It’s full-on optimism season as teams around the NFL are just a few weeks away from kicking off training camp.
This time of year it’s easy for fans to buy into everything their team has done. The first-round rookies are all going to be difference-makers right away. Every free agent acquisition is going to be a perfect fit and the Day 3 picks are all hidden gems the rest of the league slept on.
But it doesn’t take long for the reality of the regular season to kick in.
A few early losses and it will become clear to some teams that they aren’t where they want to be just yet. For the general managers that can afford to lean into a rebuild, it’s going to be the signal that it’s time to start thinking about shipping off some veterans to jumpstart their rebuilding efforts.
The following teams fit that profile. They don’t quite have the roster to be contenders yet and also have a front office that can afford to be aggressive sellers by the time the trade deadline rolls around this season.
New Carolina Panthers general manager Dan Morgan was brought in to clean up the mess made by former general manager Scott Fitterer.
Owner David Tepper hasn’t proven to be the most patient man in sports, but he has to understand that it’s going to take a few years to turn the roster around. Morgan was forced to try to build around Bryce Young with a compromised allotment of draft picks.
So while the hope is that making Dave Canales the new head coach will lead to better immediate results on the field, Morgan should feel free to tear down the roster a bit more in the name of stocking up on draft capital.
That’s especially true if the front office and coaching staff don’t see improvement from Young in the first half of the season.
Shaq Thompson stands out as a possible trade chip. The 30-year-old has spent nine seasons in Carolina, but he’s set to become a free agent in 2025 and doesn’t fit the timeline of the Panthers rebuild.
He missed all but two games last season with a broken fibula. Prior to that, he had four consecutive seasons with more than 100 total tackles. He could be a nice addition for a team looking to make a playoff run.
They should be looking to offload Miles Sanders whether they start the season strong or not. They would save $6.2 million against the cap if they could find him a home and he is clearly not part of the running back plan after the Panthers drafted Jonathon Brooks with the 46th pick in the draft.
Potential Trade Candidates: LB Shaq Thompson, RB Miles Sanders, TE Ian Thomas
The Las Vegas Raiders have legitimate reasons to be excited about the 2024 campaign. The defense was elite after Antonio Pierce took over in the middle of the 2023 season, they added Christian Wilkins to the defensive line and Gardner Minshew II has proven to be a serviceable bridge-starter at quarterback.
There’s still the real possibility that the Raiders struggle in Pierce’s first season. After missing out on a quarterback in the draft they will have to settle for the winner of the quarterback battle between Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. It’s a quarterback situation that puts a considerable ceiling on the team’s upside.
If neither quarterback can keep them in the wildcard race then the Raiders might start looking to the 2025 draft. That means stockpiling some additional picks in order to potentially move up the board and get a promising rookie quarterback.
That would mean becoming aggressive sellers at the trade deadline.
Davante Adams headlines their list of potential trade assets. Adams is still producing at a high level, but he’ll be 32 by the end of the season and there’s only $15.7 million of dead money on his deal for 2025.
Cody Whitehair signed a one-year contract in free agency this offseason. He could wind up being a starter, but there are always teams that need offensive line help during the season and the 31-year-old probably isn’t part of their long-term picture.
Either quarterback would be an interesting trade asset if the Raiders become aggressive sellers. Minshew would be appealing for a lot of teams dealing with a serious quarterback injury and O’Connell has shown enough to be an interesting developmental backup.
Potential Trade Candidates: WR Davante Adams, iOL Cody Whitehair, QB Aidan O’Connell, QB Gardner Minshew II
The New England Patriots might have found their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye, but there’s still way too many questions left on the roster.
They need an answer at left tackle. Chukwuma Okorafor could be the front-runner for the blindside job and he couldn’t hold down the right tackle job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The other option is Caedan Wallace, a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
They also have to upgrade the weaponry around Maye. Demario Douglas was their best receiver last season. They drafted Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. The rookie duo should help, but it still leaves the Patriots group of pass-catchers well behind league average.
A few early losses should have the Patriots looking to offload some veteran talent in search of draft capital and a youth movement.
Matthew Judon is a marketable pass-rusher and they would save $6.7 million in cap space. Judon is coming off a torn bicep that cost him most of the 2024 campaign, but could hold value with teams if he gets off to a good start.
JuJu Smith-Schuster was not productive (29 receptions, 260 yards and one touchdown) in his first season with the Patriots. He could still be valuable to another team if he doesn’t have early chemistry with Maye.
Davon Godchaux is on the final year of his deal and could be expendable as a 30-year-old nose tackle on a rebuilding roster.
Potential Trade Candidates: Edge Matthew Judon, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, DT Davon Godchaux
The Seattle Seahawks didn’t necessarily behave like a rebuilding team this offseason, but they are still a team in transition after going to Mike Macdonald as their head coach to replace Pete Carroll.
The Seahawks have finished 9-8 in each of the last two seasons. The roster isn’t terrible, but it’s also not Super Bowl-worthy. It might take a little more remodeling before it gets there and getting a new head coach is a good time to make some rebuilding moves.
That could include trading off some veterans to improve their draft capital. It certainly doesn’t hurt to build up a stockpile of picks when they might be in the market to replace Geno Smith at quarterback next offseason.
If they decide to go that route they would have a few trade assets who could net a good return. Tyler Lockett is the most notable. He signed a new contract this offseason, but he still only has two years left on his deal. A trade this season would clear $14.9 million in cap space.
Darrell Taylor is playing on a one-year extension and would provide value to another team as a pass rusher. He has 21.5 sacks over the last three seasons, but the Seahawks didn’t sign him to a multi-year extension this offseason.
There are a few veterans who are over 30 who could help contenders as well. Jarran Reed is the most notable. The interior defensive lineman had seven sacks in his return to Seattle this season but Macdonald might want to get younger at the position.
Potential Trade Candidates: WR Tyler Lockett, Edge Darrell Taylor, DT Jarran Reed
The latest from the rumor mill has the Washington Commanders going into the offseason as buyers. Brandon Aiyuk stoked those fires by naming the Commanders as a possible landing spot if the 49ers decide to trade him.
The move would reunite him with college teammate Jayden Daniels and it would be a great move for the quarterbacks development. However, it’s much more likely that we see the Commanders work as sellers at the trade deadline.
Washington can afford to be patient in 2024. They don’t even need to start Daniels if they feel it would be better to let Marcus Mariota take the reps early in the season.
That’s because general manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn just came to D.C. and new owner Josh Harris is just getting started.
The truth is that the Commanders have a lot to address before they can really start making some noise. They have a promising receiver corps with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson leading the way. But the secondary has questions and the offensive line needs upgrades.
That’s not going to happen during the 2024 season, but shipping off veterans to get cap space and draft capital can help next offseason.
Jonathan Allen would be the big prize for contending teams. The 29-year-old has two years left on his contract, but they would save $15.4 million against the cap by trading him. They also have a lot of depth on the interior with Daron Payne, Phidarian Mathis and Jer’Zhan Newton.
Any number of the veterans they signed to one-year deals could also be moved if there is a team willing to part with a pick for them. That would include Bobby Wagner, Jeremy Chinn, Clelin Ferrell and Dante Fowler Jr.
Jamin Davis could also be a movable piece. The former first-round pick is a free agent next offseason and the Commanders didn’t exactly show they value him by bringing in both Wagner and Frankie Luvu in free agency this offseason.
Potential Trade Candidates: DT Jonathan Allen, Edge Dante Fowler Jr., LB Jamin Davis