Every year during the NFL Draft, there are always a great deal of surprise trades that happen throughout the three-day event. Most of the big trades in the draft come in the first round, involving impactful players. Here are some current NFL stars who could switch teams when draft night comes around.
The Bengals permitted Trey Hendrickson to seek a trade in early March before free agency started. This trade sends last year’s sack leader to the Detroit Lions for their 2025 first-round pick(28).
The trade aids both teams, as the Lions can grab one of the top pass rushers in the NFL and pair him across from Aidan Hutchinson when he returns from injury. The Lions have a chance to clinch a Super Bowl title this upcoming season, and adding Hendrickson instantly improves their defensive line. The Bengals do not have to hand out another expensive contract and can draft a rookie edge rusher with one of their two first-round picks.
The relationship between the Green Bay Packers and Alexander seems to be coming to a close this offseason. This trade sends Alexander to the Ravens for a third-round pick(91) and a fifth-round pick(176). This trade would save the Packers $6.8 million in cap space this season for a player who has missed 20 games in the last two seasons.
The Ravens would then be responsible for the remaining two years of his contract. Presuming Alexander can stay healthy, this trade adds a young corner to an already talented Ravens secondary.
The Atlanta Falcons are prepared to hand the starting quarterback job to second-year player Michael Penix Jr. That being said, what do the Falcons do with Kirk Cousins? They just signed him last offseason to a massive four-year contract. Assuming the Browns go with arguably the most talented player in the draft, Travis Hunter, a trade for Cousins makes a lot of sense for both sides.
It would not cost the Browns much in terms of sending a draft pick, estimating it will be for a day three pick. The Falcons would have to take on a $37.5 million cap hit for this season if he were to be traded before June 1st. This move allows the Browns to have a Pro Bowl -caliber quarterback for the 2025 season while also securing one of the top players in the draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ general manager, Howie Roseman, always likes to stay one step ahead when continuing to build a competitive team for the future. Dallas Goedert, who just turned 30 years old, has been a solid player for this Eagles offense since coming into the league.
This draft-day trade sends Goedert to the Colts for a day-three pick. This trade makes a lot of sense for the Colts because their head coach Shane Steichen was the Eagles offensive coordinator during the 2021-2022 seasons. The 2025 draft is full of talent when it comes to tight ends, and this trade allows the Eagles to have another pick to get younger at the position.
This trade might come as a surprise, but after trading for DK Metcalf, that shows how the team feels about possibly extending George Pickens. He has had inconsistent play and behavioral issues during his short time in the NFL. Trading him to the Patriots gives him a fresh start with a young quarterback and veteran head coach. This trade would net the Steelers back a third-round pick(69) and a fifth-round pick(144). It works out for the Steelers because they will not have to hand out another big contract to a wide receiver after paying Metcalf.
That being said, every NFL draft will consist of many trades depending on the depth and talent of the draft. Names will always be floated around to be traded during draft time. It depends on whether teams will give up the draft capital to acquire these players. The draft is full of surprises, and the 2025 draft aims to be the same.
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