Should these players stay or be dealt before the deadline?
USA TODAY Sports’ Joe Rivera and Chirs Bumbaca break down which players might be traded before the 2025 NFL trade deadline on November 4th.
Rashid Shaheed is no stranger to life in the fast lane. Now the New Orleans Saints receiver could find himself on the fast track out of the Big Easy.
Trade rumors continue to swirl around Shaheed as the NFL trade deadline nears. It’s a product of playing for a team at the bottom of the standings, while also being ticketed for free agency at season’s end.
Shaheed appears to be the most likely Saints’ receiver to swap jerseys ahead of the deadline, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Contenders are looking to separate themselves from the rest, climbing the standings and walking down a road they hope leads to the Super Bowl. Shaheed might not be the biggest name, but he could be the one who has the biggest impact if he lands in the right spot.
Here’s a look at some of the best landing spots for Shaheed.
Rashid Shaheed landing spots
Buffalo Bills
The Bills will remain connected to every receiver until they finally acquire one. It’s no secret that the team has a clear need at the position and Shaheed is a good candidate to fix that. The speedster is set to be a free agent after the season and it appears that New Orleans is prioritizing Chris Olave in extension talks.
Josh Allen can probably throw the ball to the moon, which only helps Shaheed’s case if he can be pried away from the Saints. Considering the receiver’s productivity with non-MVP quarterbacks, the Bills should be excited about a potential trade for a player that greatly improves their offense at a position of need.
New England Patriots
How about a division rivalry in the trade market? The Patriots are not only in a race for the AFC East crown, but now they might just battle the Bills for someone like Shaheed. New England’s timeline to compete was moved up and has been kicked into overdrive at nearly the halfway point of the season.
The Patriots’ receiving room has overachieved through eight weeks, but Drake Maye could use some additional reinforcements if they want to stack up against the league’s best.
Denver Broncos
Shaheed’s best season was in 2023 when Pete Carmichael Jr. led the way as the Saints offensive coordinator. He was named an All-Pro as a punt returner that season, but also flashed plenty of talent at receiver. Shaheed hoped to build off that in 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Perhaps reuniting with Carmichael and former Saints coach Sean Payton could be exactly what the doctor ordered. The Broncos could use some help on offense and a receiver outside of Courtland Sutton to be a consistent producer.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are overly reliant on DK Metcalf for production in their receiver room. To make up for that deficiency, Pittsburgh has turned to its deep tight end room and running back rotation. Aaron Rodgers continues to get the ball out quickly and hasn’t been stretching the field much during his first season in the Steel City.
Shaheed would at least bring that speed threat to keep defenses honest.
Seattle Seahawks
Sometimes it’s nice to splurge on a bit of luxury. Seattle isn’t viewed as a team that needs a receiver, yet they might find Shaheed worth acquiring.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to dominate the targets in Seattle, relegating the remaining receivers to supporting roles. If Seattle fancies itself as a contender, it can’t hurt to keep improving areas of the team that aren’t clear needs. Klint Kubiak was the Saints’ offensive coordinator in 2024 and now runs the show in Seattle. That connection makes it an interesting fit.
