redskins
Geoff Burke / USA Today Sports Images

Norman has never lived up to the hype after Washington gave him an outlandish five-year, $75 million contract in 2016. To Norman's credit, he has been relatively durable. He has one full year remaining on the deal after 2019 but could make a nice addition for a contending team with cap space.

 
15 of 25

DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins

DeVante Parker, WR, Dolphins
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

A former first-round pick with a world of talent, Parker simply hasn't put it all together in the NFL. He's now in his fifth season with Miami, and the results have been predictably disappointing. Still, there are plenty of contending teams in need of receiver help, and a change of scenery certainly couldn't hurt with Parker's contract expiring after this year.

 
16 of 25

Adrian Peterson, RB, Redskins

Adrian Peterson, RB, Redskins
Geoff Burke / USA Today Sports Images

Like last season, Peterson has become Washington's starting running back due to Derrius Guice's injury. However, the 34-year-old is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry and clearly has no future on a 1-5 Washington team. It's unclear how he really helps the team significantly over a younger option, aside from being a veteran leader.

 
17 of 25

Brian Poole, CB, Jets

Brian Poole, CB, Jets
Brad Penner / USA Today Sports Images

Poole came over from Atlanta in the offseason, now in the final season of his contract. He's seen regular snaps at safety, but the Jets have all but fallen out of contention already.

 
18 of 25

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jaguars

Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jaguars
Reinhold Matay / USA Today Sports Images

Ramsey demanded a trade earlier this season and then suffered a mysterious back injury. He hasn't played since the injury, but Jags ownership has stated that they'd like to re-sign him. It's unclear if Ramsey is trying to force his team's hand, but the relationship between team and player has certainly been shattered. Jacksonville still has a chance to get a boatload in return if it opts to trade Ramsey. (UPDATE: Ramsey was traded to the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, Oct. 15.)

 
19 of 25

Eric Rowe, CB, Dolphins

Eric Rowe, CB, Dolphins
Jasen Vinlove / USA Today Sports Images

Head coach Brian Flores basically brought Rowe with him from New England, but the cornerback isn't doing much to serve his team early on. Still relatively young at 27, Rowe could be an attractive trade chip for a late-round draft pick.

 
20 of 25

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos
Ron Chenoy / USA Today Sports Images

Sanders will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, and it remains to be seen if he wants to stick around for the Broncos' rebuilding effort in his early 30s. The 10-year pro has been productive lately, but he's also had problems staying healthy recently. 

 
21 of 25

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Jets

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Jets
Brad Penner / USA Today Sports Images

Thomas spent training camp in New England but now finds himself on the Jets. The decline has been sudden for Thomas over the last year, but the former Broncos star could still add depth for a banged-up team now that the Jets have fallen down the AFC East standings.

 
22 of 25

Chris Thompson, RB, Redskins

Chris Thompson, RB, Redskins
Geoff Burke / USA Today Sports Images

Thompson has been an excellent third-down specialist for the Skins since he started to see real playing time in 2015, but he's had durability issues for much of his career. With Washington going nowhere fast this season, Thompson could help as a complementary back for another team.

 
23 of 25

Leonard Williams, DE, Jets

Leonard Williams, DE, Jets
Vincent Carchietta / USA Today Sports Images

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that multiple teams are interested in Williams. Whether New York actually trades the former first-round pick remains to be seen, but the pending free agent would likely fetch a nice return.

 
24 of 25

Trent Williams, LT, Redskins

Trent Williams, LT, Redskins
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images

Williams has held out all season, and there are no signs of his return due to an issue with the organization and medical staff. At this point, a trade would be best for both sides.

 
25 of 25

Derek Wolfe, DT, Broncos

Derek Wolfe, DT, Broncos
Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today Sports Images

A key player on Denver's Super Bowl team, Wolfe simply isn't the player he used to be. He does have two sacks in six games this season and could be a contributor for a contender.

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

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