Hypothetical NFL Offseason Player Movement That Would Create Next Dream Pairings

Ready or not, the countdown until the 2024 NFL offseason has ticked below one month remaining for more than half of the league.

Yes, the playoffs will command our attention in January. As soon as the Super Bowl ends, though, headlines will shift to the 2024 NFL draft, free agency and potential trades. That impending player movement is always one of the most exciting parts of the offseason.

And our imaginations are already flying.

Whether via free agency or trades, new duos will be created. The following ideas don't necessarily connect bona fide superstars, but each one is an exciting—and, most importantly, reasonable—fit.

Any hypothetical trades are the product of manageable contract situations but based on roster needs.

Whenever this conversation comes up, my stance is simple: By no means the Buffalo Bills trade Stefon Diggs.

However, the topic itself feels unavoidable. Diggs has previously expressed his frustration with the team's postseason lapses, and Buffalo may miss the playoffs altogether in 2023. At the very least, the Bills reluctantly trading him isn't outside the realm of possibility.

That qualifier aside, the Baltimore Ravens immediately stand out as an appealing destination.

Diggs would be the focal point anywhere, but the Ravens have an unquestioned need for a top receiver. Baltimore holds its full complement of top draft picks in 2024 and 2025 with a workable path to absorbing Diggs' hefty $27.9 million cap number.

Safe to say Lamar Jackson, who's never had an All-Pro-caliber receiver on the Ravens, would be thrilled about this one.

If, for whatever reason, the Bills need a replacement for Diggs, Tee Higgins is the best potential option available.

Now, the Cincinnati Bengals may elect to re-sign him. Pricey extensions for quarterback Joe Burrow and presumably wideout Ja'Marr Chase are on the horizon, so the franchise must decide if it'll be the team offering Higgins his inevitable big-money contract.

Let's say no. In that case, Buffalo may be calling quickly.

Higgins has dealt with an injury-plagued 2023 but recorded no less than 67 catches, 908 yards and six touchdowns during his first three seasons. Best of all, he'll only be turning 25 years old in January.

It's only reasonable for the Bills to commit major resources to surrounding Josh Allen with top talent in the prime of his career.

As if the Cleveland Browns don't already have a strong defense, imagine them signing Danielle Hunter.

This season, only the Ravens (4.2) have surrendered fewer yards per snap than Cleveland (4.7). Plus, the Browns have ceded league-low marks of a 56.0 completion rate and 153.4 passing yards per game.

But the pass-rush rotation could use some pop.

Myles Garrett is an absolute star, racking up 13 sacks through 12 games. However, the next-highest player is Ogbo Okoronkwo at 3.5, and Za'Darius Smith's 22 pressures have translated to a modest 2.5 sacks.

Hunter is an impending free agent, and the Minnesota Vikings could make the uncomfortable decision of prioritizing Kirk Cousins and an extension for Justin Jefferson over the edge-rusher. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw's looming deal is a future complication, too.

Cleveland would need to get creative to raise its $6 million in cap space, but restructures could get it done.

The first season of DeMeco Ryan's tenure with the Houston Texans could (realistically) hardly be any better. Houston is a surprising 7-5, largely due to seemingly nailing the pick of quarterback C.J. Stroud.

No time like 2024 to capitalize on that rookie deal, Houston.

Stroud will never have a more cost-effective contract. Entering an offseason with $85-plus million in cap space, the Texans are ideally positioned to take an aggressive approach.

Mike Evans, meanwhile, is seeking one final expensive, long-term agreement. The 30-year-old recently notched his 10th straight 1,000-yard season and ranks second in the NFL with 10 touchdowns. But he's headed for unrestricted free agency, and an extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks unlikely after negotiations ended in September.

Nico Collins and Tank Dell are an exciting one-two punch, so Houston doesn't need Evans. Sign him, though, and the Texans immediately become an offense with incredible upside.

Maybe this is my Madden brain talking, but Justin Fields and Bijan Robinson in the same backfield?

Yes, please.

Given the Atlanta Falcons' hesitance to reinsert Desmond Ridder as a starter, they aren't committed to him—no matter what they might say. (If that was the case, you don't start Taylor Heinicke for two games.)

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears could hold the No. 1 overall pick thanks to an April trade with the Carolina Panthers. Should that happen, it seems likely the Bears will select USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye, in turn making Justin Fields an expendable asset.

Fortunately for the Falcons, Fields would not be an expensive asset. The third-year player is still an unproven passer, and Chicago's nauseating system has done him little favors.

He is, nevertheless, an elite runner. Atlanta coach Arthur Smith wants a run-focused offense anyway, so Fields' fit is tantalizing.

Fields would only cost $6 million in 2024, and the Falcons would have a right to exercise a fifth-year option, too.

Not only will the Kansas City Chiefs be thin on cap space once an extension for Chris Jones is hammered out, the current front office typically hasn't spent lots of money on cornerbacks.

That's the long version of saying L'Jarius Sneed, an impending free agent, may have a different uniform in 2024.

Sneed should command a pricey contract, given that he yielded just 6.2 yards per target last season and is down to 5.3 this year. Through 12 games in 2023, he hasn't allowed a touchdown, either.

Although the Pittsburgh Steelers only have $7.3 million in cap space, they can clear $10 million by parting with disgruntled wideout Diontae Johnson. Those savings could help the Steelers bring in Sneed, who will be 27 in January, to a secondary that includes Joey Porter Jr., a promising rookie corner, and All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Sturdy defense has been a hallmark of the organization, and Sneed would be a great option to continue that tradition.