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Top trade candidates as deadline approaches

The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 4 — just a little over two weeks away.

With 11 teams currently at two wins or fewer, there’s reason to believe some of them may decide prep for the future by sending away talent in exchange for draft picks. On the flip side, there are several teams that likely believe they’re only a piece or two away from being complete heading into the second half of the season.

With that in mind, a few of our writers put together a list of the top 10 trade candidates that could be on the market right now. Let’s look at a few:

EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals: “It feels like Trey Hendrickson has been involved in trade rumors for 100 years at this point. His offseason contract disputes with the Bengals ran way longer than they needed to — Bengals’ fault — and concluded with him getting a raise this season instead of a new contract. Therefore, he is still set to become a free agent after the season, and the Bengals’ season is falling off the rails following Joe Burrow’s injury, even after a significant win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

“Which makes you wonder: will the Bengals trade Hendrickson before the deadline, or will they risk it and head into the offseason with him set to become a free agent? If they make him available, I expect teams to line up expressing interest, but three edge-needy teams stand out. The San Francisco 49ers lost Nick Bosa to a season-ending injury, the Philadelphia Eagles lost Za’Darius Smith to retirement, and the Indianapolis Colts were one of, if not the most aggressive, teams this offseason in trying to trade for the 2024 sack leader. Top landing spot: Indianapolis Colts.” —Destin Adams

WR Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints: “It seems more likely than it did a few months ago that New Orleans moves Olave. While he is its top wideout, his inconsistency this season and concerning injury history could lead to a deadline deal.

“Plus, the Saints need to leverage their veterans to acquire impactful draft capital. The Steelers need another dynamic weapon alongside DK Metcalf, and Olave fits that bill beautifully. The Giants have a need at wide receiver after Malik Nabers’ injury, and they may get aggressive with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showing impressive flashes. For New England, Drake Maye has been fantastic this season, and adding a wideout like Olave would pour fuel on the fire. Top landing spot: Pittsburgh Steelers.” —Adam Holt

Additional reading: 4 hypothetical trade packages for Chris Olave

QB Russell Wilson, New York Giants: “This is difficult to determine because any true potential buyer would come from nowhere due to an injury to its starting quarterback. The Cincinnati Bengals would be a natural spot, but they’ve already acquired Joe Flacco and are pretty happy about it.

We mentioned three teams dealing with injuries to their starters, but the Vikings and 49ers have capable backups in place. The Ravens have had a tougher time with Cooper Rush, so it makes more sense for them to invest in a more reasonable option behind Lamar Jackson. For the Giants, moving on from Wilson would be ideal. The team already has Dart starting to play well, plus Jameis Winston as a veteran backup option. And for the acquiring team, Wilson’s salary would be around $1 million. Top landing spot: Baltimore Ravens.” —Wendell Ferreira

TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: “Njoku provides more physical upside than some of the other potential tight end options that could be on the market. The Browns don’t have playoff aspirations at this point, and rookie Harold Fannin Jr. has been an exciting piece to their offense early in his pro career.

“Njoku is in the final year of his deal. The Commanders could use another pass-catcher alongside veteran Zach Ertz. For Carolina, Ja’Tavion Sanders is a player they’re expecting big things from, but he’s dealt with multiple injuries in his young NFL career. Brenton Strange would still project as the long-term answer at TE for the Jaguars, even with the addition of Njoku — but it’d be an impact move for this season. He’s nursing a multi-week injury, though. Top landing spot: Jacksonville Jaguars.” —Adam Holt

RB Breece Hall, New York Jets: “Hall is a talented running back in the final year of his rookie deal with the Jets, prompting a trade opportunity. The Chiefs need a more explosive option in the backfield, which they don’t have with Isiah Pacheco and the 2025 version of Kareem Hunt.

“The Chargers want an extra option after losing Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris to injuries, and the Commanders haven’t been afraid to invest in veterans to take advantage of Jayden Daniels’ rookie contract. Because the Chiefs would be more inclined to make a long-term investment in Hall, they are the most natural buyer. Top landing spot: Kansas City Chiefs.” —Wendell Ferreira

EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins: “Jaelan Phillips is a former first-round pick who has flashed a lot of talent in the NFL. Injuries have made it hard for him to put up consistent production, though. He finally looks healthy in 2025, and while his sack numbers aren’t there, his pressure numbers and edge win rate are among some elite names in the league.

“Philips will be a top target for buyers at the deadline, looking for an upgrade at edge. If he can stay healthy, his best football still seems to be in front of him. And due to the low sack numbers this year and a past history of leg injuries, the trade price would probably be less than a lot of other bigger-name players mentioned around the league. Top landing spot: Philadelphia Eagles.” —Destin Adams

Indianapolis Colts News

10 trade candidates who could spark playoff pushes and the perfect landing spots to make it happen before the deadline

NFL trade deadline is on Nov. 4, and teams around the league are already making calls while determining who are the buyers and sellers.

Adam Holt

TNF recap: Joe Flacco leads Bengals to upset victory over Steelers

At 40 years old, Joe Flacco keeps finding ways to stay relevant. The now-Bengals QB was traded to Cincinnati last week and made his first start just days later, losing that start 27-18 to the Green Bay Packers. But all he needed was time to adjust — in his second game with Cincy on Thursday night, Flacco led the team to a 33-31 win over their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers.

Our Bengals writer John Sheeran broke down Flacco’s play, and how he sets up a positive trajectory for the 3-4 Bengals:

Life after Burrow: “The vision for this Bengals team was simple. [Joe] Burrow would look to replicate his 2024 campaign as best as he could while the defense would get marginally better. That vision was thrown through a loop when Burrow only lasted five quarters and some change. Without a competent signal-caller to take advantage of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and the rest of Burrow’s supporting cast, Cincinnati became a lifeless team without an identity.”

A new hope: “When the trade for Flacco became a reality, a new hope for that vision was reborn. Flacco could come in an raise the floor of the offense by avoiding mistakes and putting the ball on target more often than [Jake] Browning. I just refuse to believe anyone thought what happened Thursday night was the immediate expectation.

“Flacco was surgical against the Steelers. He took advantage every time [Ja’Marr] Chase or [Tee] Higgins had inside leverage with easy completions off slant routes. Deep passes against one-on-one coverage were thrown right on time with the right amount of touch. He did this all despite admitting to not knowing what some of the calls coming from head coach Zac Taylor were. That’s how he ended up keeping a zone read to himself for a first down run that surprised everyone watching the game.

“Cincinnati does not win this game without Flacco playing as well as he did. Sure, spamming Chase the ball over 20 times seems like a simple gig, but the reason why the 40-year old is running the show now is because the job was too big for the guy he replaced.”

Meanwhile, our Steelers writer Rob Gregson put blame on the Steelers’ defense and coaching for wasting a tremendous offensive effort that saw QB Aaron Rodgers throw for four TDs:

“How about the fact that Ja’Marr Chase had the kitchen sink thrown at him defensively (man coverage, zone coverage, Joey Porter Jr., Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, double teams) thrown at him and he still looked like the second coming of Jerry Rice, as he had 23 targets, 16 catches, and 161 yards and a TD.

“But you know what, Chase is the best WR in the league and Mike Tomlin warned everyone about Flacco. You know what the real disappointment was? The fact that the Steelers allowed the worst rushing attack and offensive line in the league to blow them off the ball. Over 140 yards on the ground … So the Steelers are only six weeks in, 4-2, and still lead the division with everything in front of them, but this one was embarrassing.”

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