With the Arizona Cardinals riding high after their stunning upset of the Los Angeles Rams, it’s easy not to think about the NFL’s upcoming trade deadline. The most likely outcome, though, remains that Cardinals players will be up for sale in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 10 deadline, which falls after Week 10.
The realistic best-case scenario for this season involves setting the foundation for 2027 — not making a playoff push. As a result, the Cardinals will need to consider moves that could set themselves up for future success, like their recent trade of Marvin Harrison Jr. for a second-round draft pick.
Under general manager Monti Ossenfort, the Cardinals have only made three in-season trades, but these deals are becoming increasingly common
across the league. Last season, there were a record 22 in-season trades, up from 13 in both 2020 and 2021.
Here are the players that the Cardinals could look to trade ahead of the deadline, from most to least likely.
We gave each player a likelihood of being dealt, from 1 to 10. A ‘1’ means there’s almost no chance of a trade; a ’10’ means a trade feels inevitable.
Edge rusher Josh Sweat
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Sweat is “seeking a new contract” and “will be of interest to a lot of teams” ahead of the trade deadline.
Later that day, Sweat was quick to shoot down those rumors in an interview with the team website.
“I don’t know where he got that from,” Sweat said.
Still, this is a situation worth monitoring. Sweat is a 29-year-old veteran, one year removed from a 12-sack season. He offers a level of production matched by few players on the Cardinals roster, at an age when he would fit better on a contending team. Add in the reported discontent — and a bizarre lack of offseason participation — and Sweat is the Cardinals’ most likely trade candidate.
But there are complications here, too, starting with money.
Sweat is due to count for $23.6 million against the cap in both 2027 and 2028, with no clear out. A buyer could view that as a positive — given it is cheaper than recent extensions signed by comparable edge rushers — but it could also be a negative, tethering a team to Sweat even if his productivity doesn’t tick up after a slow start to this season. His pressure rate is down from 13.2% to 7.3% this season, and he’s on pace to finish with half as many sacks.
If the Cardinals could get a third-rounder, though, they might have to listen.
Likelihood: 6
Safety Budda Baker
After Sweat, we get into the territory of players for whom a trade would be a significant surprise.
On paper, Baker makes sense as a trade candidate. He’s no longer the All-Pro caliber safety he once was, but he remains a unique weapon when attacking downhill. And his contract has a $3.1 million out after this season, meaning a team could trade for him as a half-season rental.
But safeties are rarely traded in-season, in part because the trade market is limited at the position. Kevin Byard, the clearest recent comparison, was dealt in 2023 for a fifth-round pick, a sixth-round pick and a depth piece (Terrell Edmunds).
That level of compensation may not be worth parting with a player the Cardinals view as the heart and soul of their defense — unless the Cardinals are engaging in a fire sale.
Likelihood: 3
Edge rushers Zaven Collins, Baron Browning
Any time a player is set to hit free agency on a non-contending team, they’re a trade candidate. That’s especially true at edge rusher. No position has been included in more in-season trades since 2020, primarily because there is rarely a significant schematic adjustment.
It was just two seasons ago, after all, that the Cardinals acquired Browning for a sixth-rounder ahead of the deadline.
But it’s not clear what the market would be this time around for Browning, who has a career-low 7.0% pressure rate. Collins has more value, due to his ability as a run stopper and in pass coverage, but it seems more likely that the Cardinals would want to extend him than trade him for a late-round pick.
Likelihood: 3 for both
Cornerback Garrett Williams
Similar to edge rusher, 20 cornerbacks have changed teams in-season since 2020 — the third-most of any position. So maybe Williams could be on the move, given he’s a free agent after the season.
But his situation is unique, as a torn Achilles over the offseason prevented the Cardinals from working on a contract extension, as they otherwise might have. Now that he’s healthy — and showing his value at multiple spots in the secondary — he feels like the type of piece that the Cardinals would like to keep in town.
Plus, Williams is a nickel, not a true outside corner. That both reduces the number of potential trade destinations and increases the schematic adjustment to a new team.
Likelihood: 2
Quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew
If this were Madden, Brissett would be a logical addition for a contending team in need of quarterback help. This week’s opponent, the Denver Broncos, would even make some sense, given Bo Nix’s struggles.
Minshew, meanwhile, is a proven veteran backup who could offer useful depth, especially for a team dealing with injuries.
The problem is that this isn’t Madden. Since 2020, only three quarterbacks have been traded in-season: Josh Dobbs, Joe Flacco (twice) and J.J. McCarthy. It’s extremely difficult for a quarterback to learn a new system midseason.
Plus, the Cardinals are still reliant on Brissett as their starter, given they evidently do not yet believe Carson Beck is ready to start.
Minshew is a more likely trade candidate, given that he’s currently being paid $5.7 million to sit on the bench of a non-contending team with a third-round rookie waiting in the wings. It’s an odd fit, as currently constructed.
Still, any trade at quarterback would likely require an injury to a contending team’s starter, on a roster that does not already have a viable backup. That’s a long shot.
Likelihood: 2 for Minshew, 1 for Brissett
Running back James Conner
Conner bears mentioning here, given that fan speculation often includes his name.
But he’s a 31-year-old running back who suffered a season-ending injury last September, attempted a return in training camp and was shut down again before Week 1. It seems unlikely he would return to the field before Week 10, much less that he would put enough on tape for a team to be interested in a trade.
Plus, the market for depth running backs is typically a late-round pick anyway. Put the pieces together, and it’s difficult to imagine anyone knocking down the Cardinals' door to trade for Conner.
Likelihood: 1
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ranking Cardinals trade candidates, from Budda Baker to James Conner
