The NFL is in a bit of a holding pattern. Following an epic playoff run that culminated in Super Bowl LX, we essentially drove off a cliff, with the action coming to a screeching halt once we left Santa Clara, Calif. Sure, we have the NFL Scouting Combine to momentarily satisfy our palates, but the league is largely twiddling its thumbs and staring at the clock until we get to early March.
Beginning on March 9, the legal tampering window opens, followed by March 11 when the new league year begins, and free agents can officially ink new deals. While this period is largely focused on free agents and where those players end up, the start of the new league year is also when trades can become official. The parameters of those deals, however, can be struck at any point, meaning that some big names could be on the move at any moment.
Below, we’ll highlight a handful of notable NFL stars that could be thrust into trade talks in the coming weeks.
Tua Tagovailoa
MIA • QB • #1
CMP%67.7
YDs2660
TD20
INT15
YD/Att6.93
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It feels like Tua Tagovailoa’s time with the Miami Dolphins is up one way or another. The former first-round quarterback was benched toward the end of the regular season, and the firing of head coach Mike McDaniel all but ensures that the two sides will part ways. After all, new head coach Jeff Hafley and GM John-Eric Sullivan have no ties to Tagovailoa whatsoever, and have already begun stripping the roster down to the studs to rebuild it in their own image. Tagovailoa himself even admitted that a fresh start somewhere else would be welcome.
The question is how this divorce actually unfolds. If the Dolphins outright release Tagovailoa (with a post-June 1 designation), he’d account for $67.4 million in dead cap charges for 2026 and $31.8 million in 2027. That would be a historically costly avenue to go down, so it would seem like the preferred path for Miami would be to find a trade partner for Tagovailoa, while eating a large chunk of his contract. In that scenario, they’d still owe a sizable amount of his the $212.4 million extension he signed before the 2024 season, but they’d at least get some relief and a small asset or two coming back to them.
Kyler Murray
ARI • QB • #1
CMP%68.3
YDs962
TD6
INT3
YD/Att5.98
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Similar to Tagovailoa above, Kyler Murray’s tenure with the Cardinals has run dry. The franchise is undergoing a reset after firing Jonathan Gannon and hiring Mike LaFleur, and a split from Murray could be next on the offseason to-do list. This comes after Murray was effectively benched for Jacoby Brissett midway through the season, along with missing time due to a foot injury. Murray is due $42.5 million in 2026, and Arizona will likely be required to take on some of that money in order to facilitate a deal. Entering his age-29 season, Murray does have some trade value given the lack of talent at the position at the 2026 NFL Draft.
Maxx Crosby
LV • DE • #98
GS15
TKL45
SACK10
INT1
FF2
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Maxx Crosby may be the biggest name to move this offseason after his relationship with the Las Vegas Raiders fractured at the tail end of the 2025 season. To his chagrin, the franchise shut the star pass rusher down despite his desire to play out the string. That decision may prove to be the catalyst that sends him out of Las Vegas. From the Raiders perspective, moving on from Crosby could make sense even if he has been the fabric of the organization since he was drafted in 2019. The club possesses the first overall pick at the 2026 NFL Draft and will likely use that selection to bring in Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza to pair with first-year head coach Klint Kubiak. Given what star pass rushers are going for on the trade market and Crosby not fitting in with the Raiders new timeline, they could look to sell high on the 28-year-old.
A.J. Brown
PHI • WR • #11
TAR121
REC78
REC YDs1003
REC TD7
FL0
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A.J. Brown is no stranger to having his name in trade rumors. His souring relationship with the Philadelphia Eagles over the last couple of seasons has only poured fuel onto these flames, which could come to a head this offseason. It feels as if this could be the moment the Eagles move on from Brown, particularly after a lackluster playoff showing during Wild Card Weekend against the San Francisco 49ers that also featured a sideline spat with head coach Nick Sirianni. Brown is on the back end of his prime as he’s set to enter his age-29 season, but is still a productive receiver capable of being a true No. 1 option when he’s firing on all cylinders, so there will be a market for him. However, Philadelphia shouldn’t expect to receive a first-round pick in return like they spent to acquire him from the Tennessee Titans in 2022. The 2026 season is the final year that Brown has any guaranteed money ($29 million) on his contract, so any team looking to trade for him would likely also need to revise his deal, shrinking the asking price. Given the lack of impact free agent wide receivers, Brown could be one of the most impactful offensive skill position players to move this offseason.
Mac Jones
SF • QB • #10
CMP%69.6
YDs2151
TD13
INT6
YD/Att7.44
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The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly reluctant to trade Mac Jones this offseason, but I wonder if they are just playing hard to get. After all, the club has Brock Purdy locked in as their franchise cornerstone at quarterback after inking him to a five-year, $265 million extension last May. That makes Jones merely a high-quality backup, and there’s a case to be made that he holds more value to the franchise as a trade asset than Purdy insurance. That’s especially true given how well Jones played filling in for Purdy last season, owning a 5-3 record over his eight games as the starter while completing 69.6% of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 97.4 passer rating. Given that the NFL has seen several castoff quarterbacks revive their careers in recent seasons, Jones could be earmarked as the next QB up in that movement. The former first-rounder has also expressed his desire to be a starter again. A team with a hole at quarterback could look to Jones, who is under contract for just $2.81 million in base salary next season, as an option with the hopes that he follows in the footsteps of Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold to enjoy a career renaissance.
Jaylen Waddle
MIA • WR • #17
TAR100
REC64
REC YDs910
REC TD6
FL0
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The Dolphins have started to tear the roster down, moving on from former pillars like Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. This comes after the team hired a completely new regime in head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, who are now looking to build Miami from the ground up. This will be a multi-year rebuild for the Dolphins, and while moving on from Tagovailoa may be the most likely transaction to come down, we also can’t rule out other names departing like Jaylen Waddle. The 27-year-old receiver has been stellar when he’s been healthy throughout his career and could command serious trade value if Miami were to put him on the block.
From the Dolphins standpoint, Waddle will likely be looking for a revamped contract after this season. Despite currently being signed throughout the 2028 season, the guarantees in Waddle’s contract run out after 2026 ($16.6 million). Instead of locking heads in a contract dispute, the Dolphins could continue purging the roster and trade Waddle, who other teams in a win-now window would look at as a highly skilled receiver who they’d be more than happy to bring aboard and adjust his deal.
Brian Thomas Jr.
JAC • WR • #7
TAR91
REC48
REC YDs707
REC TD2
FL0
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The Jaguars are probably not going to shop Brian Thomas Jr., but I wonder if they stay on the line if prospective trade partners call up with offers instead of immediately hanging up the phone. Thomas lit the NFL on fire during his rookie season, catching 87 balls for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, his sophomore campaign was much more muted, with 707 yards receiving. That uninspiring second season was the first under head coach Liam Coen and GM James Gladstone, neither of whom was with the team when Thomas was drafted.
Jacksonville also has a bit of an overflow at receiver. Of course, they have Travis Hunter, whom they moved up to the No. 2 overall pick to make a combo receiver/corner. The Jaguars also traded for Jakobi Meyers midseason and inked him to a three-year, $80 million extension. Third-receiver Parker Washington also broke out in 2025 with a team-leading 847 yards receiving. Does all that make Thomas expendable if a team comes to them with a Godfather offer? A year ago, he would’ve been untouchable. Now, it could be a different story at the right (and high) price.
