Seahawks acquire DT Leonard Williams from Giants for 2024 second- and 2025 fifth-round draft picks
Who would have thought that the Seahawks would be such aggressive buyers at the trade deadline? Seattle, already boasting the No. 1 defense in the NFL, have gotten even better on that side of the ball in the wake of this trade.
Leonard Williams is a stellar interior defensive lineman who does it all. He’s an excellent pass rusher and can also stop the run well. The Seahawks needed one more piece on the defensive line, and Williams is a perfect fit. Surrendering a second-round pick will hurt a bit, but this trade could really put Seattle over the top in a weak conference.
As for the Giants, I like this trade for them as well. They’re obvious sellers, and they need to rebuild. Williams is 29, so by the time New York is ready to compete for a Super Bowl, he would have been too old.
Grade for Seahawks – A-
Grade for Giants – A
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Eagles acquire S Kevin Byard from Titans for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks, S Terrell Edmunds
I’ve been calling the Eagles overrated for good reason. They’re 6-1, but almost rank outside the top 10 in net EPA. They’re 17th in defense because of their inability to cover. They had to find someone to help in the secondary, which would explain this trade.
Kevin Byard has been one of the better safeties in the NFL in recent years. That may have changed, given that he’s 30 now, however. Byard is currently having a down year, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t rebound in a new situation. Either way, Byard will be a huge upgrade next to Reed Blankenship for a very reasonable price. I love this trade for the Eagles.
As for the Titans, it’s smart of them to know that they needed to begin the rebuilding process. I think they could have gotten a bit more for Byard, but he is 30, so the compensation wouldn’t have been much more.
Grade for Eagles – A
Grade for Titans – C
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Chiefs acquire WR Mecole Hardman from Jets for swap of 2025 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks
Here’s the latest swap of sixth- and seventh-round picks, with the Chiefs acquiring Mecole Hardman along with the seventh in exchange for a sixth. Hardman will return to the team that drafted him after nearly half a season with the Jets.
Hardman signed a 1-year deal with the Jets, but barely played; he was on the field for 28 snaps. The Jets wanted to use both Xavier Gipson and Randall Cobb over him. I get Gipson, but utilizing Cobb was a huge mistake. Perhaps the coaches could have tried inserting Hardman into games over Cobb.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, haven’t had the usual success they’ve experienced with their gimmick plays, so perhaps that’s why they wanted to bring Hardman back to the team. The price is small, so I’m in favor of it.
Grade for Chiefs – B+
Grade for Jets – C
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Falcons acquire WR Van Jefferson from Rams for 2025 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks
Prior to the season, the Rams were seen as a team that was devoid of receiving talent beyond Cooper Kupp. Things have changed, however, in the wake of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell emerging. With Kupp returning from injury, the Rams suddenly had no room for Van Jefferson, so it made sense to trade him for a couple of late-round picks.
The Falcons, conversely, don’t really have anything beyond Drake London. Mack Hollins is as pedestrian as it gets, and Atlanta needed another deep threat. Jefferson, who registered 802 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, can at least serve as a distraction for defenses to open things up for Bijan Robinson. He’s well worth it for a pair of late-round draft choices. This seems like an equal trade for both teams.
Grade for Falcons – B+
Grade for Rams – B+
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49ers acquire DE Randy Gregory from Broncos for swap of 2024 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks
Teams certainly love swapping sixth- and seventh-round picks. We saw it with the J.C. Jackson and Chase Claypool deals, and now the Broncos and 49ers have engaged in a deal with the same compensation.
Randy Gregory had a few bright moments for the Broncos last year amid an injury-plagued season. There were no bright moments this season, as Gregory played extremely poorly. The Broncos considered cutting him, but the 49ers called them and took Gregory off their hands. I considered if the 49ers would be paying Gregory’s egregious salary, but that will not be the case. Denver will foot the bill for the $10 million remaining this season.
With that in mind, this is a small price to pay for the 49ers, who lost defensive line depth this offseason. Gregory will help in that regard, making San Francisco the winner of this trade.
Grade for 49ers – B+
Grade for Broncos – C-
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Dolphins acquire WR Chase Claypool from Bears for swap of 2025 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks
It wasn’t too long ago that the Bears acquired Chase Claypool. In fact, you can still see the grade below. They surrendered a second-round pick for Claypool, meaning that they turned their second-round selection into a sixth-round choice. That obviously is a huge failure, but at least Chicago recognized a sunk cost.
Claypool did not work out in Chicago, but that doesn’t mean that he’s doomed to fail in Miami. He has a ton of speed, so I have to think that Mike McDaniel will figure out creative ways to use him. I’m not very bullish on him panning out for Miami, but the Dolphins aren’t really giving up anything for him, so they’re definitely the winners of this trade.
Grade for Dolphins – B+
Grade for Bears – C
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Patriots acquire CB J.C. Jackson from Chargers for swap of 2025 sixth- and seventh-round draft picks
This trade shouldn’t be surprising at all, and it makes so much sense for both teams. J.C. Jackson was supposed to be the solution for the Chargers’ poor secondary. Instead, he struggled so much in Los Angeles that he was benched recently. The Chargers had no more use for him, so it’s a positive that they were able to get something for him.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have so many injuries in their secondary. They nearly ran out of bodies against Dallas. Acquiring a player with experience in Bill Belichick’s system was a logical move. Perhaps Jackson can revert to the terrific player he once was in New England under Belichick’s coaching once more.
Grade for Patriots – B+
Grade for Chargers – B+
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Vikings acquire RB Cam Akers from Rams for swap of 2026 draft picks
When Cam Akers was a healthy scratch Week 2, many assumed that he would be traded. That turned out to be the case, as the Rams dealt him to Minnesota. In doing so, they picked up a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Vikings received a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in addition to Akers.
I’d give the Rams a slight victory in this trade. It makes sense that the Vikings would want to obtain a running back to contend with the fumble-prone Alexander Mattison, but with there being so many viable options available on the open market, I don’t know why it was necessary to trade a draft resource. That said, swapping a sixth with a seventh isn’t a big deal. Also, Akers has the potential to be an upgrade over Mattison, but he also has an extensive injury history.
The Rams, meanwhile, were free to trade Akers because Kyren Williams has emerged as a quality player. With Akers relegated to the bench, it made sense to move him for a resource.
Grade for Vikings – B
Grade for Rams – A-
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Eagles acquire TE Albert Okwuegbunam from Broncos for swap of 2025 third-day picks
Dallas Goedert is one of the better tight ends in the NFL, but the Eagles didn’t have much behind him. It wasn’t too long ago that Philadelphia had a terrific one-two punch at the position with Zach Ertz joining Goedert. This trade ensures that the Eagles will have great tight end depth once again.
Okwuegbunam is an athletic tight end with upside. He’s only 25, so he can still be developed to be a consistent player. Obtaining him for just a swap of sixth- and seventh-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft is a steal. As for the Broncos, they were very deep at tight end and were going to waive Okwuebgunam, so it’s at least nice that they got something for him.
Grade for Eagles – A
Grade for Broncos – B
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Rams acquire G Kevin Dotson from Steelers for swap of third-day picks
The swap of picks in this Kevin Dotson trade is as follows: The Steelers will get the Rams’ fourth-round pick this year, and they’ll send their fifth-rounder to Los Angeles. The same thing will happen in 2025, except the Steelers will get a fifth and will relinquish a sixth.
Given those terms, I think this trade makes sense for both teams. Dotson is a quality backup, but was buried on Pittsburgh’s depth chart. The Steelers getting a selection that could easily be in the top 10 of Day 3 is a great acquisition for a player who likely wasn’t going to see the field for them this year. As for the Rams, their offensive line depth is horrendous, so they needed to obtain better reserve blockers in case their front is ravaged by injuries like it was last season.
Grade for Rams – A-
Grade for Steelers – A
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Cowboys acquire QB Trey Lance from 49ers for 4th-round pick
This is somehow a bad trade for both teams. I really don’t get it for the Cowboys. They have an established franchise quarterback in the Dak Prescott, and they have a solid backup in Cooper Rush. What are they going to do with Trey Lance? Develop him and then trade him for a third-round pick? This seems like a waste of a resource.
As for the 49ers, it seems premature to give up on a quarterback with such great talent, especially given that Brock Purdy is not a guarantee just yet. What if Purdy struggles in his second year? It would be nice to turn to Trey Lance in that instance, assuming that he developed at all. That said, I think the 49ers won this trade because Lance may just be a lost cause, given his lack of development and horrible pocket awareness and field vision. Plus, moving Lance rids the locker room of a potential headache.
Grade for Cowboys – D
Grade for 49ers – C+
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