The NFL's trade deadline is less than a week away, and multiple franchises have already taken big swings in order to shore up roster concerns. From the Jeffery Simmons deal between the Bears and Titans to the DeForest Buckner trade between the Colts and 49ers, fortune has favored the bold so far with several days to go.
What will the trade deadline bring for the teams in the AFC West? The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly been searching for wide receiver help since Rashee Rice was in middle school, so we have an idea to help them out. And while we were at it, we grabbed a few things for the Broncos and Raiders as well. As for the Chargers, it's nothing but a fire sale in Los Angeles.
Here's what we think every team in the AFC West will do before the NFL's trade deadline on November 10.
Raiders trade a 5th-round pick for Saints OL Cesar Ruiz
Wait, the Raiders are buyers? Hear us out.
Yes, Las Vegas has lost four of their last five games, but any Chiefs fan recognized a much feistier squad in Week 4 than expected. Klint Kubiak has the Raiders playing better than expected, and the trade deadline offers an opportunity to actually strengthen a real concern now and in the future.
The Raiders' offensive interior would be the league's worst if not for Tyler Linderbaum's presence at center. But Caleb Rogers and Spencer Burford would easily rank among the NFL's worst starting guards at the present moment, which not only hurts Kubiak's offense now but also once Fernando Mendoza slides into his long-term role as franchise quarterback.
To that end, the Saints are positioned as sellers and Cesar Ruiz is a veteran already being pushed out of a job by rookie Jeremiah Wright. For the Raiders, however, Ruiz is a very good pass blocker who has averaged 15 starts per year for the last five seasons—and somehow he's still only 27 years old. Plus, he's signed through the 2027 season which woud not only shore up the protection for the duration of this year but shorten the Raiders' offseason shopping list a year from now. For the Saints, they gain a pick, free up Wright to take over the spot, and earn some cap relief in the process.
And let's not forget that Kubiak was Ruiz's offensive coordinator in New Orleans just a few seasons ago.
Chargers trade safety Elijah Molden for Steelers' 2027 6th-round pick
The Steelers have held things together on the back end of the defense with glue and duct tape through the season's first half. Both DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker have dealt with injuries for the first several games of the season, and while the depth chart is healthier now than it has been all year, the Steelers know that things get even more grueling into the winter months.
That's why it would make sense for Pittsburgh to flip a late day-three selection in next year's draft to the L.A. Chargers, who are going nowhere fast, for Elijah Molden.
Molden joined the Chargers in a preseason trade in 2024 and they liked him so much that they signed him to a three-year deal. The expected fire sale in SoCal should at least try to net draft assets for valuable veterans, however, and getting a sixth-round pick for floor-raiser at safety is a worthwhile exchange.
Broncos trade 5th-round pick for Titans RB Tony Pollard
Broncos fans might be hungry for news of a blockbuster running back trade before the deadline—specifically Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts. But it might make more sense to hold onto more valuable draft assets and find a way to bolster the backfield with a less sexy veteran option instead.
Tony Pollard is clearly not long for Tennessee. He's a half-season rental on a team going nowhere, which makes him absolutely expendable for Nashville. That said, he's racked up 246 rushing yards and 5 total touchdowns over the last two weeks alone, putting on the sort of pick-me display that should net him a one-way ticket away from Nissan Stadium.
As for the Broncos, JK Dobbins is struggling and injury prone. RJ Harvey is on injured reserve. Jonah Coleman made some nice plays a week ago against the Chiefs, but a Broncos team with Super Bowl visions could use proven production to help bolster the offense. A fifth-round pick is worth it for George Paton in this instance and keeps the team's second round pick in play for their own use.
Chiefs trade 4th-round pick for Browns WR Jerry Jeudy
Wide receiver is the glaring need here for K.C. With Tyquan Thornton sidelined for the rest of the calendar year with an ankle dislocation, the offense is severely limited and Rashee Rice's lack of dependability doesn't help the unit's consistency. The Chiefs are giving playing time to the likes of Justin Watson (who re-signed with the team a few weeks ago) and Andrew Armstrong, which says all you need to know about how much depth the Chiefs have.
Josh Downs feels like the most likely candidate because the Colts are clearly sellers, but if the Chiefs want to diversify the talent in the wide receiver room, then Jerry Jeudy is the best target for them. Unlike other receivers who would cost quite a bit more (Brian Thomas Jr.), Jeudy should be available for a fourth-round pick, and the Chiefs will have two of those in the '27 draft.
Jeudy is still only 27 years old, but he's already logged six full seasons before this one in the NFL. A savvy route-runner, Jeudy would immediately slide in as a trusted volume target who made the Pro Bowl two seasons ago. He can win in the intermediate parts of the field on a wide variety of routes, and his versatility to play inside and out only helps. Plus, the Chiefs would be on the hook for less than $1 million for the 2026 season, with a $17M option, in so many words, for next year.
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