The 2025 NFL Draft may be over, but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen the end of the blockbuster trade season. Not with so many big-named talents still available on the trade block.
Here are 10 blockbuster NFL trades that could still happen before Week 1.
Which trades could still happen in the NFL before the season starts?
Broncos Land Another Ex-49er, Acquire Brandon Aiyuk
Coming off a surprise playoff appearance, the Denver Broncos prioritized their defense this offseason, signing All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw before using their first-round pick on Texas corner Jahdae Barron.
Two great moves and all, but we’d still like them to add one more proven pass-catcher to help Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton. Veteran tight end Evan Engram isn’t exactly a “game-changer”, and we don’t know how much playing time rookie Pat Bryant will get.
With the Broncos’ championship window just opening now, why shouldn’t GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton make the ultimate “win-now” move?
In March, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the 49ers were “open to” trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, less than a year after handing him a four-year contract extension worth $120 million.
The 49ers are retooling after a disappointing 2024 season, having already bid farewell to the likes of Hufanga, Greenlaw, Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Leonard Floyd, Javon Hargrave, Charvarius Ward, Snuffy, Al, Leo and Little Mo with the gimpy leg.
With Aiyuk’s hefty contract about to kick in, the 49ers could trade the two-time 1,000-yard receiver while his value is high. And the Broncos should be all over that.
As much as we like the improvements the Broncos made on D, it feels like they’re still one game-wrecking offensive weapon away from joining the AFC’s elite — namely Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore.
The Broncos should swing for the fences and offer their 2026 first-round pick to the 49ers for Aiyuk. Now you have a Super Bowl-caliber offense with Nix, Aiyuk, Sutton, Engram, and Bryant.
San Fran clears $120 million, gets an extra first-round pick, and can still churn out a quality offense with Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings. Everybody wins!
Cowboys Make “All-In” Deal For George Pickens
Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver George Pickens was widely mentioned in trade rumors leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, but there aren’t any indicators that they were actually close to moving him.
The Steelers already made a blockbuster trade for Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowler DK Metcalf, before handing him a four-year extension worth $132 million. That means fewer targets for Pickens, who was too much of a diva last season, even as Pittsburgh’s undisputed No. 1 receiver.
Mike Tomlin called for Pickens to “grow up” after Pittsburgh’s Week 13 win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The guy has become too much of a headache, and playing second-fiddle to Metcalf ain’t gonna work for Pickens.
With the 2022 second-round pick entering the final year of his deal, it just makes too much sense for Pittsburgh to trade him now and build the offense around Metcalf. And if there’s one team that should be all-in for Pickens, it’s Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys.
Jones still hasn’t fulfilled his promise from January 2024 of going “all-in”. The Cowboys need a No. 2 receiver for CeeDee Lamb after curiously neglecting the position during the draft, and Pickens can fill that void.
A fair deal would be Pickens to the Cowboys in exchange for Dallas’ 2026 third-round pick and wide receiver Jalen Tolbert. The latter had 610 receiving yards last season and could be a quality No. 2 or 3 receiver behind Metcalf.
With Pickens and CeeDee Lamb as his top two targets, Dak Prescott is well-positioned to regain that MVP-like form we saw in 2023. And just like that, the ‘Boys would be contenders again in the NFC.
Vikings Bring Back Kirk Cousins As Insurance Policy
The Minnesota Vikings are so high on 2024 first-round pick JJ McCarthy to the point where a) they were comfortable letting Sam Darnold walk after a career year and b) passed on Aaron Rodgers despite his wish to pull a Brett Favre.
That is, go from Green Bay to the Jets to the Vikings.
But McCarthy hasn’t played a single NFL snap, having missed his entire rookie season recovering from knee surgery. We don’t know if he’s NFL-ready or how he’ll perform following a serious injury.
If you’re Minnesota, why not have all bases covered and bring back a familiar face as an insurance policy…JUST in case?
The Atlanta Falcons are eager to get rid of Kirk Cousins after benching him late last season, in year one of a $180 million contract. Michael Penix Jr. is the guy now, and Atlanta simply can’t pay that much money to a backup QB.
Cousins would surely be keen to restructure his deal to facilitate a trade instead of collecting his NFL paychecks as a clipboard holder. Not to mention that the four-time Pro Bowler played his best football under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
With Atlanta just wanting an easy out of Cousins’ deal, the Vikings should offer a 2026 third-round pick for the veteran QB. If McCarthy is healthy and proves to be a quality starter, great. You still have the league’s best backup as insurance.
And if McCarthy isn’t ready, Cousins can step in and take over a star-studded offense he’s already familiar with. Win-win all-around!
Green Bay Sends Jaire Alexander PACK-ing to Buffalo
Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.
Green Bay’s All-Pro corner didn’t sound enthused about the idea of returning to the Packers in 2025. Though he’s a top-five corner when healthy, the reality is that Green Bay is paying too much money to a guy who has played only 34 total games over the last four seasons.
The Packers had a top-10 defense last season with Alexander missing 10 games, thanks largely to the emergence of All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney. With a 2025 cap hit of $24.636 million, why wouldn’t Green Bay want to trade Alexander now rather than keep and risk losing him to injury again in 2025?
The Buffalo Bills were oh-so-close to a Super Bowl 59 appearance last season despite ranking a lackluster 24th against the pass. They brought back Tre’Davious White and used their first-round pick on Maxwell Hairston, but why stop there?
The Bills’ defense has been non-existent in their four playoff losses to Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs. So, how about trading for the two-time NFL Pro Bowler to complete the makeover in the secondary and pushing Buffalo that much closer to toppling Kansas City in January?
Buffalo should offer Green Bay a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick for Alexander that can become a third-rounder based on playing time. This could be the type of move that finally propels Buffalo through the AFC and into the Super Bowl.
Jaguars Roll The Dice On Kyle Pitts
Pitts was considered a generational tight end prospect entering the 2021 NFL Draft. The Falcons loved Pitts so much that they used the No. 4 pick on him, even though it wasn’t a position of need.
Pitts looked like a budding star in his rookie year, catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards and a touchdown. Inexplicably, it’s all been downhill for Pitts ever since.
His most productive year since 2022 came in year three, when Pitts had 53 catches for 667 yards and three touchdowns. Playing in Atlanta’s rush-heavy offense, with Drake London and Darnell Mooney emerging as the Falcons’ top two pass-catchers, has made Pitts an afterthought in Atlanta.
The Jaguars made a blockbuster trade to move up and take two-way phenom Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick — pairing him with 2024 breakout star Brian Thomas Jr. With Trevor Lawrence slowly inching toward “now or never” territory, this is a good time for the Jags to get another young offensive playmaker on a bargain price.
Jacksonville can offer Atlanta a 2026 third-round pick for Pitts, keeping in mind that they got two future third-rounders from the Detroit Lions to move up for Isaac TeSlaa.
Atlanta may as well trade Pitts rather than lose him for nothing in 2026 NFL free agency. And Pitts just might hit his ceiling on a pass-heavy Jags offense led by Lawrence, Hunter, and Thomas.
Jalen Ramsey Stays In Florida, Lands With Bucs
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finished with football’s fourth-worst pass defense in consecutive seasons, and their leaky secondary was especially exposed in the heartbreaking playoff loss to the Washington Commanders.
The Miami Dolphins are shopping future Hall of Famer and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who shouldn’t cost much given his age and hefty salary. Ramsey will surely wanna play for a competitive team, and he could single-handedly transform the Bucs’ secondary.
With Ramsey available at a discount price in a trade, the Bucs can probably get him for nothing more than a 2026 fourth-round NFL draft pick. There’s Todd Bowles’ new shutdown corner and ball-hawking specialist to help the defense regain its elite form we saw from 2019 to 2022!
Bears Grab Another Weapon for Caleb, Grab Travis Etienne Jr.
The Chicago Bears’ offseason has had one focus: Help for Caleb Williams. And more help. And more. And even more!!!
They bolstered the leaky O-line by bringing in veteran stalwarts Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. They used their first two picks on tight end Colston Loveland and wide receiver Luther Burden III. So what more can they do, with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and D’Andre Swift already in the fold?
How about getting Jaguars star running back and two-time 1,000-yard rusher Travis Etienne Jr.? Tank Bigsby had a big sophomore year and took over as the Jags’ new lead running back over Etienne, not to mention the latter is entering his contract year.
Chicago should offer the Jaguars 2026 fifth and seventh-round picks in exchange for Etienne. And if he plays well, nobody said GM Ryan Poles can’t sign him to an extension.
Steelers & Seahawks Offseason Blockbuster Part 2: Starring Kenneth Walker III
Aaron Rodgers or not, the Steelers could use a boost in the backfield. They opted not to re-sign four-time 1,000-yard rusher Najee Harris, and asking career backup Jaylen Warren to immediately step in as the new RB1 is a tall task.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III was widely mentioned in trade rumors ahead of the NFL draft. They have another capable RB1 in Zach Charbonnet and just drafted former Oregon State and Miami standout Damien Martinez.
Seahawks GM John Schneider should trade Walker now instead of watching him land elsewhere in 2026 free agency. And the Steelers, having just acquired Metcalf from the ‘Hawks, could further strengthen their offense by pairing Walker with Warren in the backfield.
Pittsburgh can offer Seattle a 2026 fourth-round pick plus a 2027 sixth-rounder to Seattle for Walker, whose arrival would put the cherry on top of a stellar Steelers’ offseason.
Commanders Win The Trey Hendrickson Sweepstakes
It’s obvious at this point that Hendrickson and the budget-conscious Cincinnati Bengals won’t agree on a long-term deal. We know Cincy is in win-now mode, but you can’t let a superstar of Hendrickson’s caliber leave for nothing in 2026 free agency.
The Commanders are coming off a surprise run to the NFC Championship Game, but they’ll need more pass-rushing help if they’re to build off the Cinderella-like run. Their 2024 sacks leader, Dante Fowler Jr., just returned to the Cowboys.
Hendrickson has racked up 57 sacks over four years in Cincy. Think Dan Quinn would like that production? A true superstar edge-rusher is the only thing Washington is lacking right now, after all.
Washington gave up a 2026 second-round pick to the Houston Texans for Laremy Tunsil. A first-round pick is too high for Hendrickson, so maybe a trade package built around a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fifth-round pick could complete the deal for this NFL team.
T.J. Watt Joins The Lions’ Pride
The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year single-handedly fueled trade speculation when he shared the following photo on his Instagram story ahead of the draft:
Watt is entering his age-31 season and contract year. He’s never sniffed a postseason victory. The Steelers have always been cautious about committing long-term to ageing talents…so this wouldn’t be the worst time for the two sides to amicably agree to a divorce.
Watt will want to play for a contender, and the Detroit Lions check off that box. Not to mention, they desperately need more pass-rushing help, as evidenced by their defensive breakdowns after Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury.
With a great mix of young and veteran talent, the Lions shouldn’t be afraid to be ultra-aggressive in their pursuit of T.J. Watt. So, how about acquiring the future Hall of Famer in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick?
It’s a hefty return, yes, but one worth making with the Lions as close as ever to a Super Bowl title. For Pittsburgh, that’s a nice return for an ageing and injury-prone asset while they focus more on improving their offense.