Change is coming to each NFL workforce. There will likely be strikes made in free company and the draft, after all, however there additionally will likely be sudden trades and participant cuts. To this point this offseason, there have been rumors about high stars Maxx Crosby, Kyler Murray and A.J. Brown probably transferring on from their franchises. However extra stunning strikes are prone to come.
Each offseason, there are gamers who want a change of surroundings for quite a lot of causes. Some gamers simply by no means fairly develop and may gain advantage from a brand new teaching workers which may be capable of unlock their potential. Some have worn out their welcome due to a scarcity of success on the sphere. Others simply wish to go to a profitable workforce.
Under, I’ve picked out one participant from every workforce who may gain advantage from a recent begin in 2026. Who may very well be on the transfer this offseason? Let’s begin with a large receiver who may need extra success elsewhere.
Soar to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
WR Keon Coleman
Coleman is likely to be the right instance of a participant who wants a change of surroundings after the Payments’ possession threw him beneath the bus in the course of the information convention introducing Joe Brady as the brand new coach. “I will handle the Keon state of affairs. The teaching workers pushed to draft Keon,” Terry Pegula stated. “I am not saying [team executive] Brandon [Beane] would not have drafted him, however [Coleman] wasn’t his subsequent alternative.”
Coleman was a wholesome scratch for a number of video games in the course of the 2025 season and went over 50 receiving yards in a recreation solely as soon as. The 2024 second-round draft decide may be capable of discover success with a brand new group, however it’s laborious to see him reaching his potential if he stays in Buffalo.
QB Tua Tagovailoa
Former coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa with three video games left within the 2025 season, so it is clear the group is making an attempt to determine tips on how to shed his enormous contract. Tagovailoa ranked twenty sixth out of 28 qualifying quarterbacks with a career-low 37.6 QBR, and thru his 14 video games, he additionally led the NFL with a career-high 15 interceptions.
Most groups think about his $54 million in ensures untradable until the Dolphins cowl a good portion of the contract. The Dolphins would get hit with $99.2 million in wage cap fees in the event that they minimize Tagovailoa earlier than he receives a $14 million possibility bonus on March 13.
DT Christian Barmore
The Patriots would positively want to seek out an on-field substitute for Barmore’s inside pass-rushing expertise. Final season, he had 11 quarterback hits and two sacks. Nevertheless, Barmore is dealing with an assault and battery cost, and New England may wish to make a change and focus extra on bettering on the sting.
RB Breece Corridor
Corridor will likely be hitting free company in a few weeks, and there is a sense that he needs to maneuver to a extra profitable group. (On the day of the Tremendous Bowl, he posted on X, “Hope I get to expertise soccer on this stage. … I will get there someday. I do know it.”)
He is nonetheless a really gifted runner and receiver who posted his first season with 1,000 speeding yards in 2025 and in addition recorded 350 receiving yards. Corridor will be a fair larger a part of the receiving recreation with a distinct workforce, as evidenced by his 76 catches for 591 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2023. NFL Subsequent Gen Stats listed him with 0.58 speeding yards over anticipated per carry final season.
AFC NORTH
WR Rashod Bateman
The concept that Bateman wants a change of surroundings is likely to be sudden contemplating the Ravens signed him to a three-year, $36.75 million extension earlier than the 2025 season. However he had a really disappointing marketing campaign, with simply 19 catches for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Part of his downside final season was that opponents handled Bateman because the Ravens’ WR1 as a result of Zay Flowers was within the slot being coated by a nickelback. Bateman simply is not ok to get away from that protection, and he may flourish with a brand new workforce for whom he will be extra of a complementary participant.
Edge Trey Hendrickson
The previous All-Professional edge rusher is determined to get out of Cincinnati. Hendrickson requested a commerce for a second straight yr in March, however he in the end stayed with the workforce. He ended final season with solely 4 sacks in seven video games earlier than sitting out on account of core muscle surgical procedure. It’s a chance that the Bengals use their franchise tag on Hendrickson, who’s about to hit free company, however evidently some type of sign-and-trade deal is extra doubtless.
G Joel Bitonio
Bitonio remains to be a top-caliber guard within the league, however he deserves to play for a winner earlier than his profession is over. He has performed his whole 12-year profession with Cleveland and has been to the playoffs solely twice. Bitonio is a free agent this offseason, and he makes a whole lot of sense as a one-year plug-in for a playoff contender that wants an improve on the place. Might we curiosity coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers?
Edge Nick Herbig
It is a totally different form of name for a change of surroundings. Herbig might be joyful in Pittsburgh, and he definitely is offering a whole lot of worth for the Steelers. Nevertheless, it will be very nice to see what Herbig may do as a starter someplace — as a result of proper now, he is caught behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith as a rotational participant. Herbig led the league with a 26.3% go rush win fee in 2025, and he had 7.5 sacks, regardless of enjoying simply 52% of snaps. Might he lead the league if he had been beginning for an additional workforce?
AFC SOUTH
C/G Juice Scruggs
Scruggs was a second-round decide within the 2023 draft however missed the primary 10 video games of his rookie season with a hamstring damage. He has been out and in of the lineup ever since — and has but to achieve his potential. Scruggs began many of the 2024 marketing campaign however ranked thirty second out of 33 qualifying gamers for go block win fee as a middle (89.8%). His 64.3% run block win fee additionally was poor.
Final season, Scruggs had just one begin and largely appeared on particular groups; he was a wholesome scratch in one in every of Houston’s two playoff video games. Maybe within the remaining yr of his rookie contract one other workforce may determine the talents that made him a excessive draft decide to start with.
QB Anthony Richardson Sr.
Richardson’s early performances with Indianapolis simply have not made the grade. As a rookie in 2023, he posted a forty five.0 QBR in 4 begins. In 2024, he registered a 47.4 QBR in 11 begins. He missed nearly all of final season, first as a result of the Colts selected to begin Daniel Jones over him and later as a result of Richardson sustained a fractured orbital bone throughout pregame warmups in October.
Shane Steichen was presupposed to be the coach who may develop an offense round Richardson, however it hasn’t labored out. Maybe one other coach may make it work for the signal-caller.
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WR Brian Thomas Jr.
This concept would have appeared ridiculous a yr in the past after Thomas put up 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 2024 rookie marketing campaign. However Thomas appeared to be on a very totally different web page from quarterback Trevor Lawrence final season, at the same time as the remainder of the Jaguars had been having success across the wideout. Thomas’ manufacturing fell to 48 catches for 707 yards and two scores.
The Jaguars have Travis Hunter coming again. They signed Jakobi Meyers to an extension. And Parker Washington had a breakout second half of the 2025 season. There’s room right here to commerce Thomas, and his expertise may fetch a excessive draft decide to assist make up for the picks the Jags misplaced after they traded up for Hunter in 2025. It is definitely one thing value contemplating.
CB L’Jarius Sneed
Keep in mind when Sneed was thought of one of many league’s high cornerbacks whereas profitable two Tremendous Bowls with the Chiefs? He obtained a giant payday with a commerce to the Titans in 2024, however his two seasons with Tennessee haven’t gone as deliberate. Sneed has performed in solely 12 video games due to quadriceps accidents, and he has had off-field authorized points. Since 2024, he has recorded 49 whole tackles and 0 sacks. A recent begin with a brand new workforce is likely to be the factor to assist Sneed get again to his glory days on the gridiron.
AFC WEST
Edge Jonah Elliss
This isn’t a problem of a participant who has not correctly developed. As a substitute, Elliss is a gifted younger go rusher who would not have a path to begin behind veterans Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Final season, Elliss had a 14.1% go rush win fee and a 12.2% stress fee. Each numbers had been above common for edge rushers, however he performed solely 38% of snaps within the video games for which he was lively.
It might be intriguing to see Elliss get an opportunity to begin elsewhere within the league. Maybe alongside his brother Christian with New England if Ok’Lavon Chaisson leaves in free company?
Edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Anudike-Uzomah has not come near residing as much as his potential as a first-round decide for the Chiefs. He barely performed in his rookie yr in 2023 and had simply 2.5 sacks with three begins in his sophomore marketing campaign. In 2025, he missed all the season with a hamstring damage. At finest, he’s fourth on the Chiefs’ depth chart, behind George Karlaftis, Mike Danna and Ashton Gillotte. With one yr remaining on his rookie deal, maybe a commerce would enable Anudike-Uzomah to lastly discover the potential that groups noticed when he got here out of Kansas State.
RB Zamir White
It simply by no means fairly labored out for White with the Raiders since they chose him within the fourth spherical in 2022. White had solely 17 carries for 70 yards as a rookie. In 2023, he managed 104 carries for 451 yards and a landing however completed close to the underside of my DVOA rankings due to a scarcity of explosive runs. He then tallied simply 65 carries in 2024 and 12 carries in 2025, with lower than 3 yards per carry in each seasons. However he may be capable of resuscitate his profession if there’s one other workforce in search of an early-down thumper in free company to fill the underside of the depth chart.
G Zion Johnson
Johnson hasn’t lived as much as his first-round potential in his 4 years with the Chargers. Final season, his 87.4% go block win fee ranked 62nd out of 65 qualifying guards. There is likely to be one other teaching workers on the market that is aware of tips on how to get the most effective out of him. Johnson remains to be a powerful run blocker, as his 79.3% run block win fee final season ranked second amongst guards, behind solely Seattle rookie Gray Zabel.
NFC EAST
Edge Sam Williams
Williams had 8.5 mixed sacks in his first two seasons with out beginning any video games. Nevertheless, he missed all the 2024 marketing campaign with a torn left ACL. Final season, he began 5 video games and had one sack and 37 whole tackles. By the top of 2025, Williams was enjoying about solely 30% of the defensive snaps in every recreation. Williams most likely may use a recent begin to assist him attain the potential he confirmed as a second-round select of Ole Miss in 2022. He’ll be a free agent this offseason.
G Evan Neal
This 2022 first-round decide has been a disappointment. Neal washed out at sort out and was supposed to maneuver to protect; however final season, he handled a hamstring damage and wasn’t lively for a single recreation. He is nearly assuredly headed to a different workforce this offseason, and maybe he will be helpful as an inside lineman elsewhere.
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CB Michael Carter II
Carter was close to the highest of the league in my protection DVOA metric because the nickelback for the 2023 Jets. He sustained accidents in 2024, and New York traded him to the Eagles in the course of final season. Nevertheless, he’s form of wasted enjoying behind Cooper DeJean, and Carter barely noticed the sphere for defensive snaps after the Eagles acquired him in October. Carter may nonetheless be capable of be the lead nickel for an additional workforce, however I am guessing the Eagles wouldn’t get a lot for him within the commerce market.
CB Marshon Lattimore
Lattimore shined within the first half of the 2024 season earlier than scuffling with a hamstring damage. However actually, nothing has gone proper because the Saints dealt him to the Commanders in the course of that marketing campaign. Final season, the 29-year-old was one of many worst beginning cornerbacks within the league with 27 tackles and one interception in 9 video games, earlier than struggling a torn left ACL.
Lattimore nonetheless has one yr left on his contract, however there is no assured cash, so the Commanders may simply minimize him with a post-June 1 designation. If he needs to proceed enjoying within the NFL, he could be higher off placing his time in Washington behind him.
NFC NORTH
OL Kiran Amegadjie
It is a disgrace to eliminate a participant who grew up close to the Windy Metropolis, however it’s fairly clear that Amegadjie is not within the Bears’ plans going ahead. The 2024 third-round decide doubtless would have been minimize in final season’s coaching camp if not for his Day 2 draft upside. His struggles blocking in area led the Bears to begin working him at guard as an alternative of sort out. He may use a recent begin with a brand new group for whom he may play guard from Day 1 and hopefully fulfill his collegiate potential as a run blocker.
RB David Montgomery
It felt as if the Lions’ “Sonic” and “Knuckles” backfield grew to become extra of the Sonic (aka Jahmyr Gibbs, 23) present because the 2025 season went alongside, though Knuckles (aka Montgomery) nonetheless performed loads of snaps. Montgomery dropped solely from 41% of offensive snaps in 2024 to 37% of snaps in 2025, however he additionally dropped from 221 touches to 182. Montgomery will flip 29 in June, and the Lions may look to avoid wasting cash on the cap by transferring on from him this offseason. It additionally is likely to be higher for his profession to take a lead-back position with a distinct workforce.
LB Quay Walker
Walker is a free agent this offseason, and there is likely to be one other workforce on the market that might higher use his talent set. He has robust bodily attributes and sideline-to-sideline pace. Nevertheless, he has actually struggled in go protection, with a below-average success fee allowed in protection over the previous two seasons. Walker could be a greater match for a workforce that wants a two-down linebacker who would not essentially play in pass-first conditions.
QB J.J. McCarthy
That is doubtless by no means going to occur, as a result of it will be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a participant who nonetheless has first-round upside after 10 begins. Nevertheless, a recent begin for McCarthy with a distinct group is likely to be the most effective factor for his profession. Sure, you desire a younger quarterback to be with an offensive thoughts akin to Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell for the needs of his growth. Nevertheless, issues went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy final season that it is likely to be finest to get him out of the shadow of Tremendous Bowl winner Sam Darnold.
NFC SOUTH
CB Clark Phillips III
Phillips, at 5-foot-9 with brief arms, fell to the fourth spherical in 2023 due to measurement issues. However he moved into the beginning lineup for the previous couple of video games of his rookie season and acquitted himself properly, with a better-than-average protection DVOA. It was a little bit of a shock when he began solely two video games in 2024. Then he missed nearly all the 2025 season with a triceps damage. He is positively a participant who wants a recent begin, though a brand new workers in Atlanta signifies that maybe his recent begin will come with out transferring wherever.
RB Jonathon Brooks
When the Panthers chosen Brooks within the second spherical in 2024, they knew he would miss a few of his rookie yr whereas recovering from a proper ACL tear suffered in faculty. They didn’t know Brooks would tear that very same ACL once more after simply 9 NFL carries or that the second damage would price him not solely the top of the 2024 season however the entirety of the 2025 marketing campaign. Now, Brooks has to face the query of whether or not there may be room for him within the Carolina backfield. Rico Dowdle is a free agent. However even when Dowdle would not re-sign, the Panthers nonetheless have Chuba Hubbard and Trevor Etienne. Brooks may have to go elsewhere to lastly get his NFL shot.
QB Spencer Rattler
With various groups seeking to make a change at quarterback, ESPN’s Ben Solak has prompt Rattler as an possibility for a beginning job someplace subsequent season. The Saints have clearly dedicated to Tyler Shough as their starter now. However Rattler had a really respectable 50.1 QBR in eight begins in 2025, which really was larger than Shough’s 48.8. Rattler has robust bodily instruments, however he additionally confirmed a greater grasp of the psychological facets of the place final season.
Edge Chris Braswell
The Bucs chosen Braswell with the No. 57 decide in 2024, and the linebacker out of Alabama was presupposed to be a gifted go rusher with good burst and quite a lot of pass-rushing strikes. Nevertheless, Braswell hasn’t had a lot time on the sphere to indicate off these strikes. He has by no means began a recreation within the NFL and has simply 2.5 profession sacks.
Final season, he performed lower than 25% of defensive snaps in 11 contests and greater than 50% of defensive snaps in only one recreation. The doubtless departure of Haason Reddick in free company may open up a beginning spot for Braswell, however it’s extra doubtless that Braswell must go to a brand new workforce with a brand new teaching workers with a purpose to get his likelihood to lastly attain his NFL potential.
NFC WEST
QB Kyler Murray
As Adam Schefter has reported, the Cardinals are actively in search of a commerce associate who will take Murray’s substantial contract. Murray was a star for his first couple of seasons within the desert, however he has struggled because the 2022 marketing campaign, after which coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and took his shotgun-heavy offense with him. Though Murray did handle to place up a greater QBR (46.7) than Jacoby Brissett (41.1) final season, it appeared clear Brissett was a greater match for Drew Petzing’s offensive scheme.
Petzing is gone now, and it should be new coach Mike LaFleur’s scheme as an alternative. However it’s laborious to see Murray thriving if LaFleur needs to run the heavy play-action, under-center kind of offense related along with his earlier tenure with the Rams.
CB Darious Williams
The eight-year veteran was a helpful a part of the Rams’ protection in 2025, regardless that he began simply three video games. Williams ranked excessive in my protection DVOA metric and allowed simply 6.4 yards per goal. Nevertheless, he’s going to be 33 subsequent month and would not have any assured cash remaining on his contract. It might be straightforward for the Rams to go one other route within the secondary, leaving Williams to seek out one other job elsewhere.
WR Brandon Aiyuk
Is it dishonest to listing Aiyuk for the 49ers? He has mainly left the workforce already. Basic supervisor John Lynch has publicly stated that Aiyuk has performed his final snap for San Francisco. Aiyuk has fought with the Niners over every part from his contract particulars as to if he wears the fitting shorts on the apply discipline.
He’s nonetheless a gifted wideout, though his numbers fell considerably in 2024 with simply 374 receiving yards. Aiyuk did not play final season, however he led the league in receiving DVOA not so way back, with 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2023. Will probably be fascinating to see if he can return to one thing near that glory with one other workforce in 2026.
CB Riq Woolen
The state of affairs between the Seahawks and Woolen was a bit bizarre all final season, though it is easy for a Tremendous Bowl title to cowl up any awkwardness. The Seahawks benched him briefly a few instances, and he was out of the beginning lineup for the second half of the season, regardless that he was nonetheless enjoying about two-thirds of defensive snaps.
Woolen ranked a stunning twelfth in my protection DVOA metric in 2025, permitting simply 5.6 yards per goal. However on the identical time, he will be laborious to belief when he has small meltdowns just like the one within the NFC Championship Recreation, throughout which he drew a taunting penalty then gave up a landing. If one other workforce needs to pay Woolen beginning cornerback cash, the Seahawks are most likely positive with that.
