The 2026 NFL trade deadline is set for Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET, and for a handful of teams, the smartest move is obvious: stop pretending, start selling.
Some clubs have already begun that process. Others are still clinging to hope. But when the season has tilted this far in the wrong direction, the only real value left may be in the trade market.
Arizona is one of the clearest examples. The Cardinals already moved Jacoby Brissett to the Baltimore Ravens just days after bumping him from starting quarterback to third-string behind Gardner Minshew III and Carson Beck.
That should not be the end of it. Josh Sweat is drawing plenty of attention, with the Dallas Cowboys among the rumored suitors, and Arizona could land strong draft compensation - possibly as much as a second-round pick, with at least third-round value - for the edge rusher who posted 12 sacks and four forced fumbles last season.
Budda Baker and James Conner are also names that should attract interest. The Cardinals are 3-5, fresh off a stunning comeback win at Dallas, and Mike LaFleur’s first year as head coach has looked better than expected.
Still, they remain far from true contention in a loaded NFC West, which makes stockpiling picks the sensible play.
Baltimore is in a tougher spot than it looks on paper. Lamar Jackson may be done for the season after surgery on his right thumb, and Tyler Huntley is out for the year with a turf toe injury.
Brissett gives the Ravens a more stable option than undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who started in Thursday night’s 33-10 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the bigger picture is bleak. Baltimore is 4-5 and would likely need to go at least 6-2 just to sneak into the postseason.
That feels like a long shot, even if Jackson returns for a game or two. The ESPN Football Power Index has the Ravens’ playoff odds at just 3.3 percent.
In that kind of setup, a player like Derrick Henry becomes a trade chip worth serious consideration, especially with contenders always eager to add a running back who turns 33 in January.
The Colts have already shown they understand where they are. They’ve dealt guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, which makes this next step even more important: Jonathan Taylor should be moved for the best package available.
There’s been chatter that Indianapolis may not trade him unless the return is built around a first-round pick, but the logic points the other way. Taylor turns 28 in January, and the Colts are not close to a title run.
The comparison is blunt but fitting: aging running backs on teams going nowhere are like closers on bad baseball teams. It’s never easy to move the most popular player on the roster, but the Colts need premium draft capital, especially with no first-round pick in 2027.
Josh Downs should be part of the conversation too, since he has already reportedly asked for a trade.
The Chargers might be the most frustrating team in the league because they still sound like a group that thinks it can fix this on the fly. Reports have said Los Angeles is not interested in moving players like 35-year-old edge rusher Khalil Mack and wants to keep chasing wins.
That stance only makes sense if the record does, and 0-7 does not. The sooner Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers accept that reality, the better.
This has already become a season to think beyond the present, with 2027 and beyond now the more sensible horizon.
Philadelphia rounds out the list, and the situation there is just as grim. The Eagles entered the year with big expectations, but they are now 2-6, have dropped six in a row, and sit in last place in the NFC East.
Jalen Hurts is done for the season because of blood clots in his lungs, Tanner McKee did not deliver in his place, and Joe Milton is now next up at quarterback. That’s a rough place to be.
The Eagles do have pieces that could interest contenders before the deadline, including defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, cornerback Riq Woolen, and tight end Dallas Goedert. For Howie Roseman and Philadelphia, the move now is to gather draft capital and keep the long view in focus, with a chance to re-enter the picture in what should be a wide-open division in 2027.
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Chargers Could Be Getting Two Veteran Reinforcements Back Soon
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Njoku and Perryman each arrived on one-year deals and had already been part of the Chargers 2025 season before landing on injured reserve, so their return would add experience to two spots that can always use it this time of year. For a team trying to stabilize its roster down the stretch, the timing matters, and the next few weeks will show whether both veterans can get through practice and make it all the way back onto the field. [Read more 🡒]