Buy, sell or hold? What every NFL team should do before the 2025 trade deadline

Ready or not, the 2025 NFL trade deadline is fast approaching. Between now and Nov. 4, front offices will be on the phone either looking to improve their teams for the here and now or to sell off pieces to better position themselves for the seasons to come. Meanwhile, others will do their due diligence but ultimately decide to hang back and watch the action unfold around them.

Already, we've seen several deals, including the Browns trading quarterback Joe Flacco to their AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland also sent cornerback Greg Newsome II and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for corner Tyson Campbell and a 2026 seventh-rounder.

While those are among the notable early moves, more activity is expected as the deadline nears. But where will the action come from, and which teams will be involved? Below, we've categorized all 32 clubs into one of three buckets: buyer, seller or holder.

Buyers

The Buffalo Bills have the third-best odds to win Super Bowl LX at FanDuel Sportsbook but are on a two-game losing skid entering Week 8. A big reason has been the offense -- specifically, the wide receiver position -- going silent. With preseason heavyweights such as Baltimore and Cincinnati no longer major factors, the path is as clear as it's been in years. The Bills could use a trade (Chris Olave, perhaps?) to push them over the edge, making them clear buyers.

Sticking in the AFC East, the New England Patriots are another contender that should look to buy before the Nov. 4 deadline. The Pats find themselves in first place in the division with Drake Maye playing at an MVP level. That said, despite their 5-2 record, they could use some upgrades. Specifically, New England could stand to add another impact receiver or edge rusher. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers went all-in with Aaron Rodgers this season and, so far, it's worked out. Mike Tomlin's team enters Week 8 atop the AFC North at 4-2. Because they have decided to put their eggs in the basket of the 41-year-old Rodgers, the Steelers need to do everything in their power to maximize their potential in 2025, with no guarantees the veteran quarterback returns next season. They are another team in desperate need of a wide receiver opposite DK Metcalf. 

The Indianapolis Colts find themselves sitting as the current No. 1 seed in the AFC at 6-1 as the Daniel Jones resurgence is in full effect. It already feels like they are playing with house money for how well the first half of the season has gone, but they need to see it through with an AFC South title and a playoff run. While the roster is overall in fine shape, they could stand to make a splash move at the deadline for an upper-echelon defensive player. With defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's ties to Cincinnati, it doesn't take a genius to suggest a blockbuster for Trey Hendrickson. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars are just a couple of games behind the Colts in the AFC South standings, and firmly in the wild card mix. They did make a trade for Greg Newsome II to help the secondary, but they have needs on both sides of the ball. Jacksonville could conceivably look to add at tight end, receiver, edge rusher or corner. 

You may be surprised to find the 2-4 Houston Texans in the buyers section, but I think Houston has playoff expectations for itself even amid this sluggish start. The offense has been lackluster in large part due to a lack of a running game, so they could look to add a back. 

The Denver Broncos could stand to trade for some wide receiver help, which could include the likes of Rashid Shaheed or Olave in New Orleans. While Courtland Sutton is the unquestioned No. 1, Bo Nix needs another reliable target for the playoff push. 

The Los Angeles Chargers began the season on a hot streak but have cooled in recent weeks. That's partly been due to injuries, particularly in the backfield. At 4-3 and very much in the mix for the division and a wild card spot, they should aim to improve the running game by looking to add someone like Breece Hall of the New York Jets. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, and the offense got a massive boost with the return of Rashee Rice last week. That said, they could look to bolster their defensive line for the stretch run. Given that they are in the thick of a championship window, K.C. will always look to add. 

Looking to defend their Super Bowl title, the Philadelphia Eagles desperately need to add an edge rusher. The need is so great, they got Brandon Graham to come out of retirement to help improve the room. Even in his return, they need more high-caliber talent at that position. 

Dallas is another team with needs along the defensive line, particularly off the edge. Its defense has been among the worst in the NFL, and adding a pass rusher to disrupt things could help complement arguably the top offense in the league. Of course, Howie Roseman and Jerry Jones are two GMs who are never shy about wheeling and dealing at this time of the year. 

The Chicago Bears are 4-2 entering Week 8 and firmly in the playoff mix. They are the only team to score at least 21 points in each of their games this season, so Ben Johnson seems to be working his magic on that side of the ball. Defensively, they haven't been able to attack the quarterback at an adequate rate, so they could look to add someone on the edge or defensive interior to help that area for the playoff push. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' needs reside along the defensive line, particularly off the edge. That puts them in the mix for big swing targets like Trey Hendrickson and Bradley Chubb. That said, with the mounting number of injuries at receiver, they could look to add a depth piece there as well. 

The Niners have been demolished with injuries, particularly to the defensive side of the ball, after losing both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner for the year. With that in mind, they could use a high-profile addition to that side of the ball to keep themselves on track in the division. 

Seattle has surprised many in the NFC by firmly sitting in the playoff mix and boasting a well-balanced team that is arguably top 10 on both offense and defense. The Seahawks should look to bolster their depth on defense, in particular, even as they get some figures like Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall and Julian Love back from injury in the coming weeks. 

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Sellers

The New York Jets have yet to win a game in 2025 and are in the midst of a potential quarterback change, so things have gone off the rails entirely. Meanwhile, running back Breece Hall (a free agent this offseason) and Jermaine Johnson II (club option through 2026) are two pieces who could fetch quite the return on the trade market, and that's something New York should explore as they are on the verge of further rebuilding/retooling. 

Had it not been for the winless Jets, the 1-6 Miami Dolphins would be the laughingstock of the division. In many respects, they still are, as Mike McDaniel is on the verge of being fired and Tua Tagovailoa just registered back-to-back games with three interceptions. This is a team that could soon be stripping it down to the studs and rebuilding from the ground up. With that possibility on their doorstep, they could be proactive by moving pieces like Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and/or Jaylen Waddle for big returns to help boost the rebuild. 

The Cleveland Browns are 2-5 and do have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but the offense is not at the stage where they can be considered a contender at this point. They've drafted well with the likes of Mason Graham, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr., while the jury is still out on their quarterbacks. As they look to give their young core some more run, it could make sense to move off some veteran players. One name that stands out is tight end David Njoku.

The Tennessee Titans just fired head coach Brian Callahan and are among the worst teams in the NFL at 1-6. As they continue to reshape the organization around No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, they are another team that could look to trade off pieces that don't have long-term futures with the franchise, such as Arden Key, Roger McCreary and/or Chig Okonkwo. 

The Las Vegas Raiders made moves this offseason in hopes of immediately putting themselves in the playoff conversation. Despite trading for quarterback Geno Smith and hiring veteran head coach Pete Carroll, they haven't emerged as a true threat. In fact, they are just 2-5 and fading fast. While Maxx Crosby has been a name contenders hope would be available, they reportedly are not going to move the star pass rusher. However, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers is a name that could very well be moved, and the veteran sounds like he'd welcome the change of scenery after requesting a trade this offseason. 

The New Orleans Saints are 1-6 entering Week 8 and have been eyed as a potential seller leading up to the deadline. In particular, their pair of wide receivers -- Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed -- are two popular targets this cycle. 

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Holders

The Cincinnati Bengals already made their splash by trading for Joe Flacco, and while they could technically use some help on the defensive side of the ball, the juice may not be worth the squeeze even at 3-4. The more practical long-term view would be to not pour any more draft capital into a season where Joe Burrow is injured and keep a greater emphasis on 2026 when he returns to full health. 

As for the Baltimore Ravens, they need to prioritize getting healthy more than adding to the roster. At 1-5 entering Week 8, this isn't the type of record where a front office should be looking to add, as they may be numerous pieces away. 

The Washington Commanders are also dealing with injuries, with the likes of Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin missing time, which has resulted in them falling to 3-4 on the year. Instead of trading for pieces, they should focus on simply getting those key fixtures back in the fold to make a playoff push. 

The New York Giants have been an entertaining story through the first half of the season, but they are still just 2-5 despite ascending Jaxson Dart atop the depth chart. Outside of maybe adding a piece that could help them beyond 2025, they shouldn't be looking at short-term acquisitions at the deadline. 

Detroit could maybe look to add in the secondary, but that may not be necessary after a dominating day in Week 7 against the Buccaneers. 

The Green Bay Packers are another NFC North contender that could use a corner, but do they have the arsenal of draft picks (and are willing to move them) to actually get a deal done after sending multiple picks for Micah Parsons? 

The biggest question for the Vikings is who will be under center for them between Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy. Outside of that, they have strong pieces on both sides of the ball to make a run and don't necessarily need to make a move. 

The Carolina Panthers are 4-3 coming into Week 7, but this doesn't feel like a team that should be buying at this stage. Instead, they should continue to develop their young talent, including Bryce Young. 

The Atlanta Falcons are another team that could look to add a depth piece, but overall are more likely to stay the course at 3-3 and roll with what they have. That's especially true after trading away its 2026 first-round pick at the draft last spring. 

The Los Angeles Rams are in the thick of the NFC West race at 5-2 and do have multiple picks (including two 2026 first-rounders) to play with at the deadline if they so choose, but they may be better off holding those until the offseason. This roster is already playoff-ready, provided it stays healthy. 

Arizona could fall into the seller category at 2-5 on the season, but they may want to keep their pieces in place to see what it looks like when Kyler Murray returns after missing time due to injury.