When Is the NFL Trade Deadline? Key Dates and Top Trade Targets

The NFL trade deadline is set for November 10 this year, according to NFL.com, and teams are already weighing moves ahead of it. With roughly two weeks left before the cutoff, several reports point to a busy stretch of trade talks across the league.

Key players reported as possible targets

CBS Sports ranked 25 possible trade candidates, including several from the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. The list includes running back Saquon Barkley, whose contract includes option bonuses that make a deal financially complicated. His recent hamstring injury could also affect his market, the report said.

Other names mentioned include Eagles defensive lineman Moro Ojomo, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, and tight end Dallas Goedert, who carries a base salary of $1.3 million. On the Colts side, the report named running back Jonathan Taylor, guard Quenton Nelson and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, all of whom are in contract situations that could make them available. CBS Sports also listed Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, though it called a trade of him somewhat surprising given his recent extension.

Possible deals for contenders and struggling teams

Bleacher Report suggested that the Buffalo Bills could look to add safety Budda Baker from the Arizona Cardinals to shore up a pass defense that has allowed 285.8 yards per game. The outlet also suggested the Detroit Lions could pursue Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.-type help, but it named Chargers veteran Jackson as a possible target, and said Los Angeles could trade expiring veterans after a winless start. Bleacher Report also floated a trade that would send Barkley to the Minnesota Vikings, which remains undefeated.

These are proposals from analysts, not confirmed negotiations. No team has announced a deal involving these players.

Salary cap space shapes what teams can do

NFL.com noted that trade-deadline activity depends heavily on cap room, because a team acquiring a player takes on that player's salary for the current season. According to the report, the San Francisco 49ers have the most cap space in the league, followed by the Detroit Lions. Teams with less room, including the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers, may need to restructure contracts or find cheaper options.

Teams can also reduce a trade's cost by agreeing to cover part of a player's unpaid salary, though that typically raises the price in draft picks, the report said.

What we know so far

The deadline is November 10, and the list of possible moves is long, but most names remain speculation from analysts. Teams are expected to be limited by cap space, and any deal will need to be officially announced before the deadline passes.