Firework NFL Trade Ideas That Would Transform the League in 2023

The fireworks have settled from Fourth of July weekend, and the NFL calendar is hitting its final lull before teams head to training camp to prepare for the 2023 season.

At this point, the only thing that could cause some excitement around the league is a high-profile trade.

We've seen our fair share over the last few seasons. This offseason alone we've seen Jalen Ramsey, Stephon Gilmore, Brandin Cooks and Darren Waller swap teams.

It's a trend that only figures to continue. Last year we saw a few big trades during the season. The 49ers offense took off after acquiring Christian McCaffrey, while the Ravens upgraded their defense with Roquan Smith.

As we head into training camp, now is a good time to think up some hypotheticals that would cause "fireworks." We'll keep these ideas in the realm of possibility while taking some big swings on transactions that would cause a lot of noise around the league and potentially create some powerful offenses or defenses.

Bengals Receive: 2024 first-round pick, 2024 third-round pick, 2025 third-round pick

Giants Receive: WR Tee Higgins

The Cincinnati Bengals would probably love to keep the core of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins together for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, it's going to be difficult with salary-cap restraints.

Right now, they are enjoying all three stars on rookie contracts, but they are all due for extensions that figure to be market-setting or top-of-the-market deals.

General manager Duke Tobin has shot down Higgins trade rumors before, but they also haven't handed out any extensions yet.

If the Bengals were to trade Higgins so they could continue to build around Burrow and Chase, they would likely be able to get a package similar to the one the Titans got for A.J. Brown.

Several teams should be willing to pay a first- and third-rounder for a receiver, but the New York Giants make a lot of sense. They would give the Bengals a chance to trade Higgins out of the conference and should be in the market for a true No. 1 receiver.

After handing Daniel Jones a massive contract extension this offseason, they have to invest in making him successful. Their cap situation was a little tight this offseason, but they have $44 million in cap space on the books already in 2024.

Raiders Receive: 2024 first-round pick, 2025 third-round pick

Saints Receive: WR Davante Adams

Davante Adams went to the Las Vegas Raiders, in part, to reunite with college teammate Derek Carr. The duo was quite successful in Vegas, with Adams posting his second career 1,500-yard season.

Their Sin City tenure wasn't long, though. The Raiders' decision to part ways with Carr marks the dawn of a new era, and Jimmy Garoppolo is slated to take over under center.

There's already reason to believe that things could be headed toward a divorce between Adams and the Raiders, though. He hasn't been all that supportive of the team in the media.

"I'm going to have to buy into this and try to be as optimistic as possible," he told Mirin Fader of The Ringer. "It's not what I expected to happen, but it's something that's the reality now."

Garoppolo's injury status is another key factor. Vic Tafur of The Athletic reported the team was unaware Garoppolo needed foot surgery when he signed his contract. The Raiders have an out in his contract if he isn't healthy and, "they are not 100 percent certain everything will work out."

The Saints have shown they have no problem pushing cap problems into the future every offseason. They have $14.3 million cap space to fit Adams' cap number in the budget this year.

Creating a wide receiver trio of Adams, Chris Olave and Michael Thomas would immediately make them one of the most intriguing offenses in the league and give Carr more than he has had to work with in his entire career.

Rams Receive: 2024 first-round pick, 2024 third-round pick (via Vikings), 2025 third-round pick

Lions Receive: WR Cooper Kupp

There's a bit of a power void in the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers are the odds-on favorites to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. The Cowboys aren't that far behind, but the pecking order gets a little murky after that.

The Detroit Lions could make their case for inclusion by acquiring one of the remaining superstars from the Rams team that won Super Bowl LVI.

The Lions were one of the better offenses in the league behind a good offensive line, a resurgent season from Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown carrying the receiving corps. Pairing him with Kupp would make the receiving corps downright nasty.

There's some overlap between Kupp and St. Brown's skill sets, but Kupp only played in the slot 43.4 percent of the time last season, per Player Profiler. Coordinator Ben Johnson is a smart play-caller who will find a way to maximize their talents.

If the Lions are going to have success in the playoffs with Goff at quarterback they have to give him an elite supporting cast. Jameson Williams' six-game suspension for violating the league's gambling policy will make that even more difficult.

Offering the Rams additional draft capital to help with their rebuild while adding one of the most talented receivers in the game would help both franchises achieve their goals in their current timelines.

Commanders Receive: LB Patrick Queen and 2024 fourth-round pick

Ravens Receive: Edge Chase Young

It feels like the Baltimore Ravens are the forgotten contender in the AFC. Not only did they get to the postseason without Lamar Jackson down the stretch, but they were also knocking on the door to score a go-ahead touchdown in the wild-card round when Sam Hubbard took a fumble 98 yards the other way.

But if the Ravens want to continue to contend in the conference that boasts Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, they have to play great defense.

Adding an edge-rusher such as Chase Young would go a long way in accomplishing that goal. Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo are a promising young duo, but Young would add another young option who demonstrated a high ceiling when he won Rookie of the Year in 2020.

The Commanders did not pick up his fifth-year option after injuries limited him to 12 games and 1.5 sacks over the last two seasons.

The Ravens didn't pick up Patrick Queen's fifth-year option either. They did, however, hand Roquan Smith a five-year, $100 million contract after trading for him midseason.

He's been productive. He had 117 combined tackles and five sacks in 2022 and has played in every game since he's been drafted.

The Commanders would get a steady presence at linebacker, while the Ravens would get an edge-rusher who could help take their defense to the next level.

Cardinals Receive: 2024 second-round pick

Jaguars Receive: S Budda Baker

The Jacksonville Jaguars have three more years of Trevor Lawrence on a rookie contract, so the time to take big swings is now.

Lawrence proved he's the kind of young quarterback who can lead a team in the playoffs last season. They beat the Chargers in the wild-card round and took the Chiefs to the wire in the divisional round.

Adding a defender such as Budda Baker to the secondary could be the X-factor that pushes them to the next level. The five-time Pro Bowler is a do-it-all defensive back who can fit in with the Jaguars secondary.

He'd give defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell a versatile tool in his arsenal as he works to craft game plans for the explosive offenses they are bound to see in the postseason.

As constructed, the Jags are the AFC South favorite but will likely be the underdog when it comes to playing the best teams in the conference. Adding Baker to the mix is the kind of move that inches them closer to being considered among the elite.

For the Cardinals, it's an opportunity to add a valuable pick and move on from Baker. The 27-year-old has requested a trade and is seeking a long-term deal with two years left on his current pact.

Salary-cap info via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.