All but two clubs have begun their NFL offseason, and front offices are working diligently to be ready for the NFL Draft and free agency. Wide receivers are in high demand, as usual, and it costs money to retain quality ones. There are several intriguing wide receivers available as free agents, but when clubs use their franchise tags, the elite talent pool can swiftly shrink. Here, we examine a few of the more popular names that might be traded throughout the offseason.
LA Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams
At present, the Los Angeles Chargers have spent $27.4 million more than the 2024 salary cap. Before the 2024 season, they have to take certain steps to get under the cap. There’s a good chance they’ll have to trade some things in.
The four players whose 2024 cap figures exceed $32 million are Mike Williams, Khalil Mack, Keenan Allen, and Joey Bosa. Just under $20 million also belongs to Justin Herbert and Derwin James. Although it will be quite expensive, keeping all six is possible.
Williams is the most replaceable player in this lineup, according to the Chargers, who need him to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The Chargers took both Allen and Quentin Johnston in the 2023 draft; despite Allen being two years older than Johnston, he is still quite effective.
After the 2024 season, Williams’ contract will expire, and he’s probably considered a top-tier wide receiver option by some teams. It makes sense to deal here, and teams will examine the Chargers’ condition.
The Denver Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy, WR
Jerry Jeudy picked up his fifth-year option with the Denver Broncos, but his future as a wide receiver has been uncertain ever since. Even though his name was being floated around at the 2023 trade deadline, Denver chose to hang onto him.
Denver will probably give Courtland Sutton more priority this offseason than Jeudy because of his declining output. He’ll probably wind up on the trade block this winter if the Broncos don’t intend to sign him to a contract.
Even though he won’t be 25 until next season, he has shown a lot of promise. Teams ought to be curious to see if he could benefit from a change of scenery.
49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk
This season and during their Super Bowl run, Aiyuk’s worth has skyrocketed. The problem here, though, is money because Deebo Samuel also has to be paid shortly. When Aiyuk’s deal ends in 2024, he will demand a pricey renewal. At more than $20 million APY, Samuel is already signed by the 49ers through the end of the 2025 campaign.
How is that accomplished as a team?
It is unlikely that the Niners will pay more than $45 million for Samuel and Aiyuk. Getting a first-round pick in return for Aiyuk and then quickly selecting a guy to take his position could be their best bet.
The Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs, WR
To put it simply, the Buffalo Bills shouldn’t be considering dealing Stefon Diggs. Diggs has been essential to Josh Allen’s rise and Buffalo’s recent success. However, since the 2023 season ended, there have been indications of growing discontent.
It was Diggs’ poorest season as a Bill, catching 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. We don’t know how Diggs is feeling about things, but he admits the potential in this interview with Kay Adams. Making the money work here is challenging, though it gets simpler after June 1.
Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams
Davante Adams joined the Raiders in Sin City in 2022, following a trade request from the Packers. Things haven’t exactly gone as planned, though.
After Adams relocated to Las Vegas, the Raiders benched his college classmate Derek Carr in favor of Jimmy Garrapolo, and midway through the season, Josh McDaniels was dismissed. With three years left to play in the NFL, Adams, who turns thirty-one this year, probably does not like to settle for mediocrity. Even if he doesn’t request a trade, teams will still be inquiring about his availability.
What happens with those calls will depend on how the Raiders perceive themselves under new head coach Antonio Pierce. It would be quite beneficial to find a quarterback.
The Seattle Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett, WR
Lockett just finished his worst campaign since 2018. Despite his advanced age, he managed to catch 79 receptions for 894 yards and five touchdowns. There will inevitably be a personnel shuffle in Seattle as the Pete Carroll era comes to a close and Mike McDonald assumes the position.
Although he has not yet appointed an offensive coordinator, Macdonald appears to be considering one of the San Francisco assistant coaches.
Lockett has no more guaranteed money remaining on his contract and will earn a base salary of $15.3 million plus a $1.6 million roster bonus. The Seahawks have an excellent young wide receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Some teams may view Lockett’s services—which are available for less than $20 million—as a means of quickly improving wide receivers, given the growing expense of quality wide receivers.
