The 2026 NFL offseason is off and running as we approach this month’s draft, and with it has come an abundance of player movement both through free agency and trades.
On the trade front specifically, it’s been exceptionally busy, with a whopping 21 deals having been completed since the start of the new league year. The latest move saw the Packers send wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks to the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a '27 sixth-rounder, a move that’s being floated as a potential precursor to an A.J. Brown trade out of Philadelphia.
We’ve also seen a handful of trade demands across the league as well. The Colts are playing matchmaker for both quarterback Anthony Richardson and cornerback Kenny Moore II, and Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II reportedly wants out of New York after the two sides have failed to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension over the past two seasons. Giants coach John Harbaugh was asked about Lawrence’s demand last week (as well as a potential move off of edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux), and he made a simple—yet thought-provoking—proclamation:
“Everybody’s tradeable. Everybody.”
Are they, though?
In theory, of course. In today’s NFL—where just about every front office is in “win now” mode at the fear of losing their jobs—teams will pay a premium for top talent, making it extremely tough for the other team to say no. Just look at the return the Cowboys got for Micah Parsons.
That said, there is still a line, and I’m sure fans of all 32 teams would deem at least their best player—if not their top two to three—as untouchable. And while perception isn’t always reality, a handful of players across the NFL should be deemed untradeable, even if the number is probably smaller than you might think.
In fact, we’ve dwindled the list down to nine. Here’s the thought process behind it.
First, some elite players who are ultimately still tradeable
Before we get into the truly untradeable, here’s a look at some of the league’s best that could—in theory—be dealt. Even while at the top of their profession.
You never know...
Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: Burrow is widely considered to be among the top quarterbacks in football and was rewarded as such when he signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension with the Bengals in 2023. Since then, however, Cincinnati has tallied just a 24–27 record, failed to make the postseason, and Burrow has made some telling comments about his future—pointing to his desire to have fun while on the playing field. It would be a stunning development if the 29-year-old were to ever be shipped away from the team that selected him with the No. 1 pick in 2020. But, given the notoriously cheap nature of the Bengals organization, and the enormous haul they'd get in return, it can’t be deemed impossible.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: The Ravens and Lamar Jackson are in a fascinating spot. After it was reported that the quarterback not being on the same page with John Harbaugh led to the head coach’s firing, Baltimore has since hired Jesse Minter to lead the team—and it’s boded well thus far. Jackson showed up to the Ravens’s offseason program (where his attendance has been sporadic in recent years) and Minter has made his affection for the signal-caller clear, calling him, “the best player in the [NFL].”
For the right price
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Bengals: Chase is the best wide receiver in football. Heading into his sixth NFL season, the 26-year-old is a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time first-team All-Pro, and has proven to be an automatic 1,000-plus-yard receiver—even in his injury-shortened 2022 campaign. As we mentioned above, the Bengals are known to be frugal, and while they did sign Chase to a monster extension last offseason, they’ve also been a middle-of-the-road team for three straight years. Moving off the star pass catcher would give them plenty of assets to rebuild the rest of their struggling roster.
Myles Garrett, DE, Browns: According to general manager Andrew Berry, the Browns are not trading Garrett ... even after making his contract much more tradeable this offseason. Garrett, 30, proved that he’s the best defensive player in the sport last season by sacking quarterbacks an NFL record 23 times. He’s requested a trade before, and if he does so again, the Browns would be silly not to entertain calls as they try to get back to the postseason under new coach Todd Monken.
Justin Jefferson, WR, Vikings: Without rehashing the same point above about Chase, Jefferson (like his former LSU running mate) is among the top wide receivers in football. The Vikings, however, have struggled to find success in recent years. Amid their identity crisis at quarterback, it’s fair to wonder whether Minnesota's instability could force the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year to consider what a long-term future would look like elsewhere.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks: Speaking of Offensive Player of the Year winners, JSN followed up his dominant 2025 season by not only winning OPOY (and the Super Bowl) but also signing a massive, four-year contract extension with the Seahawks. The deal will pay him more than $120 million in guaranteed money, ties him to Seattle through the 2031 season, and has also reset the wide receiver market for years to come. That said, if the Seahawks’ Lombardi Trophy–winning run from last February proves to be more of a flash in the pan rather than a sign of long-term success, perhaps they’ll eventually look to sell high on one of the sport’s premier young talents.
Now, for the truly untradeable
O.K., now let’s get down to brass tacks. Who in the NFL is truly untradeable? First of all, it’s not just quarterbacks, nor is it only wily veterans who have already proved their worth. Certain players, for example, have enough time on task—and money, frankly—to simply hang up their cleats if they were to be shipped elsewhere. Others, meanwhile (though not proven commodities just yet) have shown enough early on that trading them would be far more reckless than practical.
Some, of course, are the consensus top two players in all of football.
Let’s dive in.
Trade me, and I’ll retire
Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs: After mulling retirement, Kelce signed an extension with the Chiefs last month that will bring him back to Kansas City for a 14th NFL season—and sets up the 2026 campaign to potentially be his last. If a trade out of K.C. was ever pursued, the tight end would likely call it quits before the paperwork was even filed.
Cam Hayward, DT, Steelers: Hayward signed a contract extension with the Steelers at the start of the new league year and is now under team control through the 2027 season. Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2011 and now entering his 16th NFL season, the 36-year-old is a no-doubt Steeler for life.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams: Stafford has already uprooted his family once during his Hall of Fame career—a move that paid off as he won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams in 2021. Now heading into his age-38 season, it’s hard to believe the reigning NFL MVP would approve of a trade elsewhere (though he did flirt with other teams in free agency before last season), or that L.A. would have any interest in moving on from him.
Too much potential
Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders; Drake Maye, QB, Patriots; Bo Nix, QB, Broncos; Caleb Williams, QB, Bears:: This quartet of quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 draft has taken each of their respective teams to the postseason at least once (in Nix’s case, twice) since being dubbed their franchise’s savior. It would be organizational malpractice for any of them to be traded this early in their careers.
Do not touch
Josh Allen, QB, Bills: Allen is a truly generational talent. Through his first eight NFL seasons, he’s already tallied the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in league history, won the 2024 MVP award, and has completely transformed the Bills from a dumpster fire to a perennial playoff contender. Buffalo’s savior isn't going anywhere.
More NFL from Sports Illustrated
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- Full-Time Cornerback? Travis Hunter Apparently Sees His Role With Jaguars in 2026 Differently
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The List of Untradeable NFL Players Is Smaller Than You Might Think.
