As the 2024 NFL season draws closer, there are several teams that are caught in the mushy middle: Good enough to be a playoff team but probably not good enough to realistically go on a deep playoff run and win a Super Bowl.
But if those teams could acquire that one final piece between now and Week 1, they would immediately jump into title contention.
Here are ten blockbuster trades that NFL teams should make in order to become prime Super Bowl contenders in 2024.
Which trades would catapult a team into Super Bowl contention?
Raiders Go All-In For Dak Prescott
The Las Vegas Raiders went 8-9 last season despite Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O’Connell, and Brian Hoyer combining for just 19 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.
So, in other words…imagine how much further this team could go with a top-10 quarterback.
The Raiders have a dynamic set of weapons, including Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, and Zamir White. If only the Silver and Black had a capable starting QB who could take advantage of all those luxury toys…
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Enter Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who’s surprisingly without a new deal as he heads into the final year of his contract.
You can’t help but wonder if Jerry Jones is thinking about giving up on Prescott and restarting at the QB position. Trading Dak would put him in a position to tank for a can’t-miss QB prospect like Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers, or Shedeur Sanders in next year’s draft, after all.
The Raiders should offer a package headlined by two first-round picks in exchange for Prescott, then sign him to a long-term extension. They’ll have a proven Pro Bowl signal-caller to get this aerial assault going.
Throw in a top-10 defense, and you’d have a team that’s ready to make noise in the AFC and finally emerge as a Super Bowl contender.
Steelers Pair Brandon Aiyuk With George Pickens
The Pittsburgh Steelers opened up a void at receiver when they traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers, leaving George Pickens without a proven sidekick.
Pittsburgh has a borderline top-5 defense, a vastly improved offensive line that added prized rookie Troy Fautanu in the draft, and a much better quarterback room compared to last year.
Yes, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are miles better than the Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph trio that somehow got the Steelers to 10 victories and a playoff berth last year.
Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are a nice of weapons to begin with. Now imagine if Pittsburgh could add that one more explosive game-wrecking playmaker to elevate this offense.
Aiyuk put up 1,342 receiving yards last year in an offense with Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle. Imagine the numbers he’d put up as the No. 1 guy in Pittsburgh?
An offense with Wilson AND Aiyuk would be worth at least two more wins than the offense the Steelers ran out a year ago. And with that TJ Watt-led defense leading the way, Pittsburgh would return to their old status as a top contender in the AFC.
Aiyuk would cost at least a first-round pick, but if it means making the jump from playoff contender to Super Bowl contender, so what? It’s time for GM Omar Khan to swing for the fences and give the Steelers a real shot at the Super Bowl.
D.K. Metcalf Bolts To The Chargers
The hiring of Jim Harbaugh was one of the best moves of the 2024 offseason. Pairing him with a borderline top-five quarterback like Justin Herbert only adds to the rapidly growing optimism in La La Land.
But it’s hard to see the Chargers contending in 2024 with this current set of receivers. They traded Keenan Allen to Chicago and cut Mike Williams, leaving Justin Herbert with disappointing 2023 first-rounder Quentin Johnston and rookie Ladd McConkey as his top weapons.
The Bolts have enough talent to get by on defense with Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Asante Samuel Jr., and Derwin James Jr. Rookie Joe Alt and veteran mainstay Rashawn Slater ensuring that the o-line will keep Justin Herbert upright, too.
But if GM Joe Hortiz could add a five-star receiver like DK Metcalf? Oh, mama, screw the rebuild. The Chargers would immediately jump to Super Bowl contention in year one of the Harbaugh era.
The Seattle Seahawks might be willing to listen to offers on Metcalf since they have 2023 first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba ready to emerge as the WR1. If the Chargers offered at least an early-round pick — a first or second plus mid-round selection — the Seahawks might be willing to part with Metcalf.
Pairing an All-Pro wideout with one of the league’s elite QBs would give the Chargers a top-five offense. And with Harbaugh providing competent coaching, the Bolts would be ready to challenge KC and the other AFC powerhouses for the conference title in 2024.
Marshon Lattimore Joins Jaguars’ Prowl
If there’s one weakness on a Jacksonville Jaguars team loaded with young talent — especially on offense — it’s the secondary.
Jacksonville had the seventh-worst pass defense in 2023, allowing 239.8 yards through the air per contest. And surprisingly, GM Trent Baalke didn’t do much to address the secondary this offseason.
Jacksonville has a high-powered offense led by Trevor Lawrence, Christian Kirk, Travis Etienne Jr. And Evan Engram. The front seven, led by Josh Allen, Travon Walker and Arik Armstead, is among the best in football.
But the Jaguars need a pure shutdown corner if they’re to challenge AFC heavyweights like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and New York Jets in the AFC.
Enter New Orleans Saints Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore, one of the game’s most well-rounded corners with 15 career interceptions and 86 pass breakups. Throw in his ability to constantly limit the opposition’s No. 1 receiver — hello, Mike Evans! — and you have a guy who can single-handedly change the dynamic of the Jaguars’ secondary.
With the Saints needing to clear cap space and rebuild on the horizon, Lattimore should be available for something in the vicinity of a third-round pick and an additional late-round selection.
With Lattimore patrolling the Jaguars’ secondary, their main weakness would be cleared up. They’d have a guy who could line up against Ja’Marr Chase, Garrett Wilson, Tyreek Hill, George Pickens, and Stefon Diggs in the AFC. And that, folks, would push Jacksonville right back into Super Bowl contention.
Bills Get Josh Allen’s New WR1, Land Courtland Sutton
The cap-strapped Buffalo Bills parted ways with several big-named veteran talents this offseason — including superstar wideout Stefon Diggs and All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White.
Buffalo’s new-look receiving corps consists of rookie Keon Coleman and free-agent signings Curtis Samuel, Chase Claypool, and Marques Valdes-Scantling. Truth be told, it’s hard to imagine Buffalo retaining its status as a Super Bowl player with an unproven rookie and Samuel headlining their receiver depth chart.
But if Bills GM Brandon Beane can make a splash for another big-name receiver, would Coleman and Samuel be the WR2 and WR3? Then you’d be talking about a legitimate challenger to Kansas City in the AFC again.
With the Denver Broncos in rebuilding mode, the Bills should inquire about star wide receiver Courtland Sutton. He’s exceeded 700 yards receiving in his five HEALTHY NFL seasons, and that’s with a long list of mediocre or terrible QBs throwing him the football.
Sutton should cost no more than a couple of day two picks. He’s under contract for two more years, giving Allen an adequate No. 1 receiver for the time being while Coleman develops.
Suddenly, the Bills would be back in business with a Sutton-Coleman-Samuel receiving trio at Allen’s disposal.
Also Read: NFL Fans Have Made It Clear They Don’t Want The Super Bowl Hosted In One New City
Joey Bosa Flies To Falcons’ Flock
We made the case for the Chargers to trade for DK Metcalf. But IF they don’t want to go all-in this year…why not unload star edge rusher Joey Bosa and clear up insane cap numbers of $26.111 million and $36.471 million, respectively?
Bosa’s hefty contract will limit his market, but the Atlanta Falcons have every incentive to trade for him in an effort to bolster their Super Bowl odds.
Atlanta won the Kirk Cousins free agency sweepstakes, giving them a competent QB option to dish the ball out to their wealth of weapons in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson. Step one is complete.
But the Falcons still lack an elite pass-rushing force, as evidenced by the fact that they haven’t had a player hit double-digit sacks in a season since Vic Beasley in 2016.
The offense is set with Cousins. The secondary has two studs, AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates. Grady Jarrett is still a menace in the interior of the defensive line.
By landing Bosa, the Falcons would shore up their last pressing weakness. A player with 67 sacks in 93 career games would change everything for the Atlanta defense — putting them in legitimate Super Bowl contention for the first time since 2017.
And because of his giant cap hit, Bosa likely wouldn’t cost more than a third-round pick. So what’s stopping GM Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris from making the move?
Packers FINALLY Unite With Tee Higgins
The Green Bay Packers stunned everyone when they drafted Jordan Love with the No. 26 pick in 2020. That move obviously panned out, but you still can’t help but wonder, “What if” the Packers used that selection on a stud wide receiver like Tee Higgins?
Higgins went 33rd to the Bengals. The Packers were the NFC’s top seed in 2020 and 2021 but never got to the Super Bowl. If Aaron Rodgers had Higgins as his No. 2 receiver behind Davante Adams, maybe that would have been the difference. Maybe the Pack would have won a second Super Bowl with Rodgers before his departure.
You can’t change the past, but you sure as heck can change the future. Green Bay could do that by finally uniting with Higgins — who’s likely to leave Cincinnati next year anyway after the two sides failed to reach an extension.
Jordan Love led the Packers to nine wins and a Divisional Round appearance in 2023, even though none of their receivers hit 800 yards. Higgins, by the way, has put up elite numbers while playing second-fiddle to Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati.
Jayden Reed and Christian Watson have shown signs of stardom, but they may be better suited as WR2 and WR3 options. By giving Love a bonafide No. 1 receiver in Higgins, this already-prolific Green Bay offense would hit another level.
Higgins should be available for a second-round pick and perhaps one more mid or late-round pick. If he agrees to an extension beforehand, then the Packers may be open to giving up a first-rounder to Cincy.
We saw just how close they were to taking down the superior 49ers in the Divisional Round last season. A player like Higgins could be the ultimate difference-maker for an up-and-coming Packers team that is already close to title contention.
Bring in Higgins, and they’d be undisputed contenders.
Broncos Flip Patrick Surtain II To The Bears
The arrivals of Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen, and D’Andre Swift mean the Chicago Bears will have a fireworks-filled offense in 2024. And yes, they should be deemed a “sleeper” playoff contender.
But a Super Bowl player? Not unless they bolster a leaky secondary that allowed the eighth-most passing yards last year despite the breakout year of superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson.
With the Broncos rebuilding, you gotta think GM George Paton would listen to offers on his All-Pro cornerback. And with Chicago finally in win-now mode, they shouldn’t be afraid to give up a package, including a first-round pick for Surtain.
Johnson and Surtain could easily emerge as football’s best cornerback tandem. Now that they have Montez Sweat for a full season, the Bears’ defense has immense potential as is.
By pairing Surtain with Johnson, the Bears will have cleared up all their weaknesses. With Caleb and the offense ready to fly, Chicago would join the tier of bonafide Super Bowl contenders.
Saints Win The Deebo Samuel Sweepstakes
New Orleans had a top-10 scoring offense and defense last year but missed out on the postseason for the third straight year. Derek Carr’s inconsistency was the main issue, but he also didn’t have much help as a receiver, unlike Chris Olave.
By adding a prolific weapon like Deebo Samuel — even if he costs an early-round pick — the Saints would close the gap with Atlanta in the NFC South and return to championship contention. They already have a great defense and two Pro Bowl-like weapons in Olave and Alvin Kamara.
But acquiring Samuel might push this Saints offense over the top and make them title contenders for the first time in the post-Drew Brees era.
Cowboys Go “All-In” & Grab Alvin Kamara
After the Dallas Cowboys’ playoff loss to the Packers, owner Jerry Jones said his team would be going “all-in” this offseason. Fast forward to June, and Jerry has yet to make one “all-in” move.
Hey, it’s never too late.
We made the case for the Saints to go after Deebo Samuel. But if they decide to retool, GM Mickey Loomis should be keen to trade his workhorse running back. Dealing Kamara would clear $11.682 million in cap space for 2024 and $25 million in 2025, after all.
Jerry is kidding himself if he thinks Dallas will compete for a title with Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn in his running back room.
So how about doing the Saints a favor and taking on Kamara’s contract for the last two years?
The five-time Pro Bowler is good for 1,300-plus yards of offense a season and would take much of the burden off of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
The Cowboys are renowned chokers, but adding Kamara could be the final move needed to actually get this team over the top once and for all.
