Which 2026 NFL trades could happen?

NFL Draft trade chatter: what’s most actionable

With the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh (April 23–25), multiple teams are publicly signaling openness to deals, and a few storylines stand out for what could actually move the draft.

Chiefs: trade leverage, but not necessarily a Commanders target

Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach has said he expects “more likely than not” that the Chiefs stay at their spot—while also hinting that the broader first-round market could be busy. Veach’s public posture matters because it suggests KC is positioned to be an active participant in trades even if it doesn’t treat every move as mandatory. Separate draft-day hints also frame offensive line depth as a key priority, which can affect what trade targets make sense.

Commanders: potential to stay put

Washington’s Adam Peters has indicated it’s “more likely than not” the team stays at No. 7 and picks from the board rather than trading back. That doesn’t eliminate movement—especially if other teams leapfrog—but it narrows the realistic trade surface for the Commanders to scenarios where a partner is willing to value the 7th pick enough to accelerate Washington’s plan.

Giants: building a bigger pick haul

New York Giants coverage centers on how Joe Schoen and the front office could use trade scenarios to accumulate additional draft selections in 2026. The underlying theme is that the Giants view the draft as a resource allocation event—so trade activity is less about one blockbuster swap and more about shaping the number of bites at the apple.

Why it matters

Trade volume in the first round directly changes who gets premium prospects and how quickly teams can fill their most pressing roster needs. If teams like Washington lean toward picking, trade attention typically shifts toward clubs targeting a specific player or position group (like offensive line for the Chiefs or broad resource gathering for the Giants).