NFL trade deadline: Best fits for Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, more top WRs
The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and teams across the league are preparing to bolster their squads for potential playoff runs.
The trade deadline isn't typically one of the NFL's most active days. However, in recent years, teams have shown more of a willingness to swing deals for big-name players, especially at receiver. Before Week 7, the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. At the same time, the Buffalo Bills traded for Cleveland Browns receiver Amari Cooper to give themselves a true No. 1 target.
A week later, the Kansas City Chiefs got DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans to bolster their thin receiver room. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, exactly one week before the trade deadline, the Baltimore Ravens acquired veteran wideout Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers.
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Still, more wide receiver trades could come by the time the Nov. 5 deadline passes. It doesn't sound like Cooper Kupp will be traded after the Los Angeles Rams' mini-winning streak ahead of the deadline. Christian Kirk is no longer on the market after suffering a season-ending collarbone injury in Week 8.
But even so, trade rumors mention a couple of bigger-name wideouts, while a handful of role players may also be moved.
Which receivers are most likely to be dealt ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline? Here is a breakdown of the league's WR market and a look at the best fits and potential landing spots for those top trade candidates.
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Tee Higgins
The Bengals enter Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season, sitting at 3-5 and in third place in the AFC North. They have the talent needed to make a playoff push, as they often have under Zac Taylor, but if there are any doubts about their ability to get there, Higgins could end up on the block.
Higgins is a free agent after the 2024 NFL season, and the Cincinnati Bengals aren't likely to retain the 6-4, 219-pound receiver. They still need to ink Ja'Marr Chase to a lucrative, long-term extension, so paying Higgins his worth won't be easy between that and Joe Burrow's massive contract.
The Commanders would be a strong landing spot for Higgins. They have one high-quality receiver in Terry McLaurin, but quarterback Jayden Daniels could use a physical counterpart to the speedy route-running technician. Higgins would check that box and be easy enough for Washington to afford, as the Commanders have $121.45 million in cap space for 2025, per OverTheCap.com.
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Mike Williams
The Jets traded for Davante Adams ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline, pushing Williams into New York's No. 4 receiver role. Given his history of production, size, and cost (he is on a one-year deal worth up to $10 million), that should make him an attractive trade candidate.
Williams would pair very well with Russell Wilson. The veteran quarterback likes throwing the ball deep, and the 6-4, 218-pound receiver would join George Pickens and create one of the NFL's best jump-ball tandems.
Williams has a checkered injury history, but given his expiring deal, the Steelers wouldn't be risking much by acquiring him. Williams may not be the Brandon Aiyuk-type receiver the Steelers were hoping to land for 2024, but Williams could give Pittsburgh enough offense to win a playoff game for the first time since 2016. That makes a deal well worth it for Omar Khan and Co.
K.J. Osborn
The Buccaneers looked like a strong playoff contender during the season's first six weeks. Then, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin got hurt in the team's Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and both are set to be out long-term.
Evans (hamstring) will be out through at least the team's Week 11 bye. Godwin (ankle) is probably out for the season, barring the possibility of a miracle return in the postseason. To get to January, the Buccaneers will probably need to add a veteran receiver to fill in for Evans and Godwin and complement the young receiving talent Tampa Bay has on its roster.
While Diontae Johnson would have been a great fit for the Buccaneers, they missed out on him. They could chase a receiver like Higgins if they want a high-impact option. However, getting a player like Osborn on the cheap would also be sensible, especially considering Cade Otton's ongoing breakout at tight end.
Osborn hasn't done much with the New England Patriots this year, but the 27-year-old averaged 53 catches, 615 yards, and five touchdowns per year over his last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. That should make him a fine, fill-in No. 2 receiver (and No. 3 target behind Evans and Otton) for the rest of the year.
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Darius Slayton
The Eagles have one of the best receiver tandems in the NFL. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are a formidable duo, and along with Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley, they give Philadelphia the weapons needed to be a Super Bowl contender.
That said, the Eagles don't have much beyond those two receivers. They traded a package including a third-round pick in 2025 for Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson, but he has caught just six passes for 35 yards through Week 8. That isn't exactly No. 3 receiver material.
Slayton would better fit that bill for the Eagles. The six-year veteran has posted at least 724 yards or more in four of his five full seasons despite largely working with Daniel Jones as his starting quarterback. With Jalen Hurts, Slayton would see more accurate targets while getting more space to work in, thanks to the presence of Brown and Smith.
Add in Slayton's speed, and he looks like a strong, low-cost, reasonable-impact acquisition. The only obstacle would be getting the Giants to trade him within the division, but New York's 2-6 record and four-game deficit in the NFC East standings should diminish that hurdle.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL trade deadline: Best fits for Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, more WRs
