National Football League

Maxx Crosby, Bryce Young headline 10 potential NFL trades we'd like to see

Published Oct. 16, 2024 6:03 p.m. ET

We know that Tuesday, Nov. 5, is a hugely important day in America.

Obviously, it's the NFL trade deadline, and football fans got a sneak preview of what could be ahead with a flurry of moves this week, most notably Davante Adams going to the Jets and Amari Cooper to the Bills.

[2024 NFL trade deadline tracker: Latest deals across the league]

Will there be even bigger names dealt this season? For teams that have disappointed so far, trading a prominent player is a chance to reload with draft picks. If you have a pending free agent you think will sign elsewhere in March, this is an opportunity to get a pick now instead of waiting for a compensatory pick to come in 2026. And if you're a contender who's close, this is your chance to push the chips to the middle of the table and make the most of the window ahead.

So we're offering up 10 of the biggest names who might be traded, where they might end up and what it might cost to get them.

Maxx Crosby, OLB, Raiders

Crosby, 27, is an elite edge rusher, the kind that really doesn't come available in free agency or trades. He's made the Pro Bowl three years in a row, led the NFL in tackles for loss the past two years, and is leading in that category again this year. The Raiders trading Adams makes you wonder if they'd listen to offers for Crosby, just because they could get a huge package of picks — a first-rounder and more.

The instinct here is that cooler heads will prevail, and the Raiders will keep him as a foundational player. But if a team like Detroit really sought a substantial replacement for Aidan Hutchinson, who could be out for the season with a broken leg, Crosby would be the brass ring.

Potential match: Crosby to the Lions, for a 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 second-rounder

Bryce Young, QB, Panthers

Would they really cut bait and move on from a No. 1 overall pick? The Panthers have been a different team since they switched to Andy Dalton, and if they're sticking with the veteran quarterback, it's probably better to deal Young now than in the offseason.

If you're a team without a QB of the future, taking a shot on Young is low-risk and low-cost — basically two years and $10 million after this season. The Panthers could wait until they draft a quarterback in April, but the demand might not be as strong then. A team like the Dolphins, unsure if they can count on Tua Tagovailoa due to multiple concussions, would have an inexpensive plan B who would upgrade their backup situation if nothing else.

Potential match: Young to the Dolphins, for 2025 third- and sixth-round picks

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Haason Reddick, OLB, Jets

We're six weeks into the 2024 season and Reddick hasn't so much as practiced for New York since the team acquired him from the Eagles. So you don't know what shape he's going to be in and if he needs a few weeks to get up to speed. Plus, you're getting a half-season, and any trade would require a long-term commitment with a new deal.

The Jets have lost all leverage here, so they have to know they won't get back the third-rounder they sent to the Eagles. At some point, you're just selling low to walk away with something. Of the contenders, the 49ers have the most cap space to handle a new contract, though they'll have their own stars to re-sign with that same cap space soon.

Potential match: Reddick to the 49ers, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Titans

Hopkins is 32, and he's had only modest production this year, totaling 14 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown amid Tennessee's offensive struggles. He's a free agent in the spring, so he probably is done with the Titans either way.

It's hard to see the Saints as buyers at 2-4 and with four straight losses headed into Thursday night's game against Denver, but with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed both sidelined by injuries, Hopkins would be a high-volume No. 1 in the short term and a veteran target for Derek Carr once he's back healthy.

Potential match: Hopkins to the Saints, for a 2025 seventh-round pick

Budda Baker, S, Cardinals

If the Cardinals lose to the Chargers on Monday, they'll drop to 2-5, which makes them sellers. Baker has played his entire eight-year career in Arizona but will be a free agent in the spring, so he's a smart addition for a team looking for a veteran leader in the secondary.

Baker is a three-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler. At age 28, he's still a tackling machine, with 60 in six games as well as three tackles for loss. Send him to Minnesota, and the Vikings could pair him with Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum in a big-nickel three-safety look.

Potential match: Baker to the Vikings, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

Mike Williams, WR, Jets

Williams is 30 and the odd man out with the Jets adding Adams to an already deep receiving corps. His $10 million salary and middling production — 10 catches for 145 yards and no touchdowns in six games — mean New York would likely need to eat some of his remaining salary to get a team to take him for the rest of this season.

Williams could be an experienced presence for a team with a young receiver room. Here's hoping he gets dealt to a contender, as he's played only two playoff games in his first seven years in the league.

Potential match: Williams to the Steelers, for a 2026 late-round pick swap

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Greg Newsome, CB, Browns

The Browns are bad enough that they should be sellers here, and they could deal from a surplus at corner. It's doubtful they'd trade Denzel Ward or Martin Emerson, but perhaps they could dangle Newsome, a 2021 first-rounder who's fallen into a slot role. His fifth-year option will pay him well in 2025, but for a team that will use him in an every-down role, his versatility could make him a smart upgrade.

Potential match: Newsome to the Packers, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

Diontae Johnson, WR, Panthers

Johnson, 28, is the kind of high-volume receiver the Chiefs need after the injuries they've taken at the position. He leads the Panthers with 29 receptions for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but they could deal him and still have rookie Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo and veteran Adam Thielen.

Johnson will be expensive as a second-tier free agent next spring, but Kansas City needs reliable targets for Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. Whether he sticks there for the long term or not, it makes sense now.

Potential match: Johnson to the Chiefs, for a 2025 fifth-round pick

Azeez Ojulari, OLB, Giants

He's only 24 and will be a coveted free agent in the spring, but the Giants already broke the bank on Brian Burns, so Ojulari is likely to sign elsewhere. He has three sacks and is on course for his best season since his rookie year, when he had eight.

The Giants are 2-4 and if they lose to the Eagles this week, they might be in full sell mode. A team like the Falcons, who are tied for the division lead but dead last in the NFL with five sacks, would make sense here. Even though they already traded for Matthew Judon, they need more pressure up front if they want to be a relevant playoff team.

Potential match: Ojulari to the Falcons, for a 2025 fifth-round pick

Khalil Herbert, RB, Bears

Herbert, 26, rushed for 611 yards last year and has a 4.8-yard career average, but he's a forgotten man in Chicago, running for only 16 yards all season. The Raiders sure could use help at running back, and Herbert has a connection with Vegas offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who used to be the Bears' OC. As long as D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson stay healthy in Chicago, dealing Herbert is getting something for nothing.

Potential match: Herbert to the Raiders, for a 2025 seventh-round pick

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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