5 big-name NFL stars likely to be traded during 2023 NFL Draft ft. DeAndre Hopkins
The 2023 NFL draft is just a couple of weeks away. On April 27, a lot of future NFL stars will have their names called to join their new teams. Prospects and NFL hopefuls will wait by the phone hoping that a team calls them to add them to their roster.
But that's not the only thing that will occur during the draft. Big-name NFL players will certainly change teams, too. As teams mull moving around in the draft order and getting new players, veterans and disgruntled players might be on the move. Here are the five most likely players to be traded during the 2023 NFL draft.
2023 NFL Draft trades: Players likely to be on the move
5) Mike Evans
Mike Evans is an interesting name in trade rumors. He's never been on another NFL team, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just watched Tom Brady retire after an 8-9 season and a blowout playoff loss. They're not going to contend this year in all likelihood.
Evans has never had a season with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards, so he is still one of the best in the league. Another team would benefit greatly from adding him.
4) Za'Darius Smith
Za'Darius Smith wants out of the Minnesota Vikings. He requested a release, which they denied. Though he likely won't play for them at all since he wants to leave that badly, they could easily trade him and recoup some value. He's a good player, so there's no reason for the Vikings to just let him go for free.
3) DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins is very likely to be on a new team next year. He doesn't fit in with the current Arizona Cardinals timeline and he costs too much to stick around. That price tag does make a trade difficult, though.
Some expect him to be released, but one NFL team might see a wide receiver prospect get snatched right out from underneath them and want to add a veteran in his place. That could very well be Hopkins.
2) Jerry Jeudy
The Denver Broncos have been quietly shopping Jerry Jeudy around. They're asking for a first-round pick in return, but he could be part of a major 2023 NFL draft trade package. The Broncos have lost so many assets for Sean Payton and Russell Wilson that they desperately need to get some back. A trade down or something involving Jeudy makes a lot of sense.
1) Aaron Rodgers
The longer the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers wait, the more likely Aaron Rodgers is to be traded during the draft. He wants out of Green Bay and he wants to go to the Jets. The Packers don't want him.
Eventually, this will work out. Whether or not that happens now or on 2023 NFL draft night remains to be seen, but by then the Jets could be feeling rather desperate.