In the NBA, three-team trades are a common practice. Multiple teams get together to make deals work within the frame of their rosters and salary caps. In fact, the league just saw one of these deals take place on Sunday.
But three-team trades don't happen in the NFL. Wouldn't it be fun if they did? In this hypothetical deal that we're about to dissect, general managers George Paton, Jon-Eric Sullivan and Les Snead get together to make a deal happen that works for all parties.
The Denver Broncos need an upgrade at the inside linebacker position. The idea of starting Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton in 2026 is fun, but it may not be smart. The team should look for a younger, more complete player at the position or, at the very least, consider a veteran free-agent option.
The Los Angeles Rams are another Super Bowl contender and want to do anything it takes to get past the Seattle Seahawks, not only in their own division, but in the NFC race.
Finally, the Miami Dolphins, having already sent the Broncos Jaylen Waddle this offseason, are a team in full rebuild mode. This is how these three teams come together on a deal.
Broncos-Dolphins-Rams three-team trade
Broncos receive: LB Jordyn Brooks
Rams receive: WR Troy Franklin
Dolphins receive: Rams' 2027 4th and 6th-round picks
Brooks was a first-round pick in 2020 and is entering his third season in Miami, but the team selected Jacob Rodriguez out of Texas Tech in the second round of this year's draft. Brooks has the second-highest cap number on the Dolphins' roster this season ($10 million) and the team would create $8.3 million in cap space by trading him.
In Denver, Brooks, who led the NFL with 183 tackles last season, joins a championship roster. It would allow the team to move Singleton or Strnad into a reserve role and make the defense better overall.
The Rams would get Troy Franklin to add to a wide receiver group that has Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but not much else. Adding Franklin as a WR3 for Matthew Stafford would increase their odds of reaching Super Bowl LXI.
The Dolphins would add two draft picks in a loaded 2027 class to continue their rebuilding efforts.
This is an incredibly unlikely scenario, but it's hard to say it doesn't make sense for all three teams involved. It would be great to see the NFL start incorporating trades that involve more than just two teams.
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