Change is inevitable in the NFL. For some organizations, it’s a necessity.
Trades happen every offseason, and here are five players who could be moved in the coming months, along with their potential homes in 2024.
Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo
New Orleans put itself in a corner with its past moves. While the organization is the best in the sport at clearing salary cap space by pushing costs into future years, it is currently $83.7 million over the cap and only has five 2024 draft picks.
Adebo is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is due for a raise on his next contract as one of the most underrated corners in the league.
The Saints, who rely heavily on man-to-man coverage, would likely want to keep Adebo, but if they can’t work out a long-term deal to keep him in New Orleans, they should be open to the idea of trading him for draft capital.
2024 TEAM: Jacksonville Jaguars | The Jags recently hired Ryan Nielsen as their defensive coordinator after he served in the same role with the Falcons in 2023. Nielsen was a former co-defensive coordinator with the Saints and similarly relies on man coverage. Jacksonville ranked 26th in pass defense, making upgrading the secondary a priority.
Cardinals safety Budda Baker
Will Baker get his wish this offseason? After requesting a trade last year, Baker instead received a $2.4 million raise. The Cardinals’ six-time Pro Bowler played in 12 games this season, the fewest of his career. Arizona, which finished 31st in scoring defense, could get younger on defense by moving in a different direction.
2024 TEAM: Philadelphia Eagles | Philly’s pass defense was a mess this season, ranking 31st in yards and touchdowns allowed. Safeties Reed Blankenship and Kevin Byard didn’t inspire much confidence; for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, Baker could help the Eagles get back on track.
Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown
Like Adebo, Brown is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The Panthers are also in a similar position as the Saints as they desperately need draft picks after trading up for quarterback Bryce Young last year.
Brown is one of the league’s best defensive tackles and could land the Panthers a decent haul in a trade. He ranked 20th among interior defensive linemen in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate rankings and first in its run-stop win rate rankings.
2024 TEAM: Dallas Cowboys | The Packers saw how the 49ers, Bills and Cardinals beat the Cowboys in the regular season by pounding them with the run and effectively exploited that weakness in their Super Wild Card Weekend win. In its six losses this season (including the postseason), Dallas allowed an average of 166.8 rush yards per game.
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs
Buffalo might trade Diggs out of necessity more than anything else. Quarterback Josh Allen’s extension kicks in next season with his cap hit rising from $18.64 million in 2023 to $47.05 million. Buffalo ranks 29th in available cap space (-$43.73 million), and Diggs has the team’s second-highest cap number at $27.85 million.
The Bills would save $19 million by dealing him in a post-June 1 trade. While he’s put up massive numbers in Buffalo, it’s amounted to nothing more than excruciating playoff losses.
He was a non-factor in the Bills’ divisional-round loss to the Chiefs with his biggest play being the one he didn’t make, a drop on a perfect deep ball from Allen in the fourth quarter.
2024 TEAM: Carolina Panthers | No team needs to improve its offensive weapons more than the Panthers. By adding Diggs, Carolina could get a more accurate gauge of Young’s potential. It would also reunite Diggs with his former Vikings teammate Adam Thielen, who was the No. 1 target in Carolina this season but is better suited as a secondary option.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields
The Bears shouldn’t squander the opportunity to reset at quarterback. While their No. 1 overall pick from the Panthers would be more valuable in a trade than Fields, Chicago would be best off using that pick on USC QB Caleb Williams, giving them a player with more upside than Fields at a fraction of the cost for the next five seasons.
2024 TEAM: Las Vegas Raiders | After making the right call in naming Antonio Pierce as head coach, the Raiders must find a quarterback. Las Vegas has All-Pro caliber playmakers in wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs, as well as a defense that played at an elite level under Pierce. Fields has improved every year and would be a dynamic addition to a roster capable of threatening for a playoff spot in 2024.
