2026 NFL Offseason Trades to Watch: Mac Jones on the Move?

With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, it's time to shift our focus to 2026 with a survey of the offseason landscape and fantasy football offseason moves. First, we looked at potential NFL cap casualties, a list that includes eight RBs with considerable starting experience.

Many of those are also listed below as NFL trade candidates, joined by the likes of Mac Jones and A.J. Brown. Let's take a look at some of those top offseason trade candidates.

Quarterbacks

• QB Mac Jones

Jones and Malik Willis (a free agent) look like the two best options this offseason for teams that desire a veteran QB with the upside to become a medium/long-term starter. The two QBs offer drastically different playing styles, with Jones seemingly the better fit in Minnesota, where Kevin O'Connell already has a system in place that's worked well for pocket passers.

Pittsburgh would also be a fit, if Aaron Rodgers retires or signs elsewhere (Minnesota?). Mike McCarthy's track record of operating pass-first offenses could perhaps lead to a fruitful connection between DK Metcalf and Jones, who started for the Jaguars in late 2024 during the best stretch of Brian Thomas' young career. Pittsburgh's McCarthy hire was unexciting from a real-life standpoint, but it could be interesting for fantasy if the Steelers have a decent QB.

Just keep in mind that Jones doesn't have the same physical tools as recent redemption cases Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield. The combination of average arm strength and minimal mobility will limit Jones' upside and fantasy value even if he gets a shot at a starting job and generally proves competent. 

Jones is due just $3.25 million for the final year of his contract in 2026, so the 49ers likely will expect a Day 2 pick in return (or at least a fourth-rounder). Coach Kyle Shanahan said he expects Jones back with the team in 2026, but I don't really buy it, unless the offers are incredibly weak. 

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• QB Geno Smith

Smith was highlighted in the cap casualties article, with Las Vegas able to free up $8 million in cap space if he's released. The number could be even higher if he's traded, considering that Smith has an $18.5 million guarantee on his $26.5 million base salary. Other teams probably won't have interest at that number, but they may be willing to take on more than $8 million. There's also some chance the Raiders don't draft Fernando Mendoza, as widely expected, and they could elect to keep Smith as a backup if there isn't much trade interest or he doesn't want to leave.

• QB Kyler Murray (foot)

This is a complicated situation, given Murray's contract and injury history. His 2026 base salary ($22.8 million) is already guaranteed, as is $14 million of his $17 million roster bonus this year. If he's still under contract on the fifth day of the league year (in mid-March), Murray's 2027 base salary ($19.5 million) then becomes guaranteed. In other words, it's a two-year financial commitment to acquire him, unless he agrees to renegotiate his contract to change it. A release seems at least as likely as a trade, if not more so, as frustrating as that may be for the Cardinals and their fans.

• QB Justin Fields
• QB Jameis Winston
• QB Jacoby Brissett
• QB Spencer Rattler
• QB Jalen Milroe             

Running Backs

• RB Tony Pollard

The Titans value Pollard's leadership and competence in a setting where both things have been in short supply. Now he's got one year left on his contract, with $7.2 million in non-guaranteed compensation for what will be his age-29 season. I can think of a few contenders/pretenders that might consider trading for Pollard and then giving him a dummy extension that pushes most of the cap hit to 2027 and beyond. A Dallas reunion would fit if Javonte Williams doesn't re-sign, and Pollard would also do well in Kansas City.

• RB David Montgomery

Even after a relative down season, Montgomery's contract ($5.5 million base salary, $500,000 in roster bonuses) looks reasonable in what will be the third and final season of the deal. His role declined in the second half of 2025, but Jahmyr Gibbs averaged just 3.1 YPC over the final six weeks, perhaps opening the door for Monty to have a larger role in 2026. If that's not the plan, Montgomery may prefer a trade to a team that's willing to make him the lead back.

• RB D'Andre Swift
• RB Aaron Jones
• RB James Conner (ankle)
• RB Alvin Kamara (knee)
• RB Tank Bigsby
• RB Ray Davis
• RB Trey Benson (knee)

Wide Receivers

• WR A.J. Brown

It's unclear if firing Kevin Patullo will be enough to get Brown back in the fold. There have also been rumors that his relationship with Jalen Hurts isn't what it once was, not to mention obvious tension with Nick Sirianni and others. Brown's disappointing 2025 probably marks the start of physical decline, but he's declining from a high enough baseline to offer significant value for at least another year or two. It would've been fun to see him in an offense with more passing volume when he was at his best. It'd be less fun at this point, but potentially still profitable for fantasy. 

From a contract standpoint, the Eagles are looking at a huge dead-cap charge whenever they move on from Brown, be it this offseason or in 2028. If they trade him this spring, they'll take a $43.5 million charge in 2026. That might sound untenable to the casual observer, but it's better thought of as a sunk cost. Howie Roseman can work around it if he really wants to.

• WR DJ Moore

Bears coach Ben Johnson gave Moore credit for taking on a role that entailed more blocking and less receiving than what he's accustomed to, but Chicago fans weren't always as generous, especially when Moore ran a lackluster route on the season-sealing interception. 

Moore is actually heading into the first season of a four-year, $110 million extension that he signed in the summer of 2024 — after the Bears drafted Rome Odunze but before they added Luther Burden and Colston Loveland. It now appears Loveland and Burden may be the team's two best weapons moving forward, with Odunze perhaps up there as well. Will Moore be willing to accept a pay cut or renegotiate his salary on unfavorable terms to facilitate a trade?

• WR Marvin Harrison
• WR Jameson Williams
• WR Michael Pittman
• WR Jaylen Waddle
• WR Keon Coleman
• WR DeMario Douglas
• WR Jalen McMillan
• WR Chris Godwin

Tight Ends

• TE Cole Kmet

Kmet has two years and $20 million remaining on his contract, which will make him the highest-paid No. 2 TE in the league if the Bears keep him around. It's not entirely out of the question, given increased TE usage both in Chicago and around the rest of the league, but Kmet still stands out as one of the more obvious trade candidates at any position.

• TE Michael Mayer

Mayer has shown glimpses of the talent that made him a superstar at Notre Dame and the 35th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. It makes sense to keep him as the second TE under new coach Klint Kubiak, but Mayer may not like that idea as much as the Raiders do. He and his agent could push for a trade to a TE-needy team where Mayer would have a shot to be the No. 1 guy, not just Brock Bowers' sidekick.

• TE Dawson Knox
• TEs  Pat Freiermuth & Darnell Washington (arm)
• TE Ben Sinnott
• TE Chig Okonkwo