The 2025 NFL Draft should welcome a flurry of activity. As teams move up and down the board on a round-by-round basis annually, veteran players are often included in those deals. With all 32 clubs focused on improving their roster, experienced talents are often included as compensation to acquire additional draft capital. Players traded during or near the draft in recent years include A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Zach Wilson.
Expect teams to operate with a sense of urgency in the coming weeks as they finalize their 2025 NFL Draft strategy. We've identified three veteran talents at risk of being traded.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is a prime candidate to be traded during April. General manager Terry Fontenot has patiently held on to his overpaid backup for Michael Penix Jr. The latest rumor indicated Cousins is waiting until after the 2025 NFL Draft to waive his no-trade clause to ensure he doesn't end up in a place that drafts a premium quarterback, attempting to avoid last offseason's outcome with Penix Jr.
Once the dominoes have fallen and an ideal potential suitor emerges, Cousins' situation becomes significantly easier to resolve. The Falcons recently paid a $10 million fully guaranteed roster bonus by keeping him on the roster, but that obligation is subject to offsets once he's traded or released, per Tom Pelissero. Expect Cousins to be traded in April. The Cleveland Browns are the likely landing spot.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
The Tyreek Hill saga has been ongoing since the conclusion of the 2024 campaign. The Miami Dolphins' speedy receiver essentially demanded a trade following the Week 18 finale. Chatter regarding a potential trade for Hill significantly cooled since then, but recently resurfaced earlier this week.
Over The Cap recently speculated that Hill is the biggest candidate to be dealt on draft weekend. The five-time Pro Bowler responded on social media by indicating he'd still welcome a trade away from Miami. The 31-year-old wideout remains under contract with Miami through the 2026 campaign. Hill continues to cause a stir. Given his advancing age and lucrative price tag, you wonder if Dolphins general manager Chris Grier would welcome an opportunity to acquire draft capital in exchange.
Will Levis, QB, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are expected to select Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall selection. If that projection becomes reality, the Titans will almost certainly look to trade last year's starter Will Levis. And for whatever reason they plan to retain Levis as a backup, a trade request would likely arrive from his representation.
The writing is on the wall. The Titans signed two veteran backups in free agency, Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Allen has previously worked with head coach Brian Callahan, strongly indicating they view him as the ideal experienced mentor to help a young quarterback learn the offense. The 25-year-old Levis struggled throughout 2024 in his first year as the unquestioned starter, but his physical tools and upside will warrant a fresh start elsewhere.
