The first week of free agency is about over, so most teams will now turn their attention to preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft. At this point, some of the biggest free agency moves could be some of the 'leftovers' from the open market signing one-year deals.
Unless there is some sort of major trade, the biggest moves are done, for now. But in today's NFL, there is always room for major moves like this, and we have seen some big-time trades over the years, even during the NFL Draft.
Even with the main chunk of free agency over, let's get into three notable trades we still want to see happen.
Big-time trades after free agency that we want to see happen
WR Jaylen Waddle to the Los Angeles Chargers
Jaylen Waddle on the Los Angeles Chargers would honestly be a cheat code. He would obviously reunite with his former head coach, Mike McDaniel, who is now the offensive coordinator or the Chargers. Los Angeles does have the cap space to pull off a major move, and Waddle's familiarity with the offense would make him an easy fit.
Waddle is one of the best vertical separators in the NFL, and one thing that Justin Herbert does better than most is launch the football down the field. Los Angeles does need another weapon, and Waddle could be that missing piece.
WR AJ Brown to the Denver Broncos
AJ Brown could be a great fit on the Denver Broncos, as the Broncos are lacking a WR1 at the moment, and Brown is precisely that kind of player. I would have to guess that one (or both) of Courtland Sutton and Jonathon Cooper would go back in the deal, and this is because Philly would surely at least want a receiver back in the trade to not deplete their room, and Cooper would be a logical fit as a pass-rusher.
Philly needs pass-rush help, and their defensive coordinator, Vic Fangio, overlapped with Cooper on the Broncos back in 2021. The Eagles could get a receiver back in Sutton who is better-suited as a complement to DeVonta Smith, and the Broncos get a go-to target Bo Nix has been missing.
EDGE Maxx Crosby to the Chicago Bears
As of now, a Maxx Crosby trade doesn't seem likely, as both Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders could both be ready to proceed together, but what if the Chicago Bears come calling with a strong offer? The Raiders surely would not get two first-round picks back in any new deal, but there could still be a team out there who is willing to make a strong offer.
Crosby's knee seemed to be something that the Baltimore Ravens did not want to take a chance on, but some have wondered if the Ravens simply got cold feet. Crosby is an elite pass-rusher and is also excellent against the run, so his fit on the Bears would be seamless.
General Manager Ryan Poles has to understand that this team is now right on the cusp of being a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and one way to get over that hump is to be aggressive and take a chance like this.