With the NFL moving its trade deadline back to Nov. 5 — just past the halfway mark of the season — we have already seen teams making moves. There has been a run on wide receivers with Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins, and Diontae Johnson all in new locations, but some lingering questions remain. Who’s going? Who’s staying? Are the teams that already made trades going to keep taking swings?
In this trade deadline roundup, The Athletic’s reporters provide their insights on the latest news from 25 teams around the league. Here is what they’re saying.
The Falcons took control of the NFC South on Sunday by beating the Buccaneers for the second time this season. But they have a glaring weakness. The Falcons are last in the league with six sacks. Nine NFL players have more than that. They had zero sacks and zero QB hits in Tampa on Sunday. This is far from a new problem. Since 2020, the Falcons have the fewest sacks in the league (116).
If GM Eric DeCosta makes another move following the Diontae Johnson deal, it will likely be to address the defensive side of the ball. Adding a pass rusher might be the biggest priority, but you could easily make a case for a defensive back. The Ravens haven’t consistently impacted the opposing quarterback, and an addition — whether it’s an edge rusher or defensive back — could solidify a pass defense that is ranked as the league’s worst. Baltimore has depth concerns along the interior of its defensive line, too.
The Bills made big headlines following their acquisition of wide receiver Amari Cooper two weeks ago. They can head into the upcoming trade deadline no worse than 6-3 and with at least a 2.5-game lead in the AFC East. The Bills have every reason to be buyers at the deadline if they find a deal that moves them. They could use offensive line depth and help at edge rusher, safety, and defensive tackle.
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The Panthers moved the player most expected to go when they dealt Diontae Johnson to the Ravens. If Panthers GM Dan Morgan turns this into a fire sale, veteran Adam Thielen could be next. Thielen has missed the past five games with a hamstring issue and is 34, so the return — like that on Johnson — would be negligible. Dave Canales likes how Thielen has helped set the culture in the building. The Panthers likely will hold on to Thielen and have him continue to mentor their young receivers.
If you’re looking for the Bengals to break with their history and become active at the trade deadline, go look somewhere else. Just like nearly every year, Cincinnati doesn’t have plans to make moves with the trade deadline approaching next Tuesday. Hearing that the Bengals won’t deal at the deadline because that’s not what they do infuriates the club’s fans. Watching the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bills all give up minimal assets to add receivers to augment their attacks only fans the flames.
If the Browns make a move, I think the two most likely players to be traded are veteran defensive linemen Za’Darius Smith and Dalvin Tomlinson. Smith because he’s still a good player at a premium position; Tomlinson because he’s still a solid player, and the Browns have depth at defensive tackle. There’s not a lot of edge depth on the current roster, and Smith has been a full-time starter, but in moving Smith the Browns would be acknowledging that they’re looking to the future.
Dalvin Tomlinson could make a big impact for a team looking for help on its defensive line. (Jeff Lange / Imagn Images)
Making a move before the Nov. 5 trade deadline could give the Cowboys a much-needed spark. However, that seems highly unlikely. Dallas’ current plan is to depend on its younger players to step up and then get a boost from the return of injured players Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, DeMarcus Lawrence, Brandin Cooks, and Marshawn Kneeland.
The Broncos have won five of their past six games and are currently slotted into the No. 5 spot in the AFC field. They also have some needs — most notably at the playmaker positions around rookie QB Bo Nix — that they could address in a deadline deal, bolstering the roster for a postseason run. But the Broncos seem intent on allowing their young players to develop in these meaningful games. That could lead to occupying a seller’s position — not only to restock a draft cupboard that was emptied after trades for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton but also to ensure there’s not a logjam at positions where the Broncos want their young players to emerge.
I talked to a few general managers just to try to get an idea of what the Lions are going to do? I had one guy tell me they’re going to probably check on Trey Hendrickson in Cincy, but the Bengals don’t ever really move their players, though, so that’s going to be tough. Tennessee’s Arden Key has played really well this season. The New York Giants’ Azeez Ojulari is a good option — again, sneaky, not a big, big splashy name. Green Bay is taking calls on Preston Smith.
The Packers aren’t known for making in-season splash moves. They did so this offseason in signing running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney during free agency — both acquisitions have been resounding successes — but the Packers seem to be in the mix with big-name players at the trade deadline more so than crossing the finish line with them. Don’t expect this season to be much different, if at all. Given their roster of talent, you might not see the Packers mentioned in the mix as much.
Defensive end Preston Smith and offensive lineman Andre Dillard have been mentioned in the media as possibilities to be moved, but if they moved Smith, they’d likely have to add a pass rusher to replace him.
The Chiefs have made two trades ahead of the deadline that should erase any doubts about their commitment to going for a third straight Super Bowl title. Last week, they acquired veteran DeAndre Hopkins from the Titans to shore up their injury-riddled wide receiver corps. This week, they made a deal with the Patriots to add pass rusher Joshua Uche to their stout defense.
The Raiders traded away Davante Adams last month and have lost four straight games, so obviously, when it comes to Tuesday’s trade deadline, they are going to … sell, sell, sell! Nah. That doesn’t really make sense. They’re easily the worst team in the AFC West, and barring a miraculous turnaround, the Raiders won’t sniff the playoffs this year. Which is why the Raiders should stand pat. And, according to team sources, that’s exactly what they’re expected to do.
I think the Chargers should be targeting two primary positions: receiver and cornerback. They could use a pass-catching tight end, but I do not see a viable candidate on the market. Even with wideouts Quentin Johnston and DJ Chark on their way back, I think the Chargers could use more depth and talent in this position group for the second half. At cornerback, the Chargers are navigating injuries and would be wise to add a veteran at this spot.
While head coach Sean McVay said trading Cooper Kupp is “not a move that we want to make” earlier in October in regards to trade conversations involving the star receiver, there are still a couple of players who now find themselves the odd man out as the Rams get healthy players back or shuffle their personnel.
Could the Rams’ leading receiver, Tutu Atwell, be on the move? (Gary A. Vasquez / Imagn Images)
As in 2022, when they acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Lions, the Vikings (5-2) could part with some draft picks ahead of the deadline to secure a preferred target. Rather than compete for a cornerback like the Jets’ D.J. Reed in free agency, Minnesota could deal a late-round pick for him now and extend him the way they did with Hockenson.
It’s no surprise that the Patriots will be sellers. They are 2-6 and in the early stages of a rebuild. The only question now is how much they’ll sell as they aim to stockpile draft picks. After sending Matthew Judon to the Falcons before the season, they dealt Joshua Uche to the Chiefs earlier this week.
Two of the Giants’ most probable trade candidates, wide receiver Darius Slayton and edge Azeez Ojulari, had strong performances Monday night against Pittsburgh.
Slayton had the seventh 100-yard receiving game of his career, recording 108 yards on four receptions, reeling in two deep balls of 35-plus yards. Slayton has always been a solid vertical threat, and plenty of offenses around the league could use someone with his skill set and track record of reliability. If the Giants traded Slayton, they would create $1.8 million in cap savings and could probably expect a Day 3 pick in return for him.
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Teams with such high expectations tend to be buyers at this time of the year. But general manager Howie Roseman may have already taken his biggest swings. The Eagles spent lavishly in free agency on Saquon Barkley, Bryce Huff, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. They reached long-term extensions with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Jake Elliott. They traded for Jahan Dotson in training camp. Is there little else (or little available) to acquire?
Monday’s game was a final chance for Calvin Austin III and Van Jefferson to show they can answer one of the Steelers’ most pressing question marks. Both receivers produced some of the most impactful plays of their seasons, continuing to thrive with Russell Wilson at QB. That might make the Steelers more confident in their wide receiver group.
Meanwhile, outside options are running out. Pittsburgh’s dreams of landing Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, or Cooper Kupp are dead. DeAndre Hopkins got dealt to the Chiefs and Amari Cooper to the Bills. Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk is now out for the season with a collarbone injury.
So who is left? The Jets’ Mike Williams, Giants’ Darius Slayton, or Panthers’ Adam Thielen could make sense. Maybe the Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers or Titans’ Tyler Boyd (a University of Pittsburgh product)? The Steelers must decide how badly they need an upgrade and what they’re willing to pay.
Defensive end might make the most sense for a trade considering the intersection of need and available players. Until Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) returns, the only two defensive ends behind Nick Bosa and 32-year-old Leonard Floyd are neophytes Sam Okuayinonu and Robert Beal Jr. Both have potential, but they’d be overmatched if either of the starters went down with injury. Gross-Matos also is likely to split time between defensive tackle and defensive end when he’s back.
Meanwhile, there could be all sorts of possibilities on the trade market from longtime veterans like Za’Darius Smith (Browns), Calais Campbell (Dolphins), and Jadeveon Clowney (Panthers) to younger players like Azeez Ojulari (Giants).
The Seahawks (4-4) — who, per the model of The Athletic’s Austin Mock, have a 17 percent chance to win the division — are home underdogs against the Rams on Sunday. The loser will find itself last in the NFC West. Falling to 4-5 just a couple of days before the trade deadline would bring into question whether the Seahawks should continue to behave like buyers and whether Schneider’s view of the team was warranted.
Numerous league sources told The Athletic they have heard minimally about Washington this deadline cycle or that the team is attached to any specific names. There’s a willingness by the front office to listen, especially for a cornerback, according to another team’s front-office executive, but there’s little sense that activity is brewing. Trading one or multiple future high draft picks is likely required to change perceptions, if not move the Commanders closer to that contender tier.
(Top illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; photos of Adam Thielen, Za’Darius Smith, and Darius Slayton: Ian Maule, Cooper Neill, and Luke Hales / Getty Images)