NFL Analysis
2/14/25
9 min read
NFL Trade Ideas That Should Happen Before Free Agency
One of the best trends in the NFL is that more general managers and front offices are becoming aggressive with trades. Not too long ago, we would only see one or two “big” trades in the offseason. And now, we fully expect multiple to happen every year that send shockwaves throughout the NFL.
Last year alone, we saw 16 trades in March, the biggest of which sent Brian Burns to the Giants for a second-round pick. A month later, Stefon Diggs, Haason Reddick, and L’Jarius Sneed were all dealt before the draft. The sheer volume of trades has been way up over the last decade, and we are seeing bigger names get dealt more frequently than ever before.
But what trades could happen this year? There have already been a handful of names bounced around, including Deebo Samuel, Myles Garrett, and Cooper Kupp. But what deals should and will get done? Here are four trades that need to happen before the start of the new league year:
Predicting Pre-Free Agency Trades
Myles Garrett To The San Francisco 49ers
49ers Receive: Myles Garrett, EDGE
Browns Receive: No. 11, No. 99, and 2026 2nd Round Pick
Myles Garrett has officially requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns as he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender right away. While the Browns have held firm that they are not trading him, it might be in their best interest to do so and officially start the rebuilding process.
One of the big issues when it comes to trading Garrett is that most of the contenders are drafting in the late 20s. And trading Garrett for a pick that late doesn’t do much. Could they get multiple first-round picks for Garrett? Sure, but just how valuable is a late first-round pick this year and next year?
Instead, they could look to trade him to the 49ers, who hold the No. 11 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 49ers would need to add a few sweeteners, but adding a premium pick to this year’s draft would help accelerate the rebuild.
Using this trade, the Browns might be able to pull off something similar to what the Texans did in 2023. Houston selected C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and then immediately traded up from No. 12 to No. 3 to select Will Anderson. That duo has allowed them to win back-to-back AFC South titles and has gotten them to the divisional round each year.
Could the Browns do something similar? For example, taking Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 and then immediately adding his former teammate, Travis Hunter, at pick No. 3 or No. 4 via a trade-up? It’s not impossible, but the options would be unlimited for a team that desperately needs a reset.
Meanwhile, the 49ers could pair Garrett with another former Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa, giving them the best pass-rush duo… in NFL history. The 49ers have an older roster, and they will be all-in for 2025, so giving away a first-round pick for a future Hall-of-Fame player in his prime doesn’t seem like an overpay.
This would instantly make the 49ers the team to beat in the NFC West and would give them the pass rushers to match up against all of the elite teams in the conference. It would take some maneuvering with the cap to make it work, but this is a slam-dunk trade for John Lynch, who has a history of being highly aggressive when it comes to trades.
Tee Higgins To Washington Commanders
Commanders Receive: Tee Higgins, WR
Bengals Receive: Pick No. 61 from Commanders
The Bengals would be foolish to let Tee Higgins hit free agency this offseason. Higgins would be the best receiver to hit free agency in the last decade, and as many as a dozen teams would be willing to offer him $30 million a year. The smart move for the Bengals would be to lock in Higgins for the next three to four seasons and keep a strength strong.
However, the Bengals don’t operate like most front offices, and the thought of paying Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Orlando Brown top-end contracts might be too much for them to handle on offense. If the Bengals do come to that conclusion, they do have options without letting Higgins leave without receiving some sort of compensation.
The Bengals could franchise tag Higgins for a second time, which would guarantee him $26.17 million. That is still well below what he would make on the open market, but it would allow the Bengals to keep his rights. However, the Bengals could then look for trades, and several teams would be willing to give up assets for the right to acquire Higgins. One of those teams is the Washington Commanders, who have tons of cap space and are ready to compete for a Super Bowl right now.
Washington has the third-most effective cap space in the league and needs a No. 2 receiver. Paying Higgins top-of-the-market money wouldn’t be an issue for the Commanders. But what would they need to give up to get him? How about pick No. 61, which is at the bottom of Round 2. Giving up assets to pay a player right away usually isn’t good business, but the Commanders can’t afford to wait. Their Super Bowl window is right now with Jayden Daniels on a rookie contract.
This isn’t an ideal situation for the Bengals, but at least it gives them another pick inside the top 64 that they could use to rebuild the offensive line or the defense. It would also free up some cap space so they can afford to keep players like Trey Hendrickson and Mike Hilton on defense. This should be the worst-case scenario for the Bengals if they aren’t able to agree to a long-term deal with Higgins.
Mark Andrews To Los Angeles Chargers
Chargers Receive: Mark Andrews, TE
Ravens Receive: Pick No. 86
The Ravens enter the 2025 offseason with some big decisions that will need to be made. They have just under $6 million in cap space and have a few big-time starters hitting free agency, including Ronnie Stanley. But one decision that they’ll need to make is what to do at tight end.
Mark Andrews has been a very productive player for the Ravens over the last several years, but Isaiah Likely is entering the final year of his contract, and it’s clear that he is the future at tight end. Andrews is also in the final year of his deal, and he is set to count nearly $17 million against the cap.
Andrews is coming off arguably the worst game of his career, fumbling a ball in the middle of the field and dropping the tying 2-point conversion. He had a good year for Baltimore, but Likely is the player that makes this offense more dynamic and explosive. Could the Ravens decide to move on this offseason, save some cap space, and move Likely into a full-time role? That seems possible, as the Ravens are a team that tends to be proactive when it comes to moving on from players a year early.
Changing scenery might not be a bad thing for Andrews, especially if he can land in Los Angeles with another Harbaugh. Greg Roman is the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, and Andrews had some of his best seasons under him in Baltimore. It would be an easy fit for both parties, and Andrews would still play with a top-end quarterback who loves nothing more than throwing the ball down the middle of the field.
Tight end is a major weakness for the Chargers and adding a veteran like Andrews for a late third-round pick would solve that need. An offense built around Ladd McConkey and Mark Andrews and a strong run game would be fun to watch in 2025 as the Chargers look to finally break through.
DK Metcalf To Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders Receive: DK Metcalf, Pick No. 137
Seahawks Receive: Pick No. 37
There has been some speculation for a while that DK Metcalf could be traded at some point. With the development of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks have their No. 1 receiver around whom to build their passing attack. Seattle also has several big-time free agents coming up for deals, including Geno Smith, Kenneth Walker, and Charles Cross.
Metcalf’s cap number currently sits at $31.8M for the 2025 season, but there is no guaranteed money left on his deal. He is set to become a free agent in the 2026 offseason and would certainly like to earn another payday right now. Metcalf is only 28, but it’s clear that he is no longer an ever-down No. 1 receiver. Instead, he is a really nice downfield threat in a good offense. With the Seahawks tight up against the cap, it would be a smart decision to move on and recoup some draft capital as they rebuild the roster.
The Raiders desperately need speed on the outside, but they have the rest of the pieces on offense to be a really good unit. Brock Bowers might be the best tight end in the league, and Jakobi Meyers is a fantastic No. 2 receiver. Michael Mayer and Tre Tucker give them depth and talent in the passing game, but they need a vertical X receiver that can keep the safeties from crowding the line of scrimmage.
We know how much Pete Carroll loves Metcalf, and there would be no problem with him fitting into the culture of Las Vegas. Giving up a second-round pick feels a bit steep, but a third-round pick probably wouldn’t get it done.
If the Raiders can secure a quarterback in free agency like Sam Darnold, this trade makes even more sense, as they will want to surround him with plenty of weapons. And then, they can use the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to shore up the offensive line or to continue to build the defense. Either way, those two moves (adding Darnold and trading for Metcalf) help the Raiders become relevant right away, and that’s Carroll's goal.
