Every NFL offseason brings a flurry of free-agent signings, draft picks and trades that remake rosters and divisions, but 2026 might go down as one of the biggest offseasons in league history.
Free agency can often just be a bidding war, but trades are where general managers test their mettle. Multiple All-Pros, Pro Bowlers and impactful role players find themselves in training camp with new teams hoping to make a Super Bowl push or, on the flip side, reset for a rebuild.
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11 Biggest Trades Entering the 2026 NFL Season
Free agency always brings a dizzying number of player moves, but this year, the trade market stole the spotlight, with some of the biggest names in the NFL changing teams.
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns to Los Angeles Rams
Rams receive: Defensive end Myles Garrett
Browns receive: Defensive end Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick
The trade of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Browns to the Rams is one of the biggest roster additions in recent memory. Garrett had languished in Cleveland, which made just two playoff appearances during his career there, and now finds himself on one of the premier Super Bowl contenders.
Garrett is fresh off setting the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23 and could make the Rams the best defensive unit in the league. Jared Verse is a rising star pass rusher in his own right, but the price was still worth it for a Rams team that has reigning MVP Matthew Stafford under contract through 2027 and is looking at immediate Super Bowl contention.
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles to New England Patriots
Patriots receive: Wide receiver A.J. Brown
Eagles receive: A 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick
Quarterback Drake Maye was in desperate need of a legitimate No. 1 receiver after a breakout 2025 season, and he gets one in Brown. Brown made two Super Bowls and won one in Philadelphia, recorded 1,000 receiving yards in all four seasons and established himself as one of the best receiving threats in the league. But last season, a struggling Philadelphia passing game led to one of his least impactful seasons as a pro.
He now finds himself in one of the best offensive schemes in football. The Patriots have a tougher road ahead in 2026, but they get to face it with one of the best outside receiving threats in the league.
Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs to Los Angeles Rams
Rams receive: Cornerback Trent McDuffie
Chiefs receive: A 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 fifth-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick
The Rams received cornerback Trent McDuffie, and the Chiefs received draft capital in the form of a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 fifth-round pick, a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick.
McDuffie subsequently signed a four-year extension. Combined with the acquisition of Garrett and the signing of Jaylen Watson, the move turns the Rams from a top-10 defense into maybe the best in the league. McDuffie has proven himself a top-end cornerback against the run and the pass, and his job gets a lot easier with the best pass rusher in the game now on his team.
Signing McDuffie to a four-year deal signals the championship window the Rams are eyeing with Stafford, the reigning MVP, signed through 2027. This is an opportunity the organization is trying to take full advantage of, and McDuffie elevates the pass defense in a significant way.
Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants to Cincinnati Bengals
Bengals receive: Defensive Tackle Dexter Lawrence
Giants receive: The 10th pick in the 2026 NFL draft
The Bengals were one of the worst defenses in the NFL a year ago and desperately needed help along the defensive line, especially after losing pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. Lawrence is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league and should help not just the pass rush but a porous run defense.
The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro joins Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe in a much-upgraded defensive front for Cincinnati, whose defense is getting at least a little closer to matching the talent on the offensive side of the ball. This could be enough to make the Bengals the AFC North favorite and return them to the AFC playoff picture.
Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins to Denver Broncos
Broncos receive: Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle
Dolphins receive: A 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick
Waddle’s trade to Denver signals two things. First, the Miami Dolphins are in complete reset mode and have the draft capital to prove it. Second, the Denver Broncos believe they have a Super Bowl contender and need another marquee receiving threat on the outside.
Waddle is one of the fastest receivers in the league and now finds himself in a Sean Payton scheme that should maximize his ability like few other coaches can. He’ll also have a more dependable quarterback behind center in Bo Nix. The AFC West is going to be a dogfight, and Waddle brings some more bite to the Broncos.
DJ Moore, Chicago Bears to Buffalo Bills
Bills receive: Wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick
Bears receive: A 2026 second-round pick
This move seemed inevitable with the Bears drafting and developing a handful of young receiving threats while Moore carried a massive salary into 2026. Buffalo is as good a fit as any with the Bills needing a legitimate receiving threat for Josh Allen.
Moore is coming off his worst statistical season as a pro, posting career lows in receptions and yards, but he was still a reliable red zone target for Caleb Williams in a Chicago offense built around one of the best rushing attacks in the league. In Buffalo, Moore will be asked to return to the No. 1 receiver role he’s held for much of his career. He has eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards four times and will once again be relied on as a top threat for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams to Cleveland Browns
Browns receive: Defensive end Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick
Rams receive: Defensive end Myles Garrett
The flip side of the Garrett trade is Verse landing in Cleveland. In just two seasons, Verse has made two Pro Bowls and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s put together 12 sacks, five forced fumbles and 45 quarterback hits. He isn’t Myles Garrett, but he looks like he’ll soon be one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL.
Verse, and the draft capital he came with, are part of a huge youth movement in Cleveland. The Browns took a handful of offensive playmakers this year and now seem just a quarterback away from one of the most exciting young cores in the league.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions to Houston Texans
Texans receive: Running back David Montgomery
Lions receive: OL Juice Scruggs, a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick
After three productive seasons in Detroit, Montgomery is headed out of the NFC North for the first time in his career. Houston’s run game was among the league’s least productive, ranking 22nd in rushing yards, 29th in yards per carry at 3.9 and 31st with just nine rushing touchdowns. The Texans desperately needed running back help, and they get a capable veteran who can take pressure off C.J. Stroud and help the passing game keep pace with a suddenly competitive AFC South.
Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers to Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys receive: Defensive end Rashan Gary
Packers receive: 2027 fourth-round draft pick
Dallas had one of the worst defenses in the league but made considerable moves to fortify its front. After trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay for Kenny Clark and two first-round picks, the Cowboys flipped one of those first-rounders as part of the package for Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline and now add Gary, who has averaged eight sacks a year over the last three seasons.
The defense was so bad that it is difficult to envision this one move being enough, but Gary helps Dallas take another considerable step forward as it looks to compete in a fairly wide-open NFC East.
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts to Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers receive: Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
Colts receive: A late-round draft pick swap
Pittman was acquired for a late-round pick swap and immediately signed a three-year deal with Pittsburgh to line up opposite DK Metcalf.
It’s a major transitional year for the Steelers, who have their first new head coach in nearly two decades after Mike Tomlin stepped down and Mike McCarthy took over. It also could be Aaron Rodgers’ last season. Pittman posted a career-high seven touchdowns in 2025 but was falling behind in the offensive pecking order in Indianapolis with the rise of Alec Pierce and an increased focus on the run game. Pittman now gets a fresh start in Pittsburgh in a season where the team has little to lose.
Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders to New York Jets
Jets receive: Quarterback Geno Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick
Raiders receive: A 2026 sixth-round pick
After a career resurgence in Seattle, where he played in two Pro Bowls and won Comeback Player of the Year, Smith took a considerable step back in 2025 in his lone season in Las Vegas. He led the NFL with 17 interceptions while absorbing 55 sacks behind an offense that never really had a chance to succeed.
He leaves that situation behind for the Jets, the team that drafted him and ultimately let him go after four disappointing seasons. His return to New York comes with a much stronger supporting cast. Running back Breece Hall is re-signed, Garrett Wilson is healthy, and the Jets added pass-catching playmakers Omar Cooper Jr. and Kenyon Sadiq in the draft.
There aren’t massive expectations for the Jets, but they do have some promising building blocks in place. Now they just need a top pick in next year’s NFL Draft to find their long-term quarterback — a sentence that could have been written about this team for more than 20 years.
Watch the 2026 NFL Season With DIRECTV
The 2026 NFL offseason brought plenty of major moves, with some of the league’s biggest names changing teams and franchises reshaping their rosters for the future. Players and coaches shuffled around the league, giving teams new looks heading into the 2026 season. Now, they get to put it all to the test as the regular season gets underway.
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