Grading 4 NFL trade proposals that could shake up division races in June

Entering OTAs, we're getting into the portion of the NFL offseason where it's about to start to feel real again.

The NFL is well on its way back into our everyday lives, and while this time of the offseason is usually one of the quieter times of year in terms of player movement, we might see some fascinating and impactful trades happening in the month of June that could alter division races.

The biggest expected trade is the Philadelphia Eagles moving on from AJ Brown, and all signs point to him being traded to the Patriots at this point. But NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently put out a handful of trade proposals that are interesting to consider.

We're going to take a look at Fowler's hypothetical trade ideas and grade each proposal based on what each team would be giving up, how much the player on the move could add to his new team, and how much sense each move makes at this point in time.

Grading Jeremy Fowler's NFL trade proposals, including Cole Kmet to the Panthers

1. Keon Coleman to the Baltimore Ravens for a 5th-round pick

Trade grade for Ravens: B
Trade grade for Bills: D

This would be a huge admission of failure for the Buffalo Bills on a recent 2nd-round pick. Coleman hasn't delivered on the hype of being a coveted early 2nd-round selection, but he has 8 touchdown catches over his first two NFL seasons and the Bills would be better off giving him a clean slate than shipping him off for a late draft pick.

Considering what this would mean for the Bills in terms of return on investment, being an indictment of their scouting department, and generally just throwing in the towel too early on a player who is only 23, I would hate this trade for them.

And for a team like the Ravens, it's just okay.

The Ravens don't throw the ball a ton, and that's never going to be their identity. Coleman's skill set could work well for Baltimore, but wouldn't likely be unlocked fully in a low-volume passing attack with no fewer than three players (Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews) eating up the lion's share of touches.

2. Cole Kmet to the Panthers for a 3rd-round pick, late-round swaps

Trade grade for Bears: A
Trade grade for Panthers: A

This trade feels like it could absolutely be in the rare "win-win-win" category. Everybody wins, nobody gets cheated of value, and not only do both teams benefit, but the player involved benefits as well.

The Panthers were one of just a couple of teams last season that didn't have a single player rank in the top 32 among NFL tight ends in receiving yards, so Kmet could really fill a huge void in that offense.

The Bears have Colston Loveland on a trajectory to be the potential focal point of their entire passing game. Not that Kmet is useless in Chicago, but his skills would be maximized in an offense that has him as the TE1.

In this trade, the Panthers give up a fair pick in the 3rd round that would be worth the risk considering Kmet is still just 27 years old. And that's a good pick for the Bears to add for someone who won't lead the team in snaps at the position.

3. Anthony Richardson to the Packers for a 5th-round pick

Trade grade for Colts: D-
Trade grade for Packers: B+

Former first-round pick Anthony Richardson is set to have a new team in the near future with the Colts prioritizing Daniel Jones after his strong start to the 2025 season.

Richardson was the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and is yet another reminder why college sample size and time on task matter so much at the quarterback position. The Colts made a decision at the top of the NFL Draft based on Richardson's talent and upside, and it's ultimately burned them badly.

But that doesn't mean Richardson's story is over, or that he can't develop. He's not going to grow anymore with the Colts, so shipping him off -- while an admission of a major failure -- is the right move. And getting a 5th-round pick for him would be solid right now, but for the overall picture, it's a really bad look for the Colts.

The Packers just made Malik Willis a lot of money after trading for him when he was on the outside looking in with the Titans. That trade only involved 7th-round picks, however, so this one would be a bit more costly.

Still, if Willis was able to figure it out under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, this would be a near-ideal scenario for Richardson and his future. He only just turned 24 years old on May 22.

4. Kayvon Thibodeaux to the Saints for a 3rd-round pick

Trade grade for Giants: B+
Trade grade for Saints: A

Third-round picks are absolutely valuable assets, but they are much more expendable than people seem to realize. For a team like the New Orleans Saints, this kind of trade with the Giants to acquire Kayvon Thibodeaux would be absolutely awesome.

I'm already really high on the Saints for the upcoming season, and could see them winning the NFC South as their roster currently stands. They already brought in a successful reclamation project on the defensive front with Chase Young playing great for them last year, and they actually brought in another during the draft when they acquired former Raiders 1st-round pick Tyree Wilson.

Getting Thibodeaux and adding him to the mix would be a lot of fun.

And for the Giants, it would at least create some clarity with an overcrowded edge position. Getting a 3rd-round pick for Thibodeaux at this point would probably represent getting maximum value, but there's a bit of sting trading a former top-5 pick for a 3rd-rounder.

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