Ranking 20 most likely stars to be traded at 2026 NFL trade deadline
· Yahoo Sports
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NFL trade deadline season is here. The league has already been active in the wheeling and dealing. The weeks leading up to deadline day saw players like Cam Jurgens and Marvin Harrison Jr. traded, and the Indianapolis Colts just announced to the world that they are ready to talk business. The Colts traded DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson in separate trades on Oct. 28. The official last day to make moves will be Nov. 10, and with plenty of teams ready to buy or sell, just who are the top 20 trade candidates this year?
20. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara is a five-time Pro Bowler with numerous records to his name. The New Orleans Saints running back scored six touchdowns and 36 points in a game. He also has the record with seven 2-point conversions. These days, though, the lifelong New Orleans Saints running back is unlikely to be a featured ball carrier for anyone.
He could provide a dose of juice for a team in need of offensive help, though. Kamara isn’t an orthodox runner. He utilizes speed and most thrives as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Kamara is a player that teams could draw plays up for who could break away chunk yardage gains, and he doesn’t need to come in and get a bell cow workload. Kamara has done a lot for the Saints, but it just may be time to let him go.
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19. Shemar Stewart, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals
Shemar Stewart was a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, but his career seemed to be doomed the second he embarked on a contract holdout ahead of his rookie season. Stewart has barely seen the field ever since, illustrated by his five career starts to go with 14 tackles and two sacks.
Of course, though, Stewart was drafted so high so recently for a reason. He still has tons of potential, and a fresh start would do him well. If the Bengals can get a win-now piece, moving on from their recent draftee would be worth it.
18. Riq Woolen, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Riq Woolen burst onto the scene with a 2022 rookie season in which he led the NFL with six interceptions. He earned a Pro Bowl appearance that year and would eventually become a contributor for the Seattle Seahawks during their championship run. Woolen left the defending champions for the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason, and now Philly seems ready to embrace a firesale.
Woolen’s aggressive style won’t work for everybody, but there are surely interested parties that could use his advanced turnover creation. The cornerback is a physical freak of nature who has 4.2 speed in a 6-foot-4 frame. That alone has to intrigue certain franchises.
17. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns prioritized adding pass catchers this offseason. They selected KC Concepcion in round one and Denzel Boston the very next round. This came a year after Harold Fannin Jr.’s breakout rookie campaign. These moves made the direction of the Browns clear, and they’ve immediately reaped the rewards of a better-than-expected season.
Even so, they also made it to where Jerry Jeudy had one foot out the door. Jeudy is an elite route runner, but he has long struggled with drops. The Browns might be best off embracing the youth movement in the passing game and moving Jeudy for a player at a different position.
16. Amani Hooker, S, Tennessee Titans
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesNeed a due-it-all defensive back for a playoff push? Call the Tennessee Titans, who might be interested in shopping Amani Hooker. The safety can play deep in coverage or as a slot cornerback. A team that trades for Hooker will also have the option of keeping him around for two more seasons or moving on for minimal financial burden after this year.
15. Landon Dickerson, OG, Philadelphia Eagles
With Quenton Nelson officially traded, Landon Dickerson’s trade value skyrockets through the roof. The offensive guard already has three Pro Bowl nods to his name, but injuries have limited him this year. Dickerson returned to action in Week 7, though. Philadelphia had one of the better offensive lines in the NFL for the better part of a decade, if not for longer.
It came crashing and burning this year with the trade of Cam Jurgens and the retirement of Lane Johnson. The Eagles may have to just fully hit the reset button in the trenches.
14. Moro Ojomo, DE, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a knack for developing interior defensive linemen. Their championship roster from a few years ago featured Milton Williams, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo, the latter of whom replaced the former in the front seven starting lineup. The D-Line hasn’t missed a beat.
Last year, Ojomo racked up six sacks. Opposing teams have been forced to give him more attention this year, but Ojomo has still racked up the pressures and tackles. The Eagles are already embracing a gap year of sorts with Jalen Hurts potentially out for the year, so a player like Ojomo could be flipped in the trade market. Ojomo is a free agent at season’s end, so getting back something for him rather than nothing would make a lot of sense.
13. Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
A lot can change in one year. Just last trade deadline, the Indianapolis Colts made the biggest deadline move out there when they traded two first-round picks for Sauce Gardner. They’ve hardly won any games ever since, and now they’ve already proven that they are willing to sell off talent this go-around.
Josh Downs is a high-level slot receiver who thrives as a route runner. The future of pass catching in Indianapolis is clear, though, and it might not include Downs. Although Alec Pierce has missed almost all of this season, the Colts paid him the big bucks because of his elite deep ball ability. Tyler Warren is also one of the best up-and-coming tight ends in the NFL.
The Colts need to recoup on draft capital after making the trade for Gardner, and Downs all but confirmed he will be the next to go when he requested a trade a day after Buckner and Nelson were dealt.
12. Khalil Mack, Edge, Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack was the Defensive Player of the Year way back in 2016. Three First-Team All-Pro nods and nine Pro Bowl appearances later, and Mack is still going strong. Sure, he isn’t quite the level of player he once was, but he still thrives getting after the quarterback.
Mack plays for a Los Angeles Chargers team that has yet to win a game this season. Injuries and hope in Justin Herbert prevent the Chargers from blowing the entire ship up, but they certainly should move an aging veteran like Mack. Fans would love to see a potential future Hall of Famer like Mack go compete for a championship before his impending retirement. The man with 117 career sacks is 35 years old.
11. Alex Highsmith, Edge, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn ImagesAlex Highsmith was robbed of All-Pro honors back in 2022 when he secured 14.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. The Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker has been pretty impressive in the years since, though. The 2020 third-rounder has 48 career sacks and 350 career combined tackles.
The Steelers are once again looking like a .500-ish team with Wild Card aspirations. That means that they don’t have to trade Highsmith, but T.J. Watt’s partner in crime has heard has name in trade rumors nonetheless.
10. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brian Thomas Jr. can far outplay this ranking as the 10th best trade candidate in the NFL. In fact, he is a player who showed superstar potential not all that long ago who is currently on a Super Bowl contending team looking to add, not get rid of talent. Even so, Thomas’ fall off over the last two seasons could result in him needing a change of scenery at some point.
After a rookie season in which Thomas finished third in the entire league in receiving yards, Thomas developed a drops problem. His production was nearly cut in half from his Pro Bowl rookie season to last year, and it has been even worse in 2026. Thomas has just nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown in 2026.
There is still a superstar somewhere in there; it just may take joining a new team to find him again. Marvin Harrison Jr., a fellow once-prestigious receiver prospect, regressed in a big way in a short period of time with the Arizona Cardinals, but he has already started to look like his old self since being traded to the Houston Texans.
9. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Miami Dolphins
There isn’t a whole lot left for the Miami Dolphins to trade. In the offseason, the team embraced a massive sell-off. They traded away Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos and Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets. Furthermore, the team moved on from Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, and Tua Tagovailoa.
That was nearly everybody of note from the Dolphins’ preexisting core, except for Jordyn Brooks. While Miami moved on from most of their best players, they instead re-signed Brooks. The team values his leadership and tackling ability, the latter of which he has twice led the NFL in.
The Dolphins are still years away from contention. Considering much of their rebuild came in the form of waivers/releases, and not trades, the team would be smart to trade more talent to add more draft capital that can help out for the future. Teams in need of a tackling machine will call about Brooks.
8. YaYa Diaby, Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Does YaYa Diaby have a cool name? Yes. Does he have even greater trade value? Also yes. The edge rusher in Tampa Bay has become one of the most consistent pass rushers in the NFL, and with the Buccaneers falling short of expectations, he could be a name to watch out for as a trade candidate.
Diaby has yet to miss an NFL game. He has 22 sacks through three and a half seasons, too. Teams that can’t afford a star on a huge contract should look to trade for Diaby, who is still on his rookie deal.
7. Derwin James, S, Los Angeles Chargers
Derwin James burst onto the scene with a First-Team All-Pro nod as a rookie. Injuries slowed down the Los Angeles Chargers’ star’s development for a couple of years after that, but James has continued to prove himself over the last half-decade or so. The safety is a true chess piece on defense.
He can excel deep down the field and rack up interceptions, or he can wreak havoc in the running game. Furthermore, James is one of the best safety sack artists ever, and he can even line up against tight ends and use his physical gifts to ensure opposing teams can’t create mismatches.
Because of his versatility, James is a player who a trading team could use in a number of ways all around the field. His Los Angeles Chargers remain the only winless team in the NFL, making it likely that they will be NFL trade deadline sellers. Considering Justin Herbert is unlikely to be moved at this point, and a number of the other best players on the roster are hurt, then James just may be the Chargers’ top trade candidate.
6. Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesBudda Baker ranks just ahead of his safety peer because he has been a little more reliable over the years. While James has twice been limited to five or fewer games, Baker has played at least 14 games seven times. Like James, though, Baker is a difference maker on the back end.
A freak athlete, Baker is a big play waiting to happen, whether that be in the box or as a ball hawk deep down the field. The Arizona Cardinals would carry little dead cap into next season if moved on from Baker, making the NFL trade deadline a prime time for the struggling team to make a trade.
5. Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders
This is a good year to be in the market for defensive tackles. Daron Payne is one of three DTs in the top five of these NFL trade deadline candidate rankings. It wasn’t that long ago that the Washington Commanders looked like one of the top up-an-coming teams in the NFL, but now, they are in the midst of a second straight letdown of a season.
Payne came to Washington as a first-round pick in 2018 after winning two national titles in college. The 320-pound big man moves much better than the average player of his size. He wreaks havoc on opposing quarterbacks with his interior rush. Payne more than holds his own in the passing game, too.
4. Josh Sweat, Edge, Arizona Cardinals
Josh Sweat has become disgruntled with the Cardinals. He racked up 12 sacks in his first season in Arizona but requested a trade in the succeeding offseason. Then, he got off to a slow start to begin this year. Sweat has seemingly gotten back on track in recent weeks, and a team in need of pass rushing help could make calls on the edge rusher.
The Florida State product with 57 career sacks played for the Philadelphia Eagles before the Cardinals, where he played a key role in a Super Bowl victory and earned one Pro Bowl nod. Sweat rushes with speed and has an array of pass rushing moves.
The biggest deterrent behind the Cardinals trading away Sweat would be the dead money associated with his contract. He signed a deal last season to team up with Jonathan Gannon, who has already been fired from the team. With two more years on his deal, Sweat’s dead hit blooms to $18.3 million next season.
3. Vita Vea, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Vita Vea’s name came up in trade talks during the offseason when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers refused to give the hulking defensive tackle a long-term contract extension. Ultimately, the two parties agreed to a one-year, $30 million deal, but it can always be difficult to make amends after a trade request and contract talks in which one side feels they were wrong.
A 2-5 start will only add fuel to the Vea trade talks. Vea is a 350-pounder who is one of the biggest players in football. Obviously, he thrives in plugging running holes, but Vea is much more than just a run stopper. The nose tackle is incredibly light on his feet and is able to make an impact in the passing game, too.
2. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans like Jeffery Simmons a lot. So much so that they made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history just this most recent offseason. Simmons’ skill set hasn’t regressed. He is still playing at an elite level. The problem is that the Titans just can’t seem to figure out how to win games, and it is possible that their rebuild continues even past the expirations of Simmons’ three-year contract extension.
Considering Simmons still offers the Titans a lot of long-term potential, and considering the dead cap that would be associated with his contract if he were traded would be hefty, there is a chance that the Titans will hold onto Simmons. He just may be the most talented player on a potential selling team, though, making him a prime trade candidate in the eyes of many.
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
If Jonathan Taylor were traded at this year’s deadline, he would change the NFL landscape in a bigger way than anyone else who has been rumored as a trade candidate. The three-time Pro Bowler has twice led the league in rushing touchdowns, including as recently as last season.
The Wisconsin product is on pace to do that yet again this year, too. Taylor combines speed with power like few other ball carriers. He is a high-volume carrier who teams can rely upon to take on 20-plus carries in a game. Of course, the strenuous nature of the running back position means that a lot of teams around the league have a need for more backfield help. Taylor is not only the top running back available, but the top trade candidate, regardless of position. He is on a team desperate to make trades, too.
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