With the 2025 NFL trade deadline set for Tuesday, Nov. 4, every new deal from here on out will shape the playoff chase or accelerate a rebuild. Movement really began in early October, nearly a month before the deadline, when the Cleveland Browns sent Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals in a rare in-division trade as part of Cincinnati’s effort to stabilize their quarterback room, and that was just the start of what figures to be a busy few weeks. Expect fringe contenders like the Steelers and Buccaneers to explore upgrades, while teams stuck near the bottom, such as the Jets and Saints, weigh offers for veterans who could bring back draft capital.
Hours away from the NFL trade deadline, notes on 22 teams who could make moves
Jonathan Jones
To help you track all the NFL trade deals ahead of the deadline, we’ll be logging every move in one place with concise analysis highlighting who got better, who got future assets, and what it means for the season ahead. Whether it’s a blockbuster involving a former Pro Bowler or a depth move that fills a key injury gap, this page will be your running guide through deadline season.
Cowboys land Quinnen Williams amid Jets fire sale
Cowboys get: Quinnen Williams
Dallas continues to add on defense
Dallas began deadline day with a trade for linebacker Logan Wilson, and Jerry Jones has doubled down on defense by pulling off one of the biggest blockbusters of the afternoon. Quinnen Williams is one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, which should immediately upgrade a struggling defense. Not only is Williams set to help the Cowboys in 2025, but the 27-year-old is under team control through 2027. Because they accumulated a large draft haul for Micah Parsons, it has allowed Dallas to spend big here while still maintaining a hefty collection of picks going forward.
Jets get: 2027 first-round pick, 2026 second-round pick, DT Mazi Smith
New York is stripping it down to the studs
The Jets are in full sell mode at the deadline, first shipping Sauce Gardner to Indy and now sending Williams to Dallas. This is a reality check by the organization, which has looked itself in the mirror and realized it is going nowhere fast. Upon that realization, the Jets have cleaned house and built up a massive draft cupboard for themselves. With these draft picks in place, they have all the flexibility in the world to better hunt for their elusive franchise quarterback.
Bears get: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, seventh-round pick
Dart throw on former first-round pick
The Bears had a clear need for a pass rusher after Dayo Odeyingbo’s season-ending Achilles injury in Week 9. In fact, they had a clear need before that, too. Chicago is 29th in pressure rate this season and is coming off a game in which it gave up 41 points to the Bengals. The Buccaneers took Tryon-Shoyinka with the final pick of the first round in 2021, but it never quite worked out in Tampa Bay; his career high for a season was five sacks. He signed with the Browns this offseason, and though he doesn’t have a sack, he has a 21.4% pressure rate in very, very limited snaps. Maybe the Bears find a diamond in the rough.
Browns get: Sixth-round pick
More draft capital for player out of the rotation
Tryon-Shoyinka’s season high for defensive snaps in a game this season is seven. He did not play a defensive snap in Week 7 and played just two in Week 8 before Cleveland’s bye. This is the third in-season trade the Browns have made this year — they also acquired Tyson Campbell from Jacksonville for Greg Newsome and sent Joe Flacco to the Bengals — and they’re showing a clear nod to the future, as they should during this rebuild. Getting anything out of a veteran not seeing the field much is a win.
Seahawks get: Rashid Shaheed
Speedy wide receiver makes offense even more explosive
Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have led Seattle’s historically efficient passing attack — the Seahawks’ 13.6 yards per completion is on pace to be the best by any team in the past dozen seasons — and Shaheed figures to only help that figure. He is only averaging 11.3 yards per catch this year, but that figure was 17.4 last season (second in the NFL) and 15.6 (12th in the NFL) in 2023. He is explosive down the field and with the ball in his hands. The Seahawks lost Cooper Kupp to a hamstring injury last week, and behind Smith-Njigba, the depth chart is relatively thin; promising rookie Tory Horton has made a strong early impression, but he is just a rookie. Jake Bobo hasn’t played in two weeks, and neither has Dareke Young. Shaheed immediately steps in as the WR2 for a playoff — and potentially darkhorse Super Bowl — contender.
Saints get: Fourth- and fifth-round picks
Draft picks for veteran set to be free agent after this year
This is a solid bit of business for the Saints, who are in the early stages of a rebuild. Shaheed, 27, will be a free agent after this season, and the Saints getting multiple midround picks for a player they found as an undrafted free agent in 2022 is strong work. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will miss Shaheed’s abilities, but now New Orleans turns to evaluating younger options such as Devaughn Vele and Mason Tipton.
Colts pull off stunner, acquire Sauce Gardner, send multiple firsts to Jets (11/4)
Colts get: Sauce Gardner
Win-now move for surprise contender
Gardner is a star. He’s one of just three players all time to be a first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons alongside Micah Parsons and Lawrence Taylor. He had a bit of a down 2024, but he has been terrific in 2025. Among 143 players who have been the primary defender on at least 25 targets, Gardner is second with a 40% completion percentage allowed. The Colts have been hurting — literally and figuratively — for cornerbacks. Several players are out for the year, and Charvarius Ward is on IR for a concussion. In Gardner, Indianapolis gets a terrific young corner who could form one of the league’s best starting groups with Ward (once healthy) and slot cornerback Kenny Moore. At 7-2, the Colts are all in.
Jets get: Two first-round picks, Adonai Mitchell
Massive reset with an eye on the future
When the Jets hired Aaron Glenn, Gardner seemed to be a big beneficiary and a core piece of their rebuild. Glenn had excelled as Lions defensive coordinator and brought an aggressive, man-to-man scheme to the Big Apple. That belief seemingly became fact when the Jets signed Gardner to a four-year, $120.4 million extension this summer. Now, just months later, Gardner is gone. This is now a teardown and a rebuild, one that will swing heavily on the next few drafts. New York will be in the market for a quarterback and defensive talent. Garrett Wilson, Quinnen Williams and a few young offensive linemen are the only pieces that we can solidly project moving forward.
We’ll see if Mitchell can join that group. The 2024 second-round pick has clear talent but also a clear need for a fresh start. He had fallen to fourth (at best) in the Colts’ wide receiver pecking order, and fumbling before crossing the goal line in Week 4 seemed to be the perfect encapsulation for his time in Indianapolis.
Jaguars get: Jakobi Meyers
Jacksonville adds much-needed depth to WR room
Meyers finally gets his wish and finds himself out of Sin City. The veteran had requested a trade from the Raiders this offseason, but it wasn’t granted. He previously stated his desire to leave still stood, and now he finds himself injected into the Jaguars offense. This trade may have more to say about Travis Hunter than anything else. Hunter was recently placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, and still has three games left before he is eligible to return. For now, Meyers will slot in as the No. 1 pass-catching option for Trevor Lawrence opposite Brian Thomas Jr. at receiver.
Raiders get: Fourth- and sixth-round pick
Las Vegas adds to draft cupboard
The Raiders have fallen out of the playoff conversation after dropping to 2-6 against — ironically enough — the Jaguars on Sunday. As we noted above, Meyers was looking to be traded out of Las Vegas dating back to the summer and is set to be a free agent this offseason. So, the Raiders move on from a player that they were likely going to see depart soon anyway and pick up a couple of draft picks in the process.
Cowboys strike deal with Bengals for Logan Wilson (11/4)
Cowboys get: Logan Wilson
Jerry Jones’ trying to help struggling defense
It was on full display on Monday night that the Dallas defense needs help as the Jacoby Brissett-led Cardinals dropped 27 points in an upset win. Wilson, 29, comes in to be a piece that they hope helps turn the tide. The veteran had fallen out of favor in Cincinnati and requested a trade, so the price wasn’t going to be astronomical and a 2026 seventh rounder is certainly worth seeing if Wilson can return to his 100-plus tackle self with a change of scenery. Wilson is one of five players with 500-plus tackles and 10-plus interceptions since 2020.
Bengals get: Seventh-round pick
Cincinnati’s defense loses depth
Wilson requested a trade after the veteran had fallen out of favor on defense. He’s started in every game he’s played since his sophomore season up until Week 8 of 2025. Wilson has seen his snaps decrease defensively and increase on special teams, which fueled the trade request. With that in mind, the Bengals are getting rid of a descending player in their eyes, but this is a bad defense that just lost some depth.
Ravens acquire Dre’Mont Jones from Titans (11/3)
Ravens get: Dre’Mont Jones
Edge rusher depth to fill void left by Odafe Oweh
The Ravens’ pass rush desperately needed help, as they rank bottom five in the NFL in sacks (11) and pressure rate (27%) this season. While Jones can help fill some of the void left from the Odafe Oweh trade, it’s not nearly the swing Baltimore needs to take at this position. Jones has come on strong lately with 4.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits in his last four games, but that’s likely the ceiling for a pass rusher who will be playing for his fourth team. He’s on a one-year deal and has never had more than 6.5 sacks in a season.
Titans get: Conditional fifth-round pick
Draft capital for rebuilding Titans
It’s a bit surprising to see the Titans get a conditional fifth-round pick for Jones when they got the same price for cornerback Roger McCreary when they traded him to the Rams last week. It’s a good price for a journeyman pass rusher on a one-year deal, but maybe they should have gotten more for McCreary? Look for the 1-8 Titans to continue collecting draft picks. Could Jeffery Simmons, Arden Key, Tony Pollard or Calvin Ridley be next?
Dolphins get: Third-round pick
Miami’s selloff begins
At 2-7 on the season, the Dolphins were pegged as sellers leading up to the deadline. The interesting wrinkle, however, was that the team just parted ways with GM Chris Grier on Friday, which left questions as to how interim GM Champ Kelly would operate. Well, he made his first move, shipping Phillips, a first-round pick in 2021, to Philly. The edge rusher is in the final year of his deal, so Miami picks up a Day 2 draft selection for a player on an expiring contract. That’s another asset to help with what feels like a total rebuild.
Eagles get: Jaelan Phillips
Philadelphia finally addresses edge rusher
Howie Roseman has made a couple of trades over the past week, but all the deals prior have addressed the secondary. The Eagles desperately needed a boost off the edge as the team has been getting little to no impact from that position this season, and even needed the likes of Brandon Graham to come out of retirement to help the unit out. While a third-round pick for an expiring contract is a hefty price, Philly is in a position to take such a swing as they are in a Super Bowl window. Meanwhile, as NFL Media reports, the third-rounder heading to Miami is Philadelphia’s. The club previously owned two thirds, including one from the Jets. That higher selection (New York’s) stays in possession of the Eagles. As for Phillips himself, the former first-rounder has flashed when he’s been on the field. He tallied 15.5 sacks over his first two seasons, but injuries have derailed his career since. At just 26 years old, however, Phillips is a strong bet not only for the second half, but possibly beyond.
Eagles land Jaire Alexander from Ravens (11/1)
Eagles get: Jaire Alexander, 2027 seventh-round pick
Eagles continue to add to secondary
Philadelphia is buying low on Alexander, who didn’t live up to expectations with the Ravens. While he arrives to the Eagles as a notable name, this should be looked at as a depth piece in the secondary as oppose to a set-and-forget starter. Still, it’s a wise dice roll for Howie Roseman as Alexander is effective when healthy, and acquiring him for a late Day 3 pick is a worthwhile price to see if they can tap back into his days with the Green Bay Packers.
Ravens get: Sixth-round pick
Baltimore offloads oft-injured veteran
When the Ravens first acquired Alexander this offseason, there was the hope that he’d become a linchpin to their secondary but that never materialized. As was the case in his final years in Green Bay, Alexander dealt with injuries during his short Baltimore tenure. He appeared in just two games overall. Initially, that was due to a knee injury, but had since been a healthy scratch, which included the team’s Week 9 win over Miami. So, the Ravens rid themselves of a descending player and acquire a Day 3 pick in next years draft in the process.
Eagles get: Michael Carter II, 2027 seventh-round pick
Philly gets much-needed secondary help
Philadelphia’s secondary needed a boost at the deadline. Specifically, outside corner was a big need opposite of Quinyon Mitchell. This week, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talked about possibly moving Cooper DeJean to the other outside corner spot opposite Mitchell and this deal helps that transition. Carter is a slot corner who was the highest-paid player at the position when he inked his three-year, $30.75 million extension in September of 2024.
Jets get: John Metchie III, 2027 sixth-rounder
New York gains future asset, depth at WR
The Jets are sitting at 1-7 on the season and firmly in rebuilding mode for the foreseeable future. By moving on from Carter, New York gets out in front of a looming contract squabble. While Carter was signed through 2027, the corner only has $2.3 million remaining in guarantees. Instead of possibly being faced with a restructure this offseason, they ship him out and move up a round at the 2027 NFL Draft. It also sets up Jarvis Brownlee, Jr., whom they acquired from Tennessee, to see more time in the slot. As for the Metchie piece to the equation, he should be looked at as a depth piece for the rest of 2025, as he is set to be a free agent this offseason.
Steelers add to secondary with Kyle Dugger (10/28)
Steelers get: Kyle Dugger, seventh-round pick
Pittsburgh takes dart throw on former standout
After two straight weeks of watching Pittsburgh’s defense get torched, Mike Tomlin and co. have seen enough. On the same day they signed former Commanders starting safety Darrick Forrest to the practice squad, the Steelers acquired former Patriots starting safety Kyle Dugger in a late-round pick swap.
Dugger, 29, collected nine interceptions from 2021-23 and signed a four-year, $58 million extension in the 2024 offseason. However, he played through an ankle injury last season, underwent offseason surgery and was behind the eight ball to start this season under new coach Mike Vrabel. Pittsburgh really needs the secondary help, though, after Jordan Love threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns in Week 8, and Joe Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in Week 7. Dugger has solid speed and ball production on his resume, and with DeShon Elliott week-to-week with a knee injury suffered against Green Bay, he could see the field sooner rather than later.
Patriots get: Sixth-round pick
New England moves on, moves up in draft
We could write similar things here as we did for the Keion White trade below, which happened just minutes before this one. Dugger wasn’t in the plans for coach Mike Vrabel and inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, who is calling plays in defensive coordinator Terrell Williams’ absence. In fact, like White, Dugger was inactive in Week 8, with Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson as the team’s top safeties.
Perhaps New England is making moves to add to their current roster after their 6-2 start, or perhaps it is continuing to build for the future. It’s never fun or easy to move on from players who were significant investments, but it appears New England has opted for better fits in Vrabel’s eyes — or at least future draft compensation.
49ers get: Keion White, seventh-round pick
San Francisco hopes to bolster defensive front
Nearly every part of the 49ers’ roster has been hit by injuries, and edge defender is no exception. San Francisco lost Nick Bosa (ACL) for the season in Week 3 and ranks 30th in the NFL in pressure rate since. It should be noted that this move comes immediately after the 49ers lost to the Texans 26-15 and failed to sack C.J. Stroud despite his penchant for taking sacks behind a poor offensive line. Bryce Huff, the team’s sack leader, also missed the game. Houston also ran for 157 yards in the win
White, a second-round pick out of Wisconsin in 2023, showed some promise in last year’s five-sack campaign, but he had fallen somewhat out of favor in New England this season, playing just 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. He has a 4% pressure rate, one of the worst rates of any defensive lineman, but he had a 11.4% rate last year, so the 49ers are hoping a change of scenery will do him good. Plus, at 285 pounds, he should be able to hold up more sturdily against the run.
Patriots get: Sixth-round pick
New England can move on thanks to impactful offseason additions
White simply didn’t end up being a fit for the new regime in New England, and with upgrades around him — the team signed big-name free agents Milton Williams and Harold Landry III and is getting strong production from smaller signees K’Lavon Chaisson and Khyiris Tonga — he became expendable. The Patriots’ much-improved pass rush and Drake Maye’s leap to stardom has helped New England get off to a 6-2 start, and it now can go on the hunt for an addition before the deadline or simply pocket the extra pick for next season as GM Eliot Wolf and coach Mike Vrabel continue to build their roster.
Rams get: Roger McCreary, conditional sixth-round pick
L.A. bolsters defense with veteran corner
Los Angeles is building on its strength. Already, the Rams are one of the top defenses in the NFL and have held opposing quarterbacks to an 84.6 passer rating, which is the sixth-lowest in the NFL. Despite that, the Rams have been dealing with injuries to the unit, with Ahkello Witherspoon on injured reserve. Now, they buy in on a former second-round pick who can play both inside and outside, and that versatility should be a welcome addition for Sean McVay.
McCreary is in the final year of his deal, so this is currently looked at as a pure rental for Los Angeles, but it comes at minimal cost. They get a starting-caliber corner while simply moving down one round in the draft as they get a sixth-rounder in return, along with McCreary, while shipping out a fifth.
Titans get: Conditional fifth-round pick
Tennessee’s sell-off begins
The Titans are actually getting back their own fifth-round pick in this deal, per NFL Media. The Rams had acquired it in the deal involving Ernest Jones IV, but now get that selection back in their draft cupboard. However, it remains to be seen what the conditional aspect of this trade is, so that fifth-rounder could be the floor depending on how McCreary plays. Really, this is a move aimed at bolstering their draft board as the rebuild continues around Cam Ward and whoever they eventually hire as head coach. McCreary was a pending free agent and not in their long-term plans, so attaching a mid-Day 3 pick to an expendable player to move up a round is a prudent move.
Jags get: Greg Newsome, sixth-round pick
Lanky corner in final year of rookie deal
This is a win-now move. Jacksonville gets a solid cornerback in Newsome, who has graded out well this year, allowing just a 52% completion rate as the primary defender, on track to be the best of his career. Through five Weeks, he’s Pro Football Focus’ 33rd-ranked cornerback out of 85 who have played at least 150 defensive snaps; Campbell is 57th.
Newsome is in the fifth and final year of his rookie deal, so he’s set to be a free agent at the end of this season. There’s a significant scheme adjustment here, too, as the Browns play the highest rate of man coverage in the league by far, while Jacksonville is 23rd, but clearly the Jaguars see plenty to like in Newsome. Jacksonville does take on a $19.5-million dead cap hit in 2026, but that’s a problem for a few months from now.
Browns get: Tyson Campbell, seventh-round pick
Solid starter getting a fresh start
This is a depth improvement for Cleveland. Campbell had a strong 2024 season after signing a four-year, $76.5 million extension, but the new Jaguars regime clearly wanted to move on from him after a slow start to this season. A significant chunk of that deal has already been paid, meaning the Browns will get to look at Campbell for nearly an entire season and evaluate how he fits both now and in the future.
Campbell has had some injury issues, but when he’s healthy, he’s a starting-caliber cornerback, and one who’s under team control well into the future.
Harbaughs do defensive business (10/7)
Chargers get: Odafe Oweh, seventh-round pick
Athletic but inconsistent edge rusher
This is a win-now move for Los Angeles. Oweh broke out last season with 10 sacks in 2024 — double his previous career high – but the 2021 first-round pick is yet to record a sack this season. His pressure rate this season – 10.3% – is slightly lower than his 11.7% last year, but neither are particularly impressive numbers; he was at 17.2% in 2023.
Perhaps time had simply run its course for Oweh in Baltimore. He was playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and will be a free agent this offseason. In Los Angeles, he’ll play under innovative defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and hope to provide pressure both before and after Khalil Mack returns from an elbow injury. Through five weeks, Los Angeles ranks 19th in pressure rate.
Ravens get: Alohi Gilman, fifth-round pick
Reliable safety, plus a better draft pick
I see this as a dart throw. Things have already gone majorly off the rails for Baltimore (1-4), and trading away a former first-round pick certainly wasn’t on the Bingo card one month ago. But Baltimore has better depth and youth on the edge than it does at safety, where ArDarius Washington tore his Achilles during the offseason and Kyle Hamilton has been dealing with a groin injury. That left undrafted rookie Reuben Lowery to play every defensive snap of a 44-10 Week 5 loss to the Texans.
Flacco gets new job, stays in Ohio (10/7)
Bengals get: Joe Flacco, sixth-round pick
Aging pocket passer hoping to raise the floor
Sometimes, the NFL is about optics, and the Bengals trailing 28-3 at halftime and Jake Browning getting booed off the field after his third interception in an eventual 37-24 loss to the Lions in Week 4 was bad, bad optics. Enter Flacco, whom Cleveland benched after Week 4. Through five weeks, Browning was dead last in expected points added per dropback. Flacco was third-worst.
The Bengals are hoping Flacco can provide a similar boost to the one he provided Cleveland in 2023, when it ended up making the playoffs thanks to a late-season surge. The Bengals don’t have near the defense the Browns do, and the offensive line is a mess, but for a cheap price, it’s a move that makes sense. If Flacco recaptures the magic, great. If he doesn’t, this season was probably lost the moment Joe Burrow got hurt anyway. It’s a total dart throw.
Browns get: Fifth-round pick
A modest gain in draft position
Flacco was no longer part of the plan in Cleveland, which moves up a round in the draft. That’s solid business for a team that’s had its eye on the future essentially since this season began.
