We’re entering Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season, and though it feels like it just started, we are less than a month away from the trade deadline. Over the next few weeks, teams will learn more about the strengths and weaknesses on their rosters. We’ll see which teams are real contenders this year and which ones fall away during the middle of the season.

Much of the focus around the trade deadline tends to surround which teams might be selling. But which teams might be buying? And what might they be looking for? Today, I outlined five potential trades for six contending teams, or at least teams that look like contenders through five weeks. What might they be on the lookout for, and where might they be able to strike a deal?

Let’s dive in to the deals:

Rams Go All-In For Pass Rush

Dolphins get: 2026 third-round pick, 2027 sixth-round pick

Rams get: ED Bradley Chubb, 2027 fifth-round pick

Most of these trade proposals will be for contenders to patch a hole on their roster. But why not make a strength even stronger? For the Rams, that’s exactly what this trade would do.

Los Angeles already has the league’s best defensive line with an elite run defense and multiple game-changing pass rushers. Second-year ED Jared Verse is an absolute force and arguably the league’s best young pass rusher, and his running mate on the other side, Byron Young, just won NFC Defensive Player of the Month. Rookie third-round OLB Josaiah Stewart is producing early as well.

But this Rams team has the potential to win it all this year, and the last time the team felt like that it went out and got ED Von Miller from the Broncos to take them over the top. Los Angeles’ roster is younger and more healthily constructed now than they were in 2021, but that’s all the more reason to make a move like this. Chubb could be brought on temporarily to hopefully win a title without sacrificing team-building moving forward.

Although Chubb is only a few games back from a pretty serious injury that ended his 2024 campaign, he’s been productive with four sacks on the year. On top of that, his contract is very friendly towards this type of move. No guaranteed money exists on his deal after this year and he’s on the veteran minimum base salary. That has tremendous value.

Essentially, Chubb could be a one-year rental, but he’s young enough at 29 to sign an extension if the Rams want. He could be a piece for their future or simply some extra pass rush juice down the stretch as they hunt for a Super Bowl. Either way, it’s a deal worth making, and they could have a fair bit of competition in bringing him in.

Eagles & Seahawks Swap Big-Bodied Cornerbacks

Seahawks get: CB Kelee Ringo, 2026 fifth-round pick

Eagles get: CB Riq Woolen, 2026 seventh-round pick

Now we’re having some fun. It’s a bit of an open secret that Woolen is on the trade block, as the former Pro Bowler has struggled with inconsistency over the last few years and isn’t having a great season. At his best, Woolen’s length and athleticism made him a lockdown man-cover corner, but his playstyle is inherently volatile and he hasn’t performed at his peak in recent seasons.

For the Eagles, they’re in desperate need of some reinforcements at cornerback. Second-year CBs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are two of the best young corners in the game, but DeJean plays in the slot, leaving the other outside cornerback spot in a bit of flux. Free agent signee Adoree’ Jackson is dealing with a few injuries that have limited him, and the Eagles traded for Jakorian Bennett from the Raiders just before the season, only for him to land on IR.

Bennett, in particular, was brought in because the Eagles clearly don’t trust Ringo. Entering the summer, Ringo was the presumed starter — a former fourth-round pick with high athletic potential who took some time to develop. Jackson was brought in to compete with him, and by the end of the summer, the Philadelphia coaching staff didn’t sound enthused with how either was playing. That’s why they brought in Bennett.

Likewise, the Seahawks also have two cornerbacks they like in Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe. That third spot has been an issue for them at times, though they like what Derion Kendrick offers. Woolen has been in and out of the lineup, a bit of a fall from grace for him in a contract year.

Both the Seahawks and Eagles profile as contenders this year, but pass defense has been more inconsistent than the talent in their secondaries would suggest. They both could use some reinforcements. Maybe they can help each other out.

Ringo is listed at 6-2 with Woolen checking in at a whopping 6-4. Both are big corners with plus length and a physical playstyle that leads to splash plays but can burn them at times. Perhaps a change of scenery would benefit them both. Woolen has a more proven track record of success, so any swap might need to be padded with a little draft capital. But there’s potential here for a mutually-beneficial deal to spark something in a pair of underperforming cornerbacks.

49ers Reinforce Pass Rush Post-Bosa Injury

Texans get: 2026 sixth-round pick

49ers get: ED Darrell Taylor, 2026 seventh-round pick

Niners GM John Lynch went on the record to say that the 49ers are actively shopping around for help at pass rusher. With All-Pro ED Nick Bosa out for the season with a torn ACL, San Francisco’s options at pass rusher are fairly limited. First-round rookie ED Mykel Williams is more of a run stuffer than someone who will generate consistent pressure, and ED Yetur Gross-Matos is doubtful for Week 6. That leaves ED Bryce Huff, a good pass rusher, but one better suited to a secondary role than being asked to carry the pass rush on his own.

It’s remarkable the 49ers are 4-1 with how depleted injuries have left them. It’s a testament to this coaching staff and front office, and as the season goes on some of these missing players will return, hopefully in time for the final push (maybe for the division, maybe for a wild card spot).

That said, I don’t know if I see San Francisco going all-in for a player like Chubb. Long-term depth is still an issue, on defense especially, and a move like that could backfire. How these next few weeks play out will certainly matter, as 6-2 at the trade deadline feels a lot different than 4-4. Regardless, I see the 49ers shopping around for bargain deals more than I see them trying to land a big fish.

To that end, Taylor could be the perfect fit. He’s been buried on the Texans’ loaded front, as he’s been a healthy scratch each of the last two weeks. But in his time in Seattle and Chicago, he’s produced, with 24 sacks over his first four seasons.

Bringing in Taylor would take a bit of the pressure off of Huff to be the only producing pass rusher on this team. It would give the 49ers a nice rotation, especially when Gross-Matos returns from injury, and Williams getting his feet under him as the season goes along wouldn’t hurt, either.

Chargers Get OL Insurance

Giants get: 2026 seventh-round pick

Chargers get: OL Evan Neal, 2027 seventh-round pick

As per usual, offensive line options are extremely limited this year. Practically every team in the league would benefit from some additional depth at minimum, and the few that feel good with what they have aren’t looking to trade that depth away. Much like quarterback, offensive line (particularly offensive tackle) is a difficult position to address outside of the draft.

However, Neal is an exception here. A former top-10 pick, he flamed out at tackle pretty spectacularly in the span of a season and a half before the Giants switched him to guard. He’s barely played over the last two years and isn’t factoring into the Giants’ plans at all this year, despite their own struggles along the offensive line.

That doesn’t bode well for Neal’s ability to help the Chargers, but perhaps a change of scenery is all he needs to improve his play. His athletic potential is still there, and the Chargers are a much healthier organization with better infrastructure than he had in New York. Plus, Los Angeles is pretty desperate to try something — anything — they can.

After losing LT Rashawn Slater to a season-ending injury during training camp, RT Joe Alt swapped over to the left side to replace him and was playing at an All-Pro level before suffering a high-ankle sprain. Alt shouldn’t be out too much longer, but things have only gotten worse in his absence. Starting RT Trey Pipkins III is dealing with an injury, as is RG Mekhi Becton. The status for both in Week 6 is currently up in the air.

But it’s not just the starters. Both G Jamaree Salyer and OT Savion Washington are also out, punishing the Chargers’ depth. Fourth-string left tackle Austin Deculus, acquired in a preseason trade from the Texans, had to play against the Commanders last week, and that’s when Salyer went down with his injury. The injuries to Alt, Pipkins, Becton and Salyer are not long-term and none should end up on IR, but that’s a long list of offensive linemen to all be out at once.

At this point, Los Angeles just needs to bring in some additional depth. Neal can play tackle or guard, and if starters continue to miss games on the offensive line, they may have to hope he can hold up for a half or two as a stopgap solution, if nothing else.

Colts Acquire Cornerback Help

Chiefs get: 2026 seventh-round pick

Colts get: CB Joshua Williams

I saved the least sexy trade for last. The Colts are somewhat surprising contenders after a rocky finish to last season and an up-and-down offseason. They have the most efficient offense in the NFL and a quarterback in Daniel Jones who will execute the concepts that HC Shane Steichen wants him to with poise and consistency.

The defense is much-improved, too, though there’s a hole at cornerback. What was once one of the deepest positions on the roster has been thinned out by injuries in record time. Charvarius Ward has been everything the Colts expected when they signed him in free agency, and Kenny Moore II is one of the best nickel corners in the league. After those two it gets dicey.

Third-round CB Justin Walley was one of Indianapolis’ biggest camp winners and was in line to start before tearing his ACL. To replace him, the Colts signed Xavien Howard, who reunited with DC Lou Anarumo after a strong career in Miami. Howard struggled mightily in his return to the NFL and announced his retirement after Week 4. Samuel Womack III and JuJu Brents both started for the Colts last season, but they both suffered hamstring injuries late in camp and didn’t survive final roster cuts. Jaylon Jones, a two-year starter, is currently on IR with a hamstring injury of his own — while his injury isn’t considered season-ending, there’s currently no timeline for his return.

Moore is dealing with an Achilles injury (not a tear) and has missed the last two weeks and is set to miss at least one more game. Mike Hilton, recently signed to the practice squad to fill in for Moore, was placed on practice squad IR after suffering an injury in Week 5. That leaves Mekhi Blackmon, acquired from the Vikings just before the season, and undrafted rookie Johnathan Edwards as the likely starters next to Ward. Longtime special teamer Chris Lammons will also be a factor.

In summary, the Colts just need warm bodies at cornerback at this point. Even Ward missed a game earlier this season after suffering a concussion. Williams mostly plays on special teams this year for the Chiefs, but he’s been a consistent contributor on defense in years past. He’s put good tape out there, and he’d be an upgrade for the Colts over some of the other options they’ve been forced to turn to.

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