10 NFL trades that need to happen: Derrick Henry to Patriots, Budda Baker to Bills among options

Kirk Cousins returns to Minnesota, George Pickens heads to Las Vegas and more aggressive moves contenders should make before Tuesday's trade deadline

Nov 8, 2026 at 4:41 pm ET • 8 min read

The NFL trade deadline is just two days away, and it's already been a dramatic time around the league. The Seattle Seahawks beefed up their offensive line with Quenton Nelson, the San Francisco 49ers brought back DeForest Buckner, the Chicago Bears look like a Super Bowl favorite with the addition of Jeffery Simmons, and the Baltimore Ravens have a new quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. Who is the next domino to fall?

A total of 27 players were traded in-season last year. That's the most in the past 25 years. A total of 12 players were dealt on deadline day last year. Get ready for a wild 48 hours. There's a lot of speculation around Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, but will he actually get dealt? What about the Minnesota Vikings? Could they swing a deal for a new quarterback in the next 48 hours? Below, we will break down 10 trades that need to happen.

1. Kirk Cousins to the Vikings

Vikings receive: QB Kirk Cousins
Raiders receive: Conditional fifth-round pick

ESPN's Adam Schefter got a lot of people excited last week when he said he was going to keep an eye on the Vikings. Are they going to trade for Justin Herbert? Or Mac Jones? Maybe Daniel Jones? What about bringing back Kirk Cousins?

It doesn't appear that Cousins will be dealt at the trade deadline, but it would be a storybook ending if Kevin O'Connell brought Cousins back to town and he contributed to a Super Bowl run. Cousins spent six seasons in Minnesota, threw for 4,000 yards four times and went 50-37-1 as the starter. While he's 38 now, Cousins is still capable of playing good football. His 19 passing touchdowns entering Sunday ranked second in the NFL behind Joe Burrow, and his 265.5 passing yards per game ranked seventh. 

Now that we are halfway through the 2026 season, the Raiders can turn their attention to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, while Cousins will improve a Vikings passing attack that's sputtering. Kyler Murray's 170.3 passing yards per game entering Week 9 ranked 30th among 31 qualifying passers, and we don't know if Carson Wentz is a solution. Justin Jefferson is sick of not having consistent play under center, so let's get Cousins back to Minnesota and watch him power a Super Bowl run.

2. Budda Baker to the Bills

Bills receive: S Budda Baker
Cardinals receive: Third-round pick

How long can the Bills keep winning track meets? Josh Allen can outscore just about any team, but this defense ranks bottom 10 in both yards allowed per game (352.1) and points allowed per game (25.9). Buffalo has four wins in games the defense has allowed 30 points!

Adding Cardinals safety Budda Baker should help. He's an eight-time Pro Bowler playing great football for a not-so-great team. In eight games this season, he's recorded 51 tackles, four passes defensed, one interception and a career-high 3.5 sacks. Not many players have made 1,000 tackles before age 30 — just Bobby Wagner, Roquan Smith, Luke Kuechly, Lavonte David, Ray Lewis, Fred Warner and Budda Baker. 

3. Derrick Henry reunites with Mike Vrabel

Patriots receive: RB Derrick Henry
Ravens receive: Third-round pick

Mike Vrabel has a few former Titans on his roster, including A.J. Brown and Kevin Byard. He could swing a deal for another one of his former players in Derrick Henry.

The Ravens running back is averaging 76.6 rushing yards per game and has scored nine total touchdowns in nine games played. Given the injuries at the quarterback position and the fact that the Ravens are the only team in the division with a losing record, it looks like Baltimore won't be making its Super Bowl run this year. Henry is 32 going on 33 and should be helping a contender.

The Patriots rank 12th in rushing yards per game with 123.1, but Rhamondre Stevenson is averaging under four yards per attempt and about 46 yards per game. TreVeyon Henderson's situation remains unclear as well, after he revealed he experienced an "unusual medical emergency." Vrabel knows what Henry is capable of as a bell cow, and he can help the reigning AFC champs get back to the "Big Game."

4. George Pickens off to 'Sin City'

Raiders receive: WR George Pickens
Cowboys receive: Second-round pick

George Pickens ranked third in the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,429 and nine touchdowns on 93 receptions, but this season has been a different story. His yards per game has dipped from 84.1 to 66.6, and Pickens played just 56.8% of snaps during the Cowboys' Week 8 loss to Arizona. 

Pickens is playing on the franchise tag this year and is due a massive contract. Questions remain about the Cowboys' ability to pay him. Dak Prescott is the No. 2 highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, CeeDee Lamb is the No. 6 highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL and Tyler Smith is the No. 2 highest-paid guard in the league. Then, the recently added Joey Porter Jr. is due a massive contract as well. Is Dallas really going to pay Pickens around $35 million per year? It makes sense to pick up a second-round pick for a player who may not be on your roster next year. 

The Raiders, on the other hand, have one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL.Tre Tucker leads the way with 474 yards, then Jalen Nailor is behind him with 113 yards. Pickens would provide Fernando Mendoza with a true perimeter threat for years to come. 

5. Broncos add Breece Hall

Broncos receive: RB Breece Hall
Jets receive: Third-round pick

Breece Hall signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal this offseason after being slapped with the franchise tag. He became the Jets' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015 and is one of three active players to record 3,000 rushing yards and 1,500 receiving yards in his first four seasons. However, Hall's quad injury opened the door for Braelon Allen, who has really taken advantage of his opportunity. He rushed for a career-high 147 yards against the Raiders last week. 

The Broncos' rushing offense entered Sunday ranked seventh-worst in the NFL. While rookie Jonah Coleman has flashed in spots and the injured RJ Harvey is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield, Hall would immediately upgrade an inconsistent offense that has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. 

6. Josh Downs to Kansas City

Chiefs receive: WR Josh Downs
Colts receive: Conditional fourth-round pick

The Chiefs would like Brian Thomas Jr., but they don't want to give up a second-round pick for a player with some question marks. They instead trade a conditional fourth-round pick for Josh Downs, who has recorded the second-most receiving yards out of the slot ever since he was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. 

Downs caught 30 passes for 330 yards and one touchdown in his first eight games this season and put up a career-high 803 yards and five trips to the end zone in 2024. The Chiefs' issues at wide receiver are well-documented. Rashee Rice entered Sunday averaging 48.6 receiving yards per game, and Xavier Worthy is just a gadget player at this point. Travis Kelce shouldn't be leading this team in receiving. 

7. Ladd McConkey to the Steelers

Steelers receive: WR Ladd McConkey, fifth-round pick
Chargers receive: WR Roman Wilson, second-round pick

CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo pitched this trade earlier this week, and it makes some sense. Ladd McConkey could take the Steelers' passing attack to another level, while former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh would reunite with Roman Wilson. 

McConkey has caught just 17 passes for 286 yards and one touchdown through the first eight weeks of the season. As a rookie, he caught 82 passes for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns. The Steelers have averaged 26.2 points per game over their last six, but their leading receiver, DK Metcalf, is averaging just 47.3 yards per game. In McConkey, Aaron Rodgers would get a solid slot weapon who could also act as a security blanket.

8. Tony Pollard to the Giants

Giants receive: RB Tony Pollard
Titans receive: Fourth-round pick

Jonathan Taylor has gotten a lot of oxygen over the past few weeks, but there's another running back in the AFC South that teams should be interested in. Tony Pollard rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7 and then 117 yards and two touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. He's averaging a career-high 74.4 rushing yards per game this season, and he ranks top 10 in rushing attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He and Derrick Henry are the only players to have rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the last four seasons.

The Giants do have Cam Skattebo, who rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown in that overtime win against the Houston Texans, but Pollard would upgrade a questionable room as New York looks to win the division. John Harbaugh was upset his team couldn't land Jeffery Simmons. Mike Borgonzi finally answers the phone and sends Pollard to the Giants.

9. Moro Ojomo to the Jags

Jaguars receive: DT Moro Ojomo
Eagles receive: Third-round pick

The Jaguars have reportedly been sniffing around for defensive linemen, and Moro Ojomo could be a fit. Jacksonville just saw DaVon Hamilton go down with a torn quad, and GM James Gladstone hopes to make an addition to maintain one of the best run defenses in the NFL. Ojomo adds some juice as a pass rusher from the interior and has recorded the second-most pressures on the Eagles over the last three seasons behind Jalen Carter. 

10. Khalil Mack moves north to Santa Clara

49ers receive: EDGE Khalil Mack, sixth-round pick
Chargers receive: Third-round pick

Reports indicate that Khalil Mack won't be traded, but this is a player who should be rushing the passer for a contender. The former Defensive Player of the Year turns 36 in a few months, but he can still get after the quarterback. Mack recorded three sacks in his first seven games this season and notched a career-high 17 sacks just three years ago. 

The 49ers have the most games missed due to injury this season (142) entering Sunday. The defensive line has 47 games missed by players, the most in the NFL. Mack would help a Raheem Morris defense that can win a Super Bowl if healthy.