The 2026 NFL trade deadline is right around the corner, and it has all the makings of being one of the most hectic in recent memory. After all, there's already been one massive blockbuster with the Chicago Bears trading two first-round picks for Jeffrey Simmons.

Trades are becoming more common in the NFL, allowing fans to dream big about who their team can add for a midseason boost. With so much speculation around the league, we thought it was only fitting to poll our NFL Division site experts and editors to see what trades they want to see this year.

Handpicked below are the six biggest trades from the poll responses that would shake the league, while also staying within the realm of possibility.

Jonathan Taylor to the Denver Broncos

Despite disappointing quarterback play to this point, the Denver Broncos find themselves tied with the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West. With a stout defense and one of the most accomplished head coaches in the league, Denver absolutely has to be taken serious as a Super Bowl contender.

Denver's contention status would jump to another level if the team invested even more at the running back position. Sean Payton has made it work with a patchwork running back room that fails to feature one true bell-cow back. With R.J. Harvey now on IR, Denver is left with a mediocre running back room.

Jonathan Taylor would solve this issue. Taylor's numbers are down from a year ago but they would almost certainly jump back to career marks in Payton's offense. The hope for Broncos fans is that Taylor could be Denver's version of Saquon Barkley; a perennial running back who pushes a contending team over the edge.

Taylor would likely warrant a second-round pick alongside additional draft capital. The Broncos haven't been shy in trading picks away for established players, although it hasn't quite worked out as planned with Jaylen Waddle this season.

As Predominantly Orange Site Expert Lou Scataglia put it, there is no reason for the Broncos not to make this trade. Most Broncos fans likely agree.

Sauce Gardner to the Detroit Lions

Speaking of the Indianapolis Colts' fire sale, Sauce Gardner has inexplicably found himself in trade speculation after being a surprise trade last season. The Colts went all in on a cornerback by trading two first-round picks to the New York Jets and are 3-13 since the trade happened.

Now, with no first-round pick in 2027 and an inevitable change coming at head coach, the Colts may look to get whatever they can for Gardner's services. It would take some humility for the Colts to actually admit defeat this early on, but with a new front office regime, it is possible.

The Detroit Lions could certainly use Gardner's services. Detroit has the best running back in the sport leading an offense that can go toe-to-toe with anyone. However, Detroit has one of the worst defenses of any contending hopeful, which will come back to bite when playing other offensive powerhouses, such as the Chicago Bears.

Gardner wouldn't fix anything, but if he shows up and plays like the top-three corner he can be, the Lions' defense suddenly looks much different. Indianapolis almost certainly won't get a first-round pick for Gardner, with the price tag likely being a second-round pick plus additional capital.

Garrett Wilson to the San Francisco 49ers

The Jets probably aren't shopping Garrett Wilson at the trade deadline this year. But they also probably weren't shopping Sauce Gardner, and we all saw what happened. Every player has a price, and all it takes is a godfather offer for the Jets to surprisingly trade Wilson as well.

The San Francisco 49ers have every reason to be that godfather offer team this year. San Francisco, much like the Colts last year, are off to a red-hot start that nobody really expected. The 49ers have re-established themselves as a legitimate contender and adding one more weapon for Brock Purdy could be enough to get them over the edge.

Niner Noise Site Editor Peter Panacy eloquently outlined why a Wilson trade makes sense even with the big names already on the 49ers' roster:

"It'd be expensive, but the Niners haven't had much luck with drafted receivers in recent years, and both Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are old and injury-prone. Ricky Pearsall can barely stay on the field and is a free agent after 2027 anyway. About the only hope is De'Zhaun Stribling, but he's injured and hasn't played since Week 1."

What exactly is expensive? It would almost certainly take a first-round pick, especially with the 49ers picking in the 20s this season. That would give the Jets four first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft and a wide receiver room that, quite frankly, can handle a Wilson departure with Omar Cooper and Adonai Mitchell as the new No. 1 and No. 2.

Brian Thomas Jr. to the Las Vegas Raiders

It's hard to remember a wide receiver whose stock has fallen so quickly early on in their career. There have been plenty of first-round receivers who simply don't pan out, rarely does a receiver look like a home run after their rookie season only to become irrelevant by year three.

Brian Thomas Jr. looked like the best wideout from a draft class that included Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey, and others. His athleticism jumped off the field in an impressive 1,287-yard, 10-touchdown season. Now, he's a disposable fourth passing option that the Jaguars may look to get whatever they can out of.

The Las Vegas Raiders have a dire need at wide receiver and have a track record of buying into players who were drafted high looking to get the most out of them. Thomas has future Raider written all over him, and with Klint Kubiak as the head coach, it might be the best position for the former LSU wideout to succeed.

Just Blog Baby Site Expert Levi Dombro wants to see the Raiders trade a fourth-round pick for Thomas, which is a fair price considering his play. Given his draft priors and the importance of the wide receiver position, though, the Jaguars can probably milk a conditional third-round pick out of whatever team trades for him.

Is that too much to scare the Raiders away? Or will Vegas take the risk to support the eventual starting quarterback, Fernando Mendoza? That is the million-dollar question.

Khalil Mack traded by the Chargers for a day three pick

Khalil Mack was by far the most popular player named in our NFL Division poll. Several teams are vying for Mack's services after the Chargers' disastrous 0-7 start to the season. Heck, even Bolt Beat Site Expert Grant Bellchamber wants to see Mack traded for a fourth-round pick, regardless of his impact on the team.

The Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots were all listed as potential suitors for Mack in the poll. Chicago would be the biggest Hollywood story, as he would reunite with a fanbase that loves him with a real shot of cementing his NFL legacy with a Super Bowl.

The Bears don't have a fourth-round pick to trade and the war chest is depleted a bit after the Jeffrey Simmons trade. A third-round pick is probably too rich for Mack, and a fifth-round pick may not be enough given his popularity on the market.

Cleveland, Seattle, and New England can all trade a fourth-round pick for Mack. The Browns are the least likely of those potential suitors, as Mack has made it very clear he wants to contend for a Super Bowl and the Chargers would likely honor that request. As such, the two teams in last season's Super Bowl may be the best fit for the veteran edge rusher.

Either way, Mack's name is a popular one as the Chargers continue to lose games. It's likely not a matter of if Mack gets traded, but where he gets traded to.

Ladd McConkey to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Still Curtain Editor Tommy Jaggi wants to see the Steelers trade a second-round pick alongside additional draft capital to acquire Chargers wideout Ladd McConkey. On paper, it makes all the sense in the world for the Steelers. Pittsburgh needs another passing weapon and McConkey's excellence in the slot would do wonders for the Steelers' offense.

The Chargers should be trading just about anyone they can with an 0-7 record, but McConkey is one of the rare exceptions. Playing in the third year of his rookie deal, McConkey is simply too good and too cheap for the Chargers to trade away for anything other than a godfather offer.

A first-round pick would certainly change the equation but it's unlikely the Steelers would want to send that much. If the Chargers had a better receiver room behind McConkey, maybe it would be more feasible, but it's hard to imagine the Bolts trading the only above-average weapon they have for anything other than a first-round pick.

But hey, bigger surprises have happened at the NFL trade deadline before. Perhaps the Chargers are scared by McConkey's injury history and would be willing to move off of him for less than a first-round pick. It's unlikely, but not impossible.