If you are reading this and you’re an NFL player, there’s a chance you’ve received the OK to seek a trade this offseason.

The 2025 NFL combine has been riddled with players receiving permission to explore a trade. It’s a clunky way of saying that a player wants out from a team, but that team isn’t certain it’ll trade him. It could be a value issue, as in the case of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. It could be a scheme issue, as in the case of Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. Or it could be an accounting issue, as in the case of Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

In all instances, the player and his agent are now free to speak to other teams about potential trade packages and contract adjustments. This can help the player and the team get a better understanding of the player’s potential market and bring some clarity to the otherwise murky trade waters.

For seven of the players who have received permission to seek a trade, I’ve tried to identify why he is available, the unique features of his circumstance and how that affects his potential market. I’ve also tried to find the optimal trade for each player, even if a successful deal is unlikely.

Jump to a player:
Stafford | Samuel | Kupp | Jackson
Landry | Allen | Godchaux

Why he’s on the market: It’s better to be a year early than a year late. Stafford is a 37-year-old quarterback who has dealt with back and elbow injuries in recent seasons. He was great in his best moments this season, but those plays felt a little fewer and farther between than in the past. If Sean McVay’s magic trick is his ability to elevate a quarterback, then the Rams should always be willing to make shrewd financial moves at the position — and this is one such example. Stafford wants his contract increased, but before the Rams say yes, they’re going to see if someone else would like to send them draft picks to foot that bill instead.

To be clear: the Rams do not need to trade Stafford, and I think he will be with the team in 2025 on an adjusted contract. But testing the waters is good business, especially in a bad free agent market and draft class for the position.

Remaining contract: Stafford’s four-year, $160 million dollar deal with the Rams in 2022 was team-friendly, and he’s now paying for that. He has base salaries of only $23 million and $26 million in the two years remaining on his contract — this with no restructures, void years or any other fiscal finagling. It’s just the contract he signed back in the day with only $63 million in guarantees.

An acquiring team would receive exactly those base salaries remaining, along with a $4 million roster bonus in 2025 and a $5 million roster bonus in 2026. Because Stafford is seeking a pay bump and an extension, the acquired contract is pretty much a nonfactor in trade discussions here.

What he can offer to another team: Stafford is a fringe top-10 quarterback whose decline seems like a pretty gentle fall so far. It’s more a loss in consistency or scrambling than a sudden drop in arm strength or pocket toughness. Quarterback aging is a tough thing to manage and predict, but this is a good bet to make.

As long as he stays healthy, it’s reasonable to expect Stafford to continue playing Super Bowl-caliber football for the next few seasons. He’s a much safer bet than Cousins was for $45 million last year or Russell Wilson was for a five-year, $245 million deal in 2022.

What he’d probably cost to land: Because of the recent failures in aging quarterback acquisition (Cousins, Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan), I don’t think we’ll see a whale of a deal for Stafford. Ryan was roughly the same age and traded for only a third-round pick, though he was not a Stafford-caliber player and the Falcons needed to move on from his bad contract. The Rams are reportedly seeking a first-rounder for Stafford, but that’s only possible if it’s a late or future first. Multiple second-rounders seems more likely.

It’s worth noting that this situation, which has largely been an amicable (if a little stressful) process, can turn ugly if it continues for an extended period, and that vocal frustrations from either side would affect trade capital.

Which teams should be interested: Every single team that needs a quarterback.

The perfect trade outcome for Stafford

Raiders get: Stafford, 2025 sixth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick
Rams get: 2025 third-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick (can become a third-rounder if Stafford hits performance incentives)

Figuring out the best Stafford landing spot is very tricky. The first box to check is cap health, for which many quarterback-needy teams qualify: The Raiders, Steelers, Titans, Giants, Colts and Jets all have enough room to either immediately boost Stafford’s pay or figure out an extension that works for their 2025 cap. The Browns are pretty much the only team that can’t make the move given their current financial predicament.

If we grade the optimal Stafford outcome against “where he might get the biggest contract in the twilight of his career,” I think the Raiders — big spenders in the coaching cycle with a revitalized ownership group — are the best landing spot. They feel more likely than any other team to give Stafford a big late-career deal (only the Patriots have more 2025 cap space, and no team has more 2026 space). The Giants and general manager Joe Schoen, who must make waves this season to keep his job, are also desperate enough to throw money at Stafford until a deal is done.

If we consider more of Stafford’s potential for another Super Bowl run, then the Steelers improve in the rankings. A big swing at quarterback feels out of character for the ever-cautious Steelers, but again, these are optimal outcomes — not likely ones. I also could see the Jets, who have a ton of talent on defense and some good young players on offense, taking a quick leap with an established veteran QB. Though Jets fans have heard that one before (maybe too recently).

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I think the best landing spot is the Raiders. They have a ton of cap space to quickly improve the roster around Stafford. They also have a general manager (Jon Spytek) who oversaw a veteran quarterback trade and build in his time with the Buccaneers, and that quarterback — Tom Brady — can counsel Stafford through the secrets of near-40 longevity. I also believe the Raiders would pay him $55 million per year for the next four years. That’s a pretty sweet bargain at 37 years old.

The Raiders’ No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft is too rich for Stafford. So I’m focusing on conditional picks and future draft capital. I’d then expect the Raiders to move back off the sixth overall spot to recoup that lost draft capital.

Why he’s on the market: Samuel asked the 49ers in his exit interview to find a new team for his services. This isn’t the first time his name has come up in trade rumors — they’ve been percolating for years as Samuel has negotiated contract extensions and the 49ers are getting younger at the position. What makes this trade request significant is the timing relative to Samuel’s contract.

Remaining contract: The 49ers restructured Samuel’s contract last September in a move to create cap space, which has made a trade right now extremely daunting. Before the restructure, trading him would have created about $9 million in 2025 cap space — the final year of his deal, as the rest of the years are automatic voids. After the restructure, Samuel costs $28.2 million against the 2025 cap (his option bonus kicks in 10 days after the new league year begins). But if he’s traded and his prorated bonus money accelerates back onto the 2025 cap, he’ll hit the 49ers for $31 million in dead cap money. Simply put, it would be more expensive to trade Samuel than to keep him.

As such, Samuel is a great release candidate. It would actually provide the 49ers cap relief instead of cap pain. By designating him a post-June 1 cut, his cap hit would be defrayed over two seasons instead of one. So the 49ers can hold onto Samuel for quite some time after the league year begins, perhaps targeting a trade on draft day or in training camp when another roster has a bigger need. If they don’t get a deal, then they can release him.

The acquiring team in a Samuel deal probably would take on one year and $17.5 million — all non-guaranteed.

What he can offer to another team: Samuel’s play has certainly declined over recent seasons. Injuries have accumulated as a result of his high usage, and his superpower — yards after the catch — has also tailed off. In a smaller role, he is still a handy threat in a spread offense that uses plenty of screens, or a Kyle Shanahan-inspired offense that frees him up over the middle of the field. But Samuel’s days of a high-volume player are almost certainly over.

What he’d probably cost to land: The 49ers should trade Samuel only for significant capital, in that the better cap move would be releasing him with a post-June 1 designation. Meanwhile, acquiring teams will be hesitant to trade significant picks for Samuel, calling the 49ers’ bluff that they’re willing to keep him on the roster at such a big cap number when he has expressed frustration and seen his role minimized.

In short: I don’t really know how much he’d cost in a deal. I’m going to guess a couple of Day 3 picks or a late-Day 2 selection if the 49ers are lucky.

Which teams should be interested: Any team that heavily targets their receivers at or near the line of scrimmage has a good role for Samuel, who presents a running back-like challenge to opposing tacklers in space with his size, burst and balance. The Commanders and Chiefs would both find a great role for him in their run-pass option games, as might the Bills or Colts. I also imagine all the branches of the Shanahan tree (Houston, Miami, Seattle, etc.) will be interested.

The perfect trade outcome for Samuel

Commanders get: Samuel
49ers get: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2027 fifth-round pick (can become a fourth-rounder if Samuel is on the team in the 2026 season)

The best outcome for the 49ers is that a team becomes suddenly desperate for receiver help during training camp; this also keeps Samuel on his existing deal, which is richer than one he would sign in free agency.

I really like the Chiefs as a landing spot, but the money probably won’t work there. The Commanders make the most sense of the cap-rich teams, as Samuel could fill a useful role in their screen and RPO games, working his way into the backfield in Kliff Kingsbury’s more creative offensive sets. The Commanders also see a good deal of zone coverage because of the danger Jayden Daniels presents as a runner. That plays into Samuel’s strengths.

I expect a trade is more likely to happen post-June 1, so we’ll be trading in 2026 capital.

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Why he’s on the market: The Rams are at an inflection point. If Stafford returns for 2025 (and beyond), then an aging Kupp might still have another season of utility for a team capable of making a postseason run. But if Stafford leaves? Then the Rams will look to move on from a 31-year-old receiver whose body is showing the signs of his heavy, heavy career usage. Kupp still has enough chops to return significant capital for the Rams, so they would rather make a deal now. (Kupp is the only one on this list who was informed by his team that they want to trade him.)

Remaining contract: Kupp signed a three-year, $80.1 million extension in 2022 after his triple-crown season, and the big base salaries at the back of that deal have finally come calling. Kupp is due $12.5 million in base salary this season and $14.85 million in base salary next year (all of which is non-guaranteed).

The only guaranteed money in 2025 and beyond is $5 million of a $7.5 million roster bonus that is due on March 17. If Kupp is traded before that day, the acquiring team will take on a $20 million cap hit in 2025; after that day, the acquiring team would have to pay Kupp only $12.5 million. That difference could take a few teams from lukewarm interest into active offers. But the cost will go up, as the Rams would charge a premium on the pick since they have to surrender $7.5 million in cap space.

Kupp would join his new team with $12.5 million due this year and $19.85 million due next year (all non-guaranteed). That sort of contract is prime for a 2026 release or restructure, conditional on his play.

What he can offer to another team: Kupp’s best skill at this stage is his dependability and quarterback friendliness. He can’t create after the catch or separate downfield nearly the way he used to, though that has never been his strength. But few receivers rival his success at the catch point, and his football sense makes him extremely handy as a safety valve for a young quarterback.

What he’d probably cost to land: Assuming the Rams keep Stafford in the building, they should not trade Kupp for anything less than a solid Day 2 pick. He fits excellently in their system and pairs well with Puka Nacua. We’ve almost certainly seen the near-floor of Kupp’s health and availability — he was fighting injury for much of this past season — and there’s a chance his play improves after a restful offseason.

If Stafford leaves, the price goes down a bit (depending on how the trade times up with the roster bonus). But I’d still expect interest in Kupp to be active enough to deliver late-Day 2/early-Day 3 return in draft capital.

Which teams should be interested: Teams with plenty of volume to give out in the passing game are best for Kupp, as his best strength is his ability to move the sticks consistently as an underneath receiver in the quick passing game. Plenty of teams have playmaking receivers but need more consistency; plenty of teams with disappointing tertiary receiving options would benefit from targets to Kupp instead. The Steelers, Cardinals, Packers, Cowboys, Chargers and Jaguars all make sense to varying degrees.

One more team that would be wicked fun, even if a bit extravagant, is the Vikings. Who’s stopping Kupp, Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson?

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The perfect trade outcome for Kupp

Steelers get: Kupp, 2026 sixth-round pick
Rams get: 2025 third-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick

The optimal world has the Rams swallowing the roster bonus on Kupp to make him more tradeable, then finding a landing spot he likes in a role that suits him. My favorite here is the Steelers, as Kupp can be their primary pass catcher (from a target perspective) and George Pickens is their primary playmaker (from a yards and touchdowns perspective). The lack of consistency from Pickens, as well as from the receivers behind him (Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson) was a glaring issue in Pittsburgh last season.

Who will throw passes to Kupp? If it’s a young quarterback like Justin Fields or a rookie, Kupp will be a huge benefit. But imagine if it were Stafford — what a treat that would be to see.

Why he’s on the market: Sometimes free agent acquisitions are just huge swings and misses, and this is a perfect example. Jackson signed a big deal with the Rams after a productive first contract with the Lions: three years, $51 million, $34 million guaranteed. At $17 million per year, Jackson was one of the 10 highest-paid guards in football.

Only … he wasn’t a guard. The Rams tried to bump him to center right before the season — a position he hadn’t played since college — and endured a bumpy transition when Jackson sat out most of training camp because of a shoulder injury. Then he reaggravated that injury in Week 2 and was put on injured reserve. He came off IR and played in Week 10, but he struggled and was benched by Week 11.

Jackson now has permission to seek a trade because he’s understandably frustrated with the Rams and doesn’t see a future on their O-line. The injury history is highly concerning, but I’d imagine several teams are interested in a potential starter on the trade market.

Remaining contract: Jackson has two years left on his deal, each with $9 million in base salary; in 2026, he also has an enormous $8 million roster bonus.

His contract is a little funky in that he also has a 2025 roster bonus of $8.5 million, but the Rams have already paid out a prorated half of that roster bonus in 2024 ($4.25 million). As such, I’m not entirely sure what the dead money on a Jackson trade would end up being — and how exactly it would hit the cap — relative to the day on which the 2025 roster bonus activates (three days into the 2025 league year). OverTheCap.com expects about $8.5 million in dead cap on a Jackson trade, and that’s the number I’ll work with.

The acquiring team would be on the hook for (presumably) a $17.5 million cap hit in 2025 (guaranteed) and another $17 million in 2026 (non-guaranteed). So let’s call it a one-year, $17.5 million acquisition. Pricey.

What he can offer to another team: If Jackson is the player he was with the Lions, he can offer high-impact run blocking in a gap running scheme and also provide a fine level of pass protection (though it isn’t necessarily his strength). But that’s only if he’s fully healthy, which is challenging to predict given his injury-riddled 2024 (and history of injuries before then). It’s more likely Jackson offers quality play for some percentage of the 2025 season at less than 100%.

What he’d probably cost to land: The Rams will almost certainly cut Jackson if they cannot find a trade partner for him; they have no reason to keep a player with an enormous cap hit when they can simply release him before his roster bonus kicks in. An acquiring team — which, again, will pay Jackson $17.5 million this season — probably would have to spend very little to get a trade done. I’m talking Day 3 pick swaps.

Which teams should be interested: Teams with fungible cap space and time to experiment on their offensive line should take a swing on Jackson, who was a good player the last time we saw him healthy. The Patriots, who lead the league in expected 2025 cap space and need help everywhere along the line, seem like a good candidate. The Bears also make sense, especially when you consider the connection between Jackson and ex-Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. But again: These teams should just wait for Jackson to be cut.

The perfect trade outcome for Jackson

Patriots get: Jackson, 2026 seventh-round pick
Rams get: 2026 sixth-round pick

The best possible trade for Jackson is the Patriots sending a sixth to get Jackson and a seventh. That small of a fiscal transaction is the only way I can think of a deal actually getting done. Of course, the Patriots don’t have a sixth, so call it a future swap instead.

Why he’s on the market: Landry is a solid player on a more-than-solid contract. When the Titans signed him to a five-year, $87.5 million extension after the 2021 season, he was fresh off his best year for sack production (12), and they wanted to get ahead of his upcoming emergence. But he tore his ACL in practice before the 2022 season and had a combined 19.5 sacks over the next two seasons. The Titans have the No. 1 pick, a new general manager and a team in clear rebuild mode. Landry, who will turn 29 before next season, is taking up cap space Tennessee would rather use on younger players with higher ceilings.

Remaining contract: Two years remain on Landry’s deal. The acquiring team would be on the hook for $17.5 million in 2025 and another $17.5 million in 2026, but all of that money is non-guaranteed. It’s very unlikely the acquiring team would keep him on his current contract. If he’s acquired via trade, his new team probably would restructure his deal and potentially add void years to lower his 2025 cap hit; the Titans could also pay some of his remaining money before trading him, in exchange for a better draft pick.

The acquiring team might even ask him to take a pay cut outright, but I imagine that’s what the Titans did before Landry rebuffed them and both sides reached the point of an open trade market. Landry probably does not want to take any sort of pay cut, so an acquiring team would more likely go the restructure route.

What he can offer to another team: Landry is far from a splashy name, but he can have a significant impact on a team that doesn’t need him to be its star pass rusher. His best season as a pass rusher came in 2019, when he had a 12.2% pressure rate; his worst season came in 2024, when he had a 10.4% pressure rate. Over his six healthy seasons, Landry has reliably pressured the passer at a league-average rate. He played 837 snaps last season — fifth most among edge rushers — and has played more than 800 snaps in his past five healthy seasons.

Imagine taking a speed rusher such as Landry and giving him 400 snaps instead of 800. Imagine primarily deploying him on passing downs and keeping his legs fresh for postseason football. And Landry still has enough juice to make disruptive plays. His get-off, as measured by NFL Next Gen Stats last season, was the fastest of his career (0.72 seconds). Only Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett were faster.

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What he’d probably cost to land: The Titans are probably hoping there’s little interest in Landry at his current contract figure, and that they can keep him with a pay reduction. Landry, who might be looking to join a contending team while he still has a few years of good play, might be willing to restructure with an acquiring team, which will increase the trade value that team is willing to send for his contract. It’s hard to see from the outside looking in.

The Falcons sent a third-round pick to the Patriots for Matthew Judon last year. Judon was 32, only hitting the cap for $6.5 million and had recently delivered 12.5- and 15.5-sack seasons. Also, last August the Seahawks traded 27-year-old Darrell Taylor to the Bears for a sixth-round pick — Taylor wasn’t a scheme fit in Seattle and had only one year of $3.1 million left on his rookie deal.

I’d imagine Landry will come in somewhere between those two compensations as long as he plays on a restructured contract for the acquiring team. A fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft seems fair, though contract machinations can dramatically affect the price.

Which teams should be interested: Contending teams with room in their pass rush rotation are the best candidates for Landry’s service — especially those teams with systems that allow for lighter players to win with speed off the edge. The Ravens would love to add Landry to their room, which lacks legitimate pass rush juice; the 49ers under Robert Saleh and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek tend to maximize players in Landry’s mold.

Landry was also initially successful in Jim Schwartz’s defense in Tennessee, so he could reunite with Schwartz if the Browns move on from Garrett.

The perfect trade outcome for Landry

Ravens get: Landry
Titans get: 2025 fourth-round pick

Landry would make a great Raven. Baltimore wants to have a rotation at that position: The Ravens gave at least 500 — but no more than 700 — snaps to three players on the edge last season. Two of those three players (Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy) are signed only through 2025. Landry has enough coverage ability to work in the system and can provide an immediate pass-rush impact at a position the Ravens have consistently missed on draft picks and need quick help.

I like Landry to the Ravens for their 2025 fourth-round pick. I’d expect them to restructure his deal, converting a lot of his base salary into signing bonus money they can prorate over void years.

Why he’s on the market: Allen — who was given permission to seek a deal — is a classic veteran trade candidate. He has one year left on a four-year, $72 million extension he signed after the 2021 season. He was highly productive in 2021 (nine sacks, 14.2% pressure rate) and in 2022 (7.5 sacks, 10.6% pressure rate), but his play has fallen off since getting paid. He also dealt with a major injury last season (torn pectoral).

With coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters at the helm, the Commanders’ brass is different than that which extended him. The team probably will be aggressive in free agency, and Allen’s $15.5 million in base salary is a large chunk of cash Washington could invest elsewhere.

Remaining contract: Allen hits the Commanders’ cap for $22.4 million in 2025. If he were cut or traded, he would leave only $6 million in dead cap, providing over $16 million in cap relief to a team gearing up for a big spending spree as it looks to maximize its winning window around reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. The acquiring team would be on the hook for Allen’s $15.5 million in base salary, along with his workout and roster bonuses.

Because Allen could be released, it feels unlikely the Commanders would adjust his contract and take on some of his outstanding money to help facilitate a trade. It would be only for an improved draft return, which is unlikely given his current caliber of play.

What he can offer to another team: Allen’s best football is behind him. He has had a pressure rate below 10% in each of the past two seasons after clearing it in the previous four; his time-to-pressure is also increasing, indicating he isn’t winning as easily and as quickly as he was in previous seasons. He just turned 30, so his physical prime probably has passed.

Allen has been audibly frustrated with the state of Washington football for years, and in that he was injured for much of the 2024 season, there is an argument to be made that his play would improve on a more competitive team. But I’m not sure how likely that really is or how big that improvement would really be.

What he’d probably cost to land: Allen should not cost much more than a Day 3 pick, as the acquiring team would send picks only to ensure it doesn’t have to fight for him in free agency. Given Allen’s large contract, the Commanders should take just about any return they can get. Conditional picks could also be in play — both contingent on his quality of play and on his ability to stay on the field for a significant number of games.

It’s hard to imagine the Commanders getting a significant draft capital return, given the size of his contract and the likelihood he is cut outright.

Which teams should be interested: Allen is a great dart throw for a team with defensive tackle snaps to give out. Trade a late-Day 3 pick for him, get one good season, let him walk in free agency and get a better compensatory pick down the road. The Vikings have a thin room, as do the Cowboys (though they are within the NFC East division). The Cardinals and Chargers also have plenty of space on the roster and aren’t up against the cap, which is necessary for accommodating Allen’s deal.

The perfect trade outcome for Allen

Chargers get: Allen, 2026 seventh-round pick
Commanders get: 2025 sixth-round draft pick, 2026 sixth-round draft pick (can become a fifth-rounder conditional on Allen’s playing time)

If Allen’s agent can get a deal with enough conditional value attached, the Commanders could bite. The Chargers have multiple sixth-round picks (as a result of the J.C. Jackson trade in 2023) and could flip one of those picks for Allen with some conditions attached in the 2026 draft.

Why he’s on the market: A scheme change. Godchaux is one of the best run-defending defensive tackles in the game, but specifically in an odd-man front that needs good two-gappers. In five of the past six seasons, he has spent at least 15% of his snaps in a true nose, aligned head up over the center; those snaps he doesn’t take square to the center, he often takes shaded to one shoulder. He’s a valuable player in a 3-4 defense and was a valuable player for both Bill Belichick’s and Jerod Mayo’s defenses, accordingly.

But times are a-changin’ in New England, as new coordinator Terrell Williams is expected to primarily run four-down fronts with one-gap assignments. Godchaux is simply not maximized in such a defense — he has 79 pressures and 5.5 sacks in an eight-year career. He isn’t on a bad contract; he hits the cap for $8.3 million in 2025 and $11.8 million in 2026. But he’s miscast in New England and has the chance to relocate.

Remaining contract: Godchaux just signed a two-year, $18 million extension last July. As such, there are some financial hurdles. He represents an $8.3 million cap hit in 2025 but would hit the cap for $6.67 million in dead money if he’s traded before June 1, which creates negligible cap savings for the Patriots. If the trade comes post-June 1, there’s more 2025 cap relief afforded.

Of course, the Patriots aren’t in a bad cap situation, so it’s not as if they’re making this move for the relief. It’d just take a better pick in return to acquire Godchaux given the lack of financial incentive for New England. The acquiring team would be on the hook for only $5 million on Godchaux’s contract this year and $8.5 million in 2026, with no guarantees in the final year. That’s a great contract to acquire.

What he can offer to another team: Godchaux isn’t a high-end acquisition, but he sure is good. A true two-gapper who can produce tackles at or near the line of scrimmage, he ranked ninth among defensive tackles in stop rate last season (the rate of plays that resulted in negative EPA for the opposing offense). Those plays don’t come in the passing game, which is the more valuable skill, but Godchaux’s strength on early downs is what helps the defense get to long-and-late opportunities.

It’s worth noting Godchaux is 30 years old, but he has played in all 17 games each of the past four seasons at a position where a player can have success deep into their 30s. It’s reasonable to expect him to continue to deliver on at least the remainder of his contract.

What he’d probably cost to land: The return on a Godchaux trade might surprise some people. It won’t be a premium pick because he isn’t a premium player at a premium position, but plenty of teams would love to set and forget him as their early-down nose tackle in a system that requires his skill set. The contract, which is great for the acquiring team and a hard sell for the Patriots, also jacks up the price.

When nose tackles hit the trade market, it’s typically older veterans and Day 3 pick swaps. Godchaux is one of the best players at the position and hasn’t seen a tailing off in play. I like a Round 5 pick in return or a swap of equivalent value.

Which teams should be interested: Any team that wants to two-gap on early downs should be interested in Godchaux. I like the Saints, who are approaching a big defensive philosophy shift under new coordinator Brandon Staley. But should they really be acquiring talent given their cap situation? The Chargers also make a lot of sense, though I have them trading for Allen here.

Brian Flores coached Godchaux with the Dolphins, but the Vikings are pretty good at the nose with Harrison Phillips. The Cardinals would probably get the most benefit from him, as Godchaux is a few cuts above their current nose tackle Roy Lopez.

The perfect trade outcome for Godchaux

Cardinals get: Godchaux
Patriots get: 2025 fifth-round pick

I’m not convinced a trade really gets done here. Godchaux’s contract is not very tradeable, and even if he isn’t a perfect scheme fit, he’s a useful player to have. But if it does, he will go to a multiple defense where he can provide early-down value. An early fifth-round pick should get the job done with the Cardinals, who shouldn’t say no to any defensive line help.