Five NFL trades that make too much sense: Which teams should make deals over the next month?
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- Jessie Bates III would be traded from the Falcons to the 49ers for a 2027 third-round pick (with the 49ers sending back a 2028 sixth), reuniting the safety with former Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris, now San Francisco's defensive coordinator; the 49ers ranked 25th in EPA allowed per dropback last season, and Bates' contract would cost San Francisco just $13 million in 2026.
- Kayvon Thibodeaux would go to the Patriots for a 2027 third-round pick, giving New York relief as the $14.75 million fifth-year option would otherwise be its No. 4 edge rusher behind Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and first-round pick Arvell Reese; Thibodeaux posted a 9.9% pass rush win rate and 2.5 sacks in 10 games last season.
- Keon Coleman would be dealt from the Bills to the Colts for a 2027 fourth-round pick, a move that follows Bills owner Terry Pegula publicly blaming the former coaching staff for drafting Coleman No. 33 overall in 2024; the Colts need receiver depth after Alec Pierce underwent ankle surgery.
- Walker Little would move from the Jaguars to the Cardinals for a 2027 sixth-round pick; the cap-strapped Jaguars want to offload Little's $11.5 million guaranteed salary after Cole Van Lanen won the starting left tackle job and received an extension, while the Cardinals need a right tackle upgrade over Elijah Wilkinson.
- Kayshon Boutte would be traded from the Patriots to the Commanders for a 2027 fifth-round pick, capitalizing on his career-best 1.65 yards per route run and the NFL's most vertical route profile (31% go routes or deep fades); an editor's note flags that Washington also agreed to a one-year deal with Stefon Diggs.
- Falcons aren't expected to contend and would clear significant 2027 cap space by dealing Bates, with second-year safety Xavier Watts available to replace him; the 29-year-old Bates earned second-team All-Pro honors with six interceptions and three forced fumbles in 2023 and ranked fifth in ESPN's coaches and executives survey.
Why it matters: The proposals hand contenders the 49ers and Patriots proven veterans at below-market rates—Bates at $13 million in 2026, Thibodeaux on a fifth-year option—while letting the Falcons, Giants, Bills, and Jaguars recoup draft capital and clear a 2027 spending window the Falcons specifically plan to use heavily once Bijan Robinson's extension is absorbed.
