The NFL season is off to a roaring start. We have seen some fantastic games through the first couple of weeks—and luckily, there is no end in sight.
Part of what has made the start of the season so interesting is that we have seen some teams that we expected to be contending this year falter out of the gate. Conversely, a couple of teams with lesser expectations come out hot.
As a result, we could see a major shakeup leading up to the trade deadline and, ultimately, some big trades as the season progresses.
Whether it’s aging veterans on struggling teams or disgruntled stars looking for a fresh start, here are the 10 NFL players most likely to get traded in 2024.
Which of these NFL stars do you wish to be traded this season?
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Now… This one might catch a few of you off guard, as there were some expectations around Stafford and the Rams heading into this season with the way that they rallied down the back half of the 2023 season, BUT—with the way this season has started off for Los Angeles—all of that may be going down the tubes in a hurry.
They have stumbled out of the gate in a major way and sit at 0 – 2. To make matters worse, the Rams literally have injuries everywhere.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Including Stafford’s top 2 options—Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
Let’s face it, Stafford is no spring chicken, and frankly, he’s at the point in his career where every snap, let alone every season, matters exponentially more.
The veteran quarterback doesn’t have time to be punting full seasons because the roster around him is falling apart.
Los Angeles could also benefit as an organization by making a shift in this direction. Not only would they get a nice haul for Stafford on the open market, but they have a clean shot at tanking this year, which could set them up nicely going forward.
One team that has gotten thrown around as a potential suitor for Stafford is the Miami Dolphins—with Tua Tagovailoa’s future still up in the air due to ongoing concussion concerns, Stafford could be the perfect veteran presence to take the reins.
Imagine Stafford’s deep ball ability paired with Miami’s dynamic duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle? Miami could snap right back into legitimate contention if they trade for the Super Bowl champ.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin has been the lone bright spot on a Washington Commanders offense that’s been otherwise underwhelming in recent years, to put it lightly.
The star wide receiver has been nothing but consistent, racking up 1,000-yard season after 1000-yard season despite playing in a revolving door of NFL quarterbacks. His rookie season was the only year that he missed the mark—and he only did so by 81 yards despite playing just 14 games.
Okay… You get it. McLaurin is a very good player… This begs the question: Why would Washington want to deal with him? This is especially true with a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels stepping in, who undoubtedly would benefit from his presence.
The fact of the matter is that Washington is still a mess. The team looked utterly discombobulated in Week 2 and barely eeked out a win against the lowly Giants.
If things continue to go south, it might be time for the team to hit the reset button and for Washington to turn to the future and try to turn McLauren into significant draft capital.
Especially if Daniels, who has shown some injury-proneness thus far, ends up missing time! Then it is a no-brainer for Washington to try and sell high on McLauren to a contender.
Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers
Jaycee Horn came into the NFL with a ton of hype, being drafted eighth overall by the Panthers in 2021 out of South Carolina.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t gone exactly to plan, as injuries have taken a chunk out of the home-grown corner’s potential thus far in his career. Injuries have limited Horn to 22 of 51 games over the past three years—I mean, last year alone, he only played six games.
Still… When he’s been healthy, he’s shown flashes of the player we saw on Saturdays when he was a Gamecock. Horn has the rare ability to shut down an entire half of the field—something that few corners in the game can do!
Carolina believes in him enough to pick up his fifth-year option—and now Horn is heading into a pivotal fourth season—with another one under team control to follow, but the rest of their team has turned into a dumpster fire.
And now, with Bryce Young getting benched, it looks like things could go from bad to worse for the Panthers.
With Carolina in a full tailspin, they might look to kick off a proper fire sale sooner rather than later—and Horn would have a lot of value on the trade market.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Okay, I know this one might sound a little crazy, but hear me out. Ja’Marr Chase has been visibly frustrated with the Bengals all offseason.
And now that Cincinnati has stumbled out of the gate to a 0-2 start, with Chase’s production being noticeably absent, things could spiral out of control fast. Both for the team’s performance—and its relationship with their top wide receiver.
If the Bengals find themselves out of the NFL playoff contention by midseason, would they really hold onto an unhappy star?
Chase is one of the best wide receivers in the game, and there would be no shortage of teams lining up for his services. If a team like the Packers or 49ers came calling with a haul of draft picks, the Bengals might have to seriously consider pulling the trigger.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
Former Steelers star possession receiver Diontae Johnson was the headline acquisition for the Carolina Panthers in the NFL offseason, as the team had a plan to make him their new number-one receiver and as a means of rejuvenating an offense that was in desperate need of a reliable pass catcher.
Through two weeks, however, Johnson has caught just five passes for 34 yards.
Obviously, with the mess we have seen unfold in Charlotte, it would be unfair to put the blame squarely on Johnson. The Panthers offense as a whole has been a disaster and to make matters worse, they’ve already benched Bryce Young, the number 1 overall pick from 2023, in favor of veteran Andy Dalton.
Granted, that might be a bump in the short term, but you never want to see that happen when you invest as much in a draft prospect as Carolina did in Young.
In any case, it feels like Carolina is trying anything to jumpstart this offense, but so far, nothing has clicked… and if that continues, it may be high time for them to start selling off parts.
Because here’s the thing: Johnson is set to be a free agent next offseason and if Carolina keeps floundering, which everyone expects them to at this point, then Johnson becomes a prime trade candidate.
There are several receiver-needy teams that could really use his talents, including the Los Angeles Rams—who are dealing with injury issues in their wide receiver room—or even the New England Patriots, who are still looking for reliable targets for Jacoby Brissett and potentially Drake Maye.
If Carolina can’t right the ship soon, don’t be shocked if they look to move Johnson and turn him into valuable draft capital before he walks in free agency.
E.J. Speed, LB, Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are 0-2, and while the season is still young, it feels like Indianapolis is teetering on the edge of a lost year.
If this NFL team continues to slide, they might decide to start selling off pieces before the trade deadline, and star linebacker E.J. Speed could be one of the first names to go.
Speed was a breakout star last year in Shane Steichen’s first year running the program, as he put together a 102-tackle campaign, but he is set to be a free agent in 2025—and the fast, physical, do-it-all linebacker could be a hot commodity on the open market.
Already this season, Speed has recorded 21 tackles and a quarterback hit. He’s also allowed an opposing passer rating of just 56.2 in coverage.
This means that if Indy decides to put him on the block, there will likely be a line of contending suitors formed at the door in short order.
Haason Reddick, DE, New York Jets
It’s always a little awkward when a player’s name pops up in trade rumors shortly after they’ve been traded themselves, but that’s exactly the situation Haason Reddick finds himself in with the New York Jets.
“Finds himself in” may not be the right phrasing… How about put himself in after all, Reddick is currently in the middle of a contract standoff with the team and is actively sitting out games.
The former Eagles standout was dealt from Philly after he requested a new deal following a couple of monster seasons… and I don’t know if there was a breakdown in communication between his camp and the Jets—or if they’ve just made a mess of the negotiation, but now he’s in the exact same situation with New York.
And so far, neither side is budging.
Reddick’s talent is undeniable—he’s posted double-digit sacks in four consecutive seasons—but the Jets seem reluctant to pay up, and the fines and missed game checks are piling up. It’s starting to feel like Reddick’s time in New York could be short-lived, especially if a contender comes knocking with the right offer—both for the Jets and Reddick.
Don’t be surprised if you see New York end up shipping him to an NFC contender, like Arizona, where he could reunite with Jonathan Gannon!
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Washington Commanders
It is hard to call Emmanuel Forbes a “star” because of the way that he’s produced thus far in his Young NFL career, but let’s not forget that the Commanders made Forbes the 16th overall pick in last year’s draft.
That said, the second-year corner may already need a new home to thrive. Because after a rough rookie season where he allowed a passer rating of 103.0 in coverage, things haven’t improved much in 2024.
And at this point it doesn’t feel as if Washington’s new regime truly believes in him—with good reason… Because it hasn’t been pretty—and it doesn’t look like it is getting any better. Week 1 he was called for two penalties on the same play and promptly pulled from the lineup.
That said, a few teams might be willing to take a flier on the young Mississippi State product, who did flash a lot of playmaking potential in college.
Forbes might benefit from a change of scenery, and Washington could look to move on before his trade value drops even further.
The Los Angeles Chargers, who are rebuilding under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, might also be willing to roll the dice on a high-upside prospect like Forbes developing in their system.
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers
Star wide receiver Adam Thielen has had an outstanding NFL career—there’s no denying that. But at 33 years old, it’s not hard to see that his days as a true number one option are behind him.
He did well to rally last year after leaving Minnesota to join the Carolina Panthers, quickly turning into a reliable option… really the only one… for then-rookie QB, Bryce Young.
But this season it has gone from bad to worse and with Young benched, it may make sense for the Panthers wave the white flag and start making some deals with an eye on the future.
The return wouldn’t be massive, but every little bit helps.
And there is definitely a contending team out there that could use a vet with Thielen’s route-running skills and steady hands to convert a few key thirds and mediums.
Azeez Ojulari, DE, New York Giants
The Giants’ 2023 playoff run feels like a distant memory, and after a rough start to the 2024 season, New York could be heading for another lost year.
Honestly… Distant memory may be an understatement. It feels like a lifetime ago!
In any case, they be ready to start wheeling and dealing to try and accumulate draft capital for the future… and edge rusher, Azeez Ojulari might be one of the first players they look to move.
The 2021 second-round pick showed plenty of promise early in his career, but injuries have derailed his progress, and he hasn’t been able to establish himself as a consistent playmaker for the Giants defense.
His production was down last year, but he combined for 13.5 sacks across his first two seasons—and he could prove to be a nice reinforcement piece for a contending team should New York look to deal him.
Also Read: 5 NFL Stars With New Teams That Will Be STUDS, And 5 That Will Be DUDS
