It feels awfully late in the calendar for there to be this much intrigue about player movement.
Typically, most NFL business has been conducted by the time teams break for some summer downtime before training camp, but this year feels like it could be an outlier. Several big-name free agents sat out of mandatory minicamp over the last two weeks – a tried and true tactic for either securing a new long-term deal or forcing a trade out of town. And while it’s a given that most – if not all – of them won’t be traded, it’s still fun to think about.
Assuming NFL teams do look into moving some of their unhappy veterans, we decided to settle on one perfect trade partner for each.
Ramsey is the easiest star to speculate about, since the Dolphins have acknowledged they’re trying to trade him. But where should the three-time All-Pro go? There’s been plenty of talk about a reunion with the Los Angeles Rams, and there’s a lot of smoke that a trade to Pittsburgh could be coming. Personally, I don’t know how much sense either of those destinations makes.
If I’m purely looking for fit, how about a trade that’d send Ramsey a short drive up I-75 to Tampa? The Buccaneers have the cap space, and their roster looks primed for another run at the NFC South title. Personally, I don’t think they’re far off from being real-deal contenders to win the entire conference. Yes, Tampa Bay did spend two big picks at cornerback during the draft, but wouldn’t it be exciting to have a player like Ramsey to mentor them at least for the 2025 season? Or, if need be, they could easily play Ramsey with Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety. The fun thing about this trade is it would pair Ramsey with one of the league’s best defensive minds in Bucs head coach Todd Bowles.
The Buccaneers are a good team. Adding a talent like Ramsey could help them take that final step toward being a real contender.
The tough thing about veteran trades at this time of year is that the options have become limited. Teams spend the spring investing their cap space and earmarking money for future use, so it’s hard to find more than a handful of teams that can afford to part with draft picks as well as offer a high-end contract.
The Panthers might be willing. Even with the large number of free agent contracts they’ve signed, Carolina still has some cap space, and they can afford to wait on extending Bryce Young. They also need the help on the edge, as the Panthers have been lacking a true star pass rusher since they shipped Brian Burns out of town.
Trey Hendrickson recorded a league-leading 17.5 sacks in 2024, which would be the most in a single season in Panthers history. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Carolina doesn’t currently fit the mold of a contender that a 30-year-old All-Pro like Hendrickson would likely want to play for, but that’s the risk of asking for a trade. Maybe he and the Bengals can still reach an agreement on a new contract. But if not, maybe he can help the Panthers navigate the type of impressive turnaround he was part of in Cincinnati.
It didn’t make much sense when the rumors about this trade leaked out in recent months. Now, with Aaron Rodgers on board, I’m firmly in favor.
I’m guessing the Dolphins would prefer to pay Smith, but the reality of their salary cap might make that easier said than done. Smith was electric in the final eight games of 2024, averaging seven catches and 67 yards per outing, with seven of his eight touchdowns coming in the home stretch.
Sounds like a perfect guy to pair with Rodgers. Not only would Smith be an extra pass catcher for an offense that needs them, but he’d be a great add for Arthur Smith. The Steelers’ offensive coordinator is famous for his preference for two tight end sets, and he oversaw Smith’s breakout when both were with the Tennessee Titans.
To be clear: I’m incredibly confident Terry McLaurin will remain a Commander. He’s been loyal to that franchise, even when times weren’t so good. He’s done nothing but produce, even when he didn’t have a star quarterback. He’s even held out before, as he used this strategy to secure his current extension back in 2022. I really don’t think Washington will let him walk when it finally has a chance to contend.
Terry McLaurin’s 13 receiving touchdowns were the second-most in the NFL last season, and more than double the amount that any Raiders receiver had in 2024. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
But if I’m dreaming up a perfect landing spot for McLaurin, Vegas really sounds fun. Talk about a big swing for a team that hasn’t had a lot to get excited about. The Raiders are already in decent shape for Geno Smith’s first season. Brock Bowers is a star, and Ashton Jeanty should be one soon. Jakobi Meyers is a solid receiver, but Vegas still needs to upgrade its receiver room. Rather than take your chances in the draft, why not ship a pick or two to Washington and lock in McLaurin for the rest of his prime? Make fun of me if you want, but a Raiders skill group of McLaurin, Bowers, Jeanty and Meyers might be the best in the AFC West.
Pittsburgh Steelers edge T.J. Watt: Washington Commanders
Again, I’m not buying that the Steelers would do this. Watt is an iconic piece of that franchise — and that word carries weight in Pittsburgh. Furthermore, even with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Steelers’ hopes of accomplishing anything this season will still rest on their defense.
T.J. Watt has recorded at least 10 sacks in six of his first eight seasons in the league. The Commanders, meanwhile, don’t have a player who has recorded at least 10 sacks in a season on their roster. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Why not indulge one delusional fantasy with another? If Washington were to trade Terry McLaurin, they’d be opening some financial wiggle room to add another lucrative player. They could get at least two, if not three, years of play out of Watt before they have to worry about extending Jayden Daniels. They definitely need the pass rush help. Watt would give Dan Quinn a blue chip player, which he doesn’t really have right now, on his Commanders’ defense. Adding him to a pass rush that currently includes Frankie Luvu, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise and Clelin Ferrell would upgrade the Washington pass rush from “so-so” to outright dangerous.
Sure, maybe it’s a mixed message to hinder the offense by trading McLaurin only to add T.J. Watt. But, with all due respect to Scary Terry, I think it’s a bit harder to find a DPOY-level edge rusher than an All-Pro caliber receiver in today’s NFL.
David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
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