6 NFL players who could be traded next after Jamal Adams deal

With Jamal Adams moved, these six NFL players could be traded next.

A casual Saturday in the NFL was turned on its head when the New York Jets jettisoned Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks. The disgruntled star finally got his wish, and all it took were first-round picks in 2021 and 2022, a third-round pick in 2021 and safety Bradley McDougald.

Adams becomes the latest young star to be traded over the past two years. DeAndre Hopkins, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Laremy Tunsil, Odell Beckham Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Khalil Mack were just some of the big names to switch teams in that time span.

All this player movement begs the question: Who’s next? While not every player below is on par with the Adamses and Hopkinses of the world, they could be the next players to switch teams.

Josh Rosen (Dolphins) could be the next NFL player to be traded

This one is more speculative than the other players on this list but Rosen’s unfortunate track record speaks for itself. After the Cardinals drafted him 10th in the 2018 NFL Draft, Rosen’s been on two teams in two years with no hope for future success. The Dolphins recently took Tua Tagovailoa, and while Rosen is a cheap, high-upside backup for the team, that’s precisely the reason why other teams could be interested in him.

Rosen’s value may never be higher, and yes, we’ve been saying that since his ill-fated selection by Arizona. With Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s surprising viability, Rosen has no future in Miami. Maybe another team thinks they can rejuvenate Rosen’s young career.

Possible Fits: Colts, Steelers

Leonard Fournette (Jaguars) could be the NFL player to be traded

Leonard Fournette’s career in Jacksonville has been a bit rocky. He’s been suspended, he’s been fined and he fought a teammate. Of course, the biggest indicator that Fournette could be on the way out is that the Jaguars have reportedly shopped him before. And can you blame Jacksonville? Fournette has had a solid NFL career so far but there’s no way the Jaguars would be willing to pay him the money he’ll likely demand.

With two first-round picks and the fourth-most cap space in 2021, the Jaguars — whether they want to admit it or not — are facing a rebuild. Shipping Fournette for a draft pick only makes sense, especially ahead of a loaded incoming running back class in free agency. If any team were to trade for him, it would probably be for a one-year rental.

Possible Fits: Patriots, Bills

Yannick Ngakoue (Jaguars) could be the next NFL player to be traded

Man, it’s rough to be a star player on the Jaguars. Just showing you Ngakoue’s tweets should be enough to convince you that he’s out the door soon.

Even if Ngakoue’s relationship with Jacksonville didn’t turn sour, it’s still fairly obvious that the two sides should move on. Ngakoue wants to get paid, and the Jaguars have yet to do that. Part of the reason is why the team will likely not pay Fournette: a rebuild. Tying themselves to Ngakoue would be too costly for a team that needs all the capital it can.

Despite attempts at goodwill from the Jaguars’ brass, there’s almost no shot Ngakoue remains a member of this team. While many teams could use an upgrade at pass rusher, they would have to fork over a hefty contract to Ngakoue first.

Possible Fits: Raiders, Titans

Le’Veon Bell (Jets) could be the next NFL player to be traded

After signing a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the Jets last offseason, Bell failed to replicate the success he had in Pittsburgh. To make matters worse, the Jets’ current general manager, Joe Douglas, was not the one who signed Bell. Here’s a breakdown that I wrote back in December:

"After Gase’s hire, the team forced him to sign Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator, who Gase has “shockingly” not meshed with. Then, general manager Mike Maccagnan was fired two weeks after the NFL Draft. Finally, Douglas came along only to inherit a coaching staff he never wanted and an overpaid running back he never wanted."

An unwanted, overpaid running back who’s voiced his frustrations with the team? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. And with tension continuing to rise around the team, it might be in Douglas’ best interest to blow it all up. But who would want to take on Bell’s contract?

Possible Fits: None

Solomon Thomas (49ers) could be the next NFL player to be traded

The 49ers defensive line is more loaded than a stack of 49er flapjacks with syrup spilling down its sides. Nick Bosa and rookie Javon Kinlaw are on their rookie deals while Arik Armstead and Dee Ford are swimming in cash from their large contracts. That leaves Thomas as the odd man out. The fourth-year defensive lineman saw his fifth-year option declined by the team after recording two sacks in 2019, one sack shy of his career-high.

Thomas wasn’t himself during his rookie season after the tragic loss of his sister but, since then, he hasn’t consistently shown the skills that made him third pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. A team could still be intrigued by his upside and take a chance on the young defender, who will be stuck fighting for playing time on a loaded defense.

Possible Fits: Dolphins, Raiders

Marcus Maye (Jets) could be the next NFL player to be traded

Maybe it says something that most of this list are Jets and Jaguars players. It’s pretty well-chronicled how many players have had rifts with Adam Gase, although this may not be the case for Maye. Maye has not publicly voiced concerns against Gase or the team but this report alleging Gase’s desire to trade Maye probably didn’t sit well with Maye.

On top of that, Maye is entering a contract year and New York just traded for Bradley McDougald, who joins Maye and third-round safety Ashtyn Davis. It may be crazy to trade another safety after dealing Jamal Adams yesterday, but as long as Gase is still in town, nothing should be ruled out. Luckily for Maye, quite a few teams could be interested in a young safety.

Possible Fits: Cowboys, Colts