The NFL’s in-season trade deadline won’t ever be confused with the NBA or MLB’s in-season trade deadline transaction-mania, but there has been way more movement in recent years than from a decade ago.
As discussed previously in this space, things changed over time when NFL personnel executives asked to have the deadline moved back a few weeks in order to give them more time to assess their rosters.
NFL Trade Deadline Preview
The trade deadline was moved a few weeks back, starting in the 2012 season (from Week 6 to Week 8), and while it took a few seasons for teams to get used to the new calendar, we started to see things pick up in recent seasons at this time of the year.
When acquiring players at the in-season deadline, we asked some high-ranking personnel executives what they’re looking for:
- Players on expiring contracts or contracts that have length but are easy to get out of — meaning little or no fully guaranteed money after the current season.
- In some cases, versatile players (can play multiple spots). Like a cornerback who can play inside or outside, an offensive lineman who can play guard or center or both tackle positions.
- High-character veterans looking to make a run at the Super Bowl late in their career.
- Players who the team had good grades on coming out of college. If a player becomes available at a position of need, they’ll go back and look at an old scouting report, possibly a taped interview from the Combine if they got in front of him, and current game tape.
To give you an idea of how busy things can get, on the final day of last year’s in-season deadline (Nov. 1 last year), 11 trades were made consisting of 14 players and 20 draft picks being moved. So, if it’s quiet Monday, don’t be surprised if things pick up on Tuesday.
Teams Unlikely To Make Deals at NFL Trade Deadline
Cincinnati Bengals
What we’re hearing: From talking to league sources about this team, they typically do not look to make trades at the in-season deadline; rather, they tend to let their free agents walk if they decide not to re-sign them or are unable to reach contract agreements and have no problem getting compensatory picks for the future.
Cincinnati has made trades prior to the start of previous seasons. DT B.J. Hill was acquired from the Giants in August 2021 — the only player currently on their roster who was acquired via trade — and certainly will delve into free agency and have found success that way (DE Trey Hendrickson, DT D.J. Reader, CBs Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton, as some examples).
MORE: Should the Cincinnati Bengals Be Buyers at the Trade Deadline?
While these examples don’t 100% guarantee that they won’t make a deal at the deadline, other teams point out that’s simply not the way the Bengals do business.
Pittsburgh Steelers
What we’re hearing: Like some other “old school” teams, the Steelers typically build through the draft and add a few free agents here and there, but they’re not likely to make many in-season trade deadline deals. In fact, both players on their roster who were acquired via trades were not acquired near the deadline over the years.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick was acquired in September 2021 from the Miami Dolphins, and veteran WR Allen Robinson II was acquired in April of this year.
And as one personnel executive from another team told us, they seem to be “really happy with their rookie class and want those guys to play.”
Again, nothing is guaranteed here, and Pittsburgh has long-term needs (a cornerback especially to play opposite Joey Porter Jr. for the future), but those can be addressed in free agency or next year’s draft.
Teams Most Likely To Make Deals at NFL Trade Deadline
Carolina Panthers
What we’re hearing: What’s interesting about Carolina’s situation is they don’t seem to be actively shopping anyone. However, it’s more about listening to other teams on some players.
League sources said they got calls on S Jeremy Chinn prior to his injury suffered during the team’s Week 6 loss to the Dolphins, have gotten calls recently on OLB Brian Burns, and continue to get inquiries on veteran CB Donte Jackson among others. The Panthers also gave WR Terrace Marshall Jr. permission to seek a trade a few weeks ago.
On Burns, a league source familiar with their thinking said it’s highly unlikely they would trade him because they still see him as a building block and want to keep as many of their best players around for future seasons.
Word in personnel circles was that Burns and the team were not close to a contract extension before the season began, which is why the Panthers are getting calls on him closer to the deadline.
Carolina received a significant offer from the Los Angeles Rams prior to last year’s deadline on Burns (at least two future first-round picks and another premium pick), a league source confirmed. Yet, they felt — as they do this time around — that he’s one of their best players from either side of the ball. But what if another team calls and makes another blockbuster offer?
MORE: 3 Moves Carolina Should Make, Including a Brian Burns Decision
As for Jackson, sources said they’ve received interest in him going back to last season, and interest in him has been high in recent weeks. If the Panthers move anyone, he makes the most sense.
The second-round pick out of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Panthers carries a very friendly base salary of around $1.1 million (prorated for the remaining weeks of the season), which was reduced from just over $4.7 million based on a restructuring back in March.
It’s also worth noting that none of Jackson’s total compensation of just over $10.4 million ($4.7 million base salary, a $4 million roster bonus, and $1.7 million in per-game roster bonuses) for the 2024 season, which is the final year of his contract, is guaranteed.
Denver Broncos
What we’re hearing: From talking to various teams over the past weekend, there seems to be a general belief that Denver will wind up trading either WR Jerry Jeudy or Courtland Sutton, but it’s certainly far from a lock.
As we’ve pointed out previously in this space, some teams have an issue with Jeudy’s nearly $13 million fully guaranteed fifth-year option salary for next season. And Sutton, who carries a $14 million base salary for this season (would be prorated for the rest of the season if he’s traded for the remaining weeks of the season with his new team), carries a base salary of $13 million for 2024, which carries a small injury guarantee of $2 million.
However, a team that is looking to make a deep playoff run will want to find a way to accommodate one of these contracts, a personnel source said. It won’t be easy, which is why it’s not a certainty that they’ll be dealt.
But, as another source told us, another motivation to move at least one of them is rookie WR Marvin Mims Jr., who is almost certain to start in future years.
Mims has yet to play in more than 20% of the offensive snaps in any of their games so far, but he has tremendous big-play ability and was seen as a likely future starter by the Broncos when he was selected in Round 2.
This is similar to the team moving on from veteran DE/OLB Frank Clark and wanting to get a younger player in the lineup, such as 2022 second-round OLB Nik Bonitto.
Philadelphia Eagles
What we’re hearing: Philadelphia solved their issue at safety. Prior to the trade for Tennessee Titans S Kevin Byard, who started during Sunday’s win over the host Washington Commanders, we had written here previously they were looking into adding at the position.
The Eagles also checked into Chinn of the Panthers prior to his significant quadriceps injury, sources with knowledge of the situation said.
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League sources also added the point to keep an eye on possible help with their defense with a coverage linebacker and depth at the nickel position. Philadelphia’s three top inside linebackers (Zach Cunningham, Nakobe Dean, Nicholas Morrow) are all known for being solid run defenders but not for their coverage ability.
As we noted previously in this space, the Eagles have gone through several nickel DBs this season after starter Avonte Maddox (torn pectoral-IR) suffered his injury during Week 2’s win over the visiting Minnesota Vikings.
San Francisco 49ers
What we’re hearing: A league source with ties to the organization says if San Francisco does anything, keep an eye on depth at cornerback behind starters Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir.
Washington Commanders
What we’re hearing: As I was discussing with colleague Adam Beasley here at PFN last Friday, this is a team that we were hearing could have stayed put or made deals depending on what happened against the Eagles on Sunday.
Other teams were trying to get a read on if Washington was willing to trade DEs Chase Young or Montez Sweat, and the feedback they were getting was that the situation was fluid.
The Commanders lost to the Eagles, however, and dropped to 3-5. They’ve now lost five out of their last six games, but they’re only one game back of the seventh-seeded Vikings.
Sweat and Young are currently playing on expiring contracts.
Sweat carries an $11.5 million base salary (would be prorated for the rest of the season should he be traded), and Young carries a very friendly base salary of just over $1 million, which certainly makes him an attractive player to acquire.
The second selection overall in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Commanders has put together a solid season thus far. However, there’s a reason why Washington did not pick up his 2024 fifth-year contract option: He has missed significant time due to injury over his career.
Another player to keep an eye on is veteran CB Kendall Fuller, who is in the final year of his contract with a base salary of $8.5 million, which would be prorated for the rest of the season if he’s traded.
Fuller, who has only missed one game over his last three seasons, turns just 29 years old in February. As one personnel source said, he has shown the ability to adapt to a variety of defensive schemes and coverages over his eight seasons of play.
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