The receiver position has been the most sought-after ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline. A snowball effect was started when the New York Jets traded for Davante Adams. Since then, The Buffalo Bills traded for Amari Cooper, the Kansas City Chiefs added DeAndre Hopkins, and the Baltimore Ravens made a move for Diontae Johnson. We haven't even gotten to deadline day yet, either.
Contenders and receiver-needy teams alike have seen the value in the position and made the moves to add to their passing attacks. Luckily, for teams wanting more pass-catching help, there are still good players at the receiver position on the trade block. The trade deadline is later than ever before, and many moves are still expected. Check out the gallery to see who we rank as the five best receivers who could get dealt at the NFL trade deadline.
1. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
A lot of the star receivers who were available in the trade market have already been moved, which could mean teams will be chomping at the bit to try and add Cooper Kupp at the trade deadline. Of course, it isn't a guarantee that the Rams will trade number 10. Kupp has been a loyal superstar, and he is a franchise legend.
This is a business, though, and there might not be enough room in Los Angeles for both Kupp and Puka Nacua going forward. Nacua had one of the best rookie seasons ever last season, and Kupp has had injury issues over the last two years. Additionally, the Rams are 4-4, which could incentivize them to be sellers at the trade deadline.
The NFL is a business, and if the Rams are offered a trade that they can't refuse, then they should take it. Kupp set several records in his triple crown season that ended with a Super Bowl championship, but he has only regressed since then, and he is already 31 years old.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is a chance that Kupp won't be valued for as much in the trade market as expected because of how oversaturated the position has been in trades leading up to the trade deadline. After all, a lot of the top teams who needed receiver help already made moves for different players. Teams might be scared off by Kupp's injury history, too. Regardless, the Rams have made it known that they have no plans to trade Kupp, but you have to take that idea with a grain of salt, as it is certainly a possibility.
2. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
After a slow start, the Cincinnati Bengals are now 4-5. They clearly have the talent to make a push for the playoffs, so trading away key pieces might not make a lot of sense. Even so, it isn't a guarantee that Tee Higgins remains with the team after the trade deadline. Higgins, who is playing under the franchise tag, demanded a trade from the Bengals before the season.
The two sides have seemingly reconciled, but a healthy relationship post-trade request isn't always the easiest thing to accomplish. Plus, Higgins is a free agent at season's end, as his previous trade request (and the Bengals' refusal to give him a long-term contract) means that he could jump ship and join another team in the offseason. Losing Higgins for nothing would be far from ideal for the Bengals.
Even without Higgins, the Bengals still have one of the best receivers in football in Ja'Marr Chase, and Joe Burrow can probably succeed regardless of who he is throwing to. Trading away pieces during their championship window would be a hard sell for Bengals fans, but Cincinnati dug themselves into a hole at the start of this season, and a Higgins trade haul could get them the pieces that would help in a reboot for next season.
3. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have played better than anyone could have expected with rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center. However, the defense has carried a big burden, and Nix still has plenty of developing to do. Denver probably isn't quite ready to contend, so adding the pieces at the trade deadline to ensure they can make a run for the postseason next year could be the course of action the team takes.
If this is, in fact, Denver's trade deadline philosophy, then Courtland Sutton would be their best trade chip who they'd realistically move on from. Sutton has had a good career with the Broncos, but the team has other players who play the receiver position similarly as he does, and he hasn't reached the star potential it looked like he'd reach before tearing his ACL.
Trading away weapons when you have a young and developing signal-caller is a risky proposition, and that could scare the Broncos away from trading Sutton. Even so, reports have already suggested that if there is a deal that makes sense involving the SMU product, the Broncos will take it.
4. Mike Williams, New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers really likes familiarity with his receivers. That is why he has had so much success with Allen Lazard this season, and that is why the New York Jets went out and traded for Davante Adams. The Adams deal makes another receiver in New York expendable.
New York signed Mike Williams as a free agent, but he has underperformed this season, and now he is third or fourth on the depth chart behind the aforementioned pass catchers and Garrett Wilson. Williams is probably overqualified for that role. The Jets' issues in the passing game have seemingly been fixed with the addition of Adams, so the team would be better off to trade Williams and bring something else in to help with a playoff push.
Williams has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but at his best, he is a big-bodied possession receiver who can win jump balls and thrive in the red zone.
5. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers
Adam Thielen is still recovering from a hamstring injury, but he could be ready to play by Week 10. If health isn't an issue for the rest of the season, then Thielen could be a trade target for several teams across the league. Thielen isn't the player he once was, but he can still be highly effective, especially if a team doesn't need him to carry the load for an entire season.
A refreshed Thielen could work as a security blanket for a variety of quarterbacks around the league. The Carolina Panthers have shown a willingness to trade their receivers, too, as evidenced by the Diontae Johnson trade. Being the clear-cut worst team in the NFL means the Panthers will be obvious trade-deadline sellers. They should trade away any of the veterans of value they have for draft picks as they look to build for the future.
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