NFL Free Agency Trades Heat Up
Key moves include Maxx Crosby to Ravens, Trent McDuffie to Rams, DJ Moore to Bills, David Montgomery to Texans, and Jermaine Johnson to Titans with T'Vondre Sweat heading to Jets. Travis Kelce to Giants rumors are gaining steam as free agency approaches, adding intrigue to the quarterback-tight end market.
The Baltimore Ravens' acquisition of Maxx Crosby involved sending two future first-round picks (2026 and 2027) to the Las Vegas Raiders, a historically aggressive move for a franchise that has never before traded a first-round selection for a veteran player. Crosby, who signed a three-year, $106.5 million deal in 2025, is set to carry a cap hit of over $30 million in 2026. To land All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Los Angeles Rams sent a package to the Kansas City Chiefs including the 29th overall pick in the 2026 draft. Now in the final year of his rookie contract, McDuffie is expected to sign a market-setting extension with the Rams that could make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. The move is a homecoming for the Southern California native, reuniting him with his college head coach, Jimmy Lake, now the Rams' defensive backs coach. In Buffalo, the Bills acquired wide receiver DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2026 second-round selection. The trade reunites Moore with Bills head coach Joe Brady, who was his offensive coordinator in Carolina. The Bills will absorb Moore's contract, which runs through 2029 and carries a cap number of $24.5 million annually, while also guaranteeing a portion of his 2028 salary. The Houston Texans added running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a package including former second-round pick Juice Scruggs. Montgomery is on a team-friendly deal with a $6 million cap hit for the 2026 season and will likely take on a significant role in the Texans' backfield. The Tennessee Titans and New York Jets executed a direct player swap, with defensive end Jermaine Johnson II heading to Tennessee and defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat joining New York. The trade reunites Johnson with his former head coach Robert Saleh. Johnson is playing on his fully guaranteed fifth-year option worth $13.4 million, while Sweat has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Amidst the trade flurry, rumors of Travis Kelce's potential move to the Giants are underpinned by his current contract status. In April 2024, he signed a two-year, $34.25 million adjustment with the Kansas City Chiefs, making him the league's highest-paid tight end with an average annual salary of $17.125 million through the 2025 season.
