Well how about that for a trade deadline? We had eight trades come in day-of before the 4 pm ET trade deadline yesterday, including one massive blockbuster that no one saw coming. More trades are always more fun than no trades, so it made for an exciting day for NFL fans.
Below, I’ve broken down and graded every trade made at the deadline this year. This includes a pair of trades that came through on Monday, so 10 total for this article. There’s a lot to consider when grading trades, and it goes beyond the deal itself. The surrounding context is also important to take into account.
Let’s jump right in with that aforementioned blockbuster trade, one that included multiple first-round picks and a former All-Pro:
Colts/Jets
Colts get:
Jets get:
- WR Adonai Mitchell
- 2026 first-round pick
- 2027 first-round pick
Whoa. Talk about the unthinkable happening. Even though the Jets were a classic fire sale candidate, no one thought Gardner was touchable. He and WR Garrett Wilson were thought to be unavailable no matter what. Clearly, though, every player has a price.
Let’s start with what this means for the Colts. At 7-2, they’re tied for the best record in the NFL and have one of the league’s most efficient offenses in recent memory. However, their defense has been more hit-or-miss, due in part to some bad injury luck at cornerback. Colts CB Charvarius Ward is the second-highest-graded cornerback in football this year per PFF, but he’s currently on IR with a concussion, the second one he’s sustained this season.
Gardner immediately slots in as a top-shelf corner and someone DC Lou Anarumo can stick on the opponent’s top receiver. Once Ward returns to the lineup, the Colts will have arguably the best starting trio of corners in the league between Gardner, Ward, and slot CB Kenny Moore II. They can run all sorts of different types of coverages with that group. That’s a far cry from where they were a few days ago, and their questionable starting options in Mekhi Blackmon and Jaylon Jones become good depth pieces instead.
Having just signed a massive contract extension with the Jets, Gardner costs a pretty penny on the cap, but less for the Colts than the Jets because New York has already paid him some bonus money. The Colts have him under team control through 2030 at just over $26 million a year compared to $30 million a year when he signed his extension. This is far more than just a short-term move — the Colts expect Gardner, alongside second-year ED Laiatu Latu, to anchor their defense for the next half-decade or more.
For the Jets, this move signals a true willingness to undergo a long-term rebuild. They add two first-round picks for a player who might be leaving his prime by the time the team is a real contender. Any time you can collect multiple firsts for a non-quarterback, you have to at least consider it. Clearly, New York thought this was a bounty worth taking.
Mitchell isn’t just a throw-in to this trade, either. The former second-round pick was buried on the depth chart in Indy and has been in HC Shane Steichen’s doghouse since a pair of costly mental mistakes in a loss to the Rams earlier this season. But he’s one of the best separators in the league and his down-to-down advanced metrics are otherworldly given what his role was. Mitchell slots in as the immediate WR2 in New York and has a huge opportunity in front of him. There’s a real chance he’s the long-term running mate next to Wilson for the Jets.
For the Colts, there is some risk that Gardner’s volatile recent play isn’t fixed in a better environment in Indy. There’s also the chance that this team beat up on a weak schedule the first half of the year and isn’t ready for true contender status. Still, the AFC is wide open right now, and the Colts just added a massive ceiling-raiser with arguably the best cornerback in the league. It’s hard to argue with that. They’ll have some cap juggling to do moving forward, especially since QB Daniel Jones is up for a big raise. But Indy’s on track to earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed, and Gardner makes them more competitive in January.
Colts grade: A-
Jets grade: A-
Cowboys/Jets
Cowboys get:
Jets get:
- DT Mazi Smith
- 2026 second-round pick
- Conditional 2027 first-round pick
Even after dealing Gardner, the Jets weren’t done yet. Williams was a player viewed as gettable but expensive, and the Cowboys sprung for him to try and plaster over their anemic defense.
Let’s start with the Jets this time, because I like this deal far more for them than for Dallas. The first-round pick in 2027 will be the better of the Cowboys and Packers picks, giving New York three first-rounders in 2027 (their own, the Colts’ and this conditional pick). That’s huge, given just how loaded that 2027 draft class looks on paper right now. It could be special, and the Jets are arming themselves with ammo to move around in that draft or just load up on talented players.
Williams is a phenomenal player who has many great playing years ahead of him, but this is a little different than the Gardner trade. He’s not someone who was necessarily a lock to be a cornerstone of the next iteration of this team, so New York capitalized on his value while they could. They also take a flyer on Smith, a former first-round pick who’s struggled so far in his NFL career.
This is a classic Cowboys move, in that it’s a good deal on its own but showcases a fundamental impulsive approach to trading and no cohesive plan for team building. On its own, this is a fine trade — but trades don’t happen in a vacuum. It’s impossible to separate this trade from the deal that sent ED Micah Parsons to Green Bay just before the season.
Dallas got two firsts for Parsons and sent one of them away for Williams. As good as Williams is, Parsons is undeniably better, and he’s more impactful on the field given the position he plays. It’s just not smart roster construction. The Cowboys created a roster hole by dealing Parsons, then tried to fix it by sliding in a worse player at a different position.
Williams will be big for the Cowboys’ run defense, but his impact on their pass rush is more of a question mark. And Dallas is still a ways away from having a competent defense. They got thumped at home by the Cardinals on Monday night and made this trade the next day, as if they were one splash move away from contention.
Again, Williams is an All-Pro caliber player and in a vacuum, this trade is solid, which salvages the grade somewhat. But it also shows an amazing lack of foresight.
Cowboys grade: C-
Jets grade: A
Eagles/Dolphins
Eagles get:
Dolphins get:
- 2026 third-round pick
This was my favorite move any team made at the trade deadline. The Eagles committed highway robbery here (insert all your favorite Howie Roseman jokes), getting an ascending young pass rusher for a very reasonable cost.
Phillips’ injury history certainly played a major factor in why he was so cheap for Philly to acquire. After playing every game in his first two seasons and totaling 15 sacks, he played a combined 12 games from 2023-2024 due to ACL and Achilles injuries, and that’s not including his extensive injury concerns from college. He hasn’t missed a game yet this year, though, with 25 tackles and three sacks on the season.
As a pass rusher especially, he’s been effective. Phillips has 33 pressures and a 19.9-percent pass rush win rate this season, both great numbers. He’s been one of the few bright spots on an abysmal Dolphins defense, and should be primed for a statistical breakout in Philadelphia.
I don’t love this move for the Dolphins, mostly because I would’ve liked to see them get more in return. Phillips is on an expiring contract which hurts their leverage, but just a third-round pick? If his injury history was that much of a factor in the return Miami got for him, I wonder if they could’ve re-signed him to an affordable contract to stay in Miami. The Dolphins are selling off pieces, I realize, but giving away young, productive players for mediocre returns isn’t good value either.
For the Eagles, giving up a third-round pick for Phillips is a lot if they don’t plan on re-signing him themselves. There’s a chance he plays himself out of the Eagles’ price range, but short of that, he should become a priority to bring back after the season. Philly’s pass rush has been bad so far this year, and he’ll slot in as their top pass rusher immediately. Getting that in return for what will become a late third-rounder is a great move.
Eagles grade: A+
Dolphins grade: C+
Seahawks/Saints
Seahawks get:
Saints get:
- 2026 fourth-round pick
- 2026 fifth-round pick
If Phillips to Philly was my favorite deadline trade, this one is a close second. The Seahawks reunite Shaheed with OC Klint Kubiak, who coached him in New Orleans last year when Shaheed had 20 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns in just six games. He’ll slot in behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Seattle’s WR2 role.
Smith-Njigba does everything for this offense, and Shaheed will open things up for him even more than they already are. Fifth-round WR Tory Horton has come on strong early in his career, and now Kubiak has two versatile, speedy deep threats to scheme up in Horton and Shaheed.
It’s worth noting that, as with many of these trades, Shaheed is on an expiring contract. The Seahawks will want to re-sign him after the season — assuming he performs well over the second half of the year — but in the meantime, he’s a big boost to a Seahawks team that’s in the thick of the race for the loaded NFC West.
For the Saints, they got two great picks for a player they wouldn’t be re-signing. That’s an easy win and the type of move that front office hasn’t made in recent years, which is a good sign.
Seahawks grade: A
Saints grade: A+
Jaguars/Raiders
Jaguars get:
Raiders get:
- 2026 fourth-round pick
- 2026 sixth-round pick
It was such a crazy deadline day that this move isn’t really getting talked about much. Meyers has been a hot trade target for a while now and multiple teams were reportedly interested in him, but the Jaguars got a deal done to bolster their offense.
This is a great move for Jacksonville. Meyers should be a clean fit next to WR Brian Thomas Jr. in HC Liam Coen’s offense, as they have complementary skillsets that should flourish working off each other. Meyers is on an expiring deal, so the Jags aren’t committed to him beyond this season. And they still have double-digit picks in the 2026 draft, so they can afford to ship out a few mid-round selections for a boost like this.
Meyers isn’t having his best season, but he’s a proven producer at multiple stops. When first-round WR/CB Travis Hunter returns from IR, the Jaguars will have a great trio of receivers that can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the AFC.
For the Raiders, this is a great return for a player they likely had no intention of re-signing. Las Vegas is a ways from contention and it’s good they recognize this and are willing to make forward-thinking moves with their roster.
Jaguars grade: A
Raiders grade: A
Chargers/Saints
Chargers get:
Saints get:
- 2027 sixth-round pick
With the news that Chargers OT Joe Alt will undergo season-ending surgery on his high-ankle sprain, the second one he’s sustained this season, Los Angeles was in desperate need of some offensive line help. They were already without starting LT Rashawn Slater for the year, and moved Alt over from the right side to replace him. They’re in dire straits without both.
Penning is a former first-round pick who flamed out at tackle in New Orleans. His strength and athleticism were always pluses, but he couldn’t put it together in three starting years at tackle for the Saints. This season, he moved inside to guard, where he’s been essentially replacement-level as a depth piece.
My guess is the Chargers will play Penning at tackle at first, and honestly they could have done far worse in this situation. Penning hasn’t been good, to be clear, but the offensive line options available at the trade deadline are rarely ever good. Good offensive linemen are prizes in the NFL that seldom leave their teams.
With that understanding, I actually like this move for the Chargers quite a bit. Both Slater and Alt should be back and starting next season, so this is just a temporary move for this season. Penning is on an expiring contract, so they don’t have to worry about him after the fact. If he holds up well, Los Angeles could consider re-signing him to an affordable deal. Otherwise, they let him walk. And they did desperately need to make some sort of move to shore up their offensive line in the short term, but the Chargers didn’t spend much to do it.
For the Saints, they got a pick back for a player who wasn’t playing regularly for them and who wouldn’t be re-signed. Solid move all around.
Chargers grade: A-
Saints grade: B
Ravens/Titans
Ravens get:
- ED Dre’Mont Jones
Titans get:
- Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick
After trading away ED Odafe Oweh a few weeks ago, the Ravens were on the lookout for a replacement to boost their pass rush. They got their guy in Jones, a productive player in Denver and Seattle who’s currently on a one-year deal.
First, the conditions on the pick the Ravens are sending Tennessee’s way. As it stands, the pick is the Jets’ fifth-round pick — however, that could be upgraded to Baltimore’s own fourth-round pick if Jones has two or more sacks the rest of the way and the Ravens make the playoffs. The first is quite attainable; Jones has 4.5 sacks already this season. The second will be more of a challenge but the Ravens are back in the mix in the AFC North after two straight wins to reach 3-5. Vegas actually has them as the betting favorites to win the division.
For the Ravens, this is a pretty simple equation. Oweh and Jones have been nearly identically productive pass rushers this year, but Jones is on a cheaper deal. He’s a better run defender, too. Baltimore needed some cheap pass rush help at the deadline, and they got it. They’ll pay the remainder of Jones’ $1.9 million salary in 2025, and there’s a chance they’ll qualify for a compensatory pick if Jones walks next year.
For the Titans, they got great value on a guy who had no long-term future with the team. Mission accomplished.
Ravens grade: B
Titans grade: A
Cowboys/Bengals
Cowboys get:
- LB Logan Wilson
Bengals get:
- 2026 seventh-round pick
Williams wasn’t the only defender Dallas acquired to shore up one of the worst units in the league. With the injury to Jack Sanborn, the Cowboys needed some reinforcements in their linebacker corps, and Wilson requested a trade from the Bengals some time ago.
Early in his tenure in Cincinnati, Wilson became one of the best playmaking linebackers in the league. It’s been a different story over the last two, with Wilson anchoring one of the league’s worst defenses with the Bengals. His play has dipped in that span, too, and he’s just the 58th-ranked linebacker in the league by PFF grade.
The Cowboys need all the help they can get, however. Sanborn wasn’t terrible, but Dallas’ other two starting linebackers — Shemar James and Kenneth Murray Jr. — are two of the five lowest-graded qualifying linebackers in the NFL, per PFF. Any help the Cowboys could get there would be an improvement, and Wilson figures to step right into the starting lineup.
Back in 2023, Wilson signed a four-year, $36 million extension in Cincinnati. He’s under Cowboys control through 2027 and won’t hit Dallas with any dead money if they cut him before then. He’s on a reasonable deal and is worth the flyer to try and upgrade their defense.
For the Bengals, Wilson had already been passed on the depth chart by a pair of rookies in Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. It makes sense to try and get something in return for him while they still can, and now his contract is off their books.
Cowboys grade: B+
Bengals grade: B+
Bears/Browns
Bears get:
- ED Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
- 2026 seventh-round pick
Browns get:
- 2026 sixth-round pick
The Bears were looking at adding some edge rusher help after a few injuries at the position, and Tryon-Shoyinka makes a ton of sense for a few reasons. A former first-round pick by the Bucs, he was a solid contributor but never overly productive, never surpassing five sacks in a season. He signed a one-year deal to join Cleveland this offseason, but was buried on the depth chart there, with just nine total tackles through eight games.
Tryon-Shoyinka won’t be a game changer, but in fairness, Chicago had limited options and a major need. He’s a solid starter who can provide some secondary pass rush production, and the Bears need that with the season-ending injury to ED Dayo Odeyingbo. At the cost of a late-round swap, it’s effectively a dollar scratch-off ticket for the Bears.
On the other hand, the Browns getting something for a rotational edge rusher who had played hardly three dozen snaps this season is a great bit of business given where they are as a team.
Bears grade: B+
Browns grade: A
Jets/Chargers
Jets get:
Chargers get:
- Conditional 2028 seventh-round pick
Not much to grade here. After shipping out Gardner, the Jets get a body to replace him in Taylor. This is about the least compensation you’ll ever see in an NFL trade. A conditional seventh-round pick three years out is almost unheard of — this is a glorified free agent signing for New York. Clearly, the Chargers were happy to take anything for a player they might have waived to accommodate Penning on the roster anyway.
Jets grade: B
Chargers grade: B
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