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With rumors growing larger by the hour of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo getting traded, it brings up a solid question for the NFL. Which players can still get traded before the 2026 season?

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While we may not see a clear top-10 player in the league get traded like Antetokounmpo, there are still plenty of names who could be dealt. The NFL offseason is almost complete, but that phone can ring at any time, and with training camp coming up, some players could be on the move. These seven players could still find themselves wearing different colors before Week 1.

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1. Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Las Vegas Raiders

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We’ve already seen Maxx Crosby be traded once this offseason, and we all know how that ended. The Las Vegas Raiders spent most of the offseason denying trade rumors, but Crosby’s name continues to show up in trade rumors even after the debacle with the Baltimore Ravens.

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While Crosby is the type of player any franchise would want to lead its defense, he simply doesn’t fit the Raiders’ timeline. The team is coming off a 3-14 season, which gave them the No. 1 overall pick to select Fernando Mendoza. It’s being reported that despite being selected at first overall, Mendoza won’t start for the Raiders, and it’ll be veteran quaterback Kirk Cousins taking the first-team snaps throughout training camp.

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New head coach Klint Kubiak wants to take it slow with Mendoza and not rush him into anything. While no one will admit it, the team isn’t trying to win in the 2026 season, and the main focus is on the future, with Mendoza at the helm. Crosby is a clear competitor and wants to win, so while it may not be before the season, the Raiders could shop Crosby before the deadline as well. It’s hard to imagine that Crosby will be in the Silver and Black come November.

2. Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

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The Indianapolis Colts have already come out and said they’d be open to letting Anthony Richardson find a new home in the NFL via the trade market. Richardson was a top-five pick and a high-upside player coming out of college, thanks to his physical traits. The gamble with those players is they don’t always pan out, and Richardson hasn’t had the consistency you’d like to see out of an NFL quarterback.

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Richardson has battled injuries, making his career feel like an uphill climb. The Colts have said they haven’t lost faith in Richardson, but as training camp approaches, rumors could intensify. His value in the league remains high with those elite physical traits, and another team with a solidified quaterback room could look to bring Richardson on to see if they have a better chance of developing him.

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3. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, New York Giants

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The New York Giants have an interesting situation on their defense with how loaded the edge room is. The team has Brian Burns and Abdul Carter, who are the clear main pass rushers on the team. With Kayvon Thibodeaux entering a contract year, it makes sense for the team to try to shop him before training camp.

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It feels even more likely with the Giants drafting Arvell Reese in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Reese was viewed as a hybrid linebacker/edge coming out of college, with many anticipating that he’ll transition to a full-time edge rusher sometime in his career. The Giants plan to use Reese as an off-ball linebacker this season, which means the Giants have Thibodeaux, Burns and Carter to rotate out on the edge.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen has said the team isn’t trying to trade Thibodeaux, but that could change when training camp comes around. It makes sense on paper for the Giants to shop him, so don’t be surprised if rumors start to intensify.

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4. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers

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The whole Brandon Aiyuk situation has been a headache for the San Francisco 49ers. It’s clear both parties want to move on, but the 49ers are trying to get something for Aiyuk, and no team has come calling just yet. Aiyuk missed the 2025 season while recovering from an ACL injury, but it later became clear that there were tensions within the organization that had become public.

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49ers general manager John Lynch has acknowledged that trade discussions involving Aiyuk have taken place. With Aiyuk having some interesting social media activity over the past couple of weeks, some expect the move to happen sooner rather than later. Whether the 49ers decide to trade or cut Aiyuk, expect him not to be a part of the 49ers before the season.

5. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

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It’ll be weird to see Alvin Kamara not in a New Orleans Saints jersey, but all signs are pointing in that direction. He’s been one of the Saints’ most recognizable players over the past couple of years, but he’s a veteran offensive player on a team that’s trying to get younger on the offensive side of the ball. While it won’t be for much, the Saints could look to move Kamara to a team that could use his skill set.

The Saints signed Travis Etienne Jr. this offseason, which further signals that the team is open to moving Kamara before the start of the season. Kamar abattled injuries throughout the 2025 season, so a change of scenery could be in place.

6. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Miami Dolphins

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The Miami Dolphins are in a clear rebuild, and a player who’s been talked about being moved is Jordyn Brooks. Brooks is entering the final year of his contract with the Dolphins, and it’s clear he can help a clear contender on the defensive side of the ball. The team the team connected most with has been the Dallas Cowboys, who could still use help at the linebacker position.

Brooks is 28 years old, and by the time the Dolphins are ready to compete for a Super Bowl, he likely won’t be playing like he is right now. Rather than letting him walk next year in free agency, the Dolphins should be on the phones getting something in return for him.

7. Josh Sweat, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals

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I was honestly surprised when Josh Sweat showed up for the Arizona Cardinals’ mandatory minicamp earlier this month. With the Cardinals in a clear rebuild, Sweat doesn’t align with the team’s current timeline. Mix that with the team firing Jonathan Gannon (his previous defensive coordinator in Philadelphia), and you can imagine why both sides would want to move on.

Sweat is a capable pass rusher and can help any team that needs improvement on the edge. With Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons likely missing a chunk of the 2026 season, the Packers could come calling, interested in Sweat. Who is the Packers ‘ defensive coordinator? Gannon.

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Written by

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Daniel Rios

106 Articles

Daniel Rios is a Senior NFL Writer at EssentiallySports who specializes in trade and roster analysis, along with team projections and the season's major storylines. A graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Daniel has written for Sports Illustrated, the LA Daily News, and Sports360AZ. During his time at Arizona State, he covered major events including the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the NFL Combine, gaining hands-on experience at some of football's biggest stages. A lifelong football fan, Daniel has a particular passion for the NFL Draft. He has hosted live draft shows alongside NFL legend Brian Urlacher and produced coverage around the event, and he brings that same energy to his daily reporting for EssentiallySports.

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