The NFL trade deadline lands on November 10, and teams have already shown they’re willing to get aggressive. Usually that means the clubs slipping down the standings are the ones shipping players out. But this year’s conversation includes a different kind of possibility: contenders dealing away names that still carry real value.
There are a few players on winning teams who could be available if the right offer comes along, whether because of a crowded depth chart or because a club wants to turn one asset into help somewhere else. Three names stand out.
Brian Thomas Jr. is the most eye-catching one on the board. The Jaguars have said they don’t want to move the 2024 first-round pick, but the way they’ve handled him lately tells a different story.
He didn’t play the second half of Jacksonville’s Week 6 loss to the Texans in London, and his 15 snaps were his lowest total of the season. Over the Jaguars’ last four games, he’s had just eight targets and only 10 more snaps than rookie Josh Cameron.
That kind of usage has only fueled the speculation around Thomas. A player with his profile would draw plenty of interest, but the bigger question is whether any team would be willing to pay Jacksonville’s price. The Chiefs are mentioned as a possible AFC contender that could be in the mix.
Riley Moss in Denver is another name worth watching. He’s been one of the more divisive cornerbacks in the league over the past few seasons - a gifted athlete who also plays with a grabby edge and led the NFL in penalty yardage last season. Opposing quarterbacks have picked on him deep, and officials have also been quick with the flag when he’s in coverage.
Still, Moss can help a secondary. The Broncos have reason to think about moving him because he’s one of three key players in their defensive backfield - along with Ja’Quan McMillian and Brandon Jones - who is in the final year of his contract.
He also missed time this season with a rib injury, and Denver got strong play in his place from Kris Abrams-Draine and Jahdae Barron. With the Broncos using a first-round pick on Barron, they may not be planning on keeping Moss beyond this year.
If another team has a starting corner spot open and Denver can turn him into help at another spot, like running back or tight end, a deal would make sense.
Sam LaPorta is the least likely of the three to move, but his name has still been in the mix. Detroit is firmly in the NFC North race, and Week 8 brings a key home game against the Vikings. If the Lions win that one, they likely slide into buyer mode and can always wait until after the season to sort things out with LaPorta.
Even so, Detroit has already shown it isn’t afraid to make a bold in-season move. The Lions once traded TJ Hockenson during the season, and they did it with a division rival.
The situation is different here, but the possibility remains. If LaPorta’s price gets too high for Detroit, the Lions could decide not to stretch, and if they already know he’s likely gone after this year, they might try to cash in now and get a strong return.
In Other News...
Jaguars May Have Found A Rookie Starter Fans Can't Ignore
The Jaguars have gotten an immediate return from Emmanuel Pregnon, the third-round pick who has stepped straight into the left guard job and handled it like a veteran. Through his first six games, he has been on the field for 382 offensive snaps and has yet to allow a sack, a strong early sign for a rookie who arrived with real expectations after earning first-team All-American honors at Oregon.
Sports Illustrateds Justin Melo recently ranked Pregnon as the top third-round rookie, pointing to the kind of early impact Jacksonville has been looking for up front. There have been some pressures and penalties along the way, which is hardly unusual for a first-year lineman, but the bigger picture is hard to miss: the Jaguars may have found a starter they can trust right away, and the rest of the season will show how far that trust can go. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Thomas Jr. Is Suddenly At Center Of A Jaguars Trade Idea
A speculative trade idea has put Brian Thomas Jr. in the middle of a conversation the Jaguars probably did not expect to be having this early in the season. Fox Sports analyst Steven Ruiz and ESPNs Ben Solak both floated a potential swap with Kansas City that would send Xavier Worthy to Jacksonville and Thomas the other way, framing it as a way for both teams to address different needs through two receivers with very different profiles and contract situations.
For the Jaguars, the notion is especially striking because Thomas has quickly become the kind of player around whom teams build, not one they casually place into hypothetical deals. Nothing has been announced by either club, and this remains firmly in the realm of outside speculation, but the proposal is still notable because it shows how highly Thomas is valued and how much attention Jacksonvilles receiver room is drawing beyond its own building. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars May Need One Bold Trade To Fix Their Biggest Weakness
The NFL trade market is already starting to shape the conversation around how the Jaguars can patch up their roster, and the defensive line sits near the top of the list. Under general manager James Gladstone, Jacksonville has shown a willingness to explore trades, which makes this a natural place to look if the team wants a quicker fix than waiting for the draft or free agency to do the heavy lifting.
Players such as Payne and Ojomo are the kinds of names that make sense on paper because of their fit and contract situations, but this is still a matter of possibility rather than something concrete. For a Jaguars team trying to strengthen its front, the question is whether the right deal is out there and whether Jacksonville is ready to be aggressive enough to pull it off. [Read more 🡒]