• A homecoming for Maxx Crosby: The Raiders already moved Davante Adams, and the Lions would be a perfect fit after losing Aidan Hutchinson.
•Fixing the Cowboys‘ running game: Travis Etienne Jr. hasn't been as effective as Tank Bigsby, but he'd be a major upgrade for Dallas.
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Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
The NFL trade deadline has already delivered fireworks despite being over three weeks away. Receivers Davante Adams and Amari Cooper headed to the AFC East, although both appeared very likely candidates to be moved.
It’s not often that unusual suspects around the NFL find new teams midway through the season, but every now and then, a stunner — think Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers, Roquan Smith to the Ravens or Von Miller to the Rams — goes down. What if general managers around the league decided to go all in, a la Madden Franchise mode with the sliders turned down?
The likelihood of the trades below generally isn’t very high — or, in some cases, fathomable at all — but these 10 moves would be dreams come true for teams acquiring the player.
Edge Maxx Crosby to the Lions
The Raiders already moved on from the disgruntled Adams, leaving them with one superstar: Crosby. The all-world edge rusher has remained loyal to the franchise but recently quipped that he’s “not here to rebuild.” It still seems unlikely that Las Vegas will move Crosby, but there’s no better landing spot than Detroit.
The Lions lost Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Aidan Hutchinson to a broken tibia/fibula in Week 6, which put a premature end to one of the best defensive starts in PFF history. Detroit still boasts defensive line talent in Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader, but its edge position is now thin.
Crosby’s 1.33 PFF WAR over the last three years ranks fourth among all edge rushers. Despite battling an ankle injury, he’s still put together another impressive campaign. Crosby has registered 23 pressures, 15 stops and a 14.1% pass-rush win rate.
Lions GM Brad Holmes would have to surrender likely multiple first-round picks to bring home the Eastern Michigan alum, but it would be an epic add.
Dl Dexter Lawrence to the Texans
The Giants haven’t been as disappointing as expected, in part due to a defense that ranks 12th in EPA per play. At the center of that is Lawrence, the second-highest-graded interior defensive lineman in the NFL. The 26-year-old has totaled a prolific 93.5 overall grade over the last three years, tallying 164 pressures and 24 sacks.
It would be highly unlikely for New York to move Lawrence, even if the team continues to lose. But, one hypothetical landing spot could be Houston.
The Texans are positioned incredibly well at edge rusher with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr., but the interior of its defensive line has been shoddy. The Texans rank 26th in overall grade by defensive linemen, with their highest-graded IDL being Mario Edwards Jr. at a 61.9 overall mark.
GM Nick Caserio pulled off a splash to draft C.J. Stroud and Anderson back-to-back in 2023, and this would be equally as improbable. But boy, would it be an insane acquisition.
CB Denzel Ward to the Commanders
The Browns have already dealt Cooper, but there’s still a plethora of talent left on the roster — and no viable path to contending given the team’s 1-6 record and the state of its offense. That could make some talented Cleveland defenders available, including Ward.
Ward hasn’t been spectacular in 2024, recording only a 72.2 overall grade. Those perils have mostly been due to problems wrapping up: his 23.7% missed tackle rate is the ninth-highest among qualified cornerbacks. Still, Ward is an asset in coverage, posting a 76.0 coverage grade over the last four seasons while compiling 45 forced incompletions — the seventh-most among qualifying corners in that span.
Despite starting 5-2, the Commanders are in desperate need of defensive — and secondary — help. The team ranks 28th in team coverage grade and 26th in EPA per play. Not one Washington corner has notched an overall grade above 64.8 this year, nor a coverage grade above 66.5.
If Washington wants to make a serious push in Dan Quinn’s first year, giving Cleveland a call about Ward (or Greg Newsome II) doesn’t seem far-fetched.
Edge Carl Granderson to the Bears
After starting 2-0, the Saints have plummeted to 2-5, looking like a team in desperate need of a rebuild (albeit one depleted by injuries). Since it’s looking like an uphill battle to contend in 2024, moving an asset like Granderson would be wise.
Over the last three years, Granderson has quietly become one of the more solid edge rushers in the NFL. His run defense has been a calling card, but he’s honed his pass rush in 2024. Granderson’s 29 pressures are tied for sixth among edge rushers, and his 17.2% pass-rush win rate is tied for 12th.
The Bears would be a perfect fit. Chicago has hit its stride at 4-2 despite a pass rush that’s generally struggled this season. No Bear has tallied more than 18 pressures, and Andrew Billings is the only regular defensive line starter with a pass-rush grade above 69.0.
Ryan Poles already swung a trade for Darrell Taylor before the offseason. While a solid get so far, he’s nowhere close to Granderson (and also worth far less, too). At the very least, this is an enjoyable aspiration for a franchise that’s been devoid of hope for a while.
WR Cooper Kupp to the Steelers
At 2-4, the Rams face a bit of an injunction regarding their current roster construction. The nucleus from the Super Bowl 56-winning team is either gone or aging; injuries have depleted the current roster; and the defense has been abysmal. Could that make Kupp available?
The 31-year-old has been beleaguered with injuries ever since his record-setting 2021 season. In that stretch, Kupp has finished with a receiving grade over 74.0 just one time while not exceeding 767 offensive snaps in a year. He looked fantastic to open the 2024 season in Detroit — posting 14 catches for 110 yards and a 72.8 receiving grade — but missed four straight games with an ankle injury.
If Les Snead wanted to deal Kupp, Pittsburgh would be a perfect partner. The Steelers have generally struggled on offense in Arthur Smith’s first year calling plays, especially through the air. Pittsburgh ranks 13th in EPA per play, primarily to a receiving corps that sits 13th in receiving grade. Not having a viable No. 2 opposite George Pickens has certainly limited the group’s ceiling.
Omar Khan has searched for a complementary piece to Pickens over the last year, but has repeatedly struck out on big names like Brandon Aiyuk and Adams. Maybe Kupp will finally be the answer.
Dl Jeffery Simmons III to the Jets
At 1-5, the Titans’ first year under Brian Callahan hasn’t gone anywhere close to plan. Although the offense has a myriad of questions, the defense has been solid, ranking ninth in EPA per play. Simmons has long been a cornerstone, but maybe Tennessee would cut ties in an effort to rebuild.
The 27-year-old was spectacular in 2022 and hasn’t been quite as amazing since, recording overall grades of 68.4 and 70.1. Although his pressure numbers have dwindled this year — notching only nine pressures on 137 pass-rushing snaps — his run defense has actually improved, climbing over 17 points. Plus, Simmons has accumulated 44 or more pressures in each of his last four full years.
The Jets have already made their intentions clear: do whatever it takes to win in 2024. The team’s defense has remained stout, but the defensive line has actually been one of the worst in the NFL. Quinnen Williams is Gang Green’s highest-graded interior defender at only a 66.6 overall mark — a far cry from his last few years — and Javon Kinlaw hasn’t performed well.
Pursuing an edge rusher could also be in play for Woody Johnson, but Simmons would quietly be a shrewd add to a team pushing all its assets on the table.
RB Travis Etienne Jr. to the Cowboys
The Jaguars have remained one of the most confusing teams in the NFL over the last two years, and things appear to have hit a boiling point under Doug Pederson. What should be a playoff-caliber roster is now a disjointed team, and that likely means pieces will be moved.
Jacksonville sits eighth in rushing EPA per play, in part due to the breakout of Tank Bigsby, whose 82.5 rushing grade ranks ninth among players with 50-plus carries. In turn, Etienne could be expendable.
Etienne hasn’t looked as effective in 2024. His rushing grade has dropped 13 points; only eight of his 55 carries have gone for 10-plus yards; and his Elusiveness ranks 42nd out of 50 ‘backs with 30-plus carries.
Still, a team that would love adding a player like Etienne is the Cowboys. Dallas’ rushing game has been woeful all season, ranking 29th in team rushing grade with the second-fewest explosive rushes in the NFL. The combination of Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott has fared as most expected, with neither recording a running grade above 69.0.
Given that Etienne is only under contract for one more year, the odds of Jacksonville trading him are higher than others on this list. If he were to be dealt, Jerry Jones would definitely be lining up.
LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to the Bills
If the Browns really wanted to reset, moving Owusu-Koramoah could be smart. The linebacker signed a three-year extension in August, but moving him isn’t as onerous as it would look. According to Over the Cap, Cleveland would eat only $7.5 million in dead money if Owusu-Koramoah were traded before June.
The 25-year-old has blossomed into one of the better linebackers in football. He’s built off a solid 2023 with a fabulous 2024: Owusu-Koramoah’s 86.6 overall grade ranks fourth among linebackers to play 100 or more snaps, and his 92.4 run defense grade is easily a career high.
Buffalo added Cooper to its previously unimpressive receiving room, but holes still exist at positions like linebacker. Without star Matt Milano, Buffalo’s linebackers have posted a 53.4 overall grade, which ranks 28th. The team’s highest-graded linebacker is Dorian Williams at a very pedestrian 65.0 overall mark.
Cleveland and Buffalo already did business once, so maybe making another exchange isn’t totally out of the question.
S Budda Baker to the Bengals
Not a ton has gone right in Jonathan Gannon’s second year in Arizona. The Cardinals are 3-4 thanks to an offense that can provide some punches, but the defense is the antithesis, sitting 27th in EPA per play. While the unit doesn’t possess much talent, Baker would definitely have suitors.
The 28-year-old has established himself as one of the better safeties in the NFL. Over the last six years, Baker’s 0.88 WAR ranks 17th. Coverage has never been a major strong suit, but Baker has repeatedly play well against the run, as evidenced by him notching a 74.9 run defense grade or better in five of his seven seasons.
The Bengals are still clawing for their 2024 playoff lives, but the defense needs definite retooling. The major lacuna has been safety, where Cincinnati ranks 30th in team grade. Free agent addition Geno Stone has underperformed in a major way, while Vonn Bell hasn’t fared amazingly, either. Neither has posted an overall grade above 61.3.
Given Cincinnati’s offensive performance, it’s still too early to wave the white flag on this year. Making a push for a player like Baker could help.
WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Ravens
There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Tennessee’s offense is a mess. The team sits 22nd in EPA per play, and its marquee receivers — Hopkins, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd — have all performed below expectation. Hopkins leads Titans receivers with only a 67.2 receiving grade, but he still has value.
His metrics may not be as efficient this year, but the 32-year-old bounced back in 2023 to the tune of an 82.3 receiving grade. His resume speaks for itself, ranking 17th among receivers in PFF WAR since 2019. In some ways, his ails can be attributed to simply not getting the ball: he’s been targeted only 21 times in six games, and he’s dropped just one of them.
The Ravens already rank second in receiving grade, but the team’s wideouts haven’t been on par. Zay Flowers (75.8 receiving grade) has solidified himself, but no other Baltimore receiver sits above a 75.0. Isaiah Likely and Justice Hill have been valuable pass-catchers for Lamar Jackson, but not perimeter receivers like Hopkins.
Baltimore just extended Rashod Bateman, so relegating him isn’t necessarily very likely. Still, that’s why this would be a “fairytale”: having Jackson, Derrick Henry and Hopkins on the same offense is every Madden player’s dream.
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