Five NFL stars who could be traded next after Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown deals

The Cleveland Browns' decision to trade Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams should put several other NFL stars on notice as it relates to a potential trade involving them. Garrett, to the surprise of just about everyone, was traded on the same day that former Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown was officially dealt to the New England Patriots, ending months of speculation. 

As Monday's moves showed, teams are still very much open to making big trades at this stage of the offseason. In fact, two of the biggest trades last offseason took place during the summer. In July, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins worked out a trade that included former All-Pro defensive backs Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick. In August, the Dallas Cowboys finally pulled the trigger on trading Micah Parsons, sending the perennial All-Pro pass rusher to the Green Bay Packers ahead of the 2025 season. There's a good chance that a trade of similar impact could happen between now and Week 1. 

In the aftermath of the Garrett and Brown trades, here's a look at five other NFL stars who could also find themselves on new teams before the regular season begins less than 100 days from now. 

Brandon Aiyuk 

Aiyuk has played his final down in San Francisco, but the question remains: how will the breakup unfold and where will Aiyuk end up next? 49ers general manager John Lynch reiterated during the draft that the team isn't planning to release him but remains open to trading the former 1,300-yard receiver. 

"We're available," Lynch said when asked about possibly trading Aiyuk. "Give us a call. And like I said earlier, I think it's the prudent thing to do. He's an extremely talented player. He's been an extremely effective player in our league; situation didn't work itself out here. That's not to say that it can't be rekindled somewhere else. And we'd be happy to do something with anyone if the opportunity presented itself."  

Aiyuk's injury history (he hasn't played since he tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 of the 2024 season) and his puzzling disappearance in San Francisco last season (which led to the 49ers voiding his guaranteed money for 2026) have undoubtedly hurt his market value. The Commanders, however, are reportedly interested in acquiring Aiyuk, who was a college teammate of Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. 

George Pickens 

Dallas already said that Pickens will play under the franchise tag, which appears to be a recipe for disaster given his history of self-sabotage when things don't go his way. If the Cowboys want to avoid another drama-filled season, they would be better served either giving Pickens a long-term deal or trading him to a team that will.   

Prior to the draft, CBS Sports' Garrett Podell listed five possible landing spots for Pickens. If the Cowboys were actually serious about trading Pickens, they'd probably have a host of suitors that would likely be willing to give Dallas considerable draft capital and a productive receiver in return. 

The Cowboys would have options if they were actually compelled to trade Pickens, but the reality is that Dallas will likely sign up for another roller coaster season with their embattled receiver. 

Alvin Kamara 

New Orleans' recent youth movement and the signing of running back Travis Etienne have intensified rumors of a possible trade of Kamara, who has spent his entire NFL career in New Orleans. And, based on his previous comments, it appears that Kamara has no interest in playing anywhere else. 

But while Kamara may want to stay put, the Saints may still choose to move on from him while saving $14 million in salary cap space. A trade, however, would require another team to make the Saints an offer that would justify parting ways with a franchise icon. The Broncos and Seahawks, two teams with serious Super Bowl aspirations, are among the potential landing spots for Kamara should New Orleans decide to trade the five-time Pro Bowler. 

Josh Sweat 

A former Pro Bowler with the Eagles, Sweat is coming off the best statistical season of his career. During his first year with the Cardinals, Sweat filled the stat sheet with 12.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 13 tackles for loss. His performance last year more than justified the four-year, $76.4 million deal he signed last offseason. 

Money aside, another reason Sweat chose to sign with Arizona was Jonathan Gannon, who served as Sweat's defensive coordinator in Philadelphia before becoming the Cardinals' head coach. But with Gannon now in Green Bay following his dismissal from Arizona, rumors have been circulating regarding Sweat's future with the Cardinals. 

There are rumblings that the Packers are a legitimate threat to land Sweat should the Cardinals decide to trade him, which makes sense given Sweat's connection with Gannon and Parsons' ongoing recovery from ACL surgery that could sideline him for the first part of the 2026 season. 

Maxx Crosby

The Raiders nearly traded Crosby to Baltimore earlier this offseason, so it's possible that they could try to trade their Pro Bowl pass rusher yet again before Week 1. 

If a team wants Crosby's services, however, it will come at a steep cost. The Raiders were set to receive two first-round picks in their initial trade with Baltimore that ultimately fell through. The general consensus is that the Raiders want compensation similar to what the Cowboys received when they traded Parsons to Green Bay. Dallas received two first-round picks in addition to Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. 

Ironically, the Cowboys are one of the logical landing spots for Crosby if he is indeed traded this summer. Another possible option is the Eagles, who, like Dallas, could use a proven pass rusher. 

One of the things that makes Crosby an attractive trade target is that he is still just 28 (he'll turn 29 in August). A Pro Bowler each of the last five years, Crosby is coming off a 2025 season that saw him rack up 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, an interception and a whopping 28 tackles for loss for the silver and black. 

Speaking of elite pass rushers, there's also a possibility -- albeit unlikely -- that the Steelers could trade T.J. Watt, the franchise's career sack leader. But while the odds of the Steelers trading Watt are unlikely, it can't be entirely ruled out after the Browns decided to trade their generational pass rusher, who was selected 29 spots ahead of Watt back in 2017. 

Like Garrett, Watt commands a high salary (he was the league's highest-paid non-quarterback until Parsons surpassed him last offseason) and is now over 30. Unlike Garrett, Watt is not coming off one of his better seasons. In fact, Watt's 7.0 sacks last year represented his lowest total in a season that saw him play in over 10 games since his rookie season. He did manage to make an impact in other ways, though, by intercepting two passes, forcing three fumbles and recovering two more while earning his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl nod. 

Pittsburgh would likely only move Watt if they could get a first-round pick plus additional compensation that would improve their odds at possibly drafting a quarterback early in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Steelers could also decide to trade of their other pass rushers (Alex Highsmith or Nick Herbig) if the price is right.