NFL trade predictions: A.J. Brown tops NFL draft trade candidates

Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAYMon, April 20, 2026 at 10:01 AM UTC

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NFL trade predictions: A.J. Brown tops NFL draft trade candidates

As exciting as the NFL draft can be on TV, waiting to see which players NFL teams will select, there's much more happening behind the scenes.

General managers and their staff have spent months putting together their own big boards and contemplating options for each selection. But there's always a chance a trade materializes, putting all of that on hold.

Trades often involve future and current draft picks but there's always a chance things expand to include a player. The Tennessee Titans dealt wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL DRAFT: Cowboys, Jaguars lead teams likely to trade down, up

Since then, few notable moves have been made for players during the draft. Tennessee used that No. 18 overall pick for wide receiver Treylon Burks who managed just 17 starts in three years with the Titans before spending the 2025 season with Washington.

Teams may be hesitant to make a move like that off of a veteran after how things played out for Tennessee.

Still, there's a chance players are moved during the three days of the 2026 NFL Draft. In a class with talent at wide receiver once again, as well as edge and linebacker, teams could make significant moves as they add a new group of talented players to their rosters.

Here are six players who could be moved during the 2026 NFL Draft and where they could end up:

1 / 0NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana2026 NFL Draft trade predictionsPhiladelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown

Feels like deja vu, doesn’t it? Brown was the high-profile trade piece moved on draft night in 2022 and could be once again four years later. The Eagles wide receiver was vocally frustrated multiple times in 2026 as the Eagles won the NFC East but were bounced by the San Francisco 49ers at home in the wild-card round.

Brown could be looking for a new home but teams won’t be making that move without some concern. He’s entering his age-29 season and had his worst year since 2021 with 1,003 yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 2025. Still, at his best, he’s a top-10 wide receiver in the NFL. He may not command a Round 1 selection due to his age and contract but a Day 2 pick is definitely in play.

Potential landing spots: New England, Las Vegas

The Patriots have a surprising amount of draft capital for a team that just made the Super Bowl and could offer multiple selections to the Eagles. Las Vegas doesn’t but could opt for a proven wideout to give to presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza as he gets up to speed in the NFL.

Philadelphia Eagles DT Jalen Carter

Philadelphia made the move to sign Jordan Davis long-term which suddenly opens up the possibility that Jalen Carter could be on the move. Unlike Brown, Carter is young enough and dominant enough to command at least a first-round pick in return.

When he’s on the field, there are few more impactful interior defensive linemen than Carter on a down-to-down basis. This could simply be that the Eagles can’t keep both Carter and Davis on the roster long-term without compromising at other spots.

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Potential landing spots: Miami, Kansas City

Miami is armed with more top-100 picks than any other team in the NFL. They could part with one of their first-round picks and more to get a foundational piece to kick-start a defensive rebuild in South Florida. It’d likely be tough for Kansas City to pry Carter away from Philadelphia, given their Super Bowl history, but it’s hard to imagine a better successor for Chris Jones in the middle for Kansas City.

San Francisco 49ers OT Trent Williams

Trent Williams is one of the top left tackles in the NFL but he and the 49ers seem far apart on specifics within his contract. He’ll be 38 years old by Week 1 of the 2026 NFL Season and nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career. The 49ers would have a tough time moving on from him but if the two sides cannot come to a consensus, there’s a chance he’d be on the move.

Williams may demand a first-round pick despite his age due to the demand for top-tier left tackles.

Potential landing spots: Minnesota, Detroit

These are two teams with win-now mentalities. The Vikings signed Kyler Murray because they can’t wait for J.J. McCarthy to figure things out as a starter. This defense is good enough to win now and the skill position group is one of the best in the league. Detroit has a big question mark at left tackle with Taylor Decker gone. Rather than bank on building for the future, the Lions could opt for a win-now move to ensure they’re a contender in the NFC North again.

Las Vegas Raiders Edge Maxx Crosby

Maxx Crosby looked poised for a change in scenery with a move to Baltimore from Las Vegas as the Raiders rebuild under coach Klint Kubiak. That ultimately wasn’t to be, but there’s a chance he still gets moved during the NFL draft if the price moves enough for other teams to be interested. He’ll still require at least a first-round pick and multiple Day 2 selections.

Potential landing spots: Philadelphia, New England

The Eagles could be an interesting trade partner in this scenario. Could the Eagles take a gamble and move off of Carter for Crosby and future draft capital? The Patriots have more draft capital than most in 2026 and could package part of that for Crosby to ensure they continue to contend in the AFC East.

More: Why did the Ravens back out of Maxx Crosby trade?

San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

Williams isn’t the only 2023 All-Pro San Francisco could move off from. Brandon Aiyuk didn’t play for the 49ers at all in 2025 and seems headed for an inevitable divorce from the team. Coach Kyle Shanahan said at the league meetings that the team is in no rush to release their former top receiver and instead is hoping to get something back for him in a trade.

Aiyuk’s value is tough to gauge. He hasn’t played since his severe knee injury in 2024 and who knows how close he is to his 2023 career-best form. He’s entering his age-28 season, so if he’s fully healthy, he could still have multiple seasons left of productive play.

Potential landing spots: Washington, Indianapolis

Aiyuk played with Jayden Daniels in college at Arizona State and Commanders general manager Adam Peters was in San Francisco when the team drafted him. Though they have limited resources in the draft, the move feels likely. Indianapolis traded away Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this offseason and doesn’t have a first-round pick to build up the position. Trading away a late or future Day 3 pick for a flyer on a former All-Pro could be a worthwhile move.

Atlanta Falcons S Jessie Bates III

Jessie Bates is one of the top safeties in the NFL but plays for a Falcons team that may be taking a step back in 2026. Major question marks at quarterback and a new staff could force lowered expectations for a team that underperformed down the stretch in 2025.

Bates is entering his age-29 season and was a second-team All-Pro last year. It’s a solid year for safeties in the NFL draft but a team could decide to get a proven veteran instead if they’re on a more win-now timeline.

Potential landing spots: Philadelphia, Cincinnati

Philadelphia traded Sydney Brown to Atlanta; they could turn around and trade for Bates if one of the top safety talents doesn’t fall to them. The Eagles have a bounty of Day 2 picks they can likely move off of to secure a veteran at a position of need. Cincinnati is in win-now mode for Zac Taylor and company. Bringing Bates back to the team he started his career with could be a prudent move to save a defense that desperately needs to take a step forward.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL Draft trade predictions: 6 players who could be on the move

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