New Orleans Saints News & Rumors

2025 NFL Trades

The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. While the Cowboys and Steelers’ George Pickens swap showed moves can be made at other points on the NFL calendar, early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. On that note, it is a good time to check in on what has transpired on the trade market ahead of today’s deadline.

Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2025:

March 1

49ers chose running back Jordan James at 147

March 4

Rams traded pick to Vikings, moving up to No. 172 for linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

March 5

March 6

March 7

Seahawks chose quarterback Jalen Milroe at 92

March 9

Seahawks used No. 52 to trade up (via the Titans) 17 spots for safety Nick Emmanwori, drafted running back Damien Martinez at 223; Steelers selected quarterback Will Howard at 185

March 10

Texans added wide receiver Jaylin Noel at 79, sent 236 to Jaguars in Day 2 trade; Commanders chose wideout Jaylin Lane at No. 128 

Eagles used No. 164 to climb one spot (via Chiefs) in first round for linebacker Jihaad Campbell

March 11

March 12

Bills took Ohio State cornerback Jordan Hancock at 170; Cowboys chose guard Ajani Cornelius at No. 204

Titans drafted running back Kalel Mullings at No. 188; Cowboys chose running back Phil Mafah at 239

March 13

March 15

Vikings packaged No. 187 in trade-down move (via Texans); 49ers drafted safety Marques Sigle at 160

April 3

Patriots traded down from No. 171 (via Lions) to draft kicker Andres Borregales; Cowboys chose defensive tackle Jay Toia at 217

April 26

Seahawks selected defensive lineman Rylie Mills at No. 142; Vikings traded No. 172 to Rams

May 7

June 2

Pick could upgrade to fourth-rounder if performance-based conditions are met

June 30

July 1

August 4

August 17

August 20

August 22

August 24

August 25

August 26

August 27

August 28

September 8

2026 fifth-round pick (from Bryce Huff trade) could upgrade to fourth-rounder, which would be sent to Jacksonville if 49ers DE meets those conditions

September 14

September 23

September 29

October 7

October 8

October 27

October 28

October 29

November 1

November 3

November 4

Higher of Cowboys’ two 2027 firsts will go to Jets in Williams trade

Saints To Send OL Trevor Penning To Bolts

Minutes before the trade deadline, the Chargers struck a deal to address their depleted offensive line. They are acquiring Trevor Penning from the Saints, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The Bolts will send the Saints a 2027 sixth-rounder, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds.

Penning has logged extensive time at three positions along the Saints’ O-line, spending full seasons at both tackle positions before kicking inside to guard this year. New Orleans is moving on from its left guard starter after not picking up his fifth-year option this offseason.

[RELATED: 2025 NFL Trades]

Despite not coming up in trade rumors, Penning loomed as a logical candidate to be moved thanks to his starting experience at premium positions and walk-year status. The Saints did not see Penning become the left tackle mainstay they hoped when they drafted him in 2022, and passing on his 2026 guarantee made him a free agent-to-be. Now, the Chargers will evaluate him. Though, their situation points to Penning still making it to the market come March.

Los Angeles has lost both its starting tackles — Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt — to season-ending injuries. Alt has battled a high ankle sprain for much of the year, and the fast-emerging tackle aggravating it in Week 9 prompted the Chargers to shut him down. The 2024 top-five pick is set for season-ending ankle surgery, creating a glaring void on Justin Herbert‘s blind side. It appears the Saints will ask Penning to shift back to his original NFL position.

The Saints bailed on the Penning-at-LT plan in 2024, drafting Taliese Fuaga in the first round and moving the Oregon State product from right tackle to Derek Carr‘s blind side. Penning then slid to right tackle and started 17 games there. After being quickly benched at LT in 2023, the Northern Iowa alum fared better at RT. But the Saints did not view him as a keeper there, either, using their No. 9 overall pick on Kelvin Banks. The Texas product kicked Fuaga to RT and Penning to yet another position. The Saints had him train at left guard this offseason, and he won the job — before temporarily ceding it after a turf toe bout.

L.A. is in decent shape on its interior, despite Mekhi Becton missing time recently. Becton is not on IR, and Zion Johnson is healthy at LG. The team could use immediate help at tackle, and Penning has started 23 tames at those spots in his pro career. The 26-year-old blocker has made six guard starts this season.

Pro Football Focus rates Penning’s guard work 64th at guard this season; the advanced metrics site graded Penning 60th among tackles during his RT experiment year. The underwhelming first-rounder did not grade well during his five-game LT sample in 2023. Being asked to move around the line certainly is not an easy task, but Penning could have an immediate chance to create some free agency value by providing decent LT work as a stopgap.

The Chargers have primarily been using summer trade pickup Austin Deculus at left tackle when Alt has missed time. He has been one of the Bolts’ blockers to look overmatched this season. PFF has graded Deculus, emergency add Bobby Hart and Trey Pipkins outside the top 65 at tackle this season.

This has left the Bolts scrambling, as they have been unable to field a healthy O-line. The team also has ex-Slater LT fill-in Jamaree Salyer, but Jim Harbaugh has opted for Deculus instead. While Penning may not be plugged in immediately, it would surprise if the Division I-FCS product was not seeing tackle work fairly soon given the Chargers’ status as a playoff contender.

No Trades Imminent For Saints WRs Rashid Shaheed, Chris Olave

Entering today’s action at 1-7, the Saints could stand to sell at the upcoming trade deadline. It remains to be seen if they will do so, but for now it does not appear as though any major moves are forthcoming.

[RELATED: Saints To Start Tyler Shough Through Remainder Of Season]

New Orleans’ receiver tandem of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed has drawn significant interest recently, and the latter represents a logical candidate to be dealt. New Orleans is open to moving on from Shaheed, a pending free agent, but a drop in asking price would likely be needed for that to take place. The team has already reportedly requested a third-round pick from an AFC suitor.

No movement on the Shaheed front has taken place, while an Olave extension remains a possbility. Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com confirms the trade markets in both cases have been “tepid” up to this point. It would come as a surprise if a buyer were to part with a Day 2 selection for a rental, although there is of course precedent in that regard. In any event, Duncan predicts there will not be any substantial deals finalized over the next few days.

There are several other Saints players who could be on the radar of contending teams ahead of the deadline. According to Duncan, though, there has been “little interest” shown in New Orleans’ veterans. A swap involving the likes of running back Alvin Kamara or defensive end Cameron Jordan would be surprising, but Brandin Cooks represents an experienced option who would be affordable. No stranger to being dealt, Cooks is attached to a 2025 salary of just $1.26MM and with a small portion of his scheduled compensation for next guaranteed he could easily be cut after the campaign by any acquiring team.

It will be interesting to see if teams which bow out of the Shaheed sweepstakes turn their attention to Cooks as a fallback WR option prior to Tuesday afternoon’s deadline. Failing a move along those lines, it could very well prove to be a quiet deadline for the Saints.

NFC Trade Notes: Mafe, Woolen, Shaheed, Cowboys, Packers, Buccaneers, Lions

As one of three NFC West teams sporting a five-win record, the Seahawks do not fit the profile of a seller at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, a pair of notable defenders continue to be mentioned in trade talk.

Cornerback Tariq Woolen remains a name to watch ahead of the November 4 deadline. The most recent update on his status indicated he could remain in Seattle. Things could change in short order, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Seattle prefers to keep Woolen in place through the remainder of the season.

The former Pro Bowler has struggled this season and his rookie contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The same is also true of edge rusher Boye Mafe, who could very well depart in free agency this spring. As such, the 26-year-old is worth monitoring on the trade front. Schefter adds, though, that the Seahawks would also prefer to keep him.

Here are some other trade notes from around the NFC:

  • In terms of receivers, one of the top candidates to move shortly is Rashid Shaheed. The Saints have been connected to an asking price of a Day 2 pick for the pending free agent. In particular, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football passes along New Orleans asked an AFC suitor for a third-round selection. Shaheed would provide a notable vertical addition to any acquiring team, but a price that high would be a surprise for a rental. It will be interesting to see if the Saints lower their asking price in the coming days.
  • Logan Wilson‘s trade request is still in effect, and he is among the defenders worth monitoring on the Bengals. A number of teams have made calls recently, and Schefter reports the Cowboys are among them. Dallas could stand to use one (or more) defensive additions given the team’s play on that side of the ball, and the team is not only in the market for rentals. Wilson – who has 65 starts to his name – is under contract through 2027.
  • The Packers faced questions about their secondary entering the campaign, but the team sits 15th against the pass so far. Green Bay is among the teams looking into corners on the trade market, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Tyson Campbell, Roger McCreary, Michael Carter II and (most recently) Jaire Alexander have already been dealt ahead of the deadline. Other corners could be on the move, however, and with nearly $12MM in cap space the Packers can afford a rental addition.
  • Sitting atop the NFC South, the Buccaneers could look to add. It would nonetheless come as a surprise if a notable acquisition were to be made. Greg Auman of Fox Sports predicts Tampa Bay will (if anything) only be in the market for a depth addition in the rental market. Adding at the linebacker spot or along the edge would be feasible, per Auman, but a major move should not be expected.
  • Another team not viewed as a serious buyer is the Lions. Defensive depth could still be targeted, though, and Russini writes safety and defensive line are among the positions being explored. Detroit is also among the teams which have called the Bengals about their defensive trade candidates (including Wilson but also cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt). With over $22MM in cap space, the Lions could afford a rental with ease.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/25

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad callups for the ninth weekend of the NFL season:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Steelers are getting Harrison back at a crucial time. Fellow linebacker Cole Holcomb has been ruled out this weekend with an illness — as has safety Chuck Clark, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network — and Harrison should be able to reinforce the group. He has plenty of experience playing next to starter Patrick Queen from their time together in Baltimore, so perhaps he’ll be able to step in and contribute right away.

The Chargers continue to see their running backs room plagued with injury. Haskins joins Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on injured reserve. Johnson and Patterson will suit up tomorrow to provide some depth behind lone survivor Kimani Vidal.

With Terry McLaurin once again set to miss time, Burks, the newly signed p-squad addition, will make his Washington debut. Also a newly signed p-squad addition, Lewis will make his Denver debut this weekend. If he sees game time, 2025 will officially be Lewis’ 20th season in the NFL.

After missing the last three games, Gross-Matos appeared to be close to returning to play. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, the 27-year-old re-injured his hamstring at practice on Thursday and will now miss another four games.

For Leota in New Orleans, Mosby in Green Bay, Sermon in Pittsburgh, Zakelj in San Francisco, and both Proche and Watkins in Tennessee, this Sunday will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation on their current deals. In order to appear in any more games after this, their respective teams will need to sign them to the active roster.

Bills Rumors: Defensive Tackles, Olave

Although the Bills pulled off a dominant 40-9 win against the Panthers last week, they didn’t escape Carolina unscathed. The Bills lost their top defensive tackle and one of their most important players, Ed Oliver, to a torn biceps. In a best-case scenario, Oliver will return sometime during the postseason. That’s assuming the 5-2 Bills, who trail the division-leading Patriots in the AFC East, earn a playoff berth.

Oliver’s injury was the latest (and costliest) shot to the interior of the Bills’ defense. They were already thin at D-tackle before Oliver went down. DeWayne Carter suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in the preseason, T.J. Sanders went on IR with a knee injury on Oct. 11, and DaQuan Jones will miss his third straight game Sunday with a calf issue.

With two starters (Oliver and Jones) and a pair of reserves (Carter and Sanders) unavailable, fourth-round rookie Deone Walker, Larry Ogunjobi, and Jordan Phillips are the only healthy tackles on the Bills’ active roster. Zion Logue, who has already received the maximum of three standard gameday elevations this year, and Phidarian Mathis represent experienced options on the practice squad. Either could play in this week’s all-important clash with the Chiefs, though the Bills will have to sign Logue to their active roster if they plan on using him.

Thanks to their injury woes at the position, the Bills are “taking a hard look at what’s out there at defensive tackle,” Albert Breer of SI.com writes. The Jets’ Harrison Phillips (a former Bill) and the Browns’ Maliek Collins have been mentioned as potential fits for Buffalo.

Tuesday’s trade deadline is fast approaching, leaving Bills general manager Brandon Beane little time to find outside help to improve his team’s last-ranked run defense. The Bills also have other areas to address – including at wide receiver and safety – and under $2MM in available cap space. It’s a less-than-ideal situation for Beane.

In clear need of an upgrade at boundary receiver, the Bills have recently inquired about the Saints’ Chris Olave, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. However, Russini is the latest to note that the Saints are expected to retain Olave, who’s under team control through 2026 on a fifth-year option. Barring a 180 from the Saints, Olave teaming with Bills quarterback Josh Allen looks unlikely to happen.

Saints Seeking Day 2 Picks For WR Rashid Shaheed, CB Alontae Taylor

Of the receivers recently named as trade candidates, Rashid Shaheed is perhaps the likeliest to be on the move in the near future. The Saints wideout is a pending free agent and could find himself on the radar of several suitors.

New Orleans has received interest in fellow wideout Chris Olave, but he is attached to his fifth-year option for 2026. The Ohio State product could very well be in place beyond that point by means of an extension. Shaheed, by contrast, is one of many Saints identified as one to watch on the trade front and the team is willing to move him.

At this point, though, no deal is imminent. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated confirms calls have come in about Shaheed, but he adds New Orleans’ asking price is currently a second- or third-round pick. That matches the Raiders’ stance with respect to Jakobi Meyers, another wideout known on the trade block. Per Breer, suitors have balked at that price in Shaheed’s case.

The situation is similar as it pertains to cornerback Alontae TaylorNew Orleans is seeking a Day 2 pick for the pending free agent corner, Breer adds. Just like with Shaheed, he writes interested teams view that asking price as too steep. It will be interesting to see if the Saints shift their stance ahead of the November 4 deadline by accepting less valuable offers in one or both cases.

Shaheed, 27, is averaging 11.1 yards per catch in 2025, by far the lowest figure of his career. Much of that is due to the team’s overall offensive struggles, though, and a QB switch has taken place. Rookie Tyler Shough will handle starting duties for the remainder of the season. Shaheed would only play one game with Shough in place in the event he were to be dealt ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.

Taylor has served as a starter for much of his New Orleans tenure. With the team having traded away Marshon Lattimore and lost Paulson Adebo in free agency, moving on from the second-rounder would leave the secondary rather thin. Of course, the lack of an extension in Adebo’s case has led to interest from suitors and uncertainty regarding his future.

The receiver and cornerback trade markets around the league will depend in large part on Shaheed and Taylor, with the former having been at least loosely linked to several buyers recently. As such, both of these cases will be worth watching closely.

Latest On Bills’ Pursuit Of WR Help

The Bills were in obvious need of help at wide receiver leading up to last year’s trade deadline. General manager Brandon Beane addressed the position in mid-October, acquiring Amari Cooper from the Browns. While the five-time Pro Bowler didn’t end up as a major contributor in Buffalo, he at least gave the team another credible target. With Cooper as a role player in a high-powered offense, the Bills ultimately advanced to the AFC championship game before suffering yet another postseason loss to the Chiefs.

Although the Bills are off to a strong 5-2 start this year, the receiver position has been a glaring issue again. Dependable slot target Khalil Shakir is enjoying another productive year, but the Bills are lacking boundary threats. Cognizant of that, the Bills have been scouring the market for a “vertical deep route receiver” as the Nov. 4 trade deadline nears, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network says.

Saints speedster Rashid Shaheed is a name to keep an eye on for the Bills, according to Wolfe. It’s not the first time Shaheed has come up as a potential target for Buffalo, whose lack of cap space could be a hindrance in landing a bigger fish.

The Bills rank last in the NFL with around $1.67MM in spending room, per Over the Cap. Shaheed, like Cooper was last year, is on an expiring contract. With a $4.2MM base salary and a $4.46MM cap hit, he’s reasonably priced.

After Shaheed averaged anywhere from 15.6 to 17.5 yards per catch in each of his first three seasons, that number has dropped to 11.1. However, with 39 catches and 431 through eight games, he’s easily on pace to surpass his current career highs of 46 and 719, respectively.

Sitting at 1-7 and set to hand the reins to rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, New Orleans is open to trading Shaheed. The 27-year-old has never paired with a high-level QB in the NFL, but that would change in Buffalo with Josh Allen at the helm.

Despite having the benefit of playing with Allen, Keon Coleman and Josh Palmer – the Bills’ top receivers after Shakir – have underwhelmed. Coleman dazzled with an eight-catch, 112-yard showing in a Week 1 win over the Ravens, leading to hope that the 2024 second-round pick was in for a breakout sophomore campaign. Since then, though, Coleman has totaled just 19 receptions and 155 yards in seven games.

Palmer, previously a Charger, didn’t rise to stardom playing with Justin Herbert from 2021-24. He still impressed the Bills enough to land a three-year, $36MM contract in free agency last offseason. While Palmer has averaged a robust 16.7 yards per catch in Buffalo, he has only hauled in 14 passes in six games. He missed the Bills’ win over the Panthers last week with a knee/ankle injury, an issue that could keep him out of a crucial meeting with the Chiefs this Sunday.

Aside from Shakir, Coleman, and Palmer, no other Bills receiver has more than five catches in 2025. Veterans Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore, free agent pickups over the previous two offseasons, have been nonentities. Practice squad wideout Gabe Davis, a Bill from 2020-23 and a Jaguar last season, is the best hope for an in-house upgrade. Davis is now recovered from the meniscus surgery he underwent last year. While he could factor into the Bills’ receiving corps soon, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Beane bring in an outside reinforcement by Tuesday.

Saints OL Cesar Ruiz Could Be Available For “Right Price”

While the likes of Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave appear to be sticking in New Orleans, it sounds like wideouts Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks could be had in a trade. We can now add another Saints offensive player to the list of trade targets.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, rival teams are “under the impression” that offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz could be available for “the right price.” Fowler notes that “change feels inevitable” this upcoming offseason in New Orleans, and the front office may look to get a jump start by dealing veterans.

Ruiz has spent his entire career with the Saints, as the lineman was selected by the organization in the first round of the 2020 draft. After bouncing in and out of the starting lineup as a rookie and alternating between positions as a sophomore, Ruiz has settled in as the team’s starting right guard in recent years. He’s started all 37 of his appearances for the organization since 2021, and he’s gotten into at least 90 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in those contests.

Pro Football Focus has never been particularly fond of the player’s performance, as the site has generally ranked him in the bottom half of his position. He had his best showing in 2024, when PFF ranked him 25th among 77 qualifying guards. He’s back down to 56th in 2025, although the site has given him credit for his pass-blocking ability.

Ruiz still has two years remaining on the four-year, $44MM extension he signed with the organization back in 2023. While he has an out in his contract following the current campaign, the $16.8MM in dead money means he’s not a realistic rental. The Saints would presumably consider this in any trade talks, so teams may not be able to snag him for a late-round pick.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/29/25

Here are today’s taxi squad moves:

Buffalo Bills

  • Activated from practice squad IR: WR Gabe Davis

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders