With five weeks of the 2025 NFL season in the books, we’re officially more than a quarter of the way through the regular-season calendar. We’re also one step closer to this year’s in-season trade deadline, which falls on Tuesday, Nov. 4, following Week 9.
But that doesn’t mean trades can’t take place before the deadline and that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday when the Bengals addressed their messy quarterback situation by acquiring veteran Joe Flacco from the Browns.
Plenty of scrappy playoff contenders, like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could be in the market for midyear reinforcements. Meanwhile plenty of struggling teams, like the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets, could be eyeing opportunities to accumulate draft resources for the future.
With that in mind, here are seven notable names to monitor in the lead-up to this year’s trade deadline, including a former Pro Bowler at quarterback and a wide receiver who’s already been dealt four different times in his career:
New York is reportedly in no rush to move on from Wilson after benching the veteran for rookie Jaxson Dart, but what if there’s one team desperate enough for last-gasp quarterback help? The Bengals seemed like a perfect landing spot for Wilson until they pulled the trigger on dealing for Flacco. With Cincy out of the mix, how about a reunion with Pete Carroll? The Raiders are off to a 1-4 start under turnover-prone Geno Smith with Kenny Pickett waiting in the wings.
Potential landing spots: Raiders
New York declined to give much thought to a potential Hall trade prior to the season, preferring to keep the backfield well stocked. Now the Jets are 0-4, and while fellow running back Braelon Allen’s injury has guaranteed an uptick in action, time is running out for Aaron Glenn’s squad to even sniff relevance in 2025. Fresh off a 100-yard outing in Week 5, isn’t it possible Hall actually has more value to Gang Green as a trade chip, considering he’s due to hit free agency after the season anyway?
Potential landing spots:Â Cardinals, Chargers, Chiefs
Meyers requested a trade prior to the season before accepting his fate as Las Vegas’ most trusted perimeter target. The Raiders don’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, however, with Geno Smith throwing pick after pick as Pete Carroll’s handpicked veteran quarterback. Is Carroll ready to wave the white flag on his first year in silver and black? Probably not. But Meyers isn’t likely to stick around for the long term anyway. He might be of more value to a team that can still dream of a playoff push.
Potential landing spots: Cardinals, Falcons, Steelers
The Cooks who once dominated as a multipurpose weapon in New Orleans is long gone; the veteran is now 32 and sparingly used as a short-yardage outlet. Still, Cooks has a history of bouncing around as a plug-and-play fill-in, and other clubs might like his experience for a late-year push. The Saints, meanwhile, are in full rebuild mode as Spencer Rattler holds down the fort at quarterback. They have little reason to retain Cooks beyond 2025, and it’s possible they could still get a pick for his services.
Potential landing spots:Â Broncos, Jaguars, Steelers
Cleveland suddenly has a beacon of light under center thanks to rookie Dillon Gabriel’s composed first start. Njoku played a big role in Gabriel’s first extended NFL action, too, collecting six passes for 67 yards and a score in Week 5. Still, as a pending free agent, the veteran tight end has an unclear future with the franchise. That’s especially the case with rookie Harold Fannin Jr. emerging as a fellow pass catching threat at the position. Njoku might welcome a chance to work in tandem for an actual contender.
Potential landing spots: Chargers, Commanders, Rams
Miami has a potential predicament at pass rusher: Both Chubb and Jaelan Phillips (more on him below) are cornerstones of the defensive front, and the former is leading the charge with four sacks in five games this year. Chubb is also approaching 30 with a significant injury history and an expensive price tag for 2026 and beyond. Dealing him would further strip an ailing Miami defense of its remaining talent, but at 1-4, the Dolphins might be careening toward another overhaul as it stands.
Potential landing spots: Broncos, Colts, Eagles
If the Dolphins are going to keep one of Chubb or Phillips, there’s some long-term reason for it to be the latter, as he’s roughly three years younger. But what if Miami is concerned about committing big bucks to a guy who’s struggled to stay healthy, when Chubb is currently reaffirming his place as a defensive leader? Rather than wait for Phillips to test free agency after the season, perhaps the Dolphins would sell the former first-round draft pick as a midseason rental for a team in need of added pass rushing juice.
Potential landing spots: Eagles, Jaguars, Raiders