6 Shocking NFL Trades That Could Shake Up the 2024 Offseason
'Tis the season to start firing up the NFL rumor mill.
While there are still several teams who are doing the odds on playoff berths and seeding scenarios, there's also a section of the league that already has eyes on 2024.
As such, there's already buzz in the air about who might be on the move. The NFL tradewinds have grown stronger in recent seasons. Each offseason it seems we see at least one star find a new home in a surprise trade.
ESPN reporters Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler were posed with a question about who could be on the move this offseason.
They didn't disappoint. Between the two of them, they came up with six names that they could see on the move. Taking it one step further, here's a hypothetical trade destination and package for each team creating a trade that would certainly shake up the league.
Arizona Cardinals Trade for Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs
Bills Receive: 2024 first-round pick (via Houston), 2025 third-round pick
Cardinals Receive: WR Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs made the ESPN list and has been the focus of trade speculation going back to last offseason. The receiver isn't shy about letting people know when he's frustrated and there's a reason he's had to address his relationship with the team on multiple occasions.
As Dan Graziano noted, how the Bills season ends could have a lot to do with whether the trade speculation picks up again.
Diggs' production recently could lead to more frustration even though it has come in Bills victories. He's been held under 50 yards in four of the last five games after hitting that benchmark in each of the team's first nine contests.
If things have truly gone south, then the Cardinals would be an interesting team to come calling. They have two first-round picks, which would allow them to use theirs and deal the one they got from Houston last year.
However, the Texans pick is trending toward the middle of the draft order, which would still allow the Bills to continue getting younger as they build around Allen in his second contract.
Jonathan Gannon and the Cards should be looking to show signs of drastic improvement in 2024. Kyler Murray's absence was a built-in reason to struggle this year. Now Gannon has to prove he can thrive.
The Cardinals have $56.1 million in 2024 cap space, per Spotrac. And potentially outfitting Murray with Stefon Diggs and Marvin Harrison Jr. immediately makes them one of the league's most intriguing offenses.
Baltimore Ravens Trade for Carolina Panthers EDGE Brian Burns
Panthers Receive: 2024 first-round pick, 2025 third-round pick, EDGE David Ojabo
Ravens Receive: EDGE Brian Burns
Brian Burns was a popular name around the trade deadline. Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that at least five teams reached out to the Panthers about trading for the two-time Pro Bowler, but Carolina declined to trade the 25-year-old.
The Ravens were one of those five teams and just one of two from the AFC. The other was the Jaguars.
The Panthers have been consistent in their desire to keep Burns, however they once were pretty adamant they weren't trading away D.J. Moore.
The truth is that this team is far from competing and has to put a better supporting cast around Bryce Young. Burns is a prime candidate for the franchise tag, but a tag-and-trade scenario could be an option, too.
For the Panthers, it's an opportunity to load up on picks for a rebuild that's going to take multiple years. David Ojabo was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft but has only played five games due to injury.
For the Ravens, it's the chance to add an elite pass-rusher to an already great defense. Justin Madubuike has been the best pass-rusher on the team this season. However, the interior defender is set to be a free agent, so it's not a lock that they will retain him.
Even if they do, pairing him with an exciting outside rusher like Burns would break their Super Bowl window wide open.
The same can't be said for the Panthers retaining him.
Houston Texans Trade for San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers Receive: 2024 first-round pick (via Browns), 2024 fifth-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick
Texans Receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 2024 seventh-round pick
Graziano discussed a group of three receivers that included Stefon Diggs, Tee Higgins and Brandon Aiyuk. Of the three, Aiyuk is probably the one with the most mutual interest to stay with his club.
Aiyuk is an interesting name, because he has the No. 1 role and appears to have a great relationship with the team and the quarterback.
The problem is that the 49ers are already paying Deebo Samuel like a top option. He still has a lot of guaranteed money left on his three-year, $71 million extension, and the Niners are set to have five players who cost more than $20 million next season.
Aiyuk still has a season left on his contract, which means the team could let the situation ride, but they would be hurting the receiver's trade value and diminishing their return.
The trade compensation here is based on the 2020 trade that sent Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. When Diggs was traded, he was 26 years old and coming off his biggest year to date.
Aiyuk will be in the same exact position. From the Texans' standpoint, it's more like the Eagles trade to get A.J. Brown. They would be getting an elite receiver to pair with Tank Dell for their young quarterback in C.J. Stroud.
Nico Collins is a free agent and Aiyuk would be an upgrade. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has 49ers roots, so it wouldn't be a leap for him to figure out how to best use the receiver.
Kansas City Chiefs Trade for Washington Commanders DT Jonathan Allen
Commanders Receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2025 third-round pick
Chiefs Receive: DT Jonathan Allen
The Chiefs are facing a Chris Jones conundrum this offseason. After negotiating with their star defensive tackle this fall and only coming up with a short-term fix to end his holdout, they might have to get creative this spring.
Letting Jones walk and trading for a player they won't have to negotiate with would certainly qualify.
Fowler notes that Allen has been pretty vocal about his displeasure with the Commanders' struggles this season. He's not going to be excited to be part of another rebuild, and that could spark the Commanders to think bout a trade for him.
The Commanders traded Chase Young and Montez Sweat at the deadline. They've essentially declared they'll be rebuilding the defensive line, and they just inked Daron Payne to a four-year, $90 million extension.
Allen isn't quite the same player as Jones, but he's about as close as the Chiefs are going to get. Allen is 16th among all defensive tackles in pass rush win rate while drawing double teams on 65 percent of his snaps. Jones is ninth in pass-rush win rate while drawing one of the top double-team rates at 72 percent.
The advantage of Allen is that he still has three years left on his contract, and his unhappiness comes from not being on a contender. Going to Kansas City virtually guarantees he'll be in the Super Bowl hunt every year.
New England Patriots Trade for Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins
Bengals Receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2025 first-round pick
Patriots Receive: WR Tee Higgins
There aren't a lot of instances of tag-and-trades in the NFL, but it's a fascinating route for Tee Higgins and the Bengals to go.
Higgins is in a unique situation. He's shown the skill set to be a No. 1 receiver and would be a no-brainer to re-sign in most instances. He's only going to be 25 next season, and he's a proven commodity at what has become a premium position.
However, Dianna Russini and Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reported that the two sides were not able to negotiate an extension back in September, and Higgins was expected to hit the market.
That being said, the Bengals have $69.8 million in cap space on the books next season. It wouldn't be hard for them to fit the tag in and still work out a trade.
Fowler noted that Higgins would, "have a strong market" if the Bengals were to make him available.
The New England Patriots could be one of those interested teams. They need wide receiver help now and could be looking to surround a quarterback like Drake Maye or Caleb Williams with support in their rookie season.
The Patriots' second-rounder would be the 35th overall pick if the draft were today. That's essentially a late first-rounder, while the 2025 first-rounder would still project as an early pick for the Bengals.
Meanwhile, the Patriots would have a legitimate No. 1 receiver which is one of the biggest needs on their roster right now.
New York Jets Trade for Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams
Raiders Receive: 2024 first-round pick
Jets Receive: WR Davante Adams
The 2024 season is going to be a big one for the New York Jets. So far, the Aaron Rodgers trade gets an "incomplete" grade, because the star quarterback tore his Achilles before we even saw what the offense could look like with him at the helm.
That puts even more pressure on 2024. Rodgers finally acknowledged he's not playing this season, but he also told Pat McAfee that 2024 won't be his last season.
That might be the goal for him, but at 40 years old, nothing is guaranteed. The Jets are in a position to be aggressive and put a lot of eggs in the 2024 basket.
That could include his old teammate Davante Adams. The two were a force together in Green Bay. However, Adams was traded to the Raiders in 2022 to go play with his former college quarterback Derek Carr.
Adams was Dan Graziano's fist answer when asked about stars who could be traded. As he notes, the front office that made the trade and gave Adams a contract extension is no longer there. The Raiders are a rebuilding team if they are honest with themselves, and a soon-to-be 31-year-old receiver isn't as beneficial to them as an additional first-round pick.
For the Jets, the team would suddenly have two receivers capable of being a No. 1 guy for most teams. Teams would have a hard time devising a way to account for both Garrett Wilson and Adams.