NFL Trade Deadline Nears: Jonathan Taylor, Brian Thomas Jr. Top List of Possible Movers

The 2026 NFL trade deadline arrives Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m. ET, less than two weeks from now. ESPN analyst Matt Bowen and national reporter Jeremy Fowler have put together a ranking of the top 25 players who could be dealt, along with team fits for each.

The ranking is based on how much a player would help a new team, not on how likely a trade is. Even so, the two attached estimated odds of a move to each name, drawing on what Fowler is hearing around the league. All 25 are said to be part of trade conversations.

Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor sits at No. 1, with a 30% estimated chance of being moved. Fowler says teams are not fully convinced the Colts will sell, even with heavy interest, since Taylor is signed long term. Fowler also pointed to the impact Kenneth Walker III has had in Kansas City as a sign of what a top back can do for a new team, and noted that Indianapolis' season is turning ugly. Bowen highlights Taylor's 109.3 total yards per game and his eight rushing touchdowns, which are tied for the league lead. The Seahawks, Commanders, Saints, Broncos and Vikings are listed as possible fits.

Jacksonville receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is ranked second and given the highest odds in the top tier, at 45%. Fowler says league executives sense the end of his time with the Jaguars as his targets and playing time have dropped, and that Kansas City and Pittsburgh are among the teams exploring receiver help. Bowen notes that Thomas, listed at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, had 87 catches and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024 but has just a 9-105-1 line this season.

Edge rushers make up a big share of the list. Arizona's Josh Sweat (40%) is in the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal, and an NFC executive told Fowler that a move to Dallas "makes a lot of sense." Tampa Bay's Yaya Diaby (35%) is a 2027 free agent whom the Buccaneers are not poised to pay, and second-year rusher David Walker has four sacks. Los Angeles Chargers veteran Khalil Mack (35%) is on a one-year deal, with a return to the Bears seen as a natural fit. Tennessee's Jermaine Johnson II (30%) comes from a 1-6 team still in rebuilding mode.

Other veterans on the board include Cleveland receiver Jerry Jeudy (20%), whom the Browns would move only for a substantial offer, and Washington defensive tackle Daron Payne (25%). Payne is 29, a 2027 free agent, and plays for a 1-4-1 team that could face the same kind of deadline choices it made three years ago. Jacksonville is seen as a potential landing spot.

In the secondary and at linebacker, Philadelphia cornerback Riq Woolen (35%) is a 2027 free agent with a low $1.26 million base salary that could make a deal easier. Arizona safety Budda Baker (35%), a seven-time straight Pro Bowler, is seen by some as a way for the rebuilding Cardinals to gain picks. Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson (25%) is 30 and set for free agency in March. Pittsburgh linebacker Patrick Queen (20%) is likely to stay because the Steelers are 5-2.

Indianapolis has a second name in the top 15: receiver Josh Downs (45%), a 2027 free agent who has drawn interest from multiple teams after the Colts traded Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. Philadelphia guard Landon Dickerson (25%) is also listed, with Fowler sensing some friction with the front office, while Cincinnati edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who was inactive Sunday in Baltimore, appears at No. 15.