2026 NFL Trade Candidates: Best Landing Spots for Kyle Murray, A.J. Brown, Mac Jones, and more

With free agency less than two weeks away, NFL GMs are already working the phones to buy high and sell low on marquee players. These are 10 names who could be on the move this offseason.

Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Murray went 2-3 as a starter this past year before a foot injury put him on ice, though head coach Jonathan Gannon explicitly said that Jacoby Brissett was the team’s QB1. Gannon has since been fired and Murray’s relationship with the team is likely broken beyond repair. This latest iteration of the roster has failed. It’s time for both sides to move on.

Murray is somewhere between a reclamation project and a win-now option. He ranked 22nd in EPA per play (min. 200 plays) and 27th in CPOE. Murray still has plenty of juice as a runner. He averaged 34.6 yards per game in 2025, a pace that would have seen him hit 588 yards over 17 games. He can help solidify the floor of an offense and—if you really squint—you can imagine a brilliant OC getting more out of Murray than the likes of Drew Petzing or Kliff Kingsbury.

Is Frank Reich that guy? Probably not. But the Jets are desperate for someone who can prevent them from embarrassing themselves on the football field for four months. Murray can accomplish that, and the Jets will have no issues dreaming on his ceiling. The Steelers and Vikings could also be in the mix for Murray. J.J. McCarthy has to be considered a developmental backup at this point, and the Steelers will have no one if Aaron Rodgers hangs up the cleats.

Murray’s new team would owe him over $78 million in 2026 and 2027 combined. Because of that, Arizona won’t net a massive return for Kyler. The best-case scenario would see them get a third-round pick or a package of equivalent value for Murray, though they could ultimately be forced to take a deal worth much less.

Mac Jones, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Jones joined the 49ers to rehab his image in the school of Kyle Shanahan. He did exactly that by going 5-3 as a starter while averaging 269 passing yards per game. He threw 13 touchdowns with six interceptions and ranked 10th in EPA per play. While the “scheme merchant” moniker still applies, Jones proved he could execute a modern offense at a high level in the right circumstances. That type of quarterback is increasingly in demand these days.

For all the hate the J.J. McCarthy pick has received, it wasn’t the Vikings’ cardinal sin of the past few years. That was letting Sam Darnold walk out of the building after he went 14-3 as their starter. Trading for Jones would give them a mulligan on the Darnold fiasco, though at a much higher price. The Jets and Steelers will also be in the mix here, but the Dolphins and Cardinals could emerge as names to watch. Miami’s cap space is in a bind because of Tua Tagovailoa’s bloated contract, but Jones is only on the books for $4.7 million in 2026. Any team trading for him will do so with an extension in mind, but that at least gives the team flexibility with his cap hit, allowing a cap-strapped franchise like Miami to enter the fray.

The 49ers will likely receive a third-round compensatory pick in 2028 if they hold on to Jones for a season before he signs a multi-year deal in free agency of 2027. That puts his value right now in the second round, if not higher. A deal similar to the one Philly got for Carson Wentz in 2021 could make sense for Jones. Indianapolis gave up a third-round pick plus a future pick that was either a third or second-round pick, depending on how much Wentz played. That compensation clicks for the Vikings in particular, given that they could give McCarthy one more shot if Jones doesn’t play well.

A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

It’s time. Brown was a smash hit for the Eagles with a pair of 1,400-yard seasons followed by a Super Bowl victory. Even if the ending was ugly, both sides should feel elated about what they accomplished. However, the Eagles’ dilapidated passing attack dropped Brown to 66.9 yards per game in 2025. His previous low-water mark as an Eagle was 83 yards in 2024. His gripes with the offense began as passive-aggressive and have grown to what can only be called “aggressive-aggressive.” Like Stefon Diggs, sometimes a change is necessary.

Also like Diggs, let’s get Brown to New England. The Pats desperately need a true No. 1 receiver who can win downfield. Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte have been nice finds for the team, but their ability to create chunk gains is too inconsistent, leaving the team without a viable passing attack against tough defenses. Brown would feast with Drake Maye as his quarterback. Contending teams like the Bills and Ravens could also use wide receiver help. Brown also scans as an addition for a team trying to support a young quarterback. The Saints and Raiders both fit this bill.

The Eagles might not be able to get a first-round pick in return for Brown. He’s coming off a career-worst year by most metrics and will be 29 by the start of the season. They should, however, be able to get a package equivalent to at least a high-end second-round pick. Brown is only two years removed from consecutive 1,400-yard seasons on run-first offenses. His recent downturn can mostly be explained by a few minor injuries and Philly’s struggling passing game. A team trading for him can still safely assume they are paying close to top dollar for a likely superstar at the tail end of his prime.

Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders

Crosby is the best player believed to be available via trade and it’s not a close race. He has 44.5 sacks over the past four seasons. Even in a down year, ESPN’s player-tracking data had him with the 14th-best pass-rush win-rate, and no one ahead of him on the list had more total reps. Jay Glazer highlighted Crosby’s desire not to see another rebuild as one of the reasons he is ready to leave Vegas.

The Patriots have plenty of cap space and are in the dead center of an all-in window. It’s hard to find a team that makes more sense as a landing spot for Crosby than New England. Though the Bears aren’t flush with money, they are in the same roster-building phase as the Pats. They have a quarterback on a rookie contract playing well and can afford to push some of their chips in to win now. One final time from the same draft class, the Commanders have already tried the short-term approach to roster building and it failed miserably, with several of their big-ticket acquisitions from last offseason contributing little in 2025. While that may deter them from trying again, it has also left their defense without much talent, putting them on the Crosby periphery.

In league circles, it’s looking like the Raiders will want a Micah Parsons-level return for Crosby. The Cowboys acquired defensive tackle Kenny Clark and a pair of first-round picks. At the time of the deal, Clark was an above-average defensive tackle, though not much more than that. He will likely be released in the coming weeks. The price for Crosby’s services will be steep, but elite pass-rushers are worth their weight in gold.

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

This trade goes down as one I find rather unlikely, but it’s worth discussing. BTJ’s 87-1,281-10 rookie season was so dominant that it’s hard to imagine the Jags moving on from him after a single off year. Of the seven wide receivers in the modern era to post more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage as rookies, Anquan Boldin and Odell Beckham are the “worst.” Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Randy Moss, and BTJ round out the list. Thomas’s second season was shockingly quiet, with just 707 receiving yards and three total touchdowns. A lack of effort in contested catch situations and drops lowlighted the ugly season. I lean toward his rookie season being the true BTJ, but the Jags may feel differently.

It’s hard not to cast a wide net for teams who should pursue Thomas Jr. The Titans got the No. 18 pick and a third-round selection for A.J. Brown in 2022, which is a relatively close comparison to a potential BTJ deal. The Steelers and Browns, sitting in the low 20s, could use a superstar receiver to complement their currently underwhelming casts of pass-catchers. Near the end of the first round, the Bills and 49ers have next to nothing at wide receiver. Buffalo has Khalil Shakir as a part-time WR2, while the 49ers are simply hoping Ricky Pearsall can stay healthy in his third season. Both teams also have highly paid quarterbacks, among other positions, making the two years left on BTJ’s rookie deal even more valuable to them.

When the Titans traded Brown to Philly, he immediately got a new contract, making him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league. A team acquiring BTJ gets two cost-controlled seasons plus the fifth-year option, increasing his value relative to Brown in that regard. For any team after pick 20, I suspect they will need to give up a second-round pick or something equivalent in value on top of their first-round selection to pry Thomas Jr. away from the Jags.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are at the bottom of a rebuild, having already released several big names, including Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. They traded away Jalen Ramsey last year in a deal that saw Fitzpatrick come back home to Miami. He played extremely well, per usual, with PFF grading him as a top 10 safety once again. With the teardown nearly complete, moving Fitzpatrick with one year left on his deal makes more sense than letting him walk for nothing in a year. Trading him would also improve Miami’s cap situation, so it’s no surprise that NFL insiders have already been told about this potential move.

As good as he is, Fitzpatrick shouldn’t cost too much to acquire. He will be 30 in the middle of the 2026 season and is a one-year rental. A team shouldn’t have to give up more than a mid-round pick to land him. A defense-deficient contender will likely jump at the opportunity to insert Fitzpatrick into their lineup as part of an all-in type of season. The Rams had success with a similar move when they traded for Jalen Ramsey in 2019. LA’s underperforming defense was ultimately their downfall in the postseason. Cincinnati hasn’t fielded an above-average defense since 2022. They let both of their starting safeties walk after that season. Both teams should at least give Miami a call.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts still need a backup for Daniel Jones, assuming they bring him back, but Richardson isn’t the steady QB2 a team trusts to pinch-hit for the injured starter. He’s a passion project for a coaching staff that can afford to fail once. Both sides seem to agree that a split is for the best.

Richardson isn’t going to be any team’s first choice at quarterback. Most GMs looking for a QB upgrade would rather spend on Kyler Murray or Malik Willis. The franchises that are in the market for Richardson will likely be those that can’t afford a big-ticket free agent. Coaches on the hot seat may also want to stay away from a high-risk bet like Richardson. These two qualifications whittle us down to three candidates: Arizona, Cleveland, and Miami. At the time of this writing, the latter two teams have less than $4 million in cap space each. Arizona has plenty of room to spend, but they are about to take a nasty dead cap charge—and potentially a loss in cap space—if they cut Kyler. All three teams have first-year head coaches who might be able to fail once before getting a crack at a rookie quarterback in 2027.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, New York Giants

This is another move that is a matter of when, not if.

The former No. 5 overall pick exploded for 11.5 sacks in his second season but has totaled eight sacks over the past two years combined. He has been replaced by Brian Burns and Abdul Carter since being drafted and is now worth more to the Giants as a trade asset.

EDGE is a need for almost every team in the NFL and Thibodeaux won’t be awfully expensive to acquire, so most teams could be considered candidates to trade for him. The Chargers are a well-coached team that just traded for Odafe Oweh after he fell out of the pass-rush mix in Baltimore. Oweh went on to total 7.5 sacks in a dozen games as a Charger. LA could attempt a similar gambit with Thibodeaux now that Oweh and fellow LA EDGE Khalil Mack are both free agents.

Daron Payne, DT, Washington Commanders

Payne has one year left on his current contract and it doesn’t seem like there has been any progress made toward keeping him around long-term. If Washington plans on letting him walk in a year, they could get something for him now while also clearing out $16.8 million in cap space if the deal is done before June 1st.

Though Payne hasn’t come close to matching his 11.5 sack total from 2022 in recent years, marks of four, four, and three (in 15 games) are still impressive for an interior defender. Payne also earned ESPN’s fifth-highest mark in run-stop win-rate last year. A team trading for him would only pay him that $16.8 million figure, which might not even be a top 20 number for a defensive tackle by the time some new contracts from this year’s free agency role in. The Bills and Bengals are two AFC contenders who were dreadful at stopping the run last year. They ranked 31st and 30th in rush EPA per play allowed. Both teams should be offering at least an early Day 3 pick in the draft for Payne.

Tyson Bagent, QB, Chicago Bears

This one came out of nowhere, but there is apparently a market for Bagent. Bears GM Ryan Poles said as much at the NFL Combine, and Jordan Schultz later echoed that sentiment with his own reporting.

Bagent hasn’t made a start since 2023, when he threw for 776 yards, three touchdowns, and five interceptions across four starts. A team would likely be acquiring him as a bridge to a rookie. The same is true of Andy Dalton, who reportedly has suitors, and Jacoby Brissett, who could be on the move if Arizona lands a starter in free agency (Malik Willis). None of these trades would require more than a Day 3 pick. It could even take as little as a pick swap.

The Jets have been repeatedly linked to Alabama prospect Ty Simpson. Simpson is currently projected to go near the end of the first round, meaning whoever drafts him will likely pair him with a veteran. That veteran could start a few weeks before being pulled for Simpson, similar to the setup for Jaxson Dart as a rookie. The Browns and Steelers are two more teams who could nab Simpson—or a different rookie—late in the first round, putting both teams in the market for a bridge quarterback like Bagent.