6 players to watch at NFL trade deadline

The NFL Trade Deadline is two weeks away, and we’re already seeing a flurry of activity on the market with teams trying to shore up their rosters for a playoff push. We’ve already seen Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins get dealt — but there are six more guys who have a very real chance of changing teams in the next few weeks.

These are the players we’re watching moving forward.

Diontae Johnson
It’s not exactly a secret that the Panthers are bad, but it probably would surprise most people to see how effective Diontae Johnson has been for Carolina in spite of their pitiful offense. On pace for 867 yards receiving and 7 touchdowns, Johnson has shown he can be a low-tier No. 1 receiver, or a high-tier No. 2 on the outside.

When you take this and factor in that he’s only has the remainder of 2024 left on his contract (making him a perfect short-term player for a team with injury problems), paired with the fact he’s clearly fed up with the team’s offense makes him a really great target for a team in need of WR help for their playoff push.

There’s a very real chance we approach the deadline and Johnson is the No. 1 receiver available.

Mike Williams
With the New York Jets acquiring Davante Adams ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline, and Garrett Wilson also entrenched as a go-to piece for the Jets in the passing game, Mike Williams could be the odd receiver out in New York.

Particularly if Joe Douglas starts thinking about adding draft capital for moves this offseason.

Ian Rapoport already noted that teams have begun calling about Williams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and his former team, the Los Angeles Chargers. A team to watch here? The Washington Commanders. With Jayden Daniels playing at a high level the Commanders are right in the mix in the NFC, and adding a receiver to help in the passing game, and help the rookie quarterback in the process, would be a wise investment.

Myles Garrett
The Browns have more soul searching to do than any franchise in the NFL, which could lead to one of the most stunning trade deadline deals we’ve seen in years.

Garrett is the most disruptive pass rusher in the NFL. A unique force with the ability to crumple an offensive gameplan like a piece of paper, and force teams to adjust. These innumerable talents have largely been squandered due to mismanagement on the offensive side of the ball, particularly at quarterback.

The Deshaun Watson deal has cast a shadow over the entire Browns organization, and made their future murky. As much as Garrett should be a franchise centerpiece, it’s reached the point where Cleveland might not be able to pass up multiple first round picks that could help them rebuild.

If you added Garrett to an already elite, established playoff team he’s the kind of player who could elevate a team to Super Bowl contention.

Cooper Kupp
As outlined on Tuesday, Cooper Kupp’s name is appearing in “trade rumor” columns more and more. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, multiple teams have called the Los Angeles Rams inquiring about Kupp’s availability. Her reporting also indicates that the Rams are willing to take on some of Kupp’s salary to get a deal done.

Certainly a team to watch would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who just lost Chris Godwin for the season and are expected to be without Mike Evans for a significant portion of their schedule. Other teams to watch include the Baltimore Ravens, and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Maxx Crosby
Often forgotten in the discussion of best defensive players in the league, Maxx Crosby could be on the block and find a new home for the first time in his NFL career. A tremendously disruptive 4-3 end, Crosby has 6.5 sacks on the season and is on pace for the best pass rushing season of his career.

Like Garrett, this would be a blockbuster trade for a team wanting pass rush help down the stretch *cough, Lions, cough* There’s a couple of years left on his deal at a high salary, but that’s easy to justify absorbing if you think a player of Crosby’s talent takes you from being a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender.

Jaycee Horn
We’ll wait to see how much the Panthers blow up their roster at the deadline, but at the very least the team should entertain offers for star cornerback Jaycee Horn. One of the best man-coverage CBs in football this season, Horn’s best attribute is that he doesn’t give up explosive plays, which is the foundation of passing in the NFL right now.

There’s obvious potential here for a team like the Vikings, whose only real issue on defense is the lack of a signature cornerback to play across from Stephon Gilmore. Horn is big, rangy, and a low-cap impact signing looking to land his second deal.

It would take more than a bargain-basement deal for the Panthers to trade their top corner, but he’s someone to watch as Carolina continues to try and rebuild.