So who burnished their 2023 championship prospects? Who bolstered their ability to navigate the draft in 2024?
A look at the winners and losers who seemingly emerged from this year’s cutoff for player deals:
WINNERS
San Francisco 49ers
A three-game losing streak, sparked by some key nagging injuries, had dulled some of their Super Bowl luster and even dropped the Niners into second place in the NFC West. But they won Tuesday. To snag DE Chase Young, probably a more dynamic pass rusher than former Washington teammate Montez Sweat, to a loaded – if scuffling – defense for a compensatory third-round pick? That could be a championship move when you imagine what Young might accomplish playing opposite reigning Defensive Player of the Year and former Ohio State running mate Nick Bosa and with his next contract hanging in the balance. And if Young lands a huge free-agent deal with another team in 2024? Then San Francisco has essentially rented him at no cost, given the team would recoup a compensatory third-rounder down the line if he lands the windfall his talent commands. And, not for nothing, if the 49ers are immediately blown away by Young, they’ve got nearly $40 million in available funds this year for a prospective extension.
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Super Bowl 57 teams
Like most good clubs, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are constantly evaluating and aggressively attempting to upgrade their rosters in pursuit of their next Lombardi Trophy – those clubs securing three of the league’s last six championships. The Eagles shored up their suspect back end by paying a very reasonable price to obtain All-Pro safety, and Philly native, Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans last week. (And to add WR Julio Jones for the cost of a practice squad slot? C’mon.) K.C. made a less notable move, reacquiring WR Mecole Hardman, a member of the 2019 and ’22 Super Bowl squads, from the New York Jets. He brings built-in familiarity with QB Patrick Mahomes, the ability to stretch the field and the potential to turn a game with a return on special teams.
Seattle Seahawks
They’re the quasi-upstarts who displaced San Francisco atop the NFC West over the weekend. They also took a swipe at beating the 49ers at their own game, picking up former Pro Bowl DL Leonard Williams on Monday to augment their own defensive line. The price wasn’t insignificant, GM John Schneider and HC Pete Carroll surrendering two draft picks, including a second-rounder in 2024. But Williams could further unlock Seattle’s pass rush in general – and might become a headache for the Niners and QB Brock Purdy specifically given their relative vulnerability up the gut.
Buffalo Bills
Nice to see them finally taking a more aggressive approach, especially in light of the broadsides their defense has absorbed after a litany of injuries. GM Brandon Beane got busy, though, acquiring CB Rasul Douglas and a Round 5 pick from the Green Bay Packers for a third-rounder – which should be an effective way to offset another season-ending injury to former Pro Bowl CB Tre’Davious White. The Bills also added RB Leonard Fournette to their practice squad.
Minnesota Vikings
They added Joshua Dobbs to their quarterback depth chart, expanding their options in the aftermath of Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tear – and only at the cost of flipping a sixth-rounder to the Arizona Cardinals for a seventh next year. Dobbs, literally a rocket scientist who isn’t going to be vexed by the prospect of learning a new playbook, has started 10 games over the past two seasons while splitting time between Tennessee, Arizona and the Cleveland Browns.
Washington Commanders’ Montez Sweat deal
Gonna be a while before it’s determined whether offloading the former first-round pick and his expiring contract winds up benefiting the franchise’s current regime or not given HC Ron Rivera and Co. could soon be following the pass rusher out the door. But this was a sensible move long term for the club, Sweat – even with his 6½ sacks and 19 pressures – having insufficient impact for the NFL’s 29th-ranked defense to justify keeping him in a season that seems to be descending. Washington should feel good about the fact the second-rounder obtained for Sweat will likely be (at least) a top-40 selection in 2024.
LOSERS
Washington Commanders’ Chase Young deal
Maybe it was never going to work out for the No. 2 pick of the 2020 draft and his hometown team. But he was finally recapturing the Defensive Rookie of the Year form that had been missing since his 2021 knee injury. Hard to figure why the Commanders didn’t stick with Young, especially given the option to franchise him next year and nearly $100 million available in 2024 salary-cap space. But to export Young for a compensatory third-rounder Washington likely would have received for him anyway had he been allowed to leave in free agency? A real head-scratcher.
Washington Commanders DT Jonathan Allen
The Pro Bowler was openly cursing his long-unenviable circumstances following a Week 7 loss to the struggling New York Giants. Gotta wonder how Allen is feeling about now.
Minnesota Vikings
It was unrealistic to expect them to make a major move to replace Cousins in the 48-hour window following his injury Sunday … even amid (ridiculous?) speculation they might take a run at a different Cardinals quarterback. Dobbs is a nice player, also displaying in 2023 what a bruising element he can bring to the run game (something the Vikes have lacked), but isn’t well-versed in this offense the way, say, veterans Colt McCoy or Case Keenum are. And, it must be noted, Dobbs has won one of his 10 starts. Maybe a move up in class and eventually teaming with WR Justin Jefferson will help, but hard to envision Minnesota really sustaining its playoff push.
Detroit Lions
They plucked WR Donovan Peoples-Jones from Cleveland, adding another nice dimension to a second-ranked offense. But with Young and Sweat available, why didn’t the NFC North leaders take a bigger swing at a time when they’re legitimate threats to earn home-field advantage in the playoffs?
Atlanta Falcons
If you’re going to enter the trade pool, especially when you’re in contention for an eminently winnable division like the NFC South, why not jump right in rather than wading around the edges? Currently tied for first place at 4-4, the Falcons have made uninspiring imports of DL Kentavius Street (following the loss of Grady Jarrett) and WR Van Jefferson, whose brutal drop with 90 seconds left in Sunday’s five-point loss to Tennessee cost Atlanta any shot at a win. Sure, maybe this team is too young to fully adopt a go-big-or-go-home approach, but there were clearly more significant avenues to improving its 2023 playoff prospects.
Ryan Poles
He may well get the last laugh, currently positioned to pick second and third overall in next year’s draft thanks to packaging this year’s No. 1 pick to the Carolina Panthers … and another very bad Bears team. But before we start mocking blue-chip college prospects to Chicago and/or parsing the merits of trading QB Justin Fields and drafting his replacement, let’s look at what’s immediately in front of us. Poles spent extravagantly during free agency this year (LB Tremaine Edmunds, G Nate Davis, DL DeMarcus Walker, LB T.J. Edwards, DL Yannick Ngakoue and others) for a team that’s 2-6, several of its losses not even of the competitive variety. And while the pre-draft acquisition of WR DJ Moore has panned out well so far, let’s not forget that it’s only been a year since Poles sent the Pittsburgh Steelers what turned out to be the 32nd pick of the 2023 draft … for (since dismissed) WR Chase Claypool. Acquiring Sweat may not be the same kind of fiasco given Chicago again has the fewest sacks in the league (10), and he is most definitely a solid player. But, unlike Claypool last year, Sweat’s contract doesn’t extend beyond this season, so how much is he really going to help a team that’s likely just surrendered another high-end second-rounder? Poles set last year’s pick on fire, and he may very well have singed this year’s at minimum. Sure, Sweat could still be franchised or re-signed outright – and Poles does have more than $100 million at his disposal on 2024’s cap. But why not keep the Round 2 ammo and just try to sign Sweat on the open market next year … or potentially even pursue better QB hunters like Danielle Hunter, Brian Burns, Chase Young or Josh Allen?
Running backs
The Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry, New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley, Las Vegas Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, New England Patriots’ Ezekiel Elliott and Indianapolis Colts’ Zack Moss all remain with losing teams, likely forced to play out the string – at their risk-laden position – with no contractual security beyond this season. Maybe things will pan out better for New York Jets RB Dalvin Cook … if QB Aaron Rodgers returns to catalyze the offense and create an expanded role for the four-time Pro Bowler.
Davante Adams
Sorry, dude. Maybe you escape your Sin City prison – perhaps even reunite with Aaron Rodgers – in 2024, but the cap ramifications of your five-year, $140 million megadeal weren’t realistically going to allow for a premature departure. For now, you’ll remain with the sinking Raiders, hoping QB Jimmy Garoppolo won’t continue to overthrow you. Go catch U2’s amazing show at The Sphere, Davante – you’ll definitely feel better afterward.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.
