NFL Teams Propose Expanding Draft Pick Trade Limits

League considers increasing future draft pick trading window from 3 to 5 years

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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At least one NFL team will propose expanding the league's current limits on future draft pick trading from 3 years to 5 years, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This change would allow teams more flexibility to hedge their futures and make stronger pushes for the Super Bowl by trading away picks further down the line.

Why it matters

The current 3-year limit on draft pick trading in the NFL is more restrictive than the 7-year window in the NBA. Increasing the trading window to 5 years would bring the NFL more in line with NBA rules and give teams greater ability to mortgage their future for immediate roster improvements.

The details

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that at least one unnamed NFL team will push for the league to extend the draft pick trading limit from 3 years to 5 years during the upcoming offseason. This would allow teams to trade away their own future first-round picks further into the future in order to acquire top talent and make a stronger push for the Super Bowl.

  • The proposal will be made during the upcoming 2026 NFL offseason.

The players

Adam Schefter

An ESPN reporter who broke the news about the NFL team's proposal to expand draft pick trading limits.

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What they’re saying

“There are gonna be people in the NFL, this offseason, that push to have that limit grown to five years. Right now, it's three years in the NFL... there's going to be a push by at least one team this offseason, to extend the NFL trade limits from three years of picks to five years of picks.”

— Adam Schefter, ESPN Reporter (The Pat McAfee Show)

What’s next

The NFL owners and league officials will consider the proposal during the 2026 offseason and decide whether to expand the draft pick trading window from 3 years to 5 years.

The takeaway

Increasing the NFL's draft pick trading limits would give teams more flexibility to mortgage their future for immediate roster improvements, similar to how the NBA currently operates. This could lead to more blockbuster trades as teams seek to build Super Bowl contenders.