The NFL Market: Who’s Moving Before the Deadline?
Despite being only two weeks into the 2025 NFL season and more than six weeks away from the trade deadline (4 p.m. ET on November 4th), time flies in the league. Each week provides us with new data that influences teams’ decisions, both in the short and long term.For example, the Buccaneers, with a 2-0 record, and division champions on four occasions, have their sights set on the Super Bowl. However, they suffered the loss of two starting offensive linemen due to injury on Monday night, and are still awaiting the return of their left tackle, Tristan Wirfs. Although they are capable of adapting, they might need external reinforcements to succeed in December and January.
On the other hand, the Dolphins have had a complicated start to the season, with a 0-3 record. If they fail to change course, they could consider a rebuild. Although the deadline is more than six weeks away, teams are already analyzing Miami’s roster, wondering which players might be available. With that in mind, we take a look at what could happen as the transfer deadline approaches. Who could change teams? Which teams could strengthen? Which ones could get rid of players? What could happen to alter the landscape?Possible Transfer Targets
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami DolphinsHill’s situation has been a topic of conversation since the preseason. The player expressed his discontent at the end of the 2024 season. Although the team did not trade him, he and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa talked about the need to improve the relationship between Hill and the team. Everything indicates that Hill has been working to rebuild those bonds. However, he is a 31-year-old receiver with no guaranteed money beyond this season, with a base salary of $10 million. Last season he failed to surpass 1,000 yards for the first time since 2019, and so far this season, he has 15 receptions, 198 yards and a touchdown. A complicating factor is that Hill could face a possible suspension from the league if the domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife are proven.Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta FalconsCousins has been quiet lately. With Michael Penix Jr. as the starter for the Falcons and Cousins on the bench (with a salary of $27.5 million this season), teams in need of a quarterback could call. Although the Falcons would have no problem keeping Cousins as a backup, they could consider a trade if they receive a good offer. But they would have to find another reliable backup quarterback before letting Cousins go.Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville JaguarsEtienne has had an excellent start with the new coaching staff, which he believes fits well into Liam Coen’s offense. In the first two weeks, he is the second-leading rusher in the NFL (214 yards). He is playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and has no contract beyond 2025. The Jaguars selected Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. in this year’s draft. If the Jaguars fail to compete and want to give more opportunities to their rookies, Etienne, with his salary of $6.143 million, could be traded.Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami Dolphins
Another player selected in the first round of 2021 who is playing his fifth-year option without a contract beyond 2025. He could be an interesting target for teams needing defensive reinforcements if the Dolphins fail to compete and decide not to keep him long-term. He has had trouble staying healthy, but is currently in shape, and a proportional part of his $13.251 million salary wouldn’t be too costly. Phillips had 15.5 sacks in his first two NFL seasons before injuries limited him to 12 games in the following two years.
Image: Reaction to the Dolphins vs. Bills game.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
An interesting situation, as the Packers don’t seem concerned about being out of contention. What might concern them is having too many receivers. For now, with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed out with injuries, it’s not a problem. But when they return, it could be difficult to find opportunities for everyone, considering they have Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden on the team. Doubs is a name that came up in trade conversations during the preseason and could come up again when the Packers are at full strength and teams are looking for help at that position. Doubs is earning a salary of $3.406 million in the final year of his contract. He has accumulated 600 receiving yards in each of his last two seasons and has 96 yards and a touchdown in the first two games of 2025.Teams That Could Add Players
Kansas City Chiefs
Of all the teams with a 0-2 record, the Chiefs are the ones we can be sure won’t give up. With Andy Reid as coach and Patrick Mahomes as quarterback, they are usually active at the trade deadline. They will likely be looking for reinforcements, whether at running back, receiver, or on defense. The Chiefs are the team most associated with Hill, partly because they need a receiver and because he began his career in Kansas City. If Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice play as expected, the Chiefs could look for help in other positions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As mentioned above, the Bucs already have needs on the offensive line, due to the absences of Wirfs, Luke Goedeke, and Cody Mauch. They also lost defensive tackle Calijah Kancey to an injury that will sideline him for the season. Tampa Bay has won its division for four consecutive years and knows it could face a challenge from the Falcons team, as it did last season. With Baker Mayfield playing as a top-tier quarterback and an offense with great talent in the skill positions, Bucs general manager Jason Licht will surely look for anything that can help in the trenches.San Francisco 49ersLast season fell apart for the Niners due to injuries, and they are already suffering from them this season. But they also have a 2-0 record and are one season away from losing in overtime in the Super Bowl. They could look for help at the receiver position or in the secondary as the deadline approaches.Indianapolis Colts
We close this section with our most surprising team with a 2-0 record. No one knows for sure if this good start by the Daniel Jones-led offense is sustainable, but if so, the Colts have a real chance to win their division for the first time since 2014. They hope Lou Anarumo’s defense needs help on any of the three levels; the Colts are conceding 5.3 yards per play, which is the league average.
Also, some wonder if Anthony Richardson Sr., the first-round pick of 2023, could be of interest to a team looking for a developing quarterback and if he could be a trade option at this year’s deadline if Jones continues to play well enough to seem like the Colts’ answer.Teams That Could Consider Transfers
Cleveland Browns
Starting the season with an 0-2 record and seemingly positioning themselves to be a major factor in next year’s draft (two first-round picks), the Browns could trade players in early November. Cornerback Greg Newsome II and tight end David Njoku are among the veterans in the final years of their contracts who could be of interest to teams looking for help at the deadline. And the quarterback situation, with 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, will continue to be a topic of conversation.Miami Dolphins
We’ve already talked about them and mentioned some players who could be trade options if the Dolphins don’t turn their season around. Once again, the caveat applies that we are only in Week 3 and things can change. Due to the low expectations people had for the Dolphins since the preseason, other teams have been watching their roster for a while.New Orleans SaintsAnother team with low expectations at the start of the season, the Saints have started with an 0-2 record in their first season with coach Kellen Moore and could end up restructuring their roster for the future. Veterans like running back Alvin Kamara (144 rushing yards this season) and receiver Chris Olave (108 receiving yards), each of whom is under contract until 2026, could be of interest to teams looking for help in the skill positions down the stretch. I would also include veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan here, as he is in the final year of his contract, but it’s almost impossible to imagine him ending his career anywhere other than New Orleans at this point.New York Giants
Even if quarterback Russell Wilson is playing well mid-season, there’s a chance the Giants could decide to trade Jaxson Dart, their first-round pick, either because they believe he’s ready to take over or because they’re losing too much and feel they need to change something to produce a spark. When that happens, Wilson could be attractive to an office looking to acquire a veteran quarterback for the final stretch. Jameis Winston is also in the Giants’ quarterback room, although he could be in their plans for 2026 as a veteran backup for Dart. New York exercised the fifth-year option on defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, so he’s under contract through 2026. But given the Giants’ depth on the defensive line, they could certainly receive calls about someone like Thibodeaux if they’re losing the contest. He has 1.5 sacks at the start of the season.Las Vegas Raiders
In Pete Carroll’s first season here, we have another team under new management that could be using this season to evaluate who fits or doesn’t fit for the future. If the Raiders are out of contention in October, it’s not hard to imagine them starting to think about trading one or two players to get draft capital. Receiver Jakobi Meyers has had a great start: he has 165 receiving yards, ninth in the league, but requested a trade this offseason because he couldn’t get the contract extension he wanted from the Raiders. He’s a free agent at the end of the season, and as long as he doesn’t get an extension, it’s fair to wonder if he’s in the team’s plans for 2026 and beyond.Key Factors to Consider
Can Jake Browning keep the Bengals in contention?Cincinnati started with a 2-0 record, but starting quarterback Joe Burrow will be out for at least three months due to a toe injury requiring surgery. The Bengals say they believe Browning can keep them competitive and haven’t lost hope that Burrow can return before the season ends. If we get to early November and both hopes are still alive, then I would expect the Bengals to stay the course or even seek help (although the latter wouldn’t be like them). But if they fall apart under Browning and/or Burrow’s recovery schedule is longer than they currently expect, then teams will likely start calling someone like defensive end Trey Hendrickson, who is not under contract beyond this season.Who will be the surprise contenders?We’ve already mentioned the Colts as an example of a team that could add if their good start turns into a contending season. This includes the Cardinals, with a 2-0 record, as a team whose coaching staff is in its third season and is under some pressure to start producing results. If the Seahawks can turn the NFC West into a four-team race, they might get aggressive at the deadline to gain an advantage in the final stretch. And the Patriots are a team that looks promising but also has some gaps in the roster to fill. You never know at this point who will be the surprise contenders mid-season, but there always seems to be at least one. Somewhere, there’s a team we think will trade away its players, but that could end up adding them. And, of course, vice versa.
