NFL Analysis
2/19/25
8 min read
5 Surprise NFL Trade Candidates This Offseason
Trades used to be uncommon across the NFL. Whether it used to be more difficult for teams to get value for cutting bait with a veteran, or it was more acceptable to simply extend a productive player, times have changed. The fear of dealing with dead-cap hits and public relations nightmares is a thing of the past.
Surprising NFL trades embody this more than ever. Players can navigate their way elsewhere now despite the franchise tag being real leverage for teams, and front offices are more willing to swing big through the NFL Draft. It's the perfect recipe for drama.
There have been public trade requests and speculation about players like Myles Garrett, Matthew Stafford, and Maxx Crosby, but some of the biggest deals will come out of nowhere. Movers and shakers season is upon us.
Here are five surprise NFL trade candidates.
Most Surprising NFL Trade Candidates
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills 
Running backs are coming back into style, but there's no question that heads turned when it was reported James Cook wants $15 million a season on his first post-rookie contract.
Cook has developed into an explosive playmaker who complements Josh Allen well and fits Joe Brady's offensive scheme. However, as nice as it is to have a back average 4.9 yards per carry and a total of 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, the Bills will be hard-pressed to pay Cook.
Cook has never played more than 54.5 percent of Buffalo's offensive snaps in a season, so he's more of a super-efficient, explosive presence than a true workhorse presence that Buffalo will use as a foundational piece. With the 2025 NFL Draft class boasting a tremendous amount of depth and high-end options, Buffalo's most obvious cost-saving measure is to trade Cook for whatever they can get and plug in a rookie to pair with Ray Davis.
Bills with a clean rep of their tackle pull (Dart) concept that goes for a long TD by James Cook.. Been cool to see them add this run a few years ago and then continue to hone it. pic.twitter.com/mGYDlhTiT6
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 17, 2024
Ranking 16th in rushing yards and 19th in carries last year, Cook is a talented player. However, paying him as the second-best back in the league would be ludicrous. It could take until draft weekend for Cook to be moved as teams want to see if they can land someone on Day 2 before pulling the trigger on a trade, but Buffalo's best leverage for a decent return is right now.
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
The Rams would be wise to at least consider trading Matthew Stafford if they can land a high first-round pick in the 2025 class, but he's only one of three NFC West quarterbacks who should be viewed as possible trade bait.
Kyler Murray would be considered more surprising than Stafford and Geno Smith. Arizona has shown no inclination to move Murray, but the timing of a trade now makes sense.
Turning 28 this summer and a season removed from a torn ACL, Murray remains a physically intriguing player who doesn't affect winning in a significant way. He completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 3,851 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions last year and has almost a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio for his career.
Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. are connecting on outbreakers like these more and more often. They're great routes to show off MHJ's route running tempo and footwork. pic.twitter.com/pfOUacHlUf
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) December 16, 2024
Being a dual-threat helps Murray bring more value. He's averaged more than 500 yards and six touchdowns on the ground each season. Arizona still has Murray on its books for another four years and $29.9 million guaranteed, but he'll be angling for more soon.
That looming new deal to get more guaranteed dollars is what could trigger an early trade. Does Arizona want to make Murray more than the 10th-highest-paid quarterback as he is now? If not, then calling the Jets, Giants, or Raiders could be the fastest way to sell high on Murray and help this regime revamp with a rookie in 2025 or 2026.
Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
Trading Garrett Wilson would be a mistake for the New York Jets unless they land a star quarterback. There was speculation the Jets could move Wilson after his displeasure about Aaron Rodgers' presence came out, but the aged quarterback has been informed he's done with the franchise. However, the Jets should still look into trading their best offensive player for one scenario.
The only trade the Jets should consider is part of a two-move plan. Moving the 24-year-old, who will soon want a massive contract extension worth more than $30 million per year, to another team drafting in the top-10 of the 2025 NFL Draft would give the Jets a tremendous package of picks. With the Jets dangling two top-10 selections, Tennessee or Cleveland might be willing to trade down for those picks.
Garrett Wilson
— Mike Vannucci (@WRCoachVannucci) February 14, 2025
Deep Out
Hip shift in his split
Shoulders vertical, he chases vertical
Maintains speed through speed cut pic.twitter.com/1VblMbxjdP
That'd be a high cost for the Jets, but it would be worthwhile if either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders proved to be the savior in New York.
Finding a team in the top 10 that should trade its top pick for Wilson is more difficult, given they'd have to extend him almost immediately. As much as New England, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Carolina, and New Orleans need a playmaker, it's abnormal for a deal like that to happen.
Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers
When Jaycee Horn is healthy, he's a star-level cornerback for the Carolina Panthers. He checks a ton of boxes that teams love at the position, improving his run defense, tackling efficiency, competitiveness at the catch point, and playmaking. He's prone to penalties, but he's only 24 and entering the best years of his career.
Carolina must decide whether to extend Horn on a deal that should average closer to $25 million per year than $20 million. Horn has missed 31 games in four years and is coming off his best and healthiest season yet. If the Panthers don't believe in his durability, then now is the time to bail.
yall remember Jaycee Horn's last game for the Panthers? pic.twitter.com/ImIMg9wDg5
— Blande (@JustBlande) January 17, 2024
The price has to be right, though. The 2025 cornerback class is good but not deep enough to dissuade a team late in the first round from being interested in Horn. Minnesota, Detroit, Buffalo, and Kansas City could easily justify pivoting away from their initial plans to make the trade for their pick.
In return, Carolina could avoid a massive contract on its books and have a good pick in return to swing on a defender who might be available more often.
Laremy Tunsil, LT, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans pulled off a blockbuster trade for Laremy Tunsil six years ago, and they might be willing to revisit that trade now. While Tunsil has been great, earning five Pro Bowl nods and consistently grading as an elite pass-blocker, the 30-year-old needs a new contract soon. As you've noticed with other names on this list, that's the recipe for a trade.
With a cap hit of $28.85 million in each of the next two seasons and Houston needing to free cap space this offseason, the Texans will either extend Tunsil now or move him.
Should Houston open negotiations for Tunsil, there's no reason to believe they'd get anything less than a first-round pick for him. At least 17 teams could talk themselves into acquiring him and either plugging Tunsil in at left tackle or be willing to move their incumbent to make room for him.
A thing of beauty from Bobby Slowik
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 14, 2024
Look at how the speed motion of Brevin Jordan totally pulls JOK out of the play. 44 goes with the toes.
And then the athleticism from Laremy Tunsil. One step and cut upfield.
Touchdown. pic.twitter.com/bIyyipnnGq
It'd be a tough sell to C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans that moving Tunsil now is a good move, but getting younger and cheaper will always be attractive to a front office. Tunsil already has the third-highest left tackle deal in the league, and a new contract will surely put him above Trent Williams at $27.55 million per year.
Considering someone like 2024 first-round tackle J.C. Latham will be paid $1.5 million less than that in four seasons, Houston could at least justify that the cost savings are worth the gamble of moving Tunsil.
