In past years, I've written a column running through the NFL's top players and identifying which of them would land a first-round pick (or more) via trade. Most of the time, it's a thought exercise. Like in last summer's edition: The Chiefs aren't trading Patrick Mahomes. The Bengals aren't trading Ja'Marr Chase. The Cowboys definitely aren't trading Micah Parsons.
Well ... then the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers, and it kicked off a run of trades involving significant draft hauls. Sauce Gardner was shipped out for two first-round picks. Quinnen Williams landed first- and second-round picks for the Jets. Dexter Lawrence II became the third player since 2000 to be traded for a top-10 pick. Maxx Crosby was briefly dealt for two first-round picks before the trade was annulled. And on the same day that the Patriots sent a first-round pick to the Eagles for A.J. Brown, the Rams stole the headlines by trading three picks and Jared Verse to the Browns for Myles Garrett, who will join Trent McDuffie as trade acquisitions on a new-look Rams defense.
Whew. This isn't much of a thought exercise anymore, as we've seen teams around the NFL willing to listen on and trade for some of the league's biggest superstars. And so today, having witnessed a year of huge deals, I'm here to update that look into trade values around the league.
Now, this isn't the price to pry anyone away at any cost. You can stack up all the draft picks in the world, and the Bills aren't going to trade Josh Allen when they don't have another answer at quarterback. Consider what it would cost if a team decided that it was willing to trade a player at a given position, as the Cowboys eventually decided with Parsons and the Browns with Garrett. And while it's going to be virtually impossible to rack up unlimited draft picks in the first round to get the biggest deals done -- especially since the current CBA only allows teams to trade picks up to three years into the future -- consider that players can stand in for draft picks in these deals, as Verse did with the Garrett swap.
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Positions such as quarterback, edge rusher and wide receiver tend to deliver more significant returns than spots such as running back, tight end and off-ball linebacker, which also aligns with what those players get for their contracts. With players selected in Round 1 in this year's draft, I'm taking a relatively conservative approach given how the league generally valued what was perceived to be a weak class. Players taken in the top 10 would likely fetch a first-round pick or more in trades, but once we get to No. 11 and on, things aren't quite as clear, especially for players who don't play premium spots in the lineup.
This is an attempt to reflect how the league views players as opposed to my personal opinion, although my thoughts are naturally going to be part of the conversation. And I've had to evolve after seeing how the league has approached the past 12 months. My last cut from the first-round pick tier in last year's article was Lawrence, and I was wrong. Even after a frustrating season, he was dealt to the Bengals for the No. 10 selection. We've seen teams really get aggressive targeting proven pass rushers and defensive disruptors, even if they're older than the players who would have typically landed first-round picks in the past. I've built that into this year's list, which means more players will qualify for potential first-round picks this time around.
Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Seven first-round picks: QB Josh Allen. Let's start with the most significant and impossible valuation in the league. Allen, who just finished atop Jeremy Fowler's poll of league executives as the league's best quarterback, has been a superstar for the Bills over the past six seasons. He has done it without anything resembling an elite receiver, all while adding significant value with his legs on scrambles and designed runs.
Allen turned 30 in May, so there are undoubtedly QBs who would potentially be available deeper into the future than the Bills star. Given that he hasn't missed a start since 2018, though, Allen might offer more stability over the next six to seven years than any other quarterback in football. And of those younger passers, there isn't really another one who has had the same multiyear run of MVP-level performance that Allen has exhibited over the past half-decade.
Having just signed a new contract a year ago, Allen isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If he did suddenly hit the trade market, though? Teams would be competing against each other to acquire enough first-round picks to satisfy Buffalo's demands for what would be a historic deal. Is the right number five? Six? Nine? 10? It's a lot, whatever it is, and nobody would cost more.
One first-round pick: OT Spencer Brown, Edge Greg Rousseau, DT Ed Oliver. There's understandably a major dropoff from Allen to the rest of the roster in terms of trade value. Here's where we see the increased prices for defensive line talent coming into play. Rousseau's a very good edge on a reasonable contract, but he hasn't ever topped eight sacks in a single season. Oliver's capable of being a game-wrecker when he's healthy, but the 28-year-old hasn't played a full season since 2021 and missed most of 2025 with ankle, biceps and knee injuries. They would have been honorable mentions by last year's valuations, but things have changed.
Missing out: RB James Cook III, TE Dalton Kincaid, OT Dion Dawkins, CB Maxwell Hairston. Cook's right up there with the league's best backs when he's playing well, and he's on a relatively modest deal for a veteran runner, but his seven fumbles in 2025 color his impact. We also haven't seen teams paying first-round picks for veteran backs in recent years, although Christian McCaffrey netted the Panthers what cumulatively amounted to a first-round pick when he was dealt for second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round selections.
Miami Dolphins
One first-round pick: DT Kenneth Grant, OT Patrick Paul, OT/G Kadyn Proctor. Well, they're rebuilding for a reason, right? The Dolphins are turning over their roster after the Tua Tagovailoa era failed to yield a playoff victory, and there are not many players who would clearly land the team a first-round selection. Grant and Proctor are two of the team's most recent first-round picks. Grant didn't do much as a rookie a year ago, but as a player who went in the top half of a deeper, more talented 2025 class, I still think there would be meaningful interest.
Paul's probably this team's best building block at the moment. After serving as a swing tackle in 2024, the 24-year-old entered the starting lineup at left tackle in 2025 and held his own amid what can only be described as a cratering season for Miami. Paul would occasionally get beat around the edge, but he was a solid pass blocker and impactful as a mobile run blocker in Mike McDaniel's run game. If he takes another step forward in 2026, Paul could be a real shining spot for the Dolphins, who famously turned another young left tackle into a haul of first-round picks.
Missing out: RB De'Von Achane, C Aaron Brewer, LB Jordyn Brooks, CB Chris Johnson, Edge Chop Robinson. I had Brewer and Brooks on my first-team All-Pro roster in 2025, but they both play relatively undervalued positions and are already in their peak seasons as 28-year-olds. Johnson was just a first-round pick in the 2026 draft, but as the 27th selection, he falls into the range where I'm not quite as confident every team would see the San Diego State product as a first-round pick.
Would Achane still be a Dolphins player if he could have commanded a first-round pick? New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan talked about Achane as a building block after his hire and eventually signed the speedy back to a four-year, $64 million extension, but I wonder if the Dolphins might have changed their mind if somebody had put a first-round pick on the table in a potential Achane swap before the new contract.
New England Patriots
Six first-round picks: QB Drake Maye. Well, when you're a 23-year-old quarterback who came within a couple of votes of winning league MVP in your second season, you're going to be worth a lot! We've seen quarterbacks make this sort of early-career leap and then stagnate before eventually leaving the organization, as Carson Wentz did after his breakout second season in Philadelphia. But Maye's auspicious 2025 campaign has to inspire confidence that he'll be a high-end QB for the next decade, if not longer.
Maye also offers a significant financial advantage on quarterbacks such as Allen, given that he's a year away from even being eligible for a contract extension. While the Patriots will surely make Maye the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history 12 months from now, they'll be able to use the fourth year of his rookie deal and a fifth-year option as a runway to smooth out the cap hits and cash payout of that contract. We could make a case that Maye is more valuable than Allen and should command more first-rounders given his age, but I do think there might be some hesitation about what Maye did in the postseason, when he wasn't the same caliber of quarterback against much stiffer competition. Even with that in mind, we're still talking about one of the most valuable players in all of football.
Two first-round picks: CB Christian Gonzalez. The Sauce Gardner trade pegged the going rate for elite young cornerbacks as two first-rounders. Gonzalez is an even better player than Gardner, combining outstanding man coverage ability with excellent tackling and better work against the run. The only weakness you could point to from Bill Belichick's final first-round pick is health; Gonzalez has missed 17 games over his first three seasons with various injuries.
One first-round pick and more: OT Will Campbell. Campbell was a top-five pick a year ago in a much better draft, and while the LSU product saw his first season end in brutal fashion as he was overwhelmed in the Super Bowl, closer inspection has suggested that his struggles were a product of returning quickly from a knee injury as opposed to issues with his levers. Campbell was playing solid football before the injury, and there are enough teams that see him as a left tackle (and need help at the position) to justify something more than a first-rounder for a player who is still only 22.
One first-round pick: WR A.J. Brown, DT Milton Williams. Brown was just dealt for a first-round pick, of course. And Williams became one of the highest-paid defenders when the Patriots outbid the Panthers for him in free agency. While he had never really been a full-time starter up to that point, he excelled in his debut season with the Pats. The contract would be onerous, but again, we've seen teams line up to add impact defensive linemen over the past 12 months. Williams is firmly in that category now.
Missing out: DT Christian Barmore. While Barmore appeared on the track to stardom after a breakout 2023 campaign, a scary case of blood clots limited the former second-round pick to four games in 2024. Barmore thankfully returned and played well last season, but there would be some hesitation about his future on the trade market.
New York Jets
One first-round pick and more: Edge David Bailey, WR Garrett Wilson. Both players came close to the two first-round pick category for me, but Bailey's concerns holding up against the run might give teams that want to play with light boxes and ask more out of their edge defenders on early downs some pause. Wilson is coming off an injury-impacted 2025 and hasn't had that truly great season that would launch him into the top tier of wide receivers (although I'd chalk that up to bad quarterback play).
One first-round pick: OT Olu Fashanu, OT Armand Membou, TE Kenyon Sadiq. Both Jets tackles might also be close to landing something more than a first-rounder. Membou might be the better player of the two, but Fashanu improved after an uneven rookie season and was much more consistent in Year 2. Fashanu also plays left tackle for the Jets, making him a more valuable proposition in trades. Playing in front of a more stable QB situation would make both tackles look better, but both Fashanu and Membou would be easy first-round picks again in redrafts of their respective draft classes.
Missing out: RB Breece Hall, WR Omar Cooper Jr. Reports last season suggested that the Jets would have dealt Hall for a third-round pick, with the best incoming offer only landing as a fourth-round selection from the Chiefs. Cooper was a late first-round pick, and while he plays a premium position, the Indiana product will need to prove himself at the pro level to establish more confidence in that grade to other organizations.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Two first-round picks and more: QB Lamar Jackson. Here's one of the biggest gaps between my own personal evaluation and how other teams seem to feel about a player. I've consistently suggested that Jackson is one of the league's best players when healthy, but the lack of interest in attempting to acquire Jackson when he was available as a franchise player before the 2023 season was also telling.
Since then, Jackson has won his second MVP award and comes close to winning a third, but he has also missed more time with another injury in 2025 and hasn't been able to make a deep playoff run. He also turns 30 in January, and there will be teams worried about whether Jackson's style of play will lend itself to a quicker aging curve. I'd probably have this somewhere closer to four first-rounders, and I do think somebody would take the plunge if they were confident the Ravens were really willing to move their star quarterback, but Jackson's a unique case.
Two first-round picks: S Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton is one, too. He plays a position that the league typically does not value with significant hauls. Jamal Adams is one notable exception, having been dealt from the Jets to the Seahawks for two first-round picks after his age-24 season. Hamilton just finished that age-24 campaign for the Ravens and is a better-rounded player than Adams. I wouldn't be shocked if Hamilton stuffed the stat sheet in 2026 and was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate while playing under Jesse Minter. He's four years into what projects to be a Hall of Fame career.
One first-round pick: WR Zay Flowers, G Olaivavega Ioane, CB Nate Wiggins. Flowers and Wiggins have established themselves as Pro Bowl-caliber young players without necessarily hitting superstar heights. Flowers might be closer after racking up 1,211 yards in his third season with the organization. The only downside for him is his age; he turns 26 in September, which is older than most players entering their fourth seasons as pros. Flowers is only a couple of months younger than Ja'Marr Chase, who entered the NFL two years earlier. Teams do factor those ages in as they consider deals.
Missing out: Edge Trey Hendrickson, DT Nnamdi Madubuike, LB Roquan Smith. Madubuike would be an easy candidate for a Quinnen Williams-sized haul if he were healthy, but there's still uncertainty about the 28-year-old's future after he suffered a neck injury a year ago. He is expected to return this season, and the Ravens will need him; over the past three years, they have the league's third-best pressure rate with their star defensive tackle on the field and its second worst without him.
Cincinnati Bengals
Four first-round picks: QB Joe Burrow. Bengals fans worried about losing their star quarterback understandably don't want to hear about Burrow's trade value. If Burrow does try to force his way out of Cincinnati in the years to come, though, we might get a sense of what a truly elite quarterback in the prime of his career might actually land in terms of a trade return.
Deshaun Watson cost the Browns three first-round picks, a third-rounder and a pair of fourth-rounders, but that deal was also under different circumstances. Watson was already facing a potential suspension after being accused of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. He had just spent the prior year away from football after essentially holding out for the entire 2021 season as part of his trade demand. And obviously, Watson's complete collapse with the Browns and how dramatically it set Cleveland back as a franchise would give general managers pause in trading so much for one player.
With that being said, Burrow doesn't have many of the same concerns that came with Watson at the time of the deal. He's older than Watson was at the time of the trade, as he is turning 30 in December. He has also had injuries affect his 2023 and 2025 campaigns, and he has a significant knee injury in his past. I have no doubt that somebody would be willing to offer a record-setting deal for Burrow if he was ever going to be traded, but four first-round picks and maybe a Day 3 pick feels like it would be the right return given what Watson landed the Texans.
Two first-round picks: WR Ja'Marr Chase. This would be a lot to pay for a wide receiver already making just over $40 million per season, but Chase has been remarkably productive since entering the league and just turned 26 in March. Even while missing a chunk of his second season due to injury, Chase has more receiving yards through his age-25 season than any player in NFL history besides Justin Jefferson.
One first-round pick: WR Tee Higgins, DT Dexter Lawrence II, CB DJ Turner II. Higgins has repeatedly struggled with frustrating injuries over the past few seasons, and with a significant contract on the books, I'm not sure there would be the same sort of market for him as there was a year or two ago. Turner took a big step forward on an otherwise disappointing defense in 2025 and was one of the league's best cover corners. Another season like that and he would be worth even more, although the Bengals will need to sign their former second-round pick to an extension to avoid losing him for free.
Cleveland Browns
One first-round pick and more: Edge Jared Verse. I had Verse on the precipice of being worth two first-round picks, but I think the Myles Garrett trade implies that he's worth somewhere between one and two first-rounders. Either way, we're talking about an incredibly imposing pass rusher who profiles as a future superstar, if he isn't already one. Verse turns 26 in November, so he's not quite as young as his lack of NFL experience would suggest, but he's a hugely valuable player still years away from free agency.
One first-round pick: OT Spencer Fano, DT Mason Graham, LB Carson Schwesinger. Graham was a useful rotation piece in his debut season, but the Browns will hope that the 2025 fifth-overall pick puts together a more consistently impactful year in 2026. Schwesinger, the first pick in the second round of last year's draft, just won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Teams don't typically trade first-round picks for off-ball linebackers, but Schwesinger looks like he's already a star.
Missing out: TE Harold Fannin Jr., CB Denzel Ward. Fannin was another impressive member of Cleveland's 2025 draft class, but tight end is a position teams haven't really sent out first-round picks to acquire very often over the past two decades, and it's one of the lowest-paid positions in the league on veteran deals. Ward's still playing at a high level, but at 29, there probably won't be the sort of market Browns fans would hope for if the organization ships out the veteran cornerback. Jalen Ramsey's trade to the Dolphins (for a third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long) is a reminder of how difficult it can be to deal even elite cornerbacks as they approach 30.
Pittsburgh Steelers
One first-round pick: DT Keeanu Benton, OT Troy Fautanu, C Zach Frazier, DT Derrick Harmon, Edge Nick Herbig, CB Joey Porter Jr. Having invested heavily along the line of scrimmage in the draft over the past few years, the Steelers are loaded with talented young linemen on both sides of the ball. Fautanu established himself as a very good right tackle in his first full season, and if he can hold up under the strain of a potential move to left tackle this year, he would be worth even more in a potential swap.
Porter's the one player off the line of scrimmage here, and I can see Steelers fans wanting more. He was essentially a first-round pick, having been selected with the 32nd pick in a year when the Dolphins forfeited their first-rounder. And Porter has been excellent over his first three seasons, notably while allowing a 57.2 passer rating in coverage last season. The Steelers don't seem close to a new deal with their top cornerback, though, and as a second-round pick, Porter is only one year away from unrestricted free agency. Teams might want to wait and see if they can land Porter for free on the open market in 12 months.
Missing out: WR DK Metcalf, Edge T.J. Watt. Metcalf was dealt for a second-round pick last season and then endured a frustrating first season with the Steelers, which would limit his trade market. Watt's a future Hall of Famer, but after a 19-sack season in 2023, he has 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons combined. As an extremely expensive player who turns 32 in October, Watt would only make sense for a handful of teams that see him as the last piece of a Super Bowl puzzle.
Remember that the Broncos only got second- and third-round picks for Von Miller when they dealt their legendary edge rusher to the Rams, and that was with Denver paying down the rest of Miller's salary in the process.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Two first-round picks and more: Edge Will Anderson Jr., QB C.J. Stroud. The newly minted highest-paid defender in football just got much more expensive, but there would still be plenty of teams desperate to add the wildly explosive Anderson to their roster. He was a deserved first-team All-Pro last season and doesn't turn 25 until September. He would net something very close to the Micah Parsons haul in a deal, although Parsons was more productive before his initial trade than Anderson has been so far.
I asked a handful of people around the league about Stroud and his potential trade value if the Texans choose not to sign him to a long-term contract and generally got two responses. One was an immediate response that he's still a really valuable quarterback. The other was a long pause and a sigh before something far less confident came out of the other person's mouth. "I'm glad it's not my problem" is what I heard from one team that already has its quarterback under contract.
Coaches and executives tend to have longer memories than fans, and while Stroud was disastrously bad during this past postseason, the 2023 second overall pick was solid enough during the regular season, with his 11th-placed finish in Total QBR placing Stroud ahead of guys such as Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff. He has been a consistently above-average quarterback despite playing behind inconsistent offensive lines and nonexistant run games throughout his pro career so far. And if you place stock in wins, well, Stroud is just the third quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game in each of his first three pro seasons after Otto Graham and Russell Wilson.
And yet, it's also fair to wonder if Stroud will ever be able to meaningfully build on his rookie season, which itself was driven by an unsustainably low interception rate and an 8.2 yards per attempt figure, neither of which Stroud has come close to matching since. I still think Stroud's more than a midlevel quarterback, but it's unclear whether the 24-year-old really has the sort of elite-level ceiling he hinted toward as a rookie.
Teams would still want to have Stroud on their roster, but him on a rookie deal is a very different proposition than him on a contract north of $60 million per season, especially with a couple of first-round picks going out as part of the trade package.
One first-round pick and more: CB Derek Stingley Jr. Stingley has played as well as any cornerback over the past couple of years, with a pair of first-team All-Pro nods only confirming his success. There would just be a couple of minor concerns here. One is injury, as Stingley missed 14 games over his first two campaigns. The other would be context, as Stingley has spent his career primarily playing zone coverage behind an elite pass rush. Some teams might be hesitant to pay two first-round picks unless they think they're landing someone capable of shutting down receivers in man coverage week after week.
One first-round pick: WR Nico Collins, Edge Danielle Hunter, CB Kamari Lassiter. Hunter would be a fascinating case. He turns 32 in October and has a ton of tread on his tires, having played nearly 8,000 pro snaps after entering the league as a 21-year-old. Even after missing all of 2020 with a neck injury, though, Hunter has come back and continued to thrive, racking up 27 sacks over the past two seasons. He would be the ultimate single-season rental if the Texans disappointed next year and decided to trade away one of their star veterans.
Indianapolis Colts
Two first-round picks: CB Sauce Gardner. With the benefit of hindsight, I'm not sure the Colts would trade two first-round picks for Gardner again, given that they lost Daniel Jones shortly thereafter and ended up missing the postseason entirely. As a 24-year-old with multiple first-team All-Pro appearances under his belt, though, Gardner's an elite player who should still have years of excellent football ahead. I like his chances of exceeding expectations after a full offseason under Lou Anarumo in Indianapolis.
One first-round pick and more: Edge Laiatu Latu. The 15th pick in the 2024 draft, Latu quietly took an important step forward in his second season with the Colts, racking up 8.5 sacks and 20 knockdowns. He's also a solid run defender with the physicality to reliably take on offensive linemen pulling his way. He's not as exciting or as promising as Jared Verse, but I'm not sure there's a huge gap between the two as they each enter Year 3 of their respective careers.
One first-round pick: TE Tyler Warren. Warren was everything the Colts could have asked for as a rookie, when his versatility and ability with the ball in his hands made him an incredibly useful part of the Indianapolis offense. The issue is simply that teams don't typically trade first-round picks or even use them for tight ends. Warren's status as a mid-first-rounder in the 2025 draft and his success as a rookie would lead more teams to consider him as a useful option.
Missing out: DT DeForest Buckner, G Quenton Nelson, WR Alec Pierce, RB Jonathan Taylor. Four excellent players with four different cases. Buckner was still extremely impactful on tape in 2025, but he suffered a neck injury and then reaggravated it after returning late in the season. That would give teams pause for a player who turned 32 in March, even one as talented as Buckner.
Nelson and Taylor are both playing at a high level, but they play guard and running back, respectively. Nelson's younger than Joe Thuney, but consider that the Chiefs got only a fourth-round pick when they dealt their veteran guard to the Bears last offseason. Pierce had a breakout year and offers the sort of downfield speed teams covet, but there are undoubtedly teams that see his new contract and its $28.5 million average salary as too rich for Pierce's established level of production.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Two first-round picks and more: QB Trevor Lawrence. This is a relatively optimistic view of Lawrence, who has fluctuated from potential problem contract to franchise quarterback over the past few years in Jacksonville. Lawrence was excellent over the final six games of 2025, averaging more than 8 yards per attempt while throwing 15 touchdowns against one pick. But that was also immediately preceded by a three-interception game against the Cardinals.
It's probably realistic to accept Lawrence for what he is at this point: a talented-yet-inconsistent quarterback who can make plays with his arms and legs but also puts the ball in danger more often than coaches would like.
One first-round pick: Edge Josh Hines-Allen, CB/WR Travis Hunter, WR Brian Thomas Jr., Edge Travon Walker. Hunter's value might fluctuate more from team to team than any other young player in the NFL. If you think he's really still a potentially elite player on both sides of the football, one first-round pick might be a bargain for Hunter, who cost the Jags two first-rounders when they moved up to acquire him a year ago. He wasn't a consistent impact player on either side as a rookie, and a guy who can just play a bunch of snaps on both sides of the ball is more of a party trick than a cornerstone.
My belief is that he ends up as a high-end cornerback who plays a few occasional snaps at wide receiver, similar to what Patrick Peterson did during his time with the Cardinals. Hunter will have to prove he's that caliber of corner in the years to come.
Tennessee Titans
Two first-round picks: QB Cam Ward. Do you believe the numbers or your eyes? Ward was the worst quarterback in the league by Total QBR in 2025, taking an astronomical number of sacks while failing to complete even 60% of his passes or average at least 6 yards per attempt. Watching the Titans more closely, though, I saw a quarterback who consistently got to the right answers and made plays out of structure, only to be let down by dismal tackle play and one of the worst receiving corps in the league.
Ward wasn't a consensus first overall pick last year and didn't have the sort of résumé that projected him as a generational quarterback prospect, so there are surely organizations who don't view him as a legitimate quarterback of the future. I still think there are plenty of teams that would see Ward as a very exciting prospect after Year 1, though. He should be worth either a lot more or a lot less this time next year.
One first-round pick and more: DT Jeffery Simmons. Great player on a bad defense? If the Titans hadn't signed Simmons to a much-deserved extension this offseason, they would have been pointing at the Quinnen Williams trade as the baseline for a Simmons move. I'd argue that the four-time Pro Bowler's even more impactful than his counterpart in Dallas, with Simmons simply willing the Titans' defense to stops at times last season by overwhelming overmatched linemen. He's still wildly underrated.
One first-round pick: G Peter Skoronski, WR Carnell Tate. Skoronski has steadily grown after a difficult rookie season to become one of the best guards in the league. He's about to get a much-deserved raise. Tate was a top-five pick at a premium position, which would typically figure out to be something more than a first-round pick on the trade market, but this was a weak draft, and I think there are teams that see Tate as something closer to a very good wide receiver prospect than a great one. I'm optimistic Tate lands somewhere around what Emeka Egbuka did as a rookie, which would bump him up a tier on the next list.
Missing out: Edge Keldric Faulk. I like the 31st pick's fit as a very solid run defender on a defense that will probably play a lot of light boxes under Robert Saleh in 2026. But at 275 pounds, Faulk might not have the pass-rush prowess that inspires teams to ship out a first-round pick.
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Two first-round picks and more: CB Pat Surtain II. If Gardner netted the Jets two first-round picks, well, the Broncos should and would ask for more in a potential Surtain deal. He's comfortably the best cornerback in football, with penalty yardage as the only real hole in what he brings to the table. The Broncos have an excellent pass rush, which makes the second-generation corner's life easier, but Surtain just turned 26 and should be playing at an elite level for years to come.
One first-round pick and more: DT Zach Allen, Edge Nik Bonitto, QB Bo Nix. Allen has been an excellent free agent addition for the Broncos, who took a swing on the defensive tackle after one breakout season in Arizona. Allen has a whopping 87 quarterback knockdowns over the past two seasons, 20 more than any other player. He would land a Quinnen Williams-sized return for the Broncos.
Nix was a difficult quarterback to triangulate. He has been roughly a league-average quarterback over his first two years, ranking 18th and then 15th in QBR. Nix generates real value by avoiding sacks, keeping turnovers relatively low and using his legs to generate first downs, but he also struggles with his accuracy and consistency. He has had a great offensive line and gets to work with Sean Payton, but Nix also hasn't had a reliable run game or much at receiver behind Courtland Sutton before the arrival of Jaylen Waddle this offseason.
Age matters here, as Nix is only a few months younger than Trevor Lawrence, who has three more years of pro experience. I'm not sure teams would be as thrilled about Nix without Payton designing the offense, and Nix might be the sort of quarterback who provides real value on a rookie contract before sapping a team on a more expensive deal. But if he can take a step forward and connect on downfield throws more often with Waddle in the fold, Nix will be a much more valuable player in 2027 and beyond.
One first-round pick: WR Jaylen Waddle, G Quinn Meinerz. Waddle was just dealt for a first-round pick. And Meinerz is an elite run-blocking guard in the prime of his career with two first-team All-Pro nods over the past two seasons. He also hasn't missed a game over that span.
Missing out: OT Garett Bolles. I was glad to see the wildly underrated Bolles earn a first-team All-Pro spot for the first time last season. But at 34, Bolles is one of several veteran tackles who wouldn't be able to command a first-round pick in a trade strictly because of his age.
Kansas City Chiefs
Seven first-round picks: QB Patrick Mahomes. Would a torn ACL stop anyone from trading the farm to land Mahomes? I'm of the opinion that Allen is the best quarterback in football at the moment, having outplayed Mahomes over the past three seasons, but Mahomes' postseason halo and remarkably consistent success before 2025 would undoubtedly charm teams, too. Mahomes turns 31 in November, so there would be some hesitation about committing too many future picks given his age and the knee injury. But that could still mean a decade of high-level quarterback play from arguably the best player of his generation.
One first-round pick: CB Mansoor Delane, C Creed Humphrey, DT Chris Jones, Edge George Karlaftis, OT Josh Simmons, G Trey Smith. The player most likely to rise out of this group next year might be Simmons, who was quietly very impressive in his rookie season when available. He played only eight games because he left the team for undisclosed reasons and then suffered a wrist injury, but he was reliable and effective as a pass blocker. No player who saw as many snaps as Simmons was left one-on-one as a pass blocker more often. If he can stay on the field for 17 games in 2026, Simmons could be regarded as one of the league's better young left tackles.
The guy who might be most likely to fall out, surprisingly, could be Jones. It was notable that the Chiefs didn't restructure Jones' deal after the season to create cap space, suggesting that they might try to move on from the 32-year-old after 2026, at which point there will be no remaining guaranteed money left on his contract. Jones has just 12 sacks and 45 knockdowns over the past two seasons, although he appears far more effective getting after the quarterback when you turn on Chiefs tape. We'll see whether the additions of Peter Woods, R Mason Thomas and Khyiris Tonga make life easier for Jones.
Missing out: WR Rashee Rice, WR Xavier Worthy. While both of Kansas City's young wideouts have flashed as pros, neither has put together the sort of résumé that would justify a first-round pick. Rice's off-the-field issues make it difficult to imagine the Chiefs feeling confident about signing him to a second contract, and Worthy wasn't able to build on an impressive Super Bowl after suffering an injury in Week 1 a year ago.
Las Vegas Raiders
Three first-round picks: QB Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza wasn't even regarded as a likely first-round pick in some circles heading into the 2025 college football season, but he quickly dismissed any doubts about what he could do in the Big Ten after transferring to Indiana. Just as Joe Burrow did before his unexpected rise to the top pick, Mendoza produced one of the great college football seasons in recent memory, averaging more than 9 yards per attempt while leading the Hoosiers to an unlikely national title.
I'm not sure everyone sees Mendoza as a high-end quarterback prospect, but there's plenty to like in the 22-year-old's profile. When he signs his rookie deal, Mendoza will be five years away from even requiring a franchise tag, giving an acquiring team a chance at massive surplus value if the quarterback lives up to expectations. The Raiders weren't trading away the first pick, but if they had, I don't think two late first-rounders would have sufficed.
One first-round pick and more: Edge Maxx Crosby. The Raiders were about to trade Crosby to the Ravens for two first-round picks, of course, but that deal fell through after Crosby's physical. The fact that Vegas didn't quickly find a new home for Crosby suggests that it wasn't able to land another deal with two first-round picks from another team. Crosby would still net a first-rounder, and if he's healthy and productive to begin the season, I wouldn't be surprised if the veteran's value creeped back up toward those two first-round picks.
One first-round pick: TE Brock Bowers, RB Ashton Jeanty. Top-10 picks don't lose significant value over the course of one year without a serious injury, so I still think there would be real interest in Jeanty if the Raiders did decide to move on from their second-year halfback. Remember that the Browns got a first-round pick from the Colts for Trent Richardson midway through the 2012 No. 3 pick's second season in the league. Jeanty's debut campaign was actually eerily similar to Richardson's in terms of production, but let's hope he can do more in his second pro season.
Missing out: C Tyler Linderbaum. Linderbaum will be a valuable player for Mendoza as the Raiders rebuild their offense, but it's tough to imagine teams both paying Linderbaum's $27 million salary and giving up a first-round pick for the privilege of doing so.
Los Angeles Chargers
Four first-round picks and more: QB Justin Herbert. Herbert hasn't yet put together the MVP season that so many people think he's capable of producing, but just about every coach in football would be desperate to have a quarterback with Herbert's arm strength and throwing talent. At 28, Herbert is a couple of years younger than Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, which also helps a bit. Injuries are a real concern (even if Herbert plays through them), but I have him just slightly ahead of Joe Burrow in terms of trade value because of the age gap.
Two first-round picks: OT Joe Alt. I think that the maximum trade value for right tackles is probably somewhere around one first-round pick and one second-round pick. Alt tops that by virtue of his experience at left tackle, both at Notre Dame and while filling in for the injured Rashawn Slater last season. Alt also missed most of 2025 because of ankle injuries, but he was immediately elite as a rookie and still has three years of cost control remaining on his rookie deal.
One first-round pick and more: OT Rashawn Slater. The best case and most likely scenario is that Slater comes back from his ruptured patellar tendon and again plays at a high level, but smooth returns from serious incidents are never guaranteed. Ronnie Stanley, who also suffered a serious injury shortly after signing a significant contract in 2020, wasn't the same player for years afterward and missed significant time. Slater has missed the better part of two seasons between a torn biceps in 2022 and the patella injury in 2025, which would scare some teams given his $28.5 million average salary.
One first-round pick: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Edge Tuli Tuipulotu. Tuipulotu continues to improve and racked up a 13-sack, 23-knockdown season in Year 3 of his career. He has already earned a raise to $5.7 million under the league's proven performance escalator, but the former second-round pick should earn a more significant extension from the Chargers in the weeks to come.
Missing out: RB Omarion Hampton, S Derwin James Jr., WR Ladd McConkey. Hampton and McConkey could produce massive seasons if the ball is funneled their way, but with so many mouths to feed throughout the lineup, it seems equally possible that the Chargers spread the ball around without anybody racking up Pro Bowl-caliber numbers. McConkey is already battling a hamstring issue, which won't help.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
One first-round pick and more: G Tyler Booker, WR CeeDee Lamb, QB Dak Prescott, G Tyler Smith, DT Quinnen Williams. The Cowboys just sent this sort of haul to acquire Williams, and between Booker and Smith, they have the NFL's best one-two punch at guard. Lamb's contract, which pays the 2020 first-round pick like one of the highest-paid wideouts in the game, might begin to look worrisome if he's unable to reach the heights we saw in 2023 again sometime soon.
Prescott's value would be a fascinating discussion in its own right if the Cowboys star ever chose to waive his no-trade clause. His four-year, $240 million extension is the most player-friendly contract in the league, and it's a product of owner Jerry Jones mishandling Prescott's initial run toward free agency in 2019 and 2020. I'm not sure other teams see Prescott as that caliber of quarterback, although his consistency on the field would appeal to franchises that haven't been able to find a steady hand under center.
One first-round pick: Edge Malachi Lawrence, S Caleb Downs. Dallas' two 2026 first-round picks land here. Downs was taken 12 picks ahead of Lawrence, but the latter plays a position teams value at a much higher rate in trades. I believe they'll both end up as valuable contributors to an improved Cowboys defense this season.
Missing out: WR George Pickens, K Brandon Aubrey. Pickens might already be on a different team if somebody was willing to deal a first-round pick for the franchised wideout, who will be a free agent after the season. Aubrey's spectacular leg and ability to extend the potential scoring range by a few yards makes him uniquely valuable among kickers, but I'm not sure any team is paying a first-round pick when they could just try to develop the next Aubrey (or Will Reichard or Cam Little).
New York Giants
Two first-round picks: Edge Abdul Carter. Carter had only four sacks as a rookie, but his QB hit and hurry numbers hint at far more significant production in Year 2. Carter might have been the best prospect in the 2025 draft after a 12-sack, 23.5-tackle for loss season at Penn State, and while he needs to do more against the run in 2026, Carter should be a far more productive pass rusher.
One first-round pick and more: Edge/LB Arvell Reese, OT Andrew Thomas. Thomas should be a truly premium player given his level of play at a key position at age 27, but injuries have prevented him from earning a Pro Bowl nod. He has stayed healthy for only one complete season over the past five years, which would worry teams that would need to trade for Thomas and pay him like an upper-echelon left tackle on his next deal.
One first-round pick: QB Jaxson Dart, OT/G Francis Mauigoa. Dart showed enough as a rookie to stay on the first-round track after being selected with the 25th pick a year ago, although there are real concerns about his ability to stay healthy given how many hits he took as a rookie. Dart also got to play a total of 17 snaps with his two most important offensive teammates in Thomas and Malik Nabers on the field, which might have otherwise helped juice his passing numbers. (He posted a 76.2 QBR across that extremely small sample.)
Missing out: WR Malik Nabers. This is a product of the serious injury Nabers suffered in 2025, with the third-year wideout damaging an ACL and meniscus in a late-September win over the Chargers. It's unclear whether Nabers will be able to start the season on the active roster, which is worrisome given the typical time frame for ACL tears. The hope will be that Nabers recovers and lives up to the promise we saw before the injury, but it would be tough to justify trading a first-round pick for him before that happens.
Philadelphia Eagles
Two first-round picks: DT Jalen Carter, CB Quinyon Mitchell. General manager Howie Roseman's top picks from the 2023 and 2024 draft classes lead the way here, as Carter and Mitchell have quickly become cornerstones on one of the league's best defenses. They are also still on their rookie deals, with Mitchell ineligible for an extension before next spring. Carter didn't quite hit the heights that Eagles fans would have hoped a year ago, but turn on the 2024 playoff tape, and you'll see why so many teams would love to add a player of his talent to their D-lines.
One first-round pick and more: QB Jalen Hurts, OT Jordan Mailata, WR DeVonta Smith. Hurts could inspire a whole article on his own given how disparate viewpoints are on the Eagles star. There are organizations that see Hurts as an integral part of a team that won a Super Bowl and made it to a second over the past few seasons, and others who might not even want Hurts' deal for free given that he's owed $51.5 million across each of the next three seasons. I'd point out that Carson Wentz still landed the Eagles first- and third-round picks after his collapse in 2020 as a reminder of how much even flawed quarterbacks can net via trade.
One first-round pick: CB/S Cooper DeJean, DT Jordan Davis. DeJean's move to safety when the Eagles play their base defense should indicate why he's uniquely valuable and why he simultaneously might not land in the same tier as Mitchell. The Eagles added Riq Woolen in free agency, and it seems likely that they would have shifted DeJean to outside corner on a full-time basis if Vic Fangio & Co. thought he could excel there. And while teams have given up first-round picks and more for cornerbacks in recent years, the market for slot cornerbacks and (to this point untested) safeties hasn't been quite as robust.
Missing out: RB Saquon Barkley, LB Jihaad Campbell, Edge Jalyx Hunt, WR Makai Lemon, Edge Nolan Smith Jr. Barkley is coming off a difficult season, and while I would put some of his struggles on the system around the star back, it's also fair to point out that he was playing behind an excellent offensive line and a mobile threat in Hurts when he had that stunning 2024 season, too. At 29 and with a significant injury history, there might not be a first-round pick on the table for Barkley given his contract. And then any of these four young players listed are probably one big season away from justifying a first-round pick as a return.
Washington Commanders
Three first-round picks and more: QB Jayden Daniels. It wasn't a banner year for Daniels, who dealt with multiple injuries amid a frustrating 2025 season for the Commanders. Optimists who saw an unflappable playmaker at LSU witnessed Daniels immediately revitalize a moribund Commanders franchise in 2024, but teams that were worried about Daniels' slight frame entering the draft were given further fuel for their fears last season.
One first-round pick: OT Josh Conerly Jr., LB Sonny Styles, OT Laremy Tunsil. While the Commanders were able to extract Tunsil from the Texans without giving up a first-round pick last offseason, the much-traveled tackle played well enough to justify a bump up to a first-round tier. Conerly struggled badly early in the season as a pass blocker, but the rookie right tackle improved as the season went along and could build on that performance in Year 2. And while Styles was the seventh pick in this year's draft, it's tough to find many off-ball linebackers who commanded first-round picks in a trade, let alone multipick hauls. If Styles' athleticism and instincts make him a special talent, of course, that could change.
Missing out: Edge Odafe Oweh, CB Mike Sainristil. Sainristil was one of the many Commanders defenders who took a major step backward in 2025 after impressing the prior season. I wouldn't rule out a return to form for the third-year pro, although he would need to prove that he can hold up as an outside cornerback to justify a first-round pick as a trade return.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Four first-round picks: QB Caleb Williams. There's still a fair amount of projection to be done with Williams, who had the worst completion percentage over expectation of any regular quarterback in 2025, per Next Gen Stats. The playoff game against the Rams might be the best example of how easy it is to draw multiple perspectives on Williams, given that he threw three interceptions and still electrified Bears fans with a game-tying drive at the end of regulation.
Williams' status as a high-end prospect and the growth we saw from him in Year 2 still point toward the player out of USC being an incredibly valuable NFL quarterback. As a 24-year-old with three years of cost control remaining, Williams is going to be worth much more than a lone first-round pick. I would argue that he lands somewhere between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, but I suspect that there's a wide band of opinions about all three and how they should rank.
One first-round pick and more: OT Darnell Wright. The player who might have made the biggest leap with coach Ben Johnson in the mix, Wright went from looking like a solid NFL tackle to challenging for All-Pro honors on the right side in his third pro campaign. Johnson's scheme got Wright on the move more, and Wright had visible fun running over defenders. The only reason he isn't worth more is tackle preferences, as Wright is limited to the right side and teams pay a premium in terms of contracts and trade returns for left tackles.
One first-round pick: WR Luther Burden III, TE Colston Loveland, WR Rome Odunze, S Dillon Thieneman. Johnson's offense undoubtedly helped the playmakers look good, but there's real talent throughout the Bears' lineup. Loveland is the most exciting of the bunch and was a top-five tight end over the second half of 2025, but he also plays a less valuable position than Burden or Odunze.
Missing out: Edge Montez Sweat, CB Jaylon Johnson. Sweat had his best full season in a Bears uniform in 2025, racking up 10 sacks and 18 knockdowns, but he turns 30 in September and is on a deal for just under $25 million per season.
Detroit Lions
Two first-round picks and more: Edge Aidan Hutchinson, OT Penei Sewell. The cornerstones of Detroit's rebuild along the line of scrimmage, Hutchinson and Sewell have been elite players roughly since they've entered the NFL. They're both on significant deals, but they're also in the prime of their respective careers. Sewell is moving from right tackle to left tackle, but given that he was a high-end left tackle prospect out of Oregon and has filled in on the left side in the past, I don't have many concerns about his game translating over to the blind side.
One first-round pick and more: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. I've written elsewhere in this article about how running backs don't typically land first-round picks via trade, but Gibbs is one of the few exceptions given his age, skill set and contract situation. Even if an acquiring team was going to give Gibbs a record-setting deal, he would still be looking at a contract roughly in line with what Jakobi Meyers earns on his deal with the Jags.
One first-round pick: QB Jared Goff, OT Blake Miller, LB Jack Campbell. Another member of that 2023 draft class with Gibbs, Campbell has rounded into form as one of the league's better all-around off-ball linebackers and earned a new contract this offseason. Roquan Smith was dealt for a second-round pick, which might suggest that it's really difficult for off-ball linebackers to land a first via trade, but Smith was also about to hit free agency. Campbell having years of team control to come might make him slightly more valuable.
Missing out: S Brian Branch, TE Sam LaPorta, WR Jameson Williams, DT Tyleik Williams. Branch, LaPorta, Kerby Joseph and Terrion Arnold were all on or near the first-round side of things a year ago, but the first three had their 2025 season marred by injuries, and Arnold was cut after he was arrested on felony charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. Alim McNeill also had a quiet season after returning from an ACL injury, which makes his case difficult given a salary north of $24 million per season.
Green Bay Packers
Three first-round picks: QB Jordan Love. Love continues to play better than people think, although the end result has continued to be frustratingly short playoff runs. After struggling during his first half-season as a starter in 2023, Love led the NFL in Total QBR over the ensuing 2½ seasons of football. He's a successful playmaker who doesn't take many sacks, and while his picks are truly egregious as a result, his interception rate over the past three years is better than league average. Love is a really good player and has been without a reliable top wideout.
Two first-round picks and more: Edge Micah Parsons. That's what we saw Parsons dealt for a year ago, which was right where last year's column started. I'm sure there might be a team or two worried about Parsons' short-term impact after he tore an ACL last season, but he was wildly productive during his abbreviated debut with Green Bay -- and he's still only 27.
One first-round pick: LB Edgerrin Cooper, OT Zach Tom. Here are two of the more underrated players in the game. Cooper has been solid as one of the league's most athletic linebackers since entering the starting lineup in 2024. Tom wasn't at his best as he battled injuries last season, but he's a high-level right tackle in the prime of his career with the ability to potentially shift to the left side if needed.
Missing out: WR Matthew Golden, TE Tucker Kraft, S Xavier McKinney, OT Jordan Morgan, WR Christian Watson. Last season, Kraft was challenging for All-Pro honors before tearing an ACL. Watson put together the best run of his career at the end of the 2025 season, racking up 328 receiving yards and four touchdowns over the final five games, but injuries have tormented the former second-round pick and compromise his potential value in a trade.
Minnesota Vikings
Two first-round picks and more: WR Justin Jefferson. He is coming off his worst season as a pro, but I think it seems fair to point at super inconsistent quarterback play as the biggest factor for Jefferson's dip. We're now firmly in his peak seasons as a 27-year-old, but if the Vikings ever did move on from their star wide receiver, there would be no shortage of interest in a player who still has to be considered one of the four best wideouts in football.
One first-round pick: WR Jordan Addison, G Donovan Jackson. Jackson was likely the best first-round pick of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era in Minnesota, as he quickly settled in as a very solid guard up front. In a league where below-average starting young guards are getting in the ballpark of $15 million per season as free agents, Jackson could end up being a valuable interior player, especially if the Vikings spend more on quarterback in the years to come and have to cut back elsewhere.
Missing out: DT Caleb Banks, OT Christian Darrisaw, Edge Dallas Turner, Edge Andrew Van Ginkel. Darrisaw didn't look like his old self after returning from a multi-ligament knee injury, which would concern potential trade partners -- even for a player who appeared like he was becoming one of the league's better young left tackles. Turner unquestionably took a step forward last season while filling in for Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard when they were injured, but his total of eight sacks overstates his impact as a pass rusher. With Greenard going to Philadelphia, Turner will need to create pressures more often to justify the draft capital the Vikings spent to acquire him in 2024.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
One first-round pick and more: WR Drake London, RB Bijan Robinson. Atlanta's young playmakers helped the Falcons finish fourth in my rankings of each team's running backs, wide receivers and tight ends last month. They also serve as the best building blocks on this roster, although London just signed an extension, and I would expect Robinson to follow before the end of the summer.
One first-round pick: Edge Jalon Walker. The 15th pick in last year's draft, Walker finished with 5.5 sacks and nine quarterback knockdowns while playing just under 500 snaps as a rookie. He was really a rotation piece for the Falcons, playing just under 51% of the snaps and failing to top 65% in a single game all season. There's the potential for more significant production here if Walker is simply on the field more often in 2026.
Missing out: G Chris Lindstrom, QB Michael Penix Jr., TE Kyle Pitts Sr., Edge James Pearce Jr., CB A.J. Terrell Jr. Lindstrom is one of the league's better guards and has made it to each of the past four Pro Bowls, but he also turned 29 in February and has cap hits north of $26 million in each of the next two seasons. Penix could be a trade candidate if Tua Tagovailoa excels in Atlanta, but unless Penix returns to the lineup from his most recent knee injury and plays well, that deal would be for a middle-round pick.
Carolina Panthers
One first-round pick and more: DT Derrick Brown, WR Tetairoa McMillan. Brown successfully returned from the knee injury that cost the star tackle virtually all of the 2024 season and had arguably his best season as a pro. Brown racked up five sacks and was a load for offensive linemen to handle when they tried to run between the tackles against Carolina. He's another defensive tackle who would qualify for the Quinnen Williams package if the Panthers ever decided to deal away their top player.
One first-round pick: OT Monroe Freeling, CB Jaycee Horn. Horn can be every bit as good as the best cornerbacks in football when it comes to coverage, but he's not on the level of Christian Gonzalez or Patrick Surtain II as a tackler, where he missed 20% of his attempts in 2025. Horn has also struggled with injuries in years past, although he has managed to play 31 of 34 possible games over the past two seasons.
Missing out: Edge Jaelan Phillips, QB Bryce Young. Phillips commanded a third-round pick when the Dolphins traded him to the Eagles when he was on an expiring contract in 2025, but there would be understandable trepidation about trading a first-round pick and paying $30 million per season for an edge rusher with Phillips' significant injury history. Of course, if Phillips puts everything together and has the 15-sack season his tape suggests is possible, all that might change.
New Orleans Saints
One first-round pick and more: OT Kelvin Banks Jr. Banks dramatically improved as a pass blocker as the 2025 season went along, cutting his quick pressure allowed rate from 5.8% over the first half to 0.4% from Week 10 onward. His 3.8% full-season rate was still below-average for NFL left tackles, and the Saints were playing in a scheme that made life easier for their linemen, but Banks' improvement suggests he'll stick as the left tackle of the future for New Orleans.
One first-round pick: DT Bryan Bresee, WR Chris Olave, WR Jordyn Tyson. Injuries are the only concern for Olave and Tyson, who could form one of the more dynamic one-two punches at wide receiver this season. Bresee looks like he took a step backward last year after dropping from 7.5 sacks in 2024 to 2.5 sacks, but he was more impactful and consistent as a pass rusher on tape. He also doesn't turn 25 until October.
Missing out: QB Tyler Shough, Edge Chase Young. Shough put together a promising half-season as a rookie starter, but teams would need to see a full campaign from the soon-to-be 27-year-old before they would be willing to send a first-round pick to the Saints. Young had his best season as a pro, racking up 10 sacks in 12 games for Brandon Staley's defense. If the once highly touted prospect can keep that up this season, his $17 million salary would be a relative bargain.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Two first-round picks and more: OT Tristan Wirfs. The 27-year-old battled knee and oblique injuries last season, but if I had to pick someone to be the best left tackle in the NFL over the next five seasons, he would be my choice. Wirfs allowed a 4.7% pressure rate and a 0.8% quick pressure rate in 2024, both of which led all left tackles. His absence and (mildly) limited performance after returning also directly led to Tampa's struggles on the ground in 2025. He's a complete player and one of the most valuable non-quarterbacks in football.
One first-round pick and more: WR Emeka Egbuka. It was a tale of two halves for the 19th pick of last year's draft, as Egbuka had 101-, 115- and 163-yard games in the first half of the season, then failed to top 65 yards in any single contest over the final two months. Is Egbuka the guy who was on pace for a 1,288-yard season through Week 9 or the one who produced at a 555-yard pace afterward? This trade projection splits the difference between those scenarios.
One first-round pick: Edge Rueben Bain Jr. He fell further than expected in the first round of this year's draft and doesn't have the long, lanky body type that we might associate with elite edge rushers, but Bain's production at Miami in terms of generating sacks (20) and tackles for loss (33.5) is hard to dismiss. Teams might need to find a hybrid role for him where he rushes from the interior as often as he does from the edge, but that's hardly anything new for great pass rushers in an era when they move to attack and create mismatches more often than ever before.
Missing out: Edge Yaya Diaby, OT Luke Goedeke, Edge Calijah Kancey, QB Baker Mayfield, DT Vita Vea, S Antoine Winfield Jr. The Bucs have a lot of good players but very few stars, which is borne out by the trade tiers here. Vea and Winfield are still high-end talents, but Vea is 31 years old and Winfield plays safety, which doesn't typically translate into significant trade value. Goedeke is one of the league's better right tackles when healthy, but he has missed most or all of 21 games over his first four seasons.
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
One first-round pick: OT Paris Johnson Jr., RB Jeremiyah Love, TE Trey McBride, DT Walter Nolen III. Love makes for a difficult evaluation, given that he entered the league as one of its highest-paid backs without having played a snap by virtue of his rookie deal. He can still offer some upside if he turns into an elite player at his position. Nolen played only six games last season, but he looked dominant enough in those six games to retain his first-round value after coming off the board at No. 16 in 2025.
Missing out: S Budda Baker, WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Edge Josh Sweat, WR Michael Wilson. It has been a quick fall for Harrison, who was as close to a sure thing as possible when he entered the league two years ago. Harrison has been solid, but he has yet to put together the sort of dominant display many expected of him coming out of Ohio State for any stretch of time. It's still too early to give up on the 23-year-old, and Harrison can still have a long career if he settles in as an above-average No. 2 receiver ... but I'm not sure many teams would be willing to give up a first-round pick after Harrison's first two years as a pro.
Los Angeles Rams
Two first-round picks and more: Edge Myles Garrett. Well, we just saw what the Rams were willing to give up in a trade to land Garrett, right? To refresh your memory, the Rams sent a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick, 2029 third-round pick and Jared Verse to acquire the future Hall of Famer from the Browns. I'd value Verse as being worth first- and third-round picks in a trade on his own, which would mean the Rams traded two first-rounders, a second-rounder and two third-rounders for Garrett. That's close to three first-round picks, although the fact that one of those picks won't come until 2029 might drop the value a tiny bit.
One first-round pick and more: DT Braden Fiske, WR Puka Nacua, DT Kobie Turner. There's uncertainty around Nacua given his offseason. There are teams that would also (correctly) believe that Nacua is a better fit for Sean McVay's offense than he would be for anyone else. With that being said, his incredible efficiency as a receiver, toughness working the middle of the field, ability to separate at the top of routes and truly elite blocking by wide receiver standards would make him a valuable contributor in any offense.
One first-round pick: CB Trent McDuffie, QB Matthew Stafford, Edge Byron Young. The Rams aren't about to trade Stafford this season, of course, but they were at least engaging in talks with teams such as the Giants last offseason. Stafford has won his first league MVP since then, which would presumably up his value, even while aging by a year. It's difficult to imagine teams trading a first-round pick for a 38-year-old player, but if anybody could justify that sort of haul, wouldn't it be the reigning MVP?
San Francisco 49ers
One first-round pick and more: Edge Nick Bosa. Organizations are used to dealing with players who have torn an ACL, but there's more reticence in targeting players who have two ACL tears on their résumé. Nobody doubts Bosa's impact when he's on the field -- he helped win the 49ers each of their first two games last season before tearing up his knee in Week 3 -- but he now has multiple ACL tears across the past six seasons.
One first-round pick: QB Brock Purdy, LB Fred Warner. Warner is also coming off a season impacted by a serious ankle injury, and he turns 30 in November. But he's also very comfortably the best linebacker in football by my estimation. He would be the exception to a handful of rules, although that might be a tougher sell given the ankle injury than it would have been in years past.
Missing out: WR Mike Evans, TE George Kittle, RB Christian McCaffrey, WR Ricky Pearsall, Edge Mykel Williams, OT Trent Williams. Oh, just four Hall of Famers in this section, huh? Age and injury hurt here. Evans is 32 and coming off his first injury-ruined season as a pro. Kittle is 32 and recovering from a torn Achilles suffered during the postseason. McCaffrey is 30, and while he was one of the few 49ers to stay healthy last season, his injury history is well known. Trent Williams turns 38 this weekend and hasn't played a full season since 2013.
These legends are still productive, valuable players. But they're worth more to the 49ers as a unit than they are in trades to any other team.
Seattle Seahawks
Two first-round picks and more: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Having one of the best seasons we've ever seen from a wide receiver goes a long way, as Smith-Njigba racked up 1,793 yards in the regular season before adding 199 more as the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. He hasn't played at that level before and earned a massive new contract this offseason, but there's nothing in JSN's profile suggesting this was a fluke. And as a 24-year-old, Smith-Njigba could be this caliber of player for years to come.
One first-round pick and more: OT Charles Cross, CB Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon was one of the players who decided last season's Super Bowl, as his blitzes from the slot tormented Drake Maye and the Patriots during the title game. He's able to play inside and outside in coverage, and while receivers such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Puka Nacua gave him trouble at times in 2025, Witherspoon's physicality and tackling ability helps compensate for some coverage lapses.
One first-round pick: S Nick Emmanwori, DT Byron Murphy II, DT Leonard Williams, G Grey Zabel. Williams was surprisingly named as the top defensive tackle in football by NFL observers in Jeremy Fowler's positional series last week. While I think I'd have him closer to the middle of the top 10, Williams is unquestionably enjoying a late-career renaissance with coach Mike Macdonald in Seattle. Long a player whose sack totals would underperform his QB hit numbers, Williams has 18 sacks, 25 tackles for loss and 50 knockdowns over the past two seasons.
Missing out: QB Sam Darnold, LB Ernest Jones IV, RB Jadarian Price. Jones has proved to be a steal for the Seahawks, who acquired him from the Titans for a fourth-round pick and Jerome Baker two seasons ago. Darnold played well enough to lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl and was excellent for stretches in 2025, but would teams really be willing to give up a first-round pick for the well-traveled Jets draftee?