As the NFL offseason unfolds, the buzz surrounding potential trades grows.
The 2024 season promises to be no different, with a slew of trade ideas that could reshape the landscape of the league. High impact talents switching jerseys, revitalizing franchises, and altering expectations seemingly overnight.
This offseason alone we’ve seen Stefon Diggs, Jerry Jeudy, Keenan Allen, Brian Burns and L’Jarius Sneed swap teams, and more headlining names could be on the move.
With training camp on the near horizon, now is a good time to hypothesize and cook up a few deals that would surely open eyes.
Below, we’ll delve into a few trade scenarios that, if executed, would provide a heavy boost to an organization’s performance ceiling this fall.
Minnesota Vikings receive: CB Marshon Lattimore
New Orleans Saints receive: 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Hypotheticals surrounding the future of Marshon Lattimore have circled overhead for months.
Recent statements out of New Orleans expect Lattimore to remain in town for 2024, but it was just a few months ago when team GM Mickey Loomis failed to mince words on the immediate future of his superstar corner.
“Everybody is tradable,” Loomis said.
“It just depends on the offer that you get. … And yet, that’s not very common. … I don’t like trading players that have been contributors for us.”
Projected to be a league-high $88.2 million over the 2025 cap (more than double of any team in the NFL) trading Lattimore would present the Saints with much needed flexibility. A former first-rounder out of Ohio State, Lattimore has a reasonable cap hit of $14.6 million in 2024, but that figure is set to rise to $31.4 million the following season and $28.6 million in 2026.
From a roster perspective, blueprinting a deal for Lattimore now should be a far more realistic option than it was pre-draft. New Orleans traded up in the second round to select corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, a confident and fluid man corner who could be ready to start when September rolls around. And for much cheaper than what Lattimore would demand.
If the long-time Saint in Lattimore is made available, expect brass in Minnesota to kick the tires.
Adding impact talent on defense has been a goal of Minnesota over the last few drafts. The team spent high capital to add corner Andrew Booth Jr (second round) and safety Lewis Cine (first round) in the 2022 draft, but neither player has remotely lived up to expectation in their first few campaigns.
While Lattimore has struggled with injuries in his last two seasons, he was a Pro Bowler in four of his first five years and, when healthy, has proven himself as one of the NFL’s elite.
Minnesota has $26.3 million in 2024 cap space remaining and possesses $54.5 million in projected 2025 cap room. Meaning, the team has more than enough room to fit Lattimore’s contract while maintaining assets to allocate elsewhere.
Akayleb Evans took a step last fall, and the team looks to have hit on 2023 third-rounder Mekhi Blackmon, but Lattimore would immediately become the Vikings’ top perimeter stalwart. Whether he starts opposite of Byron Murphy Jr or Shaq Griffin, slotting in Lattimore’s physical style of play within Brian Flores’ defense could be a match that jigsaws seamlessly.
49ers Receive: 2025 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick
Commanders Receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk
While recent news has indicated that Brandon Aiyuk is likely to remain in San Francisco for 2024, the tide can change quickly in the NFL.
A trade of Aiyuk would indicate a few things. One, in that San Francisco brass were ultimately forced to throw in the towel on extending their star wideout. The other in that former Niners assistant GM Adam Peters (now in Washington) isn’t shying away from acquiring a player of Aiyuk’s caliber to place around his new signal-caller Jayden Daniels, a close friend of Aiyuk.
It was just weeks ago when Daniels, Aiyuk’s teammate during their time at Arizona State, joined the Niners’ wideout on FaceTime to discuss Aiyuk’s plans.
In a post to TikTok in June, Aiyuk added further intrigue to his current contract situation saying to Daniels “they [San Francisco] said they don’t want me back.”
Washington boasts a pair of dynamic wideouts in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson (the team also drafted Luke McCaffrey in the third round), but adding Aiyuk would elevate the group to arguably the best trio of wideouts in the game.
Aiyuk and Daniels’ relationship has been well documented this offseason, and if the Niners are to move their stud pass-catcher elsewhere, Washington could be the favorite to land his services.
The Commanders also have the current ($37M) and projected 2025 cap space ($77.2M) available to pay Aiyuk.
New York Giants receive: RB Najee Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers receive: 2025 sixth-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick
A hypothetical move for now, but one that could soon become reality when you inspect both sides of the coin.
For the Giants, GM Joe Schoen enters the summer with obvious talent at the running back position. The team added Devin Singletary via free agency, Eric Gray is in year two and Schoen also added depth by selecting Tyrone Tracy Jr in the fifth round this spring. However, there is no more Saquon Barkley and continuing to explore talent via all avenues would be wise of the Giants’ GM. Especially if the Giants want to remain competitive in 2024.
With questions to answer under center, providing relief to whomever leads the charge at QB in as many ways possible could be a major selling point for Schoen to make a move. While the team drafted WR Malik Nabers on Day 1 of the draft to add another playmaker on the outside for Jones, the only way New York will reach their performance ceiling this fall is by keeping teams off-balance and utilizing both phases of an offense.
A Pro Bowl selection in his rookie campaign, a fresh start for Najee Harris could provide the breath of air he needs to work back to his high level of production. Despite amassing over 1,000-yards in each of his first three seasons as a pro, his volume has annually decreased leaving many to speculate when Pittsburgh HC Mike Tomlin will ultimately turn the keys over to former undrafted rookie Jaylen Warren.
Considering the Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option, a move sooner rather than later would present Pittsburgh with some remanence of a return, even if it’s a late-round or compensatory selection.
Optimism remains for Harris as known running back guru Arthur Smith enters his first season as Pittsburgh’s OC. But with Warren’s consistent annual uptick in production and the teams comfortability with not picking up Harris’ option, tea leaves have begun to spawn towards Harris’ departure.
The Giants already roster three former Steelers in Allen Robinson, Gunner Olszewski and Miles Boykin, a nod towards Schoen’s likeness of Steelers skill players. A move would benefit both sides, allowing Jaylen Warren to take over Pittsburgh’s backfield and Harris to get a fresh start, in a different conference, alongside Singletary.
Commanders Receive: 2025 second-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick
Colts Receive: DL Jonathan Allen
The Indianapolis Colts have potentially four more years of Anthony Richardson on a rookie contract, and GM Chris Ballard could see 2024 as a potential stepping stool for what is ultimately to come.
Although injuries derailed Richardson’s rookie campaign in 2023, the flashes were overwhelmingly evident in that he could be the signal-caller who can lead a team to the playoffs, or much more.
Adding a defender with the skill set of Jonathan Allen could be the addition that elevates the Colts in a loaded AFC. The two-time Pro Bowler is a force within the interior that has evolved into one of the leagues premier three-down defensive tackles.
As the Colts look to keep pace with the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and an improving Tennessee Titans roster in the AFC South, adding Allen to the mix is the type of move that elevates a rosters performance ceiling.
For the Commanders, it’s an opportunity to add a valuable pick and idealize the future of Daron Payne alongside Johnny Newton ( 2024 second-round pick) with depth in the form of John Ridgeway already under contract.
Despite a new regime in place with newly hired GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn, Allen’s frustrations have been well documented in Washington.
A fresh start could serve both parties well considering the capital used from Peters used to select Newton, albeit his muddied projection to immediate snaps due to offseason foot surgery. For the long term, it makes sense.