1 Trade Each NFL Team Should Consider Before the 2023 Season Starts

With all 32 NFL teams in the throes of training camp, every team is looking at their roster under a microscope.

Specifically, they are looking to trim their roster down to 53 players and put themselves in position for the season. The forced cutdown date makes teams really take stock of who they want to carry on the active roster and who might be better suited elsewhere.

This time of year, there are typically a few trades that take place.

Sometimes it's a team simply looking to get something in return for a player they may consider cutting or needs a change of scenery. Other teams are looking for that player that might help them round out a position room.

Finding a deal that makes sense for both sides can be a challenge, but there's still at least one idea that's worth throwing out to another team for all 32 teams in the league based on roster, need and 2023 outlook.

Cardinals Receive: RB Josh Jacobs

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

At this point, the Arizona Cardinals need all the help they can get on offense. With Kyler Murray's murky timeline to return from a torn ACL he suffered at the end of last season, they could be looking at an offense with Colt McCoy at the helm.

On a certain level, the Cardinals have admitted they are in a rebuild. They are starting over with head coach Jonathan Gannon and the trade they made in this year's draft gives them two chances to get the No. 1 pick.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't look to take advantage of a situation like the one the Raiders are in with Josh Jacobs.

Last year's leading rusher has not shown up at training camp. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Jacobs "doesn't plan on returning to the team anytime soon" after the team failed to sign him to a long-term deal, leaving him to play on the franchise tag.

The Cardinals are in a position where they need to find playmakers to build their offense around and they can't be too picky about what position they play.

Jacobs would be a big upgrade over James Conner who would better thrive in a complimentary role. The current Raider proved last season that he can be an elite rusher and pass-catching back.

Falcons Receive: 2024 fifth-round pick

Dolphins Receive: RB Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson always showcased what he could do with the ball in his hands as a returner. Arthur Smith simply unlocked that potential within his offense.

The versatile receiving back had 1,166 total yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season with the Falcons before racking up 817 scrimmage yards while playing alongside Tyler Allgeier last season.

The problem moving forward is that now that the Falcons have used the eighth overall pick on Bijan Robinson there isn't much need for Patterson in the offense. Robinson's ability to be a lethal runner and receiver is the whole point of drafting him, and Allgeier should still get touches after rushing for over 1,000 yards last season.

The Falcons would be better off shopping Patterson and recouping some draft capital. He's 32 years old and they'd clear $4.3 million in cap space by trading him.

The Dolphins make sense as a trade partner. If their pursuit of Dalvin Cook doesn't work out, he's a dynamic back that Mike McDaniel is creative enough to maximize.

Ravens Receive: Edge Boogie Basham, 2024 sixth-round pick

Bills Receive: WR Devin Duvernay

The Ravens have transformed wide receiver from a desperate need to a position of potential strength in 2023. They signed Odell Beckham Jr., drafted Zay Flowers and should be hoping for a breakout season from a healthy Rashod Bateman.

Add in the Ravens' ability to run 12 personnel with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, and Devin Duvernay could be the odd man out.

If so, he's a solid trade chip. The All-Pro punt returner has flashed the potential to play inside and out as a receiver. That's something the Bills could use as they continue to look for receiving weapons to step up outside of Stefon Diggs.

In return, the Ravens could target Boogie Basham as a buy-low candidate who could break out in their defense. The Bills have a crowded edge-rusher rotation with Von Miller, A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau and Shaq Lawson.

At 6'3", 274 pounds, Basham has the size to play on the outside or kick in. With David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh still coming along, Basham would provide another young defensive lineman to develop.

Bills Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Lions Receive: DT Tim Settle

Given how close the Bills have been to getting to the Super Bowl, it would be nice to say they should be looking for the player who can push them over the edge.

Unfortunately, the salary cap is real and it would be tough for them to take on salary with just $4.9 million in space right now.

Instead, they would be better off finding where they might be able to clear some room by trading a veteran. The defensive tackle room is probably a good place to start. They have quite a bit of depth, and trading Tim Settle would clear up $2.6 million in cap space, which could come in handy during the season.

Settle didn't make much of an impact last season. He played just 38 percent of the snaps, and the Bills have plenty of options with Poona Ford and Jordan Phillips joining Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones this offseason.

Meanwhile, the Lions could use someone like Settle. The 6'3", 313-pounder would fit in well alongside Alim McNeill on a unit that desperately needs to stop the run better than it did last season.

Panthers Receive: Edge Bryce Huff

Jets Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick

The Panthers have a star edge-rusher in Brian Burns, but the pass rush doesn't have much punch behind him.

Burns led the way with 12.5 sacks but linebacker Frankie Luvu was second on the team with seven and Marquis Haynes Sr. was third with just five on the season. On paper, it's going to be a battle between Haynes and Yetur Gross-Matos battling it out for the spot opposite Burns this season.

Based on last season, that's a battle that needs another element, and pass-rushing specialist Bryce Huff is a perfect fit for the job. The 6'3", 255-pound defender has a lightning-quick first step, and his 16 total pressures would have been third-best on the Panthers last season despite that he played just 20 percent of the snaps in New York last season.

It's going to be even harder for Huff to find an expanded role with the Jets next season. They drafted Will McDonald IV in the first round of this year's draft creating even more competition for snaps.

Huff would elevate the Panthers defense at a low cost and potentially develop into a full-time starter.

Bears Receive: Edge Chase Young

Commanders Receive: Edge Trevis Gipson, WR Velus Jones Jr., 2024 third-round pick

This trade package is based on the 2019 deal that sent Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks for Barkevious Mingo, Jacob Martin and a 2020 third-round pick.

There are some similarities in Clowney's career in 2019 to Young's career to this point. Young was a top-two pick and a highly anticipated prospect who showed what he could do early, winning Rookie of the Year with 7.5 sacks in his first season, but has struggled to stay healthy since.

The Commanders did not pick up his fifth-year option and already have a lot of money invested in the defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne both already set for cap hits over $20 million and Montez Sweat in line for a huge extension.

Even if Young can stay on the field and produce, the Commanders still might balk at the idea of paying him. However, the Bears figure to have the cash to sign the 24-year-old to a long-term deal.

Despite a busy offseason, the Bears still have the third-most 2024 cap space.

Gipson and Jones Jr. are both young players who could still blossom but are worth giving up for a potential star in Young.

Bengals Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Jaguars Receive: OT La'el Collins

The Bengals' decision to go after Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency is arguably a bigger indictment on La'el Collins' 2022 season than Jonah Williams'.

The move will kick Williams over to the right side while Brown takes over on the left. It will also potentially relegate La'el Collins to swing tackle. That's probably not the role the team had in mind when it gave him a three-year, $21 million contract last year.

Trading him now would save $7.7 million against the cap.

Collins struggled before tearing his ACL in December last season. He earned a 57.9 grade from PFF while allowing five sacks and being penalized eight times.

Still, he's a veteran tackle with the ability to play guard as well. Although Collins is still recovering from the ACL tear, he would provide valuable experience to the Jaguars' offensive line. With Anton Harrison and Walker Little expected to play key roles, Collins' veteran presence would be especially beneficial.

Collins' experience and ability to play left guard would make him an asset for a Jaguars team that has to continue to protect Trevor Lawrence.

Browns Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Commanders Receive: TE Harrison Bryant

Theoretically, Harrison Bryant seems like a player with a higher ceiling than what he has shown in Cleveland. The former fourth-rounder has made the most of his opportunities, catching 76 of 108 targets for 710 yards and seven touchdowns across three seasons.

As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, it's looking less and less like he's going to reach that ceiling with the Browns. They already handed out a sizable contract extension to David Njoku last offseason and reunited Deshaun Watson with Jordan Akins in free agency.

That could have Bryant coming into the season as TE3 for the team.

It's unlikely that Bryant will get a contract that's going to factor into the compensatory formula, so the Browns would be better off shopping him to a team that could use him now.

The Commanders would be a good place to start. They are currently slated to start 32-year-old Logan Thomas with John Bates as the primary backup. Bryant has shown a lot more promise than Bates and would add a receiving threat when the Commanders are in sets with two tight ends.

Cowboys Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick (via Jaguars)

Saints Receive: Edge Dorance Armstrong

Dorance Armstrong is coming off a career year and has been a valuable player for the defense, but he's become a luxury.

The Cowboys already have a lot of depth on the edge. Micah Parsons continues to become more of a full-time edge player, giving them a crew that includes Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler Jr., Sam Williams and Viliami Fehoko Jr.

Williams was a second-round pick last season and Fehoko was a fourth-rounder this year. If the Cowboys want to develop those two, they have to see on-field action.

Trading away Armstrong would not only vacate those snaps but would also free up $5.8 million in cap space. That's a big deal for a team that has contract extensions for CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Dak Prescott on the horizon.

The Saints might be a team to call. Cameron Jordan is 34 years old and they don't have proven depth behind Carl Granderson.

Broncos Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Panthers Receive: WR KJ Hamler

KJ Hamler was supposed to utilize his 4.36 speed to become an offensive weapon alongside Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Three years later and that hasn't happened. He has just 620 receiving yards and has only played 10 games over the last two years.

It's become increasingly unlikely any kind of breakout is coming in Denver. Sean Payton taking over brings hope for the Broncos offense, but they've also made moves that point to being done with Hamler.

They signed Marquez Callaway and drafted Marvin Mims Jr. to go with Jeudy, Sutton and Tim Patrick.

That leaves Hamler with an uphill battle to carve out a role.

The Carolina Panthers are the kind of team that should be interested in adding him. Their current best option in the slot is Adam Thielen, but he's 32 years old and the Panthers don't have much experience behind him.

Lions Receive: DT Grover Stewart, 2025 sixth-round pick

Colts Receive: 2024 third-round pick

The Detroit Lions are in position to take some big swings. Calling up the Colts to see if they'd be willing to part ways with Grover Stewart would certainly qualify.

The Lions had one of the best offenses in the league last season, but they didn't have the talent on defense to put it all together. They took some steps toward fixing that by overhauling the secondary and drafting Jack Campbell in the first round.

The defensive line is still suspect, though. There's depth on the edges led by Aidan Hutchinson, but the interior could be an issue. Alim McNeill is a promising young talent, but there's not a lot to get excited about outside of him.

A veteran like Stewart would change that. He has the versatility to play multiple alignments after playing alongside DeForest Buckner with the Colts. Last season he had 70 tackles, including nine for loss.

From the Colts' perspective, Stewart is in the final year of his contract, and trading him would clear up $9.6 million in cap space. That's money that could be rolled over to next season as they try to surround Anthony Richardson with talent.

Packers Receive: CB/S Jalen Mills

Patriots Receive: 2024 fifth-round pick

The Packers offense has some question marks with Jordan Love taking over at quarterback, so the team's best path to winning the NFC North in 2023 is with an elite defense.

Joe Barry's group has talent all over the field, but key injuries made it hard to succeed. They'll still feel the pain of those injuries early in the season. Eric Stokes started training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

The trio of Stokes, Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas is one of the best in the league when healthy. But it gets dicey pretty quickly from there.

With Stokes' timeline to return still in the air, it wouldn't hurt to make an offer for someone like Jalen Mills. The veteran has the ability to play outside cornerback, in the slot or at safety.

The Patriots originally intended to cut Mills this offseason but changed their mind and reworked his contract to a one-year deal, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.

Perhaps the allure of adding a draft pick could convince them to give up the do-it-all veteran defensive back.

Texans Receive: 2024 fifth-round pick

Giants Receive: Edge Jerry Hughes

The Texans have reason for renewed hope. DeMeco Ryans could be a long-term solution as head coach and they drafted two potential franchise cornerstones in C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr.

But it's fair to wonder where 34-year-old Jerry Hughes fits into the picture. He showed he still has some juice left in 2022, starting 16 games and registering nine sacks. At this point, it feels like a bit of a waste on a team that is expected to still be among the league's worst next season.

Hughes would be better suited plying his trade for a playoff team. The Texans would be better off freeing up more playing time for younger players trying to prove they can be part of the rebuild.

The Giants could use another veteran edge-rusher. Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari are a promising young pair of pass-rushers, but the options behind them haven't done much.

Given the Giants' firepower on the inside with Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence, Hughes should enjoy playing on that defensive line where he would see plenty of one-on-one situations.

Colts Receive: CB CJ Henderson

Panthers Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

The Colts have a rookie head coach and quarterback going into 2023. That creates a pretty long timetable before there should be any expectations on this team.

That puts them in a position where they should be taking some chances on a reclamation project. CJ Henderson could be an intriguing one. He has the draft pedigree as a former No. 9 overall pick, but he hasn't played like it.

The Jaguars—the team that originally made the top-10 pick investment—traded him to Carolina in the middle of his second season. He has played there the last season-and-a-half but finished with a 103.5 passer rating allowed last year, which is actually the best of his brief career.

By drafting Julius Brents and Darius Rush, the Colts showed their preference for bigger, physical corners. That was supposed to be Henderson's calling card coming out of the 2020 draft.

The Panthers are seemingly set at outside corner with Donte Jackson and Jaycee Horn. They would likely be happy just to get something back from their investment.

Jaguars Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick (via Broncos)

Rams Receive: Edge K'Lavon Chaisson

Sometimes, it's time to cut bait on a former first-round pick and move on. That time has come with the Jacksonville Jaguars and K'Lavon Chaisson.

Chaisson was the last first-round pick of the David Caldwell era. The edge-rusher from LSU has been a disappointment since they took him with the 20th pick in 2020. He has just one sack in each of his first three seasons.

His snap counts have dropped precipitously each season too. Last year he played just 18 percent of the defensive snaps with Travon Walker, Josh Allen, Arden Key and Dawuane Smoot getting most of the action.

The Jaguars drafted two more pass rushers in Yasir Abdullah and Tyler Lacy. That gives them two more options and there are other veteran options on the free agent market or potentially available trade that Doug Pederson might be more comfortable with.

The Rams make sense as a trade partner. They are incredibly young on defense and need edge-rushers after releasing Leonard Floyd this offseason. Chaisson is a worth a flier for them because he has a better chance of breaking out with a change of scenery after three years of stagnation in Jacksonville.

Chiefs Receive: 2024 seventh-round pick

Vikings Receive: RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire

The window for Clyde Edwards-Helaire to return value on the Chiefs' first-round investment in the former LSU back is closing. In fact, it may have been officially closed when he was a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl.

The 24-year-old was involved in the offense before an ankle injury sent him to the injured reserve in mid-November. While he was gone, it was apparent that the Chiefs could easily replace his production with Isiah Pacheco running the ball and Jerick McKinnon working as a receiving back.

Then Edwards-Helaire elected to skip the team's Super Bowl parade to go to a fashion show.

The Chiefs have just over $1 million in cap space, so trading Edwards-Helaire to shave off $2.1 million more in space would be an ideal situation.

The running back market is fairly saturated, but the Vikings would make some sense. Dalvin Cook is gone, leaving Alexander Mattison as the lead back. Edwards-Helaire would give them a pass-catching option.

CEH may have disappointed as a runner, but the Chiefs were reportedly playing the running back in various receiver positions in the week leading up to the Super Bowl last season.

Raiders Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick

Falcons Receive: WR Hunter Renfrow

Tashan Reed of The Athletic recently reported that the Raiders "haven't been shopping (Hunter) Renfrow and haven't received any trade offers for him." But maybe they should be.

For one, there's a lot of overlap between what Renfrow and new free-agent signee Jakobi Meyers bring to the table. Both are smaller receivers who operate out of the slot and specialize in working underneath defenses.

The problem is the Raiders are slated to be paying quite a bit for both of them. Renfrow is primed to account for cap hits over $13 million in each of the next two seasons, but trading him now would save $7 million against the cap.

Renfrow did not have a good season in Josh McDaniels' first year at the helm. He went from 103 receptions for 1,038 yards in 2021 to 36 receptions for 330 yards in 10 games.

It's hard to picture a role for Renfrow in the Raiders offense, but not so hard to see him manning the slot in an offense with Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Mack Hollins threatening vertically.

That what would potentially tempt the Falcons into parting with some picks for Renfrow.

Chargers Receive: DT Neville Gallimore

Cowboys Receive: 2024 seventh-round pick

Nothing too flashy here, but a really cheap swing at addressing an area of need for the Chargers. Brandon Staley's defense is designed to take away big plays, which often means playing soft zones that give up running lanes.

If you're going to play that style of defense, then having defensive tackles who can hold their own at the point of attack and win at the line of scrimmage is important. Right now, the Chargers don't necessarily have those guys.

Sebastian Joseph-Day (97th), Morgan Fox (55th) and Austin Johnson (81st) were all ranked outside of the top 50 for the position by PFF last season. Otito Ogbonnia, another option the Chargers took in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, is starting training camp on the PUP list.

Gallimore is not a clear upgrade. His own PFF grade (36.6) was nothing to get excited about, but he would at least be a relatively young (26) option with experience and the potential to blossom in a different defensive system.

With the Cowboys spending a first-round pick on Mazi Smith, they might not even want to have Gallimore on the roster by the end of camp, so the cost wouldn't be high.

Rams Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick

Colts Receive: WR Van Jefferson

The Los Angeles Rams have ripped the roster down to the studs. Those "studs" seem to be Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Aaron Donald, as the team has reportedly let it be known that its trio of stars are not available.

The Rams have held true to that notion thus far. They released Leonard Floyd and traded away Jalen Ramsey. They appear to be content to let young players fill a lot of roles while trying to build a promising roster around their veteran stars.

The Rams added 40 rookies to their training camp roster this offseason between the draft and undrafted free agents.

That leaves Van Jefferson in an ambiguous situation. The 2020 second-round pick is in the final year of his rookie deal and disappointed last year with 33.5 yards per game after missing the first part of the season with a knee injury.

A fresh start with a new team could help Jefferson reach the potential he showed when he had over 800 yards in his second season. The Colts are still figuring out their receiving hierarchy after Michael Pittman Jr.

Alec Pierce is the second option right now and Isaiah McKenzie will play the slot, but Jefferson could provide depth and another weapon for Anthony Richardson.

Dolphins Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Texans Receive: WR Cedrick Wilson

It's fair to wonder if the Dolphins would have signed Cedrick Wilson last season if they knew they were going to land Tyreek Hill less than two weeks later. Wilson certainly didn't have the role to justify his three-year, $22.1 million contract.

The Dolphins passing game was concentrated on Jaylen Waddle and Hill. The duo drew 287 targets while Wilson saw just 18.

While he was a non-factor for Miami, he has proved he can be a quality slot receiver. His 2021 season with the Cowboys saw him catch 45 of his 61 targets for 602 yards and six touchdowns.

As the Texans look to support C.J. Stroud, it wouldn't hurt to add a receiver like Wilson. They have Tank Dell and John Metchie III as their top slot options. However, Dell is a rookie and Metchie missed all of last season after he was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Wilson would take off the pressure for both of them to come out strong in 2023. The Texans have over $16 million in cap space, so taking on Wilson's contract shouldn't be an issue.

Vikings Receive: QB Trey Lance

49ers Receive: 2024 third-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick

The Minnesota Vikings need an off-ramp for the Kirk Cousins era. The veteran quarterback will be 35 before the season starts, and the team continues to push more of his money into the future in the form of void years.

The problem is that this is a team that shouldn't be bad enough in the foreseeable future to be in position to draft a blue-chip quarterback prospect. That would require a massive trade like the one the San Francisco 49ers did to move from No. 12 to 3 in the 2021 draft.

Or they could give up much less to take on the very quarterback the Niners did that move for.

Trey Lance remains a man of mystery for the most part. Between waiting behind Jimmy Garoppolo and suffering a season-ending ankle injury, he's only attempted a little over 100 passes and made four starts.

Now the Niners have Brock Purdy, who has been cleared for training camp and appears to be the starter. They also signed Sam Darnold.

That's not a huge sign of confidence in Lance and could make a trade more likely.

Patriots Receive: WR Tee Higgins

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

New England Patriots director of player personnel Matt Groh was open about the fact that the Patriots "exhausted every option" when it came to pursuing wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins before he signed with the Tennessee Titans.

The possibility of adding the three-time All-Pro is out of the question, but they could take an even bigger swing for a much more long-term solution.

The Cincinnati Bengals have publicly shot down any speculation that Tee Higgins is available for trade, but he's a logical trade target based on the Bengals' financial situation.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Joe Burrow is expected to become the highest-paid player in the NFL at some point this offseason. Then you consider that Ja'Marr Chase will likely get a market-setting or top-of-the-market contract when his time comes and it gets harder to see the Bengals being able to fit their three offensive stars under the cap while still building a contender.

The Patriots could take advantage by offering a healthy package of draft picks. It would give them a legitimate No. 1 receiver to see if Mac Jones can prove he is a franchise quarterback.

Giants Receive: Edge Danielle Hunter

Vikings Receive: 2024 third-round pick

One year after the Giants snapped a five-year streak of losing seasons, they need to keep the foot on the gas under Brian Daboll. Trading for a key veteran piece is the kind of aggressive move that will give them a chance to be even better in 2023.

Pairing Danielle Hunter with Kayvon Thibodeaux on the edges would qualify.

There are some roadblocks. The Giants only have $3 million in cap space right now, so it would require creative math to create the room to take on Hunter's contract. However, he's only due $5.5 million this season, and it's his unhappiness with his deal that caused him to skip mandatory minicamp in June.

There's already a connection built in with the Giants. Former Vikings defensive line coach and associate head coach Andre Patterson is now with Big Blue, giving the Giants a voice in the coach's office that knows his strengths and can help him acclimate.

Hunter is 28 years old and coming off a 10.5-sack season. However, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted the Vikings have "a lot of things we're trying to work through with him," per Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

In other words, it's worth picking up the phone and gauging what his price would be.

Jets Receive: OT James Hurst

Saints Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick

A failure to protect Aaron Rodgers is one of the major things that could derail the Jets hype train in 2023. Rodgers has mostly played in front of good-to-great offensive lines with the Packers and he needs time in the pocket.

Having a functional, healthy left tackle is an important aspect of protecting their new quarterback.

Right now, it's not clear the Jets have that. The primary options are a 37-year-old Duane Brown, who is on the PUP list to start camp, and Mekhi Becton. The 2020 first-round pick has played just one game over the past two seasons due to knee injuries.

James Hurst is not a big name, but the 31-year-old started 16 games for the Saints last season. He has experience playing both left tackle and guard. That flexibility could come in handy as the Jets get to work finding their five best linemen in camp.

The Saints could be motivated to trade Hurst from a financial perspective. If they are confident Trevor Penning is ready to take over the tackle spot, they might value saving $5.5 million by trading Hurst over keeping him.

The Jets have plenty of cap space to take on Hurst's contract and it's a good investment to protect their biggest investment of the offseason.

Saints Receive: 2024 fifth-round pick (via Eagles)

Vikings Receive: WR Tre'Quan Smith

Tre'Quan Smith has been a serviceable role player for the Saints in different capacities over the last five seasons, but he only has one year left on his current contract.

The Saints added Bryan Edwards in free agency and drafted A.T. Perry, who was the seventh-ranked receiver on Bleacher Report's big board with a third-round grade. They also brought in James Washington, whose best statistical season (44 catches, 735 yards and three touchdowns) is better than any year Smith has had.

Chris Olave, Michael Thomas and Rashid Shaheed are the top three receivers, so the Saints could easily have six on the active roster without Smith.

With the Saints' penchant for pushing money into the future, it also helps that they would save $2.7 million by dealing Smith.

The Vikings don't have the same kind of depth behind their top three options. Assuming After Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn, they have names like Jalen Reagor waiting in the wings.

Smith's consistency and experience would at least give them a reliable fourth option.

Eagles Receive: 2024 seventh-round pick

Jaguars Receive: Edge Derek Barnett

At this point, the Eagles should be thrilled to get whatever they can for Derek Barnett. The 2017 first-round pick has never lived up to expectations, and last season proved the point that the Eagles defense is just fine without him.

Philly had the most productive pass rush in the league with Barnett missing all but one game with an ACL tear.

His contract makes cutting him outright an undesirable outcome. He's set to cost $7.2 million next season in a void year and has void charges through 2027.

Bo Wulf of The Athletic had a less-than-optimistic feel for how the team views Barnett going into the season.

"If he shows up to camp healthy, the more the merrier for the pass rush. But it feels more likely that he's played his last game for the team that drafted him."

There isn't likely to be a huge market for an underwhelming edge-rusher coming off a torn ACL, but the Jaguars could be a fit. Doug Pederson was with the Eagles when they first drafted Barnett and he might prefer him to someone like K'Lavon Chaisson who currently rounds out the edge rotation and only had one sack last season.

Steelers Receive: LB Christian Kirksey

Texans Receive: 2024 fifth-round pick

The Steelers did a lot to overhaul their linebacker corps this offseason, yet they still might need one more move to be comfortable.

Elandon Roberts and Cole Holcomb will man the two inside spots after Devin Bush left for the Seattle Seahawks and Robert Spillane signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. On paper, it's a good duo that could be an upgrade.

However, there's still little depth behind the pairing and Holcomb is coming off a Lisfranc injury. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted that he didn't do much in OTAs and minicamp so they might be bringing him along slowly.

Bringing in another veteran with proven production could round out the group nicely and elevate the floor for the position.

Christian Kirksey could be that kind of addition. The 30-year-old has made 94 starts in his career and racked up 124 total tackles for the Texans last season.

But the Texans are a young team who are forming a new identity under DeMeco Ryans. They may feel like they are better off saving $5.5 million by trading away the veteran and creating more reps for fifth-round pick Henry To'oTo'o.

49ers Receive: OT Yosh Nijman

Packers Receive: 2024 fourth-round pick

The San Francisco 49ers lost several notable performers on defense this offseason, but they did a nice job of filling those spots through free agency and the draft. The one notable spot they are trying to fill without outside additions is right tackle.

The Niners bid adieu to Mike McGlinchey and are pretty much rolling with Colton McKivitz to take over the role. It's a gamble given McKivitz's lack of experience. He has played just 138 offensive snaps over the last two seasons.

If McKivitz doesn't look like the guy in training camp, then it might be time to explore outside options. Yosh Nijman would make a lot of sense as a target.

Unlike McKivitz, Nijman has been a starter in the league. He worked his way from being an undrafted free agent to starting at both left and right tackle for the Packers in 21 games over the last two years.

At worst, the Niners are getting a high-quality swing tackle with an inexperienced right tackle and a 35-year-old left tackle. At best, Nijman proves to be better than McKivitz and the 49ers offensive line is even better.

From the Packers' perspective, they'd be flipping someone who might not be a starter for a quality pick. Zach Tom flashed the ability to be a starter as a rookie and could wind up taking the right tackle spot.

Seahawks Receive: QB Bailey Zappe

Patriots Receive: 2024 third-round pick

Geno Smith was a revelation in 2023. It isn't often that a player has a breakout season at the age of 32, but that's exactly what happened.

That's also not something the Seahawks should feel comfortable with as the long-term solution at quarterback. There should be a plan in place for the future of the position if Smith's season was an aberration.

Some would argue that future is Drew Lock, but the 2019 second-rounder actually posted a progressively lower QBR in each of his first three seasons in Denver.

If the Patriots are intending on rolling with Mac Jones as their starter, they might want to consider trading away Bailey Zappe. The in-season quarterback battle that went down between Jones and Zappe last season caused a rift in the locker room, according to Devin McCourty.

Zappe proved to be an accurate thrower when pressed into action, and the Patriots won both games that he started. Getting him early in his career and developing him is a more promising succession plan than hoping to break Lock of bad habits formed in a bad situation in Denver.

Buccaneers Receive: 2024 second-round pick

Lions Receive: LB Devin White

This trade is about two teams that are on different trajectories.

The Buccaneers have to be honest with themselves. The Tom Brady era is over and they are closer to drafting No. 1 overall than hoisting a Lombardi Trophy right now.

The Lions, however, have legitimate hype behind them for the first time in a long time. They're on the verge of earning their first playoff berth since 2016.

So when a player like Devin White, who plays a non-premium position, is a year away from a big extension and has requested a trade, the Buccaneers should be willing to make some calls. Given White's skills and age (25), the Lions should be willing to part with a top-100 draft pick to pair him with Jack Campbell in the middle of their defense.

The pick would give the Buccaneers additional draft ammo for a draft that may yield a franchise quarterback while giving the Lions another potential building block.

Titans Receive: 2024 sixth-round pick

Cardinals Receive: QB Malik Willis

The fact that the Titans drafted Will Levis in the second round of the draft tells you all you need to know about how they feel about Malik Willis.

The former Liberty quarterback was a surprise faller in the 2022 draft. The Titans stopped his fall in the third round after he had some first-round buzz. The athletic quarterback showed that he's not quite ready to be starting games in the NFL, completing just 31 of his 61 pass attempts for 276 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in three starts when Tannehill was injured.

The team opted to go with Josh Dobbs after those three games, and the writing has been on the wall for Willis since.

The Titans' best course of action would be to acknowledge the situation and move on. If they can get a pick in return for him, that would at least bring some consolation.

The Cardinals figure to be without Kyler Murray at the beginning of the season. Jonathan Gannon just watched the Eagles develop Jalen Hurts into a superstar. Perhaps that will be enough for them to bring in Willis.

Commanders Receive: TE Noah Fant

Seahawks Receive: 2024 third-round pick

Eric Bieniemy is going to miss Patrick Mahomes, but he's also going to miss Travis Kelce. Going from Mahomes to Sam Howell or Jacoby Brissett is a rough transition, but the move from Kelce to Logan Thomas isn't a picnic either.

The Commanders are hoping that Bieniemy is going to spark more productivity from this offense, but he needs talent to utilize. Thomas had one strong season in which he had 670 yards in 2020, but he's never been close to that since.

Now he's 32 years old and John Bates is the next option in line.

None brings near the receiving upside of Noah Fant, who already has two seasons that at least match Thomas' best season. However, his first year with Seattle produced his lowest output in his four-year career with only 486 yards on 50 catches.

He's obviously still a talented player, but it wouldn't hurt to give the Seahawks a call and see if they might be willing to part with him on the final year of his rookie contract.