NFL Trade Candidates: The 5 Best Remaining Players And Potential Landing Spots

It’s not often that you get two blockbuster NFL trades in June, but that’s what Monday brought us — and it still seems likely that there are some more moves to come. A.J. Brown was widely viewed as the top trade candidate available following free agency, with the Philadelphia Eagles trading him to the New England Patriots on Monday. However, that deal was usurped by the Los Angeles Rams’ acquisition of two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who didn’t seem to be available prior to Monday’s deal. So, with those two stars finding new homes this week, who are the top names still available? We’re offering up five names, and none of them are nearly the caliber of Garrett or Brown. The NFL trade market was hurt by Wednesday’s news that the Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat won’t get moved, too. Still, these five players could provide some value to their new potential homes, even if they’re traded for just a mid-to-late-round draft pick years from now. But now is the time to be aggressive, to address a concern before it’s glaring in September and get a new player in the building in time to learn his team and scheme ahead of training camp. Here are the five best remaining trade candidates, and picking the top potential landing spot for each: Kayvon Thibodeaux is only 25 and playing this year on his fifth-year option, making $14.8 million. But the New York Giants are loaded at edge rusher, with Brian Burns and second-year star Abdul Carter already getting the majority of the snaps last season. Throw in rookie Arvell Reese into the mix as well, as he’ll likely have some pass-rush usage, even if he’s primarily a linebacker. Thibodeaux has missed 12 games over the last two seasons, totaling only eight sacks (including 2.5 last year), but a team needing help at edge would be hoping to get the player who had 11.5 sacks in 2023. His salary is a lot for a rotational edge rusher, so unless they really want expensive protection against injury, a trade makes a lot of sense for the Giants. POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: New England Patriots, where former Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is now a defensive analyst. Can the San Francisco 49ers find a taker for Brandon Aiyuk? The 28-year-old hasn’t played since injuring his knee in October 2024, and the 49ers were able to get his 2026 guarantees voided, but he still has injury concerns and a massive contract. San Francisco has the same dead money against their cap if it cuts him or trades him — $33 million, split over this year and next. He wants to go to the Washington Commanders, reuniting with his former Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels. But even giving up a future seventh-rounder for Aiyuk means committing to paying him $26 million this year, and he wouldn’t command that as a free agent, so the Commanders might be content to wait the 49ers out until they just cut him. That might be the likely outcome, San Francisco waiting until just before training camp starts and then cutting him loose. POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Washington Commanders, where former 49ers front office exec Adam Peters is now the general manager. Anthony Richardson shows how quickly a prospect can lose his window, even as a No. 4 overall pick. He just turned 24, but with the Indianapolis Colts giving Daniel Jones two years and $88 million, he’s not a central part of their plans. Richardson recovered from an eye injury last year, and there’s uncertainty about when Jones will be fully recovered from a torn Achilles tendon, but Indianapolis is more likely to trust second-year pro Riley Leonard. The Colts just signed Easton Stick as a fourth quarterback, which could be them setting depth ahead of a trade. A team acquiring Richardson would have to pay him a $4 million roster bonus in July, but if you don’t have a long-term answer at the position and don’t see yourself landing a high draft pick in 2027, he’d be an inexpensive option to look at and even re-sign inexpensively when he becomes a free agent in March. Richardson actually has an 8-7 record as a starter, but a 50% career completion rate is alarming, with more career interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (11). He’s rushed for 634 yards in 17 career games, but that’s only a plus if you can improve his passing skills enough to keep him on the field. He’s in a similar boat to Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis, pushed out by the team that drafted him and in the final year of his rookie contract, available for pennies on the dollar compared to his original draft value. POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Detroit Lions, who could use a developmental backup with Teddy Bridgewater as QB2. Alvin Kamara just turned 30, and with the New Orleans Saints signing Travis Etienne in free agency, he won’t be the Saints’ featured back for the first time in his career. He only played 11 games last year, but averaged a career-low 3.6 yards per carry — he averaged at least 4.5 yards in each of his first four seasons, but has averaged below that in each of his last five. He’s always been a strong pass-catching back, so his value to a new team might be as a complementary back for third downs and in the passing game. New Orleans takes on $18 million in dead money (split over two years) if they cut him and $15 million if they trade him. They’ve moved on from key veterans from those final Drew Brees playoff teams in the last year, and Kamara makes sense as the next one to go. Kamara has maintained that he wants to finish his career with the Saints, so the threat of him retiring rather than reporting to a new team might lessen what the Saints can get. POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Buffalo Bills, where former longtime Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael is now the offensive coordinator. The Miami Dolphins have garage-sold or cut so many of their best players out of town this offseason, releasing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb and trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. So, linebacker Jordyn Brooks is essentially the meme of the Fresh Prince alone and looking wistfully around an empty room. He’s in the final year of his contract, making a reasonable $8 million. It’s possible Miami wants to keep him as one key piece, but it should be active enough in 2027 free agency that it won’t be able to get a compensatory pick for losing him. Brooks was a first-team All-Pro after leading the league with 183 total tackles last year, adding 3.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, so he’s a smart target for a linebacker-needy team. If it doesn’t happen before the season, it feels inevitable he lands with a contender at the trade deadline. POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT: Dallas Cowboys, who need all the defensive upgrades they can get after last season.