NFL trade grades: Evaluating every deal made ahead of the 2025 deadline

Date of trade: Nov. 4

INDIANAPOLIS RECEIVES:

• CB Sauce Gardner

GRADE: B+

NEW YORK RECEIVES:

• WR Adonai Mitchell
• 2026 first-round draft pick
• 2027 first-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

With Charvarius Ward on IR, Indy's CBs needed help. So the Colts pushed all their chips into the middle, and now in comes Sauce to play savior.

Gardner opened his career with smashing success, using his length and physicality to compile 31 passes defended and two INTs in his first two seasons, earning All-Pro honors in each campaign. The corner position being fickle, the past two years haven't been as kind; he's struggled some in coverage and dealt with a concussion earlier this year. When he's on, though, Gardner remains an upper-echelon cover man. Per Next Gen Stats, he faced No. 1 receivers on 45.5% of his coverage matchups, the NFL's highest rate (min. 125 matchups). When targeted, he has forced tight windows (allowing less than 1 yard of separation) at a rate of 53.8%, also leading the league (min. 20 targets).

The Colts are betting big that their Lou Anarumo-led defense will present Sauce with a better situation than he played under the past two seasons in New York. Still, considering that the cost is similar to what Green Bay gave up for pass rusher Micah Parsons (two first-round picks and a player), it's a hefty price to pay for a corner. Even one as good as Sauce can be.

On the Jets' end, it's a stunner of a move. They just handed Gardner -- drafted fourth overall in 2022 -- a sizable contract this offseason to be one of their building blocks, and four months later, said building block is headed for Indianapolis. Once we pick our jaws off the floor, it's not hard to see the logic for New York. The windfall was simply too good to pass up. What good is a star corner when the rest of the operation is crumbling?

Netting two first-rounders, even if they wind up coming later on draft night, gives the Jets flexibility to fill several major holes, plus the ammo to position themselves to select a quarterback, if necessary -- by far their greatest need at this point. The Mitchell toss-in adds another wideout to the mix for the Jets, who need help alongside Garrett Wilson. Mitchell is an athletic wideout who has lacked consistency and was buried in Indy after his fumbled touchdown snafu in Week 4. It's the type of upside talent a team like the Jets should take on.

Then there is the added financial maneuverability. Because Gardner's new contract came with a signing bonus of just $13.75 million, the Jets aren't left with a ton of dead money -- $11 million next year (a paltry sum, compared to some dead money totals attached to other partings). The money saved could go a long way in an important offseason in Florham Park.

Trading Gardner is an admission that Gang Green isn't close to being a fully-formed product -- they're not just a year away from contention. Getting extra first-rounders is the best way to jumpstart their rebuild. It might sting to lose a star, but they had to give something up to restock for the future.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

DALLAS RECEIVES:

• DT Quinnen Williams

GRADE: B+

NEW YORK RECEIVES:

• DT Mazi Smith
• 2026 second-round draft pick
• 2027 first-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

Jerry Jones stuck to his guns, using his ammo to upgrade a woebegone defense. Williams is a legit difference-maker, an All-Pro player who can wreck the pocket, is generally stellar against the run and gobbles up blockers. The three-time Pro Bowler is the type of presence who can transform a defensive line. He’s not Micah Parsons, but he brings the kind of playmaking the Cowboys D has sorely missed this season.  

As is true of most of the Jets players, this year hasn’t gone swimmingly for Williams, who has netted just one sack with 16 QB pressures. The hope in Dallas is that a fresh start will get him back to his dominating ways. 

The Cowboys desperately need some help on the second-worst defense in the NFL. Williams remains under contract through 2027, which is surely a major reason Dallas was willing to give up significant assets. There is no quick fix for how bad the defense has been in 2025, but they have a centerpiece for at least the next few years. 

It didn’t come cheap, and for my money, I’d rather have Parsons at his new deal than Williams for a second and a first, even if the cost is $20 million less per year. But at least Dallas has a known playmaker back on the defensive line instead of hoping it hits on draft picks. Smith’s inclusion in this deal is a cautionary tale about relying on selections. 

The Jets blew up the ship. It was one thing to trade a corner for a massive haul and another to ship out your cornerstone defender. Positional value alone says that. So while I don’t love it as much as the Sauce trade, it’s still the right move for a foundering Gang Green squad. New York was headed nowhere with Williams this season. This isn’t a one-year rebuild. The Jets, with an additional second-round pick this season and a third first-rounder in 2027, now have the chips to completely overhaul the operation. 

The question is, will New York will be patient enough to play the long game or panic and change gears before seeing it through? They’re also betting on hitting on those picks and signing the right players in free agency. That’s easier said than done. But at least now the organization is not straddling the middle. The jet has been stripped for parts; now the goal is to build it better. 

Date of trade: Nov. 4

SEATTLE RECEIVES:

• WR Rashid Shaheed

GRADE: A

NEW ORLEANS RECEIVES:

• 2026 fourth-round draft pick
• 2026 fifth-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

The Seahawks are going for it. Pairing Shaheed with Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the potential to give Seattle an explosive, deadly offense. They match each other perfectly. JSN can win off the line and dominate over the middle and on intermediate routes. Shaheed's speed is lethal for defenses. He constantly requires safety help over the top. If safeties dare creep up too close on JSN, Shaheed will burn them deep. Pick your poison. 

We've already seen what Seahawks offensive coordinator Klink Kubiak can do with Shaheed, who generated four games of 73-plus yards in six contests last year in New Orleans with Kubiak as his OC there before injuries struck. Shaheed was the face of the Saints' high-octane start to 2024. Put that next to JSN with Sam Darnold playing MVP ball, and you've got a recipe for fireworks.

Adding a deep threat was perfect for an already well-balanced offense that operated through Smith-Njigba and could gash on the ground with Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Add in a rising tight end duo of AJ Barner and Elijah Arroyo, and it's hard to imagine slowing Seattle -- if the protection holds up. The Seahawks' two-tight-end sets could be even more destructive with Shaheed and JSN on the outside of two pass-catching TEs. Good luck against the play-action, defenses.

The Saints needed draft picks, having entered trade-deadline day with just five in 2026. For a rebuilding club, that was far too few, given all the holes they need to plug in the coming offseason. Shaheed is on the final year of his contract and was likely to move on anyway, with New Orleans in line to pay Chris Olave big money. Trading away the speedster might sting for rookie quarterback Tyler Shough in the short term, but adding draft capital was crucial for the organization.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

JACKSONVILLE RECEIVES:

• WR Jakobi Meyers  

GRADE: B-

LAS VEGAS RECEIVES:

• 2026 fourth-round draft pick
• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

Travis Hunter is out at least three more games with a knee injury. Brian Thomas Jr. is also battling a shoulder issue and has struggled to open the season. Dyami Brown suffered a concussion in Week 9. The quad injury to tight end Brenton Strange -- who spent time flexed to the slot – has also flown under the radar as a sneaky issue. It all added up to the 5-3 Jags needing pass-catching help.

In the 28-year-old Meyers, Jacksonville nets a reliable target who is at his best in the slot but can also win out wide. He’s a receiver who is consistently where his quarterback needs him to be. Off to a sluggish start, little used in Chip Kelly’s offense, it’s easy to forget that Meyers generated 1,027 receiving yards a year ago. He didn’t just fall off the map.

The price of two draft picks is pretty steep in this market for a seven-year pro on the final year of his contract, but GM James Gladstone still has double-digit draft picks in 2026 to play with even after sending two to Vegas.

The Raiders did exceedingly well to get fourth- and sixth-round draft picks for a player who didn’t want to be in town. Vegas eschewed Meyers’ offseason trade request, and, by all accounts, kept the price tag high for the past several weeks. Eventually, they got a deal that was too good to pass up. Pete Carroll might not love moving on from a trusty veteran midseason, but it was a no-brainer move for a two-win club. The Raiders will now have 10 picks and a boatload of salary cap space to continue their rebuild in 2026.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

CHICAGO RECEIVES:

• DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
• 2026 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: C+

CLEVELAND RECEIVES:

• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: C+

The Bears needed pass-rush help after the season-ending Achilles injury to Dayo Odeyingbo. Austin Booker played well in his first game of the season, but depth was an absolute necessity for a Bears defense that has largely struggled. 

Tryon-Shoyinka is a former Tampa Bay first-rounder who never lived up to the billing. In four years with the Bucs, he netted 15 sacks and 138 tackles. The edge showed flashes but wasn’t consistent. He signed a one-year deal with the Browns this offseason and played sparingly in their good front, seeing just 31 defensive snaps over eight games. 

The Bears didn’t give up much to take a gamble that JTS can find a groove opposite Montez Sweat. At this stage, however, he’s a rotational player, not the difference-maker they could have used. Hopefully, he can help with a rough Bears special teams unit, as well. 

The Browns sold low on a player with an expiring contract who wasn’t in their defensive rotation. A late-round pick swap is better than a late-round nothing.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

DALLAS RECEIVES:

• LB Logan Wilson

GRADE: B-

CINCINNATI RECEIVES:

• 2026 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B

Wilson is going from the league’s worst defense to the second-worst. At least he should be a full-time starter again.

The Cowboys defense has been ripped to shreds all season, getting lit up through the air and bowled over on the ground. With little resistance up front, linebackers have rarely been free to make plays. When they did have open gaps, far too often they missed the lane or whiffed the tackle.

Wilson might have lost a step, but he should be an immediate upgrade in the middle of a struggling defense. He’s a heady tackler and good in coverage. At his best, Wilson is always around the ball and understands where to be -- something we couldn't say for the rest of the Cowboys defense entering deadline day. Even at 29, he still has juice left in the tank. He’s an immediate upgrade over Kenneth Murray and rookie Shemar James. With DeMarvion Overshown (knee) eventually returning, the linebacker corps could look much better down the stretch. A seventh-round pick for a player who’d been benched by his former team isn’t nothing -- and far from the pick swaps that have dotted the trade market -- but it’s worth the flier.

Though he entered the season speaking glowingly of Wilson, Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden quickly moved on. The veteran was benched in favor of youngsters Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. The rookies have struggled mightily. Per Pro Football Focus, they have each missed double-digit tackles. They often get lost in coverage, leading to massive defensive breakdowns. With Wilson out of the picture, the duo will need to make significant strides. At 3-6, Cincy isn’t technically out of the hunt, but this isn’t a defense that can get to the postseason, no matter how many points the offense puts up.

Wilson would have been a cut candidate in the offseason, so getting something for a player they were likely moving on from is better than nothing. At least the Bengals didn’t need to eat any of his 2025 money to get a draft pick back.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

LOS ANGELES RECEIVES:

• OT Trevor Penning

GRADE: C+

NEW ORLEANS RECEIVES:

• 2027 sixth-round pick

GRADE: C

The Chargers desperately needed offensive line help after a rash of injuries. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater are both down for the season. Trey Pipkins has dealt with injuries and struggled when on the field. Mekhi Becton has missed time with multiple injuries. It's a mess in front of Justin Herbert.

Penning is a former first-round pick with a mean streak but has struggled with consistency in four seasons. He's battled injuries, and he's been penalty-prone. The upshot here is that he does bring flexibility; he played left tackle his first two seasons, flipped in 2024 to the right side, where he played 1,024 snaps, then started at left guard in six games this season. He hasn't been great at any spot, but the Chargers can use any bodies they can get at this point. Perhaps a change of scenery can help Penning solidify a place for himself in the NFL.

The rebuilding Saints cut bait on a disappointing high draft pick for whom they couldn't find a home along the line. A move inside to guard this season was the last hope. It failed. Acquiring draft capital -- any draft capital, even in 2027 -- for a player no longer in their plans makes logical sense. However, an already banged-up offensive line will be thin in front of Tyler Shough.

Date of trade: Nov. 4

NEW YORK RECEIVES:

• DB Ja'Sir Taylor

GRADE: C

LOS ANGELES RECEIVES:

• 2028 conditional seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: C

The Jets acquired Taylor to help fill the backup slot role following the Michael Carter II swap (see below). A former sixth-round pick, the corner has started 11 career games but has played mostly special teams this season -- 16 defensive snaps. He's unlikely to play a lot of snaps this year in New York unless Jarvis Brownlee Jr. gets banged up. He could add special teams value.

Given the minimal compensation -- as low as a team can get -- he was clearly not sticking in L.A. A free agent next season, he'll get a shot in New York to prolong his career.

Date of trade: Nov. 3

BALTIMORE RECEIVES:

• LB Dre'Mont Jones

GRADE: B+

TENNESSEE RECEIVES:

• 2026 conditional fifth-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

Jones has caught fire in recent weeks, generating 4.5 sacks in four games, upping his trade stock. He led the Titans with 25 QB pressures before the trade. The 28-year-old defensive lineman had a breakout campaign in 2022 with Denver that led to a payday in Seattle. He went mostly quiet from then until his four-game sack barrage. The Ravens are banking on him keeping up his hot streak.

Jones brings versatility to Baltimore. The pass rusher lined up outside in Tennessee, but in his Denver heyday, he also shifted inside regularly. That ability will help the Ravens fill the massive void left by Nnamdi Madubuike, whom Baltimore has struggled mightily to replace in the middle.

Following the trade of Odafe Oweh to Los Angeles, which helped solidify the safety group with the acquisition of Alohi Gilman, the Ravens needed pass-rush help. Through Week 9, Oweh still led Baltimore in QB pressures with 15. Jones’ 25 immediately tops the Ravens. Rookie Mike Green has made strides in recent weeks, flashing athleticism, and veteran Kyle Van Noy is getting healthier, but it’s a crew that needed reinforcements. Adding Jones immediately boosts the group. If he keeps his hot streak up, it’ll be a coup.

The Titans smartly moved on from a player with no future in a rebuilding organization. Tennessee inked Jones to a one-year, $8.5 million deal this offseason. To get a conditional fifth-rounder after nine games isn’t bad work. With a boatload of projected cap space next year, the Titans figure to be spenders, meaning any player they lose in free agency will likely be negated in the compensatory pick formula. As with all Tennessee pending free agents, moving Jones before the deadline was a no-brainer.

Date of trade: Nov. 3

PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES:

• LB Jaelan Phillips

GRADE: A-

MIAMI RECEIVES:

• 2026 third-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

After taking care of a needy corner group (see below), GM Howie Roseman took a calculated swing to boost the pass rush.

Phillips started his career on a Pro Bowl trajectory. An athletic menace off the edge, he generated 15.5 sacks in his first two seasons in Miami. Possessing a quick first step and the length to keep linemen off his body, Phillips was able to live in the backfield. He was enjoying his best season in 2023, netting 6.5 sacks in eight games, but injuries struck. A torn Achilles ended his third season. Four games into 2024, he suffered an ACL tear. The back-to-back injuries sapped him of the athleticism that defined his game. In nine games this season, Phillips earned three sacks but led the Dolphins with 29 QB pressures. He’s also a solid run defender on the edge.

The Eagles are making a calculated bet that the further he gets from the injuries, the better he will become. There is logic to that, and in the Philly rotation, he won’t have to do it all.  

Philly’s additional third-round picks allow Roseman to make this move. The Dolphins eating some of the cost also helps. The compensatory pick that could come if Phillips signs elsewhere this offseason comes into play for the Eagles, who don’t figure to be heavily involved in free agency.

With Phillips playing out his rookie contract, he wasn’t long for South Beach. The Dolphins are projected to be more than $11 million over the salary cap in 2026, so they don’t seem likely to be heavily involved in free agency either. Instead of holding onto Phillips for the balance of a floundering season and hoping for a comp pick down the road, Miami secured a third-rounder, which is the most they could get in compensation anyway. Paying down the contract to get a better pick is a solid move.

Date of trade: Nov. 1

PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES:

• CB Jaire Alexander
• 2027 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B

BALTIMORE RECEIVES:

• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B

The Eagles sorely needed corner help alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. With this move and the trade listed directly below this one, Howie Roseman doubled down.

For the first half of the season, the Philly secondary couldn’t find a reliable third corner, with veteran Adoree' Jackson struggling and dealing with injury issues. Kelee Ringo was picked on for stretches and missed tackles. Roseman wasn’t going to sit by and let the problem fester without making moves.

When healthy and locked in, Alexander is a physical boundary corner who, in theory, fits well in Vic Fangio’s scheme. A two-time Pro Bowler with Green Bay, Alexander’s once-promising career was waylaid by injury; he played just 14 games over 2023 and 2024. The Ravens took a flier on him this offseason. Week 1 went poorly, as he gave up 113 yards to the Bills, per Next Gen Stats. He played just two games for Baltimore and was a healthy scratch for the past several weeks.

The Eagles are making a bet he can turn things around in Philly. If it works out, it’s a masterstroke. If it doesn't, it didn’t cost them much. It’s a dice roll Roseman is willing to make.

For Baltimore, it’s free money. The team will save some cash by shedding Alexander’s contract and get a pick a year early. For a player clearly not in the Ravens' plans at this point, those are minor bonus points.

Date of trade: Oct. 29

PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES:

• CB Michael Carter II
• 2027 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

NEW YORK RECEIVES:

• WR John Metchie III
• 2027 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

Like Jaire Alexander above, Carter arrives in Philly as another corner with upside. He played well early in his career in New York as an above-average slot defender who saw a lot of targets. The 26-year-old can stick on shifty slots and isn’t afraid to stick his nose in the run game. This season, however, he struggled in New York’s new scheme and missed three games due to a concussion. The Eagles are betting on him fitting better in Vic Fangio’s defense.

With Cooper DeJean primarily playing the slot, the addition of Carter offers some flexibility. Depending on how things work out with Alexander on the outside, the Eagles could push DeJean outside more, with Carter taking slot snaps. At the very least, Philly added two corners to the mix with the upside of fixing a massive problem. That’s good deadline work. They can figure out the best trio as the season progresses.

The Jets moved on from a player who had been passed by Jarvis Brownlee Jr. Shedding the contract made sense for a team in sell mode. The draft swap coming in 2027 isn’t great compensation. In Metchie, they get a former second-round pick who has gone through the wringer, missing his rookie season with leukemia. He’s never found traction, whether in Houston or Philly. New York has a need in the receiver room. In a lost year, it can at least see if it can rejuvenate Metchie’s career by giving him the opportunities he’s lacked.

Date of trade: Oct. 28

PITTSBURGH RECEIVES:

• S Kyle Dugger
• 2026 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

NEW ENGLAND RECEIVES:

• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

At times, the Steelers' defense has looked like a walking corpse; at other times, the unit has played like its hair is on fire. The safety crew has epitomized the up-and-down nature of the group, dealing with a slew of injuries -- including the knee injury that sent DeShon Elliott to injured reserve. Dugger brings starting experience and fits the Steelers' physical mold. His versatility -- he can play in the box, deep or in the slot -- should allow Pittsburgh to be more multiple on the back end. Dugger might not have fit in New England, but he does in Pittsburgh. The Steelers also got the Pats to eat most of his contract and wiped out the final two years of the deal. His play might have fallen off over the past few years, but the price for a player who can immediately step in -- and he earned a game ball in his debut -- boosts the grade.

Dugger had looked like a cut candidate dating back to the offseason, but stuck on the roster. He was phased out of the starting role, playing 75 total snaps through the first five weeks of the season. He was forced back into a starting role when Jaylinn Hawkins was hurt. He was clearly no longer in the team's plans. Instead of waiting until the offseason, the Pats will move forward now with their young safety crew. At least this pick swap comes in 2026.

Date of trade: Oct. 28

SAN FRANCISCO RECEIVES:

• DE Keion White
• 2027 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

NEW ENGLAND RECEIVES:

• 2027 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: C

Injuries have destroyed the 49ers' defensive front, costing them Nick Bosa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Bryce Huff and Mykel Williams. They needed bodies, badly. White has experience, including 13 starts in 2024, when he produced five sacks. However, he struggled with a new coaching staff in New England this season. He was nonexistent in five games before being a healthy scratch in Week 8. The low-low-low price underscores how happy the Pats clearly were to get anything for a player they seemingly were essentially done with. The hope in San Francisco is that Robert Saleh's defense is a better fit for the former second-round pick. His ability to play inside or outside is a bonus for a club that's been decimated everywhere.  

White obviously fell out of favor with Mike Vrabel's coaching staff. He was invisible when on the field and inactive before they sold him for a late-round pick swap two drafts from now -- a ham sandwich goes for more. The return on investment is woeful for a player that the Pats used a second-round pick on three years ago. Given the dearth of production from New England's secondary pass rushers, it's somewhat of a surprise that the Pats cut bait for so little. If injuries mount, they could use some depth on the edge. Clearly, Vrabel and his cohorts didn't believe White was worth keeping, even in the case of an emergency.  

Date of trade: Oct. 27

LOS ANGELES RECEIVES:

• CB Roger McCreary
• 2026 conditional sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

TENNESSEE RECEIVES:

• 2026 conditional fifth-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

The Rams needed depth at corner, where they've dealt with injuries, including a Week 2 broken clavicle to starter Ahkello Witherspoon and, most recently, a shoulder injury to Darious Williams. The secondary has been the weakest link of Sean McVay's defense, with Emmanuel Forbes getting picked on often early this season when asked to play a hefty role. McCreary is a young player who showed some promise as a slot defender in four seasons after being selected in Round 2 by Tennessee. The Rams do have Quentin Lake, who has performed well in the nickel spot; whether McCreary plays more on the outside than he did with the Titans to make room for Lake or Lake becomes more of a movable chess piece (like Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore), it feels like a situation where Los Angeles wanted to get the player in the building, then figure out how it all fits together. For what it's worth, in his first game in L.A., McCreary didn't play a defensive snap (11 on special teams). For the price, the Rams did well to find a player to fill a need on a studly defense.

A Day 3 pick swap seems a tad low for a starting-caliber player, but the Titans were apparently motivated sellers. McCreary is in the final year of his rookie contract and, having been drafted by the previous administration, likely didn't have a future in Tennessee. The front office needs the youngsters to play in a season in which they've already turned the page. Tennessee is projected to have a boatload of cap space in 2026 and should spend in the offseason, reducing the likelihood of compensatory picks coming into play.

Date of trade: Oct. 8

JACKSONVILLE RECEIVES:

• CB Greg Newsome II
• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B

CLEVELAND RECEIVES:

• CB Tyson Campbell
• 2026 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B

The Jags and Browns swapped corners with much different contracts. Newsome has one year -- the fifth-year option -- remaining on his rookie pact, and he could prove to be a better fit for Anthony Campanile's defense than Campbell, who struggled in a few games out of the gate, though Newsome does have a propensity to get lost in coverage at times. The Jags took on the balance of Newsome's deal as he heads into free agency and will eat a large chunk of dead money to clear Campbell's contract, which was signed by the previous administration. The bonus here for Jacksonville is that the pick they are receiving from Cleveland originally belonged to the Jets, which is on pace to be at or near the top of the sixth round. There is a lot of football left, but that could be a roughly 50-plus-slot draft swing from the seventh-rounder the Jags gave up, which originally belonged to the Eagles.  

The Browns opted to bring in the cost-controlled Campbell, whose cap number is not set to rise above $5 million in any of the next three seasons, and who might prove to fit Jim Schwartz's defense better than Newsome. This is certainly a better fit for the veteran than Jacksonville was. Campbell is a physical corner who wins before the throw but struggles with the ball in the air. In Cleveland, the hope is that he can smother receivers early and allow Myles Garrett and the pass rush to get home -- and so far, so good, with Campbell pacing the team in passes defensed (four) in his three games as a Brown. Having the veteran under a more manageable deal as opposed to losing Newsome for nothing in the offseason made it worth it for Berry -- who already owns the Jag's No. 1 pick -- to drop down on Day 3 of the draft in this swap.

Date of trade: Oct. 7

LOS ANGELES RECEIVES:

• DE Odafe Oweh
• Future seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B+

BALTIMORE RECEIVES:

• S Alohi Gilman
• 2026 fifth-round draft pick

GRADE: B

Here we have an in-season player-for-player trade between Harbaughs. The Chargers were looking for a boost for their pass rush and found one with the athletic Oweh. He might not have generated sacks in Baltimore this season, but he still leads the team with 15 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats. His athletic profile fits well in defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's system. After being a rotational player much of his time with the Ravens, Oweh adds to the Chargers' edge rush rotation of Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree -- and he already ranks second on the team with four sacks. The ability for L.A. to roll out fresh bodies all game should pay dividends down the stretch. Moving on from Gilman did thin out the safety room, making injuries more difficult to mask, but it's the price the Chargers were willing to pay for another edge presence.

The Ravens' edge rush hasn't been great with or without Oweh this season. Baltimore clearly believed that adding to the safety crew would be more beneficial, helping unlock Kyle Hamilton's multi-dimensional ability. Gilman provides flexibility and range on the backend. He's also improved in run defense over his six seasons. Trading away Oweh opened the door for more snaps for Mike Greene, and with Kyle Van Noy getting healthier, the Ravens are betting they can get similar production sans the former first-rounder. Stabilizing the back end was the goal. The later trade to bring in Dre'Mont Jones helped fill the void. 

Both Oweh and Gilman are pending free agents -- but because edge rushers traditionally make out better in free agency than safeties, the Chargers have better odds to land superior pick compensation if Oweh leaves, which likely accounts for the Ravens' superior compensation in this trade.

Date of trade: Oct. 7

CINCINNATI RECEIVES:

• QB Joe Flacco
• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

CLEVELAND RECEIVES:

• 2026 fifth-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

The Bengals were desperate for a quarterback to keep them afloat after Jake Browning bombed as Joe Burrow's replacement. Flacco brings experience and, unlike Browning, is able to get the ball out quickly to his dynamic playmakers and avoid catastrophe behind a middling offensive line. With the season spiraling, it made sense for Cincy to make a move. Even with the bargain-basement price, though, I can't give the Bengals a high grade for importing a long-tenured vet with turnover concerns to play behind a questionable offensive line. The hope is that Flacco does just enough to keep the Bengals in reach of the postseason for Burrow to take the baton and run down the stretch. Hope and a 40-year-old prayer. Unfortunately, Flacco doesn't play defense. 

It was odd for the Browns to trade a QB within the AFC North, but it was clear they wanted to test out rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel and potentially his fellow rookie, Shedeur Sanders. Clearing out Flacco creates a smoother path. Doing so for a nickel was probably worth the price, if only to annoy rival Mike Tomlin.

Date of trade: Sept. 29

CLEVELAND RECEIVES:

• OT Cam Robinson
• 2027 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B

HOUSTON RECEIVES:

• 2027 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: C

The Browns needed tackle help after losing Dawand Jones to a season-ending knee injury in September. With further health issues along the line, plugging the gap with Robinson made logical sense. The veteran has been average over the past few seasons and was beaten out by a rookie in Houston, but he still provides the kind of experience that can help a rookie signal-caller -- and the Browns have two. The low cost for a starter at this point in the season made this move worth it for Cleveland.

For a team in constant need of offensive line help, selling exactly that for a last-round pick swap two drafts down the road was an ... interesting choice. Houston handed Robinson a one-year, $12 million pact this offseason, and then he was passed by rookie Aireontae Ersery in the battle for the starting left tackle gig. Even if you consider the money spent to be a sunk cost, it seemed odd that the Texans didn't want to hang onto the veteran as insurance. Then again, we've never been able to figure out their offensive-line plans.

Date of trade: Sept. 23

NEW YORK RECEIVES:

• CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
• 2026 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

TENNESSEE RECEIVES:

• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: C

A fifth-round pick in 2024, Brownlee worked himself into a solid young corner with upside, possessing the versatility to play outside or in the slot -- which was sorely needed in a New York secondary that had struggled under Aaron Glenn. Brownlee is also not afraid to stick his nose in the run game. He overtook Michael Carter II for the slot job, making the veteran expendable. The penalties are the biggest concern, but it's not hard to see why Glenn sought his services. Still on a very cheap rookie deal for two more seasons after 2025, he can continue to grow in New York, where there should be plenty of opportunities as Glenn's rebuilding project continues without Sauce Gardner.

The new brass in Tennessee apparently didn't like the fit with Brownlee and might have also grown tired of the penalties. Still, usually, value selections who develop into capable starters aren't shipped out in Year 2 for a Day 3 swap. In the nascent stages of a complete rebuild, the Titans will likely be searching for another corner late in the draft to replace the one they traded away.

Date of trade: Sept. 13

NEW ORLEANS RECEIVES:

• WR Ja'Lynn Polk
• 2028 seventh-round draft pick

GRADE: B-

NEW ENGLAND RECEIVES:

• 2027 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: C-

Ja'Lynn Polk was placed on IR for the season with a shoulder injury by the Patriots before this trade, after a rookie year in which he caught just 12 passes in 15 games -- so the Saints' draft grade will ultimately depend on how this move plays out in the future. Moving back a year in the seventh round, two years from now, is not a terrible cost when it comes to betting on a former second-rounder, if you believe in the upside. It would be an amazing story if Polk turned things around in New Orleans. But if he washes out, the Saints can shrug and move on. It was about as minimal an expense as a team could pay to find out if Polk can revive his career.

The new coaching staff in New England this year clearly didn't have the same belief in Polk that the front office showed by picking him late in Round 2 last year. Polk struggled from the get-go in New England, and the season-ending injury cemented his status. The yield -- a late-round future swap -- wasn't exactly a great return on investment for the 37th overall selection that the Pats spent on Polk. It speaks volumes that New England wasn't even willing to keep him on IR this season and see how he bounces back. Passing on Ladd McConkey -- selected 34th overall by the Chargers in 2024 after New England traded out of that spot to No. 37 -- continues to sting.

Date of trade: Sept. 9

PHILADELPHIA RECEIVES:

• RB Tank Bigsby

GRADE: B-

JACKSONVILLE RECEIVES:

• 2026 fifth-round draft pick
• 2026 sixth-round draft pick

GRADE: A-

In light of Saquon Barkley's heavy workload in 2024, taking some of the burden off the reigning Offensive Player of the Year will be key in a long season. Bigsby did not last long in the return role that was trumpeted with his arrival, but his brand of power in relief of Barkley can keep the Eagles' offense ahead of the chains when called upon. Bigsby played solidly for the Jags in 2024, and there was some thought he could leapfrog Travis Etienne for the majority share of carries out of Jacksonville's backfield. And in Week 9, he blasted the Giants for 104 yards on nine carries. Philly is dinged here a tad for giving up two draft picks for a backup player, even if Howie Roseman has plenty of Day 3 choices to spend.

Kudos to Jags GM James Gladstone for extracting two picks for a player no longer in their plans -- that is better than the pick swaps that typically happen with in-season deals. Bigsby opened the season clearly behind Etienne after an offseason of questions. With rookie Bhayshul Tuten looking for more carries, shipping out Bigsby cleared a path for the fourth-round pick to be the definitive backup. The Jags also have seventh-rounder LeQuint Allen if injuries strike. This was a seemingly obvious case of a new administration favoring its guys. To acquire a couple of draft picks while generating opportunities for a more dynamic player on the depth chart is a win-win.