Even amid the rampant speculation, the NFL trade deadline always has a way of surprising almost everyone.
This year’s window to complete swaps officially came to a close on Tuesday, and what had been shaping up to be a relatively low-key final stretch ended up providing a decent run of deals. A few teams – most notably the Washington Commanders – decided to part with key pieces as part of a larger reset, while others looked to fortify themselves for the stretch run of the season by bringing on new figures at positions of need.
Here are our grades for all of the deals completed:
Packers trade CB Rasul Douglas to Bills
Buffalo Bills receive: CB Rasul Douglas, 2024 fifth-round pick
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Packers receive: 2024 third-round pick
Bills grade: B+
It was probably fun for Bills fans to envision a splashy deal for Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson, but giving up what likely would have been a second-round draft pick for either a half-season rental or a very expensive offseason extension candidate didn’t seem realistic for Buffalo. Douglas, however, is a fitting answer for a team that looked iffy on the back end after Tre’Davious White was lost for the year to a torn Achilles. Even getting a solid-starter level of play from Douglas should count as a win for a team that previously looked ill-equipped to slow the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins in its bid for the AFC crown.
Packers grade: B
Lots of groans emanating from Wisconsin as a painful campaign looks like it could get even uglier. But Green Bay was able to clear about $6.5 million off next year’s salary-cap outlook, and the focus for general manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur needs to be on how to get this team competitive in 2024 and beyond.
Browns trade WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to Lions
Detroit Lions receive: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Cleveland Browns receive: 2025 sixth-round pick
Lions grade: B
General manager Brad Holmes opted against a flashy move at the deadline and instead decided to do mere tinkering. Finding a low-cost defensive end or defensive back who would actually tilt the scales in the Lions’ favor this season was out of reach, but Peoples-Jones could help alter the balance of a pass-catching crew that counts on Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta to do all the heavy lifting. With Detroit zeroing in on its first division title in 30 years, there’s no reason not to take a flier on a 6-2, 212-pound target who could aid the downfield passing attack.
Browns grade: B-
Cleveland is dealing with a mess that can’t be solved with a mere swap, as quarterback Deshaun Watson’s struggles and now ongoing absence from the lineup have pushed what might have been a solid wild-card entry onto the periphery of the playoff picture. The Browns seemingly were poised to turn to third-round pick Cedric Tillman for more run as a contested-catch threat, anyway, but he was a healthy inactive in Week 8. Now it’s on Cleveland to develop some of its existing talent, or else import some this offseason.
Commanders trade DE Chase Young to 49ers
San Francisco 49ers receive: DE Chase Young
Washington Commanders receive: 2024 third-round pick
49ers grade: A
For the second consecutive year, the San Francisco 49ers made perhaps the biggest splash of any contender at the trade deadline. No, Young isn’t the defensive equivalent of Christian McCaffrey in impact, but he might play a vital role in revitalizing a floundering pass rush. The former No. 2 overall pick and 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has five sacks this season and is a significant upgrade over Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell, neither of whom offered much as a complement to Nick Bosa after the season-opening rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Young ends up being a rental, it should be of little concern, as the 49ers have additional draft compensation coming their way thanks to Demeco Ryans and Ran Carthon landing top roles elsewhere and Mike McGlinchey leaving for the Denver Broncos. But if the 49ers are taken with their new acquisition, they can bring him back on the franchise tag or try to extend him. Regardless, the 49ers boosted their contender credentials in the short term without greatly undermining their long-term roster-building tools.
Commanders grade: C
Did Washington go too far in its reset? While it’s certainly admirable that the franchise realized it needs to train its focus on the future, Young was a potential building block who still could have been an important contributor by the time any turnaround really takes off. With Montez Sweat already having been traded to the Bears and potentially returning a top-40 pick, the Commanders had the option of giving Young the franchise tag if it was in a bind with negotiations with him this offseason. The third-round pick, meanwhile, feels like a fairly modest reward for a player of Young’s ability and accomplishment. Washington’s defense is now far too overly invested in its defensive interior with barely any threat on the edge. Given the hit rate for top defensive end prospects, setting that straight will likely involve top draft picks – and those assets will be needed to sort out the issues at quarterback and offensive line, which were perhaps the biggest catalysts for this rebuild.
Vikings trade G Ezra Cleveland to Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars receive: G Ezra Cleveland
Minnesota Vikings receive: 2024 sixth-round pick
Jaguars grade: B+
Offensive line help is always hard to come by, and the Jaguars just might have found some solid support for Trevor Lawrence – and at a time when the team is tied for the AFC’s best record at 6-2. Cleveland has taken a significant step forward as a pass blocker, allowing just one sack in his last 366 pass-protecting snaps. The cost is minimal, so there’s little reason to be upset if the move doesn’t work out or Cleveland, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, ends up being a rental. Maybe it’s not the game-changing pass rusher that the Jaguars would have wanted – they were long linked to the Vikings for NFL sack leader Danielle Hunter – but this is a nice addition for a team that could be ready to contend.
Vikings grade: B+
While Minnesota isn’t prepared to fully shut things down for the season and sell off its assets, scraping together draft picks is still a smart play for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Cleveland missed the last two games due to a sprained foot, and Dalton Risner is fully capable of stepping in as the starter at left guard.
Cardinals trade QB Joshua Dobbs to Vikings
Minnesota Vikings receive: QB Joshua Dobbs, conditional 2024 seventh-round pick
Arizona Cardinals receive: 2024 sixth-round pick
Vikings grade: B+
If you’re going to make a move for a caretaker QB, do it on the cheap – and grab one who knows how to deal with a quick turnaround. Minnesota didn’t go into full-fledged panic mode, and coach Kevin O’Connell is turning to fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall for Sunday’s start against the Atlanta Falcons. Importing a new signal-caller and preparing him to start in five days was likely a pipe dream, so the Vikings managed to go the route that made the most sense and provide more flexibility by adding Dobbs, a savvy player who has proven to be a fast study. And it doesn’t hurt that Dobbs shares the same agent as Cousins and should be able to get settled quickly if Hall has trouble. Given the paltry cost for the acquisition, this might have been the best available stopgap solution for an unenviable situation.
Cardinals grade: C+
Arizona got a fine return from Dobbs after an eleventh-hour move to acquire him and install him as the early-season starter. After coach Jonathan Gannon reversed course and decided to go with either Kyler Murray or rookie Clayton Tune this week against the Cleveland Browns, Dobbs deserved a shot at again serving as a potential steward for a franchise in distress. The gain in draft compensation here, however, is minimal for a player who should be at least an above-average backup.
Commanders trade DE Montez Sweat to Bears
Chicago Bears receive: DE Montez Sweat
Washington Commanders receive: 2024 second-round pick
Commanders grade: A-
It was unclear whether Ron Rivera and Co. could actually stomach moving one of the team’s key pieces with the team having lost five of its last six contests, but this was the sensible long-term play – even if it’s uncertain who will be at the helm when the payoff hits. Re-signing Sweat likely wasn’t in the cards for Commanders, who already have doled out massive contracts to defensive tackles Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen and have a decision to make on whether to franchise tag or extend Chase Young. With this swap, Washington lands what should be an early second-rounder, a clear improvement and one year jump on the compensatory pick the franchise would have received had Sweat walked after this season. It might be hard for the current team to stomach this, but the value here was too good to pass up.
Bears grade: B-
Matt Eberflus, here’s your pass rusher. The Chicago Bears have been starved for some kind of threat off the edge after following up an NFL-worst 20 sacks in 2022 with a league-low 10 so far this year. With Sweat on board, the team finally has a proven presence who has created consistent pressure. Sweat’s track record in finishing plays on the quarterback frequently enough (35 ½ sacks in four and a half years) is sufficient motivation for this move, but Eberflus will undoubtedly love adding a top-notch run defender. Still, GM Ryan Poles paid a premium for a good-not-great player. And while the Bears should have ample cap room in 2024 to shell out a hefty extension, Sweat also now is in prime position to cash in since Chicago can’t let this be a rental, so the overall price tag will only rise over time. While that’s part of doing business in the pass rusher market, that’s a bit of an odd calculus for a rebuilding team that still has substantial deficiencies. One important factor, however: The Bears now are in a better spot to use what could be two top-five picks on offense in a draft in which several top prospects (quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and left tackle Olu Fashanu) could help flip the franchise’s fortunes.
Eagles trade DT Kentavius Street to Falcons
Atlanta Falcons receive: DT Kentavius Street, 2025 seventh-round pick
Philadelphia Eagles receive: 2024 sixth-round pick
Falcons grade: B-
Losing Grady Jarrett to a torn ACL was a significant blow, so adding depth along the defensive front was sensible. Getting Street accomplishes that at a low cost. At some point, however, Atlanta is going to have to make a more serious move to add a high-impact pass rusher to an effort that’s largely been cobbled together.
Eagles grade: B-
Street has only played in 17% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps this season, so there should be minimal fallout from this move. With Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox and Milton Williams leading the way on the interior, Philadelphia looks just fine at defensive tackle.
Giants trade DE Leonard Williams to Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks receive: DE Leonard Williams
New York Giants receive: 2024 second-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick
Giants grade: A-
Good on Joe Schoen for facing the reality of his 2-6 team. While New York is set to pay the remaining bulk of the approximately $10 million Williams is owed, the franchise was able to recoup more than it paid out to the New York Jets in 2019 (third- and fifth-round picks) to acquire Williams. Re-signing a costly defensive linemen who will be 30 next season wouldn’t make much sense for an organization that needs to figure out a timeline for returning to a competitive level, so loading up on assets here seems like a smart play. Dexter Lawrence is the rightful centerpiece of the defense, and it’s now on Schoen to target some cost-controlled young players to put around him.
Seahawks grade: B
It’s certainly hard to fault Pete Carroll and John Schneider for riding high after taking the NFC West lead on Sunday at 5-2. But given the cost, is this really a move that pushes them substantially closer to the Eagles, 49ers and Cowboys? Both before and after the trade, Seattle sizes up as a solid potential playoff entrant, but one likely a bit behind the NFC’s top tier in its quest to advance beyond the divisional round for the first time since 2014. A new scheme could help Williams approach the form he had from 2020-21 under Patrick Graham, as the veteran essentially pointed out to The New York Post that he could be put in better position to make more plays. But at this point in his career, Williams seems more likely to reinforce the pass rush and run defense rather than transform the defense on either front. His true value, however, might be in the flexibility he affords a defensive line that already features Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed.
Titans trade S Kevin Byard to Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles receive: S Kevin Byard
Tennessee Titans receive: 2024 fourth-round pick, 2024 fifth-round pick, S Terrell Edmunds.
Eagles grade: A
Not to be all ‘Howie Roseman did it again,’ but … Howie Roseman did it again. The ever-tinkering Eagles executive vice president and general manager scoured the market for ways to improve a team that boasted the NFL’s best record after seven weeks, and he turned up a low-cost, highly reliable solution at a position of need. Mounting injuries proved sufficient incentive to upgrade the secondary, and Byard should patch up a key potential weakness for a good-but-not-great defense. Most of all, the price point seems just right for Philadelphia, which can plug in a formidable starter for a contender yet for a modest draft package and limited financial commitment.
Titans grade: B
Maybe it wasn’t the return you’d expect for a two-time All-Pro. Still, kudos to first-year general manager Ran Carthon for getting a rebuild rolling, even if this past offseason was somewhat of a half measure on that front. By moving Byard, Tennessee gets draft compensation for a 30-year-old who was under contract through 2024 but a strong cut candidate for this spring given the direction of the franchise. Edmunds feels like a throw-in, but he gives Carthon a young player (26) to take a look at.
Jets trade WR Mecole Hardman to Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs receive: WR Mecole Hardman, 2025 seventh-round pick
New York Jets receive: 2025 sixth-round pick
Chiefs grade: B
Hardman is hardly a panacea for a pass-catching crew that has become overly reliant on Travis Kelce, but there were severely limited options on the open market for a team with limited room to maneuver. Hardman already has a rapport with Patrick Mahomes and can help flip fields as a returner. For the cost, this was a fine addition.
Jets grade: C+
Sometimes things don’t work out. It’s fine. Hardman joined the Jets on a one-year deal to help solidify a Super Bowl push under Aaron Rodgers, and that went sideways after one game. He took a backseat to both Randall Cobb and undrafted rookie Xavier Gipson, playing on just 28 offensive snaps in five games. There are probably bigger issues with how Gang Green built its receiving corps beyond Garrett Wilson, but given his role, cutting bait makes sense.
Rams trade WR Van Jefferson to Falcons
Atlanta Falcons receive: WR Van Jefferson, 2025 seventh-round pick
Los Angeles Rams receive: 2026 sixth-round pick
Falcons grade: B-
Good luck trying to square any of Arthur Smith’s plans for his top skill-position players. It surely doesn’t hurt to add another target for a flagging aerial attack, but it’s difficult to envision a fourth-year receiver, who has yet to establish himself as a consistent threat, breaking through and forming any kind of consistent connection with Desmond Ridder (or Taylor Heinicke). Don’t expect him to approach the career numbers he posted just two seasons ago during the Rams’ Super Bowl campaign, when he notched 50 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns. Yet, given the uninspiring alternatives to adding depth behind Drake London and Mack Hollins, as well as the modest price of a late-round pick swap, there’s at least some upside here.
Rams grade: C+
It’s easier to embrace the ‘(expletive) them picks’ mentality when the Day 2 and 3 selections are regularly panning out. Jefferson, a second-round choice in 2020, was obviously a key part of a title team, so don’t feel too bad for Los Angeles. But the overall contributions are still somewhat disappointing for a player who once figured to be a steady No. 2 option next to Cooper Kupp. Now, that role solidly belongs to fifth-round rookie sensation Puka Nacua, with third-year receiver Tutu Atwell also helping to make Jefferson superfluous.
Broncos trade OLB/DE Randy Gregory to 49ers
San Francisco 49ers receive: OLB/DE Randy Gregory, 2024 seventh-round pick
Denver Broncos receive: 2024 sixth-round pick
49ers grade: B+
When you have one of the league’s most well-rounded rosters and a defensive line coach – Kris Kocurek – renowned for developing pass rushers, taking on reclamation projects is no big thing. If San Francisco can help revive the career of Gregory, it will be a significant win. Gregory, 30, has long shown promising flashes of his pass-rushing prowess, but it might be a stretch for him to rediscover a spark at this point in his career. Any additional juice off the edge for a pass rush that has fallen off, however, would be meaningful, especially down the stretch. There’s also the matter of maintaining team chemistry after adding a player who was suspended for one game last year for throwing a punch at an opponent. San Francisco has to hope a change of scenery – and departure from the league’s worst defense – will do Gregory some good. But another move might be needed to get this defense back into shape.
Broncos grade: C-
Denver put the word out that Gregory was going to be cut, so moving him represents the most minor of victories. Still, the Broncos’ marquee free-agent signing of the 2022 offseason didn’t last two years, and moving on from him became a near necessity to send the right message. Giving more reps to promising second-year pass rusher Nik Bonitto was unquestionably the right move for a defense that needs to identify any viable starters for the future.
