6 NFL Players Who Could Be Traded Before the Deadline

The 2026 NFL Trade Deadline is approaching, occurring just after Week 9 on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Last year saw several notable deals that had major ramifications for either the 2025 season or the future.

Rashid Shaheed’s acquisition by Seattle helped the team win the Super Bowl; Jakobi Meyers’s move to the Jaguars gave them a new No. 1 wideout; and the Jets acquired three future first-rounders by sending away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.

So, one can only expect major moves again as the trade deadline approaches. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joey Porter Jr. have already been moved, and here are other noteworthy players who could find themselves in new jerseys come mid-November.

QB Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

A semi-renaissance by Watson has increased his appeal, as has the fact that he’s in the final year of what’s considered the worst contract in NFL history.

If Cleveland, currently 3–2, can stay competitive and remain in the playoff hunt, the Browns will keep him. But if the record begins to falter, there’s no reason for the team to hold on to him.

Watson won’t return next season, with Cleveland drafting three quarterbacks in the last two years—including Shedeur Sanders—so the Browns could do with him, as they did with Joe Flacco last October, trading the latter to a QB-needy team in the Bengals.

RB Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

Saquon Barkley, on paper, seems like the top RB trade candidate. However, he’s had two different injuries this year and has two years left on his contract, both of which are major roadblocks to him getting dealt.

Thus, Pollard ascends to the top of the position in a contract year and on a winless Titans squad.

Pollard isn’t flashy, but he’s coming off four straight 1,000-yard seasons—two with Dallas and two with Tennessee. He’s never averaged under 4.0 yards per carry and contributes in the passing game, making him an ideal target for a team needing depth in the backfield.

Green Bay was a logical landing spot until Josh Jacobs got the green light to return to the field. So, a team like Denver, which has Super Bowl aspirations but has struggled in the run game, could come calling for Pollard.

TE Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears

Ever since the Bears used a top-10 pick to select TE Colston Loveland last year, Kmet has likely sensed his time in The Windy City was coming to an end. The latter was still productive in 2025 but has become an afterthought in the offense in 2026.

He’s on pace for just 17 catches, down from an average of 50 over the last three years. His snap count is also his lowest since his rookie year, and as a player in his prime at 27, he likely thinks he should be contributing more.

Kmet is a Chicago native, so he has deep ties to the area, but a move out of town would be best for all parties.

EDGE Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers

The future Hall of Famer openly flirted with retirement this offseason, and maybe he wished he went that route instead of running it back with the winless Chargers.

He returned this year, seeking his first postseason win after starting his career with a 0–6 record in the playoffs, but Los Angeles has a better chance of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft than making this year’s playoffs.

Even at 35, Mack is still productive, with 3.0 sacks, but he surely doesn’t want to spend what’s likely his final season on a double-digit-loss team. With the Chargers using a 2026 first-round pick on a player at the same position in Akheem Mesidor, L.A. is already looking to the future, and Mack’s future will hopefully see him in a new uniform by Thanksgiving.

DE Chase Young, New Orleans Saints

Young was the 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year before dealing with injuries and struggles, and was ultimately traded at the NFL trade deadline in 2023.

However, he joined New Orleans the next year and has benefited from Cameron Jordan’s tutelage, with Young notching 14.0 sacks over his last 17 games.

The Saints had playoff hopes this year, but a 1–4 start and a 31^st-ranked defense have derailed them for now. Thus, New Orleans dealing Young and attempting to get some sort of value for him in the future—a future which may or may not involve coach Kellen Moore—would be the prudent move while Young’s value is at its highest.

S Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals

The 30-year-old already has a career-high of 2.5 sacks this season, putting him on pace to reach his ninth Pro Bowl and taking him one step closer to Canton.

All 11 defensive backs in NFL history with at least nine Pro Bowls have made the Hall of Fame, and while Baker’s HOF resume was built in the desert, it may be time to leave it behind.

Arizona is trudging through another season, and Baker has played in just one postseason game in his career. Every team could use secondary help, as Baker would be a great in-the-box addition for a contending team.