2023 NFL Trade Deadline: Live Updates, Rumors, Analysis, and More

Deadlines spur action, and the 2023 NFL trade deadline is expected to do just that. With the league’s trade cutoff — 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 31 — approaching, Pro Football Network’s NFL department is bringing you the latest news, updates, rumors, and analysis on every move from around the league.

2023 NFL Trade Live Updates and Analysis

Green Bay Sends Rasul Douglas to Buffalo

Analysis by Jay Morrison: It would have been surprising if the Bills didn’t acquire a cornerback after losing All-Pro Tre’Davious White earlier this season. They got their upgrade by acquiring seven-year veteran Rasul Douglas from the Green Bay Packers.

In four games with White, the Bills’ defense allowed 169 passing yards per game. In four games without him, that number has risen to 239.

MORE: Rasul Douglas Trade Details

Douglas has played 96 career games and is under contract through 2024. He’s due a base salary of $6.3 million next year, and the Bills would have to eat $5.1 million in dead cap to move on from him. So this looks like more than a rent-a-player, which makes sense with how difficult Achilles injuries can be to come back from.

It will be interesting to see if Douglas can get up to speed quickly enough to play Sunday night against the Cincinnati Bengals and the suddenly hot Joe Burrow.

Browns Trade Donovan Peoples-Jones to Lions

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Donovan Peoples-Jones, a former University of Michigan wide receiver and Detroit native, is returning home as the Cleveland Browns have traded him to the Detroit Lions.

It’s an interesting move for the Browns, who already are offensively challenged. But Peoples-Jones only had eight catches for 97 yards this season after posting career highs in receptions (61), yards (839), and touchdowns (three) last year.

This gives Detroit quarterback Jared Goff another target after the bye, with Jameson Williams not providing any sort of production since coming off his gambling suspension.

Analysis by Adam Caplan: A source with knowledge of the situation told PFN that the Lions made the move for depth purposes, and they liked DPJ’s ability to play multiple wide receiver positions. Plus, he can return punts if needed.

Detroit has had some injuries at the position, and veteran Marvin Jones Jr., who said last week that he’s stepping away from the game, was released.

As for the Browns, they are very high on third-round pick Cedric Tillman, a league source said. This move gives the coaches a chance to get him into the rotation going forward.

San Francisco 49ers Add Chase Young

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Washington Commanders general manager Martin Mayhew just set the NFL record for the biggest punt. After dealing edge rusher Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears earlier in the day, Mayhew punted bookend Chase Young to San Francisco.

The rich get richer, and the floundering get floppier.

Washington head coach Ron Rivera might want to start updating his résumé. The Commanders are 3-5, and the front office clearly is not interested in raising that win total this season.

MORE: 2023 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker

The only people happier about this trade than the 49ers and their fans are the Cincinnati Bengals, who just missed having to deal with an already elite defensive line with a Young infusion, reuniting the 2020 No. 2 pick with his former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa, the 2019 No. 2 selection.

Washington declined Young’s fifth-year option, so he will be a free agent next season. This looks like a rent-a-player deal for the 49ers, who have fallen one game short of the Super Bowl the last two seasons and are heading into their bye on a three-game losing streak.

Young will return to FedEx Field on New Year’s Eve when the 49ers face the Commanders in Week 16.

Analysis by Adam Caplan: The 49ers had been shopping for pass-rushing help over the past week, multiple NFL sources told PFN. On Tuesday, they secured help opposite star Nick Bosa after acquiring Washington Commanders DE Chase Young in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick, a source with knowledge of the details confirmed.

A personnel executive with another NFC team said they received interest in one of their edge rushers last week from the 49ers, and the indication was they were looking for a possible upgrade over DE Clelin Ferrell, who has started all of San Francisco’s eight games played thus far.

Even though the 49ers acquired edge rusher Randy Gregory from the Denver Broncos earlier this month, they clearly were not finished trying to not only upgrade over Ferrell, but this latest move helps to give them a deeper rotation at the position between Bosa, Ferrell, Gregory, second-year pro Drake Jackson, and now, Young.

Vikings Ship Ezra Cleveland to Jaguars

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Okay, the Ezra Cleveland thing is puzzling. The Vikings have a rookie making his first career start on Sunday, and they trade away one of their best offensive linemen?

The Vikings also just traded for Josh Dobbs, so clearly, they’re interested in trying to maintain — or improve — their current standing as the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

So why deal Cleveland, who is PFF’s No. 17-ranked guard?

Cleveland is in the final year of his contract, but is it worth shipping off a starter for a sixth-round pick next year, especially when whoever lines up under center for the Vikings the rest of the season is going to need all the help he can get?

Joshua Dobbs Traded to Minnesota

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Joshua Dobbs is on the move again, joining his fifth team since 2020 after the Minnesota Vikings acquired him from the Arizona Cardinals.

The move comes two days after Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles tear at Green Bay and falls in the category of “Well, we’ve got to have someone play quarterback.”

MORE: Grading the Joshua Dobbs Trade

The Vikings’ options were Jaren Hall, a rookie fifth-round pick who made his NFL debut in relief of Cousins on Sunday, and 31-year-old journeyman Sean Mannion, who was on Minnesota’s practice squad.

It also means the Cincinnati Bengals could have a chance to beat Dobbs twice in 10 weeks after winning 34-20 against the Cardinals in Week 5. The Bengals will play the Vikings in Week 15.

Dobbs has 16 career starts, eight of which have been this year. When Justin Jefferson comes back, Dobbs will have the best group of weapons he’s ever played with, as rookie Jordan Addison is playing well, and T.J. Hockenson is a top 10 tight end.

The Vikings are 4-4 and currently the No. 7 seed in the NFC. Before the trade, they had no shot of making the playoffs. Now they at least have a puncher’s chance.

Patriots Getting Calls On Ezekiel Elliott, Have Looked Into Chase Young

Analysis by Dallas Robinson: The New England Patriots are receiving interest in RB Ezekiel Elliott, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. Zeke has been even more involved in New England’s offense than expected, posting 67 rushing attempts to Rhamondre Stevenson’s 97. Elliott has also been a factor in the passing game, managing 13 receptions on 17 targets.

With only $1.2 million remaining on his contract, Elliott could be a stopgap option for an RB-needy team. Last week, we suggested sending Zeke back to the Dallas Cowboys to become Tony Pollard’s complement.

MORE: Ezekiel Elliott Trade Rumors — Could He Be on the Move Again?

Meanwhile, the Pats have also “checked in on the price” for Chase Young, as Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports. Young’s market is so vast because he’s only 24 years old. Even teams like the 2-6 Patriots are interested in acquiring (and extending) Young because edge rushers of his caliber are rarely accessible on the free agent market.

Commanders Could Still Move Chase Young

Analysis by Dallas Robinson: The Washington Commanders already traded one edge defender when they dealt Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears earlier today. Could they kickstart their rebuild by moving another pass rusher?

The Commanders are taking calls on Chase Young, according to NFL Network. Washington declined its fifth-year option on Young, ensuring the former No. 2 overall pick will reach free agency next spring (barring a franchise tag). If he’s not part of the club’s long-term vision, the Commanders might be willing to part ways.

Young’s lengthy injury history hasn’t allowed him to produce a consistent track record like Sweat’s, but Young has been more efficient on a snap-for-snap basis in 2023. He ranks eighth in pressures and 11th in pass-rush win rate among edge defenders.

An acquiring team may want to extend Young’s contract as part of a trade, but the 24-year-old might also make sense as a rental. As such, the number of clubs interested in Young is probably relatively high.

Speculatively, clubs targeting Young could include the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and Los Angeles Rams.

Chicago Bears Trade for Montez Sweat

Analysis by Adam H. Beasley: The Chicago Bears are 2-6 and the No. 14 seed in the NFC. And yet, they gave up an asset at the trade deadline to acquire a defensive end on an expiring contract.

The details, per NFL Network: The Bears surrendered a second-round pick to acquire Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat — who is in the final season of his current contract.

That would suggest one of two things (or perhaps both):

1. The Bears still think they can make some noise this year (even though quarterback Justin Fields is hurt).
2. They already have a plan to keep Sweat beyond the 2023 season.

If it’s the latter, a long-term contract makes the most sense. The franchise tag for defensive ends in 2024 is projected to be more than $20 million. That’s a lot of coin for a player who has never had more than nine sacks in a season (although he does have 6.5 this year).

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Montez of the Midway. Print the shirts!

The Bears acquired defensive end Montez Sweat from Washington for a second-round pick. Sweat is in the final year of his contract, which makes the move seem curious. And the Bears aren’t going anywhere this season.

Obviously, they intend to lock up Sweat long-term and not have this be a rent-a-player type of situation. Chicago has the eighth-most salary cap space available and still has a quarterback on a rookie deal for at least one more year — or longer if they move on from Fields.

MORE: Chicago Bears News — More Insight Into Montez Sweat Trade

And the Bears desperately need pass-rush help now and in the future.

Sweat has been a consistently strong pass rusher since entering the league in 2019, accumulating 35.5 career sacks. He’s never had fewer than five sacks in a season, and he already has 6.5 this year.

The Bears currently are dead last in sacks with 10. The next lowest total is 15, shared by six teams.

Kenyan Drake Headed to Cleveland?

Analysis by Jay Morrison: Either Baltimore Ravens running back Kenyan Drake is a huge fan of the color orange and Halloween, or he just hinted at a trade to an AFC North division rival.

The eight-year veteran signed with the Ravens on Sept. 20, but he has appeared in only two games with one rush and two receptions. This morning, he tweeted a picture of someone in a Browns jersey wearing a pumpkin head with glowing eyes and slamming his hands on the rail in the Dawg Pound at First Energy Stadium.

pic.twitter.com/7OoHCwYbvd

— Kenyan Drake™ (@KDx32) October 31, 2023

The Browns already own the league’s No. 2 rushing offense despite losing Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, and it would be rare for divisional rivals to trade with another.

Maybe Drake was just trolling Kareem Hunt, who expressed displeasure with his role following Sunday’s 24-20 loss in Seattle.

Or maybe Drake is on his way to Cleveland.

Crazier things have happened on trade deadline day … and Halloween.

Miami Dolphins Best Move May Be the One They Don’t Make

Analysis by Adam H. Beasley: As we await the mayhem, just a reminder: The best trade your team makes might be the one it doesn’t.

As our boss David Bearman pointed out in a private DM, there was a sizable contingent of fans, media, and Dolphins personnel who, two years ago this week, were itching for Miami to replace Tua Tagovailoa for Deshaun Watson.

Leading the charge? Then-coach Brian Flores. And if Watson had resolved his legal issues before the 2021 deadline, it would have happened.

Fast-forward two years, and Flores is no longer the coach, Watson has yet to come close to earning the record-breaking contract the Browns awarded him, and Tagovailoa is an MVP frontrunner.

And oh yeah, the Dolphins are on top of the AFC East and would move into the No. 1 spot in the conference with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday.

The butterfly effect is real.

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson Moved Today?

Analysis by Adam H. Beasley: Ninety percent (at least) of trade deadline speculation is just that — speculation. But sometimes, the media gets it right.

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is one of those rare successes.

Overnight, the Bears have granted Johnson permission to seek a trade out of Chicago, NFL Network reported early Tuesday.

He should have a market. Johnson, 24, is in the final year of his rookie contract and would come at a considerable discount.

The former second-round pick has a career-high two interceptions this year — including one returned for a touchdown — in six starts. Opposing quarterbacks are completing just 50% of their passes against him this year, with a yards-per-attempt average of 5.1 and a passer rating of 44.3.

For more or where Johnson could end up, check out Dalton Miller’s list of potential landing spots.

Kentavius Street Traded to Atlanta Falcons

• DL Kentavius Street from Philadelphia Eagles to Atlanta Falcons (Oct. 30). Trade terms were a conditional 2024 sixth in exchange for Street and a 2025 seventh.

Analysis by Adam H. Beasley: The 4-4 Atlanta Falcons might not know who their quarterback is, but that doesn’t mean they’re punting on the season.

On the same day that Falcons coach Arthur Smith declined to name a Week 9 starter (he benched Desmond Ridder for Taylor Heinicke in Sunday’s loss to the Titans), Atlanta swung a trade for Eagles DT Kentavius Street.

The reported terms? A conditional 2024 sixth in exchange for Street and a 2025 seventh.

Street, 27, signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in the offseason but has had trouble cracking the Eagles’ deep rotation. He has logged just 87 snaps in the season’s first eight games, with eight starts.

He’ll get a heavy workload with the news that Grady Jarrett will be out for the season with a torn ACL.

Analysis by Adam Caplan: He was part of a seven-man depth chart at defensive tackle for the Eagles and played in less than 25% of their defensive snaps through eight games.

The Eagles, who have the deepest rotation in the NFL at the position, actually have played six players at DT in every game that they had six players available. With Street now off their roster, look for rookie DT Moro Ojomo to get into the rotation. The seventh-round pick (Texas) made their roster coming out of the preseason.

As for his contract, Street signed a one-year deal worth $1.6 million with $500k fully guaranteed at signing. Philadelphia will be responsible for paying his $200k signing bonus, while the Falcons will be responsible for paying the remaining prorated base salary of $1.1 million (just over $600k).

With the Falcons, Street will get a chance at much more playing time with his new team due to the season-ending ACL injury to veteran Grady Jarrett during Sunday’s loss to the host Tennessee Titans.

2020 UDFA DT LaCale London, who was signed from their practice squad last week, replaced Jarrett. London spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons mostly on the Chicago Bears practice squad and signed with the Falcons in May.

Leonard Williams Traded to Seattle Seahawks

• DL Leonard Williams from New York Giants to Seattle (Oct. 30). Trade compensation includes a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.

Analysis by Dalton Miller: The New York Giants dealt defensive lineman Leonard Williams to the Seattle Seahawks. In return, New York received a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. In Layman’s terms, this was not an insignificant deal.

Maybe the Seahawks smelled blood in the water in the NFC West. The Rams clearly aren’t ready to compete in 2023, and the 49ers are coming off three consecutive losses. And it’s becoming all the more clear that their young quarterback is struggling to maneuver against pressure.

The move gives the Giants some much-needed salary cap relief. Heading into the day, no team had less space to operate than New York. The Seahawks received a pass rusher coming off a six-pressure game against the Jets. But maybe more importantly, Williams provides the kind of alignment versatility that can elevate the Seahawks’ new-look defense.

Analysis by Adam Caplan: On the Leonard Wiliams deal, the Seahawks had been looking for pass-rushing help up front, and Williams will give them that. They won’t be able to make up for the loss of OLB Uchenna Nwosu (pectoral-IR), but teaming up Williams with Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed will help.

Williams was on the final year of his contract at $18 million, which will be prorated for the remaining weeks he’s with the Seahawks. Assuming that the Giants and Seahawks were able to get Williams to work out a restructured salary for the rest of the season, this really could be a win for Seattle in terms of need. And the Giants, who clearly are looking toward the future, will get good draft value for 2024 and 2025.

However, it’s a little surprising that the Seahawks gave up so much in terms of draft compensation (per NFL Network’s reporting terms). A 2024 second-rounder and a 2025 fifth-rounder is a lot for an older player (29) who is not an elite pass rusher. Williams is a solid veteran DL, but edge rushers should command this type of value.

With the Seahawks surprisingly now on top of the NFC West, this is clearly a “going for it” type of move.

One more thing on salary cap relief: Teams can move unused remaining salary cap space for the next season, which the Giants can do before their season ends.

More From Adam Caplan

What should we be watching for ahead of the deadline? PFN’s Adam Caplan summarized the latest news in his Monday morning notebook, with updates on:

• What the Carolina Panthers are thinking with EDGE Brian Burns and CB Donte Jackson
• Where things stand with Denver Broncos WRs Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton
• A surprise trade candidate for the Washington Commanders
• What position groups the Philadelphia Eagles are trying to address
• Plus, the latest on the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers

From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!