Let's grade trades from the 2025 NFL season. When a deal happens, we often hear the old adage that it will take years to know how well each team did. To that I say: Nonsense. General managers don't get the benefit of hindsight while they are making their decisions, so why should we when evaluating those decisions?
That's a long way of saying I'm a big fan of trade grades, which document our reaction at the moment a deal is made. When grading trades, I evaluate them for each team based on on-field impact, cap implications, draft compensation and effects within the context of a team's overall short-term and long-term outlook. I like to think about decisions on two axes:
How confident are we in knowing if this is a good or bad decision?
How big is the impact of this decision?
They'll both play a role in our grades, though a low-impact decision can still receive a strong or poor grade. Low-stakes, clear-cut wins or losses still matter.
Let's dive in on in-season deals that took place before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
Jump to a deal:
Penning | Tryon-Shoyinka | Williams/Smith
Shaheed | Gardner/Mitchell | Meyers | Wilson | Jones
Phillips | Alexander | Dugger | White | McCreary
Campbell/Newsome | Oweh/Gilman | Flacco
Saints trade OT Penning to Chargers
Chargers get: OT Trevor Penning
Saints get: 2027 sixth-round pick
Chargers' grade: C+
Saints' grade: B+
The Chargers' offensive line situation looked great heading into training camp. Now, it's just bleak. Season-ending injuries struck Rashawn Slater in August and now Joe Alt, too. The interior has struggled. Overall, the Chargers rank 29th in pass block win rate and 27th in run block win rate this season -- and that's with Alt playing great when he was on the field.
Somehow, they are 6-3 and contenders, with a 76% chance to reach the playoffs and 4% shot to win the Super Bowl, according to ESPN's Football Power Index -- though those numbers don't truly reflect the Alt injury. Making an offensive line move made sense. The question is whether they made the right one.
Penning has experience at both tackle and guard and I suppose he could play at either position with the Chargers, though tackle seems more likely given the injuries. He struggled mightily early in his career, with a 72.7% pass block win rate in 2023 that would have ranked last among tackles had he played enough to qualify. He improved in 2024 with an 85.1% pass block win rate over a full 17 games at right tackle that was merely below average.
After the Saints drafted Taliese Fuaga in 2024 and Kelvin Banks Jr. in 2025, Penning moved to guard and has recorded a 93% pass block win rate (average for a guard) and a 67.5% run block win rate (below average). He will be a free agent after this year.
Granted, finding an offensive lineman at the trade deadline is tricky, but if I were the Chargers I might have preferred one of the Commanders' potential options -- Brandon Coleman or Andrew Wylie. And the Browns' Joel Bitonio or Wyatt Teller could have been feasible choices at guard, too.
Still, I understand they needed to add someone considering how dire the situation is and where the Chargers are in the standings.
Browns trade edge rusher Tryon-Shoyinka to Bears
Bears get: Edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, 2026 seventh-round pick
Browns get: 2026 sixth-round pick
Bears' grade: B
Browns' grade: B
The Bears needed pass-rushing help even before Dayo Odeyingbo suffered a season-ending Achilles injury Sunday. They made a small move to increase their depth at the position on Tuesday, but one that hardly moves the needle in terms of their overall pass-rushing threat.
Tryon-Shoyinka was buried on the depth chart in Cleveland and has played only 31 snaps this season behind Myles Garrett, Isaiah McGuire and Alex Wright. He'll get more of a chance to play with the Bears, rotating with Austin Booker (who had a nice 2025 debut on Sunday) and Daniel Hardy.
Tryon-Shoyinka was the No. 32 pick in 2021 by the Buccaneers but never turned into what Tampa Bay hoped. He has an 11.3% career pass rush win rate (below average for an edge rusher) and 15 career sacks over 74 career games. Adding him, especially in the wake of the Odeyingbo injury, is a fine move, if unremarkable. I would probably have preferred Titans' edge Arden Key, who I presume was available, in this spot as a more impactful pass rusher.
For the Browns, this is a simple and logical choice. Tryon-Shoyinka was barely getting on the field for them and is a pending free agent that is not guaranteed to net a compensatory pick, so dealing him for any draft capital makes sense.
Jets trade DT Williams to Cowboys for DT Smith, picks
Cowboys get: DT Quinnen Williams
Jets get: DT Mazi Smith, 2026 second-round pick, 2027 first-round pick
Cowboys' grade: F
Jets' grade: A
There's no other way to put it: This is a horrific trade for the Cowboys.
It is completely unfathomable for a team like Dallas to be trading away major draft resources for a soon-to-be-28-year-old defensive tackle on a salary-heavy contract in a season when it has a 7% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN's Football Power Index. And yet here we are.
Let's break it down, starting with Williams himself. Don't let the negative rhetoric I'm using fool you -- Williams has been a great player! Williams finished in the top eight in pass rush win rate at defensive tackle every season from 2020 to 2024 and had at least 5.5 sacks in each of those years (with a high of 12 in 2022), too. He appears to have dropped off in the pass-rushing front so far this season, however, with a 9.9% pass rush win rate at defensive tackle (17th-best) and just one sack.
But even as his pass rush has fallen off, his run stop win rate of 46.6% ranks second in the NFL among interior defenders. He's still a very good defensive tackle, and the Cowboys' defense needs all the help it can get. Dallas ranks 29th in EPA allowed against the pass and 30th against the run. But any compliments end there, because none of that comes remotely close to justifying this move.
The Cowboys had to be the highest bidder to get Williams, who would have been really valuable for some teams in 2025. But that's not the case for Dallas, which is 3-5-1. So the value of some of the draft capital and paying half of the $16.75 million Williams was owed in salary and per game roster bonuses this year is lost by Dallas' position in the standings. I wrote earlier that I didn't mind the Cowboys trading a seventh-round pick for Logan Wilson in that situation, but a first- and a second-round pick is so, so far beyond that.
The value Dallas gains really is for 2026 and 2027, when Williams will only get older. But they aren't getting those years for free. Williams's contract was salary-heavy (as opposed to bonus-heavy) so, assuming the contract was untouched, the Cowboys are going to pay Williams $21.75 million in cash next year and $25.5 million in cash in 2027.
The Jets probably cannot believe their fortune right now. By the time they are contenders again, it's very possible Williams will be in decline. Now they can simultaneously save on Williams' salary and turn him into serious draft assets -- all at a time when it's better for them, considering their need at quarterback, to tank.
As part of this deal the Jets acquired Smith, a former first-round pick who failed to make an impact for the Cowboys. Smith was supposed to be a run stopper for Dallas, but it never came together. He was relegated to five games as a backup this season with a 29.3% run stop win rate that is below average. Smith's inclusion doesn't move the needle for this deal. If anything, it's a slight negative for the Jets given his guaranteed $2.6 million salary for next season.
There are still a few minutes before the trade deadline as I write this but at the moment the Jets are far and away the biggest winners of the day.
As for the Cowboys? If they felt regret over the Micah Parsons deal and thought this would ease the pain ... trust me, it's only making it worse.
Saints trade WR Shaheed to Seahawks
Seahawks get: WR Rashid Shaheed
Saints get: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2026 fifth-round pick
Seahawks' grade: A-
Saints' grade: B+
One of the NFL's hottest passing teams just got better.
The Seahawks currently rank third in EPA per dropback (0.25) and first in success rate on dropbacks (53%). And now they are adding Shaheed in a move that makes sense both on the field and in terms of where the Seahawks are as a franchise.
Shaheed, 27, is averaging 1.8 yards per route run this season. But I think that sells him short because that number is down a bit from his career average entering this year (2.0) and he's been playing a role that includes running fewer vertical routes (34%) compared to last year (44%). Shaheed also has consistently posted above-average open scores in ESPN's receiver score metrics, including a 63 this season that ranks 28th among wide receivers.
As a complement to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, I expect Shaheed will run downfield more often and be a bigger threat in that role than rookie Tory Horton was. When Cooper Kupp returns, he and Shaheed will make for a nice pair of secondary threats behind one of the best receivers in the league in Smith-Njigba.
This is the time to strike for the Seahawks. FPI gives Seattle an 84% chance to make the playoffs and a 5% shot at winning the Super Bowl. This addition helps boost their chances without mortgaging their future the way the Colts did in the Sauce Gardner trade.
Shaheed is a pending free agent but given the leverage of the moment for the Seahawks and their need I think they ought to be plenty willing to pay the cost. Shaheed is young enough to where if Seattle doesn't retain him he should sign a free agent contract that would yield Seattle a compensatory pick -- if the Seahawks don't nullify that pick with signings of their own. Because the Seahawks currently have $79 million in cap space next year, per OverTheCap, getting that compensatory pick is not guaranteed.
The Saints are not rolling in cap space the way the Seahawks are -- and thus would land a compensatory pick for Shaheed -- but they got more draft capital this way than they otherwise would have. Considering New Orleans' 1-8 record, this should have been an easy decision.
Jets trade CB Gardner to Colts for WR Mitchell, picks
Colts get: CB Sauce Gardner
Jets get: WR Adonai Mitchell, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick
Colts' grade: D
Jets' grade: A
Wow. Only four months after inking Gardner to a lucrative extension, the Jets shipped him off to the Colts in a shocking move. And you know what? They were absolutely right to do so.
This was a home run for the Jets, considering the four-year, $120.4 million contract Gardner was on and the compensation they received -- two first-round picks and Mitchell, a second-round pick a year ago.
Let's take this from the Colts' side first. They're getting a player in Gardner who, at his best, is an elite cornerback -- as was the case in his first two seasons in the league in 2022 and 2023. He was a first-team All-Pro in each of those seasons (in addition to being Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022) and recorded 0.7 yards per coverage snap across those two years, much better than the 1.1 average for an outside cornerback, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That number crept up to 0.9 in 2024 (along with 10 penalties) and then 1.2 this season. If Gardner plays to his full potential, he and Charvarius Ward -- who was having an excellent season prior to suffering a concussion -- could make a ferocious duo when Ward returns.
It's understandable that Indianapolis figured that this was the time to strike. The Colts have had the best offense in football by EPA per play (0.18) this season and the eighth-best defense (minus-0.02). Daniel Jones dropped to seventh in QBR (70.6) after a bad game Sunday, but the Colts possibly have the best rushing attack in the league right now. FPI considers Indianapolis the second-best team in the NFL and gives it an 11% chance to win the Super Bowl. Not only is this their best chance in years, but it's probably the best chance they will have for the next few years.
Adam Schefter joins Pat McAfee to break down how the Colts were able to trade for Sauce Gardner.
All of that keeps this deal from being an F for Indianapolis. There is a world where Gardner is the difference between a Super Bowl and not -- and that leverage is certainly worth something. But the cost was enormous. Two first-round picks for Gardner elevates him into a tier of non-QB trade compensation where I'm not sure he belongs, alongside players such as Micah Parsons, Laremy Tunsil, Khalil Mack and Jamal Adams (another Jets trade success).
Unlike some of those other deals, Gardner's presumably won't include a new contract by the acquiring team, but make no mistake, the Colts will pay plenty. Gardner's extension included only a $13.75 million signing bonus. The other money is in salary and fully guaranteed option bonuses of $20 million and $10 million in 2026 and 2027. In other words: the Colts paid two first-round picks for the right to take on most of Gardner's extension if they do not alter the contract. They'll owe him $25.5 million, $24.7 million and $20.2 million in cash from 2026 to 2028, respectively.
And as well as the Colts have played, we can't forget how tenuous this might be. They signed Jones to a bridge quarterback's salary in free agency, and he wasn't guaranteed to be their starter a few months ago. It's not unreasonable to still have questions about Jones' viability going forward. Also, he's not under contract beyond this season.
While I mentioned the upside of the deal earlier, we can't overlook the downside: This trade hamstrings the Colts for years to come.
Now for the Jets. It's all gone wrong in New York this season, but I doubt they entered this deadline season dreaming of compensation like this. Yes, they lose a cornerstone player. But this is a team that only cares about 2026 and beyond. The surplus value of two first-round picks is immense -- who is to say that 2027 pick won't be a high selection, either? -- and comes at the ideal team for a resetting a Jets team that needs a quarterback. And they were able to shed the majority of Gardner's contract due to its structure. The Jets proceeding with their rebuild with Gardner on the team was a perfectly fine approach, but this is better.
I'm also a major fan of acquiring Mitchell. While he had fallen out of favor after dropping the football prior to crossing the goal line in Week 4, he still retains major promise. Last season, Mitchell tied for eighth among wide receivers in ESPN's open score with Tyreek Hill and Zay Flowers with an 82 (on a 0-99 scale). While that openness didn't convert in major production due to suboptimal catching from Mitchell, poor quarterback play and limited playing time, it's still an intriguing trait. Between open score, catch score and YAC score, the former is the most important in terms of predicting future success.
Considering the Jets' record, their very lacking receiver depth chart, Mitchell's age (23) and his potential, he is the ideal player for them to bet on.
Raiders trade WR Meyers to Jaguars
Jaguars get: WR Jakobi Meyers
Raiders get: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick
Jaguars' grade: C+
Raiders' grade: A-
The Jaguars opened the season believing they had an elite pair of young wide receivers in Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. It's hasn't worked out that way.
Thomas has had a shocking drop-off from his exceptional rookie season -- so much so that he has been speculated as a potential trade candidate. Hunter hasn't lived up to his draft hype so far, though he was showing some positive signs prior to suffering a knee injury that landed him on IR. Thomas also suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's overtime win over the Raiders but has a chance to play this week.
So Jacksonville turned to the trade market for reinforcements.
In comes Meyers -- a long underrated receiver, though he is having a bit of a down year, too. Meyers has recorded 1.5 yards per route run (down from 1.9 last season) and, more alarmingly, 1.1 yards per route run vs. man coverage (1.8). His ESPN receiver scores are down a bit from 2021 to '23 and slightly from 2024. Geno Smith and the Raiders' offense could take the blame for a lot of that, but we can't know for sure. Last season we would have said similar things about the Browns' effect on Amari Cooper before he was traded to the Bills (where he continued to struggle to make an impact).
Adam Schefter joins Pat McAfee to break down the Jaguars trading for Jakobi Meyers.
Meyers has primarily aligned as a slot receiver with the Raiders this season (he played more outside last year). Hunter played in the slot 55% of the time prior to his injury, per NFL Next Gen Stats, so there's some overlap, though both receivers can play outside. By acquiring Meyers the Jaguars can keep Thomas outside, where he has had more success this season (though the opposite was true last year).
But are the Jaguars in position to be acquiring talent? I think the answer to that question is a slight yes. While they are only the 19th-best team in football, according to ESPN's Football Power Index, they have a 55% chance to make the playoffs because of their 5-3 record and due to having the ninth-easiest remaining schedule. Should the Jaguars have made this move? I'm not totally sold. The Jaguars have bet enough on their young receivers that I think they probably ought to ride it out. If Thomas can get back to form and Hunter can return to health and continue his ascent, Jacksonville's ceiling is raised. If not, they are probably in trouble either way.
I can understand acquiring someone to bridge the gap until both are healthy, but a fourth- and a sixth-round pick is pretty pricey for a rental player -- Meyers is a free agent after this season -- who doesn't necessarily raise the ceiling that much over Parker Washington and Dyami Brown (who suffered a concussion last week).
The Jaguars will probably recoup a compensatory pick for Meyers given their low levels of cap room in 2026, but it will be less lucrative and is less certain than, for example, the Eagles with Jaelan Phillips because Meyers is older (he turns 29 on Sunday) and hasn't produced a ton thus far this season.
This is a nice deal for the Raiders. They are noncontenders with tons of cap space next year, so they were in no position to expect compensatory picks. So dealing Meyers for as much as possible was the obvious move. They did well to get the compensation they did.
One factor unknown as of this writing is whether the Jaguars are taking on the remainder of the prorated portion of Meyers' $10.5 million 2025 salary. The grades above reflect an assumption that they are.
Cowboys add LB Wilson to their defense
Cowboys get: LB Logan Wilson
Bengals get: 2026 seventh-round pick
Cowboys' grade: B-
Bengals' grade: B+
There is something a little amusing about the Cowboys, desperate for help on defense, turning to one of the only teams with a worse defense than their own and trading for a linebacker that team benched. Yet that's the situation. A day after Jerry Jones said he'd made a trade and less than 12 hours after the Cowboys were upset by the Cardinals on "Monday Night Football," Dallas acquired Wilson from the Bengals in exchange for a seventh-round pick.
Wilson, 29, started 65 games for the Bengals since being drafted in 2020 and signed an extension prior to the 2023 season. He recorded a 32.5% run stop win rate in 2025, almost perfectly average among qualifying linebackers (he was average in the category in 2024, too). He has also allowed 0.8 yards per coverage snap this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, a shade better than average for a linebacker.
While it's certainly a red flag that Wilson was removed from his role as a starter in Week 8, and those numbers aren't anything exceptional, they hardly paint the picture of someone unplayable. And most critically in this case, Wilson does look like he could help the Cowboys. Wilson's run stop win rate is substantially better than Kenneth Murray Jr.'s rate, and his coverage numbers are substantially better than those of rookie Shemar James. The Cowboys are hoping to get DeMarvion Overshown back from injury soon, but in the meantime, linebacker was a weakness.
But at 3-5-1, should the Cowboys be acquiring players at all? In general, I actually don't have an issue with making a small move like this, despite them having a 7% chance to reach the playoffs, per ESPN's Football Power Index. If we were looking for a team that could have a second-half turnaround, Dallas would fit the profile -- a strong offense and weak defense. That's because defense is far more unstable, so a major improvement on that side of the ball is feasible, as unlikely as it seems now. FPI also still believes in the quality of Dallas to some degree, making the Cowboys the 15th-best team in the NFL going forward (partially due to the same reason).
Wilson would cost the Cowboys $6.55 million in cash in 2026 to remain with the team next season, so I think he will most likely be here just for the rest of the season (though it's not impossible he could stay if he plays well in Dallas). Wilson would be 30 next season. What I am surprised about is that Dallas had to pick up all of the remaining $2.7 million of Wilson's salary. The Bengals had benched Wilson, they are equally long shots to make the playoffs, and they almost certainly would have cut him at the end of the season. Given that, I would have guessed they'd be willing to eat some of the 2025 salary in order to earn a seventh-round pick. Turns out, Cincinnati didn't need to do that.
Now, without Wilson, the Bengals will primarily rely on a pair of rookies -- Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter -- at linebacker.
Titans trade edge rusher Jones to Ravens
Ravens get: Edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones
Titans get: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick
Ravens' grade: B-
Titans' grade: B+
When the Ravens traded Odafe Oweh for Alohi Gilman I thought it was a fine move -- Oweh was losing out on snaps in Baltimore and Gilman helped upgrade another area of need for the defense. But there was no question that it left the Ravens' pass rush wanting -- especially with Nnamdi Madubuike out for the season. It left the Ravens with an edge rushing group consisting of Kyle Van Noy, rookie Mike Green, David Ojabo and the now-injured Tavius Robinson.
So in comes Jones.
I was skeptical when the Titans signed Jones to a one-year, $8.5 million deal this offseason. He has been a bit better than expected in Tennessee, racking up 4.5 sacks, up from 4.0 last season. That's even more impressive considering how often the Titans are behind, which reduces pass-rush opportunities. His pass rush win rate at edge has ticked up from 10.5% last season to 11.6% this season. But that number is still below average for an edge rusher (he ranks 31st out of 49 edge rushers in pass rush win rate) and his pressure rate tells a similar story.
Jones has been playing as a full-time edge rusher, as he did last season. But earlier in his career, he moved around the line and aligned more often as a three-technique in some seasons. It's feasible Baltimore could use him inside some, especially without Madubuike.
Jones' $8.5 million deal included a $6 million signing bonus, so Baltimore is taking on at most the proration of the remaining $2.5 million. Jones, 28, is a pending free agent, so he could yield a compensatory pick for Baltimore if he signs a qualifying contract. The fifth-round draft pick compensation feels reasonable, though if the (currently unknown) conditions turn that pick into a fourth-rounder that might be a shade high.
I thought the Ravens might aim a little higher. A reunion with Calais Campbell could have been an option (perhaps it still is) if the team wanted a better player a little more inside. Another choice would have been Jones' former teammate, Arden Key, whom I would prefer from a pure pass-rushing standpoint. Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams could have been a swing-for-the-fences option, albeit a risky one. Ultimately, Baltimore needed to make a move and Jones fills the need. I'm just not sure if he moves the needle.
This is a logical move for the Titans. They're going nowhere in 2025 and are currently sitting on $108.6 million in cap space in 2026, per OverTheCap.com, so it's unlikely that Tennessee will receive compensatory picks for departing free agents. They need to deal as many players on expiring contracts -- and then consider moves for others -- for as much draft capital as they can acquire.
Eagles land edge rusher Phillips from Dolphins
Eagles get: Edge Jaelan Phillips
Dolphins get: 2026 third-round pick
Eagles' grade: A
Dolphins' grade: C+
Editor's note: These grades were changed due to updated financial information.
In the offseason, the Eagles looked like a team that could weather losing Josh Sweat to free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement. Half a season later, the vibe had shifted. A triceps injury landed Nolan Smith Jr. on injured reserve -- and he hadn't been particularly effective in the three games he did play. Za'Darius Smith surprisingly retired after five games. And Jalyx Hunt hasn't taken the step the Eagles hoped, with an 8.9% pass rush win rate at edge that ranks 41st out of 49 qualifiers at the position. Joshua Uche has been possibly better than expected as a fill-in, but he is just that -- a depth player who can flash now and again. Patrick Johnson and Azeez Ojulari (now also on IR) have been in the mix, too.
Even though Smith could return from injury soon and Graham is coming out of retirement, the Eagles felt -- and with good reason -- that adding talent at edge rusher was a priority and made a move for Phillips, a good pass rusher in the final year of his contract. Injuries hampered Phillips' career with the Dolphins. He suffered season-ending injuries to his Achilles and ACL in 2023 and 2024, respectively. But when he has been on the field, Phillips has always been quite impressive. He recorded 8.5 sacks as a rookie and then followed that up with a 7.0-sack season in 2022 in which he boasted a 23.9% pass rush win rate at edge that ranked fifth at the position that season. He has a 17.1% pass rush win rate at edge for his career and is at 16.5% this season, both a shade above average.
Considering his track record and that he's getting back to form after his ACL injury, I think it's reasonable for the Eagles to expect him to be little better than that in the second half of the season. Phillips also generally scores well in run stop win rate, and that has particularly been the case this season, when his 30.5% RSWR at edge ranks 11th among edge rushers.
There's a pretty decent chance Phillips is a rental. He's playing on his $13.25 million fifth-year option, but prior to the trade Miami converted $5.1 million into a signing bonus, leaving the Eagles with just a $1.5 million bill to play.. While that means he might well be a stopgap solution for Philadelphia, it opens up the pretty strong possibility that Phillips could leave in free agency and net Philly a compensatory pick (perhaps a fourth-rounder, just like Sweat is projected to earn the Eagles, according to OverTheCap). The Eagles have $23.8 million in cap space next year (per OverTheCap), so while they could make some signings, they probably won't be huge players in free agency, thus making the comp pick quite likely.
Framed in those terms -- a 2026 third-round pick for half a season of Phillips and a likely 2027 fourth-round pick -- this seems well worth it. The Eagles are true Super Bowl contenders, so the leverage on patching up any weakness is high. Anything that moves the needle on probability of a Lombardi Trophy is valuable.
The Dolphins are currently $11.9 million over the cap next year (though they would save a lot if they part ways with Tyreek Hill) and would also not be expected to be major free agency players next spring. But they absolutely did the right thing in dealing away Phillips. There's no guarantee he stays healthy the rest of the way nor any guarantee of how free agency will go (and therefore no guarantee of a compensatory pick). And the rest of 2025 is lost for Miami. The Dolphins needed to secure draft capital while they can, though I'm surprised they weren't able to also shed the rest of Phillips' 2025 salary and save a few million along the way.
I would have expected the Dolphins to net just slightly more for Phillips given the prospect of the compensatory pick for any team acquiring him, though. Last year at this time, receiver Amari Cooper was traded to the Bills for a third-round pick along with a sixth- and seventh-round pick swap. Granted, Cooper's deal cost the Bills almost no money, but he also was not as good a player at the time as Phillips is now. Even so, if I had been the Dolphins and knew this was the best offer on the table, I would have taken it without hesitation.
Ravens trade CB Alexander to Eagles
Eagles get: CB Jaire Alexander, 2027 seventh-round pick
Ravens get: 2026 sixth-round pick
Eagles' grade: B-
Ravens' grade: B+
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will not rest until he has turned over every rock looking for the best option at outside cornerback opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Earlier this week, he traded with the Jets for Michael Carter II -- a nickel whose presence might allow Cooper DeJean to play outside in nickel packages. Now, it's Alexander, the former Packers star turned healthy scratch with the Ravens.
In general, I respect throwing multiple darts at a problem, especially as a team with (repeat) Super Bowl champion aspirations. That being said, the chance that Alexander is the solution looks quite unlikely. He managed to play just 14 regular-season games across 2023 and 2024 with Green Bay, largely due to injuries. He signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Ravens in June but has played just two games despite remaining healthy. Alexander's debut for the Ravens against the Bills in Week 1 did not go well. He allowed five receptions on five targets for 113 yards, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Alexander's 4.2 yards allowed per coverage snap were the second most by an outside corner with at least 25 coverage snaps that week -- behind only the Eagles' Adoree' Jackson.
Alexander played just one more game with the Ravens the rest of the year -- when he had 13 coverage snaps against the Texans and allowed one reception for 14 yards -- and was a healthy scratch five times. Prior to this season, Alexander had a career average of 1.0 yards per coverage snap (better than league average) with several exceptional seasons in there. He has been a second-team All-Pro twice, the last of which occurred in 2022. The Eagles are hoping he still has something in the tank from that version of himself. Given his age and recent history, it's a long shot.
But I can understand the sentiment: The Eagles are trying to maximize their chances of finding a solution -- whether it's Alexander or Kelee Ringo or Jackson or rookie Mac McWilliams or DeJean or Jakorian Bennett outside with Carter in the slot. And if they think Alexander increases the probability of finding an answer by even a couple of percentage points, then it's worth it.
For the Ravens, this is a freebie. They're saving a little money (Alexander's contract was guaranteed) and gaining a little draft capital for a player who wasn't playing for them anyway.
Jets trade CB Carter to Eagles for WR Metchie
Eagles get: CB Michael Carter II, 2027 seventh-round pick
Jets get: WR John Metchie III, 2027 sixth-round pick
Eagles' grade: B
Jets' grade: B
The Eagles needed a third cornerback and hope they've found an upgrade in Carter. Philadelphia is in good shape at the other two corner spots with second-year players Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. But with DeJean most effective in the slot, the outside corner spot opposite Mitchell has been an area of concern.
Adoree' Jackson allowed 1.9 yards per coverage snap and a 27% target rate per NFL Next Gen Stats -- higher than any outside corner with at least 100 coverage snaps by a hefty margin. Kelee Ringo, who took over for Jackson in Week 4, had more success, with 1.2 yards per coverage snap -- just a shade over average. The team took a flier in trading for Jakorian Bennett earlier this year, but he has been on injured reserve over the past month (but has had his practice window to return opened).
But instead of trading for another outside corner, the Eagles dealt for Carter, a nickel, and are presumably bumping DeJean outside. Carter has been a solid slot corner for the Jets, the unheralded third player in support of Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed. From 2021-2024, Carter allowed 1.1 yards per coverage snap, just a shade above average for a slot corner. His play was perhaps more impressive than the number suggested given he likely received extra targets due to the quality of Gardner and Reed. But that number ballooned to 2.3 yards allowed per coverage snap this season, albeit in a small sample, as Carter has missed three games with a concussion.
Carter's contract runs through 2027, and he is due $10.25 million in cash in each of the next two years. He has $1.4 million fully guaranteed next year, per OverTheCap.com. At that price, the Eagles might not keep Carter long term -- it likely depends on how the rest of this season shakes out. But as far as this season is concerned, the Eagles are betting that Carter gets back to his former level of play while DeJean upgrades the other outside spot. That seems reasonable.
Adam Schefter reports on the Eagles' trade with the Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips.
Moving on from Carter was logical for the Jets. Jarvis Brownlee Jr., who filled in during Carter's absence, put up better numbers in a limited sample: 0.9 yards allowed per coverage snap when aligned in the slot. With the Jets long out of the running this season, it made sense to deal Carter, get off the hook for his light guarantee next year, and recoup whatever draft compensation they could.
That turned out to be a late-round pick swap, but the Jets also picked up Metchie. He is essentially a throw-in, but he also could feasibly start on a Jets team that has a barren wide receiver room. Behind Garrett Wilson -- who has missed the last two weeks with a hyperextended knee -- the Jets have Tyler Johnson, Arian Smith and Allen Lazard at wide receiver with Josh Reynolds on IR. The Eagles acquired Metchie from the Texans in an August trade, but he only played 14 snaps for them.
Metchie was a second-round pick by Houston in 2022 but missed his rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia. He returned to the field in 2023 but has failed to meet his draft expectations, recording just 1.1 yards per route run over his career. But the Jets might give him an avenue to significant playing time.
Patriots trade S Dugger to Steelers
Steelers get: S Kyle Dugger, 2026 seventh-round pick
Patriots get: 2026 sixth-round pick
Steelers' grade: B
Patriots' grade: B
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott suffered a leg injury in Sunday night's loss to the Packers that could cost him the rest of the season. Evidently, Pittsburgh felt it needed to look outside of the building for his replacement.
Chuck Clark took Elliott's snaps against Green Bay and was notably beaten by tight end Tucker Kraft on a 59-yard gain. Had Pittsburgh not made a move, it probably would have been Clark or another ex-Patriot, Jabrill Peppers, taking over Elliott's box safety role, with Juan Thornhill as the deep safety. Dugger, who fell out of favor in New England a year after signing a four-year, $58 million contract, can fill that void.
Dugger has 69 career starts and was particularly well-regarded during a 2022 season that included two pick-sixes. But he has played only 101 defensive snaps for the Patriots this season. He was due the pro-rated remainder of the $9.75 million salary he was owed, but the Patriots are picking up some of that, which makes sense and was probably necessary to get a deal done.
Between that, Pittsburgh's need and Dugger's past high-level play, I think it's worth it for the Steelers to make this move -- especially since it didn't cost them much draft capital. This is a secondary that has had a rough past two games (losses to the Bengals and Packers), so getting safety help can't hurt.
The Patriots had phased out Dugger from the lineup, as he really played only when Jaylinn Hawkins sat out time. Currently, we don't know exactly how much cap relief they are getting, but it seems as if they're getting at least some for a player that coach Mike Vrabel doesn't seem to want. That seems fine, particularly given the price of Dugger's contract in 2026 meant that he was certainly going to be cut if he remained in New England.
Patriots trade edge rusher White to 49ers
49ers get: Edge Keion White, 2026 seventh-round pick
Patriots get: 2026 sixth-round pick
49ers' grade: A-
Patriots' grade: C-
The 49ers need pass-rushing help. Since Week 4, the first week after Nick Bosa's season-ending ACL injury, the 49ers rank 26th in pass rush win rate. They got some help from Bryce Huff, who looks as if he's back to the form he showed with the Jets, but Huff recently suffered a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out this week.
The four players who have played at least 100 snaps along the 49ers' interior defensive line are Alfred Collins, Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Mykel Williams. None of them have a double-digit win rate. Enter White, who I think could be quite a useful addition.
White fell out of favor in the Patriots and was a healthy scratch last week. But he has inside-outside flexibility and his career numbers, particularly as an interior rusher, have been somewhat impressive on a per-snap basis. As an interior lineman, White has managed a 13.6% pass rush win rate and a 9.6% pressure rate, with most of those snaps coming the previous two seasons. Those numbers would be solidly above average for an interior player. White plays more frequently on the edge, but in an unusual quirk, his numbers are not as strong there.
Bart Scott joins "Get Up" to explain why the Ravens should be trying to make a defensive acquisition ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
White probably will be a rotational player at best for the 49ers but considering their need, the cost (almost nothing) and that the 49ers will have White under contract for only $1.8 million in 2026, I think this is quite a nifty deadline deal for San Francisco.
It was clear White fell out of favor in New England. He was buried on a strong depth chart, with Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson having nice seasons on the edge and Milton Williams and Christian Barmore playing well inside. But considering that the 6-2 Patriots should be harboring deep playoff expectations, the compensation they received does not make up for the loss in depth. Should injuries strike, they might wish they had White back.
Titans trade CB McCreary to Rams
Rams get: CB Roger McCreary, conditional 2026 sixth-round pick
Titans get: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick
Rams' grade: B+
Titans' grade: B-
The Rams kicked off the penultimate week of the 2025 trading season by trading with the Titans for McCreary, who has mostly served as a slot corner. McCreary is known for his consistency: In each of the past four seasons, he has allowed between 1.0 and 1.2 yards per coverage snap, per NFL Next Gen Stats -- at or slightly worse than the league average for a slot corner (1.0) or outside corner (1.1).
The interesting aspect of this is that the Rams already had a nickel they were presumably happy with in Quentin Lake, whose 0.9 yards allowed per coverage snap is sixth best among slot corners with at least 100 coverage snaps.
As of this writing, I don't know exactly how the Rams will deploy McCreary. Will he play nickel, with Lake being bumped back to safety? Or could they put McCreary outside, replacing the snaps of either Emmanuel Forbes Jr. or Cobie Durant, who have been rotating along with Darious Williams (who has a very strong 0.6 yards allowed per coverage snap this season). McCreary certainly gives the Rams flexibility.
Moving the fourth-year corner was an easy choice for the Titans. Not only is Tennessee well out of contention and McCreary in the last year of his rookie contract, but the Titans also have so much cap space next year (almost $113 million, per OverTheCap.com -- more than any other team) that they are likely to be spenders in free agency and therefore less likely to receive compensatory picks for lost free agents than most teams. Therefore, it's better for them to get whatever draft capital they can through trades for players who won't be around next season.
The draft pick compensation after the pick swap works out to roughly an early sixth-rounder, by our draft pick valuations. It strikes me as a shade lighter than I would have expected considering there are other teams likely to be in the cornerback market between now and next Tuesday. That's why it's worthwhile for the Rams to make a move like this -- secondary depth is good when you're trying to make a run! If I were Tennessee, I might have held out until next week to see if a better offer came in, but I wouldn't expect to get that much more.
Browns trade CB Newsome to Jaguars for CB Campbell
Browns get: CB Tyson Campbell, 2026 seventh-round pick (via Eagles)
Jaguars get: CB Greg Newsome II, 2026 sixth-round pick (via Jets)
Browns' grade: B
Jaguars' grade: B-
We've got ourselves a challenge trade of sorts.
The Browns and Jaguars -- two teams on opposite ends of the contention spectrum -- decided to flip-flop fifth-year cornerbacks. However, because of their very different contract situations, this isn't exactly a like-for-like swap.
But let's start with the players themselves.
Campbell was off to a rocky start this season, allowing 1.6 yards per coverage snap (well above the 1.1 average for an outside corner). That he also allowed 1.6 yards per zone coverage snap was even worse, because corners tend to have lower yards allowed per snap in zone -- and the Jaguars play a lot of it. That 1.6 is a career worst for Campbell, who posted a solid 1.0 last season and had gotten as low as 0.6 in 2022. Like many corners, Campbell's career has been up and down.
Meanwhile, Newsome entered the season as a trade candidate (I pitched a Newsome trade for almost nothing in July) given his guaranteed money and a down 2024 campaign in which he allowed 1.5 yards per coverage snap. That number has remained level in 2025, though his zone coverage numbers have been better than his man numbers during each of the past two seasons.
Both Newsome and Campbell have been flagged twice for penalties this season.
Though Newsome had played outside corner in Cleveland, he provides slot flexibility. But Jourdan Lewis is playing well at nickel right now for Jacksonville, so I presume Newsome will remain outside.
Now to the huge part of this deal: the difference in these two players' contracts.
Newsome is in the final year of his, playing on a fifth-year option worth $13.4 million this season.
On the other hand, Campbell signed an extension during the 2024 offseason -- notably, with the Jaguars' previous front office regime -- that runs through 2028. Campbell's deal includes $13.1 million in fully guaranteed 2026 money and non-guaranteed $16 million and $16.5 million in cash in 2027 and 2028, respectively, per OverTheCap.com, with a rolling guarantee on some of that 2027 money. Campbell was due a $12.4 million option bonus in 2025; as of this writing, I am not certain whether the Jaguars already paid that out, but I will currently grade this deal as if they had.
Assuming that's the case, the Browns are shedding money in the short term by exchanging Newsome's remaining guaranteed salary for a proration of Campbell's $2 million salary plus per-game roster bonuses. But then they will be on the hook for Campbell's $13.1 million next year and will trigger an $8.9 million guarantee of his 2027 money, per Roster Management System, if they keep him. I find this detail critical.
By my count -- I'll confess to some late-night, back-of-the-napkin contract arithmetic -- I think the Browns would pay around $5.5 million more for Campbell than Newsome if they cut Campbell after this year. That number grows to around $15 million if they keep Campbell for 2026 but cut him after that year or around $22.5 million if they keep him through 2027 (with a pure team option on 2028).
If that's right, then they're essentially betting that Campbell's short-term play this year won't carry forward. It could cost the Browns a few million if they're wrong. It could save them quite a few more million if they're right. I don't love committing more guaranteed money mid-rebuild with a tight medium-term cap situation, but I see where they can find value.
This only makes sense for the Jaguars if they believe Newsome is an immediate upgrade. But is he? I don't think that was the consensus opinion heading into the season, and I'm not sure the numbers suggest a change of heart. Still, cornerback evaluation is fraught with errors, so it's possible. And while they lose the long-term upside of Campbell's deal, this will give them more financial flexibility in the 2026 offseason.
Ravens trade Oweh to Chargers for Gilman
Chargers get: Edge Odafe Oweh, 2027 seventh-round pick (originally from Rams)
Ravens get: S Alohi Gilman, 2026 fifth-round pick
Chargers' grade: B
Ravens' grade: B
We've got ourselves an intra-Harbaugh, player-for-player swap. And it's an interesting cross-positional defensive deal.
Let's start with the Chargers. Since (and perhaps even before) losing Khalil Mack to an elbow injury in Week 2, the Chargers looked like a team needing to add pass-rushing help. Without Mack for now, the Chargers were rolling with Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu at edge rusher. Both have been below average for the position so far in terms of pass rush win rate (Tuipulotu at 14.9% and Dupree at 11.7% -- average for this season is 16.3%).
Despite zero sacks this season, Oweh is an improvement in this department. His pass rush win rate at edge is 20%, which would be a career high for him. Last season, Oweh recorded 10.0 sacks and a 16.5% pass rush win rate. He is playing on his fifth-year option, costing $13.25 million in salary this year. The Chargers will presumably pick up the prorated portion of his deal for this season.
The Chargers lose a starter in Gilman, but they have veterans Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden still on the roster along with Derwin James Jr., though he mostly plays as a nickel. Gilman, like Oweh, is in the final year of his (much cheaper) contract.
Although Oweh hit double-digit sacks for the Ravens in 2024, he played only 45% of the defensive snaps this season. Baltimore has historically been more willing to part with edge rushers than most teams, and it has replacements already in place. Rookie second-rounder Mike Green and Tavius Robinson were already playing a higher percentage of snaps than Oweh, and Kyle Van Noy returned from a hamstring injury last week. However, Robinson and Green are sporting just 7.7% and 5.5% pass rush win rates at edge, respectively. Van Noy is at 17% in a limited sample, but this is an edge rushing group that is hardly overwhelming.
Gilman gives the Ravens a third safety (they also added C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad on Tuesday). That helps in the short term if Kyle Hamilton misses more time, but safety should be an asset for Baltimore once Hamilton returns. The Ravens like to play three safeties: Last season, they played a combination of Hamilton, Ar'Darius Washington and either Marcus Williams or Eddie Jackson for 290 snaps. With Washington injured, they haven't had that type of three-safety flexibility this season. Perhaps they do now.
With both Oweh and Gilman impending free agents, compensatory picks are a factor worth considering. If the Chargers and/or Ravens don't re-sign the players, they could each net a compensatory pick in return. That's potentially more beneficial to the Chargers considering edge rushers get paid much more than safeties, though the Chargers have so much cap space next year they might be spenders in free agency (and thus not get any comp picks).
Ultimately, this is a rare player-for-player swap between two teams hoping to contend in 2025 (yes, the Ravens are still in that bucket) and opting to lightly subtract from one area of perhaps light surplus to fill a greater need. The Chargers added a player at a more impactful position but had to pay in both draft capital and cap space to do so. Baltimore is rolling the dice, losing Oweh to add some wrinkles to the back end of its defense while gaining some draft and cap flexibility while at it.
I can see how this works from both sides.
Browns trade QB Flacco to Bengals
Bengals get: QB Joe Flacco, 2026 sixth-round pick
Browns get: 2026 fifth-round pick
Browns' grade: B+
Bengals' grade: C
Jake Browning forced the Bengals' hand. After his disastrous three-game stretch as the team's starter in the wake of Joe Burrow's turf toe injury, Cincinnati chose to trade for Flacco to get another QB option.
The Bengals are correct to try to find an alternative at this point. As high as I was on Browning -- I called him the second-best backup in the league just a few weeks ago -- his 35.3 QBR this season has significantly altered what we should think of him going forward, even if those three games came against the Vikings, Broncos and Lions.
The Bengals have no time to waste. Burrow could potentially be back for the end of the regular season and the playoffs, but Cincinnati must win enough games in order to put that scenario in play. At 2-3 they aren't out of it (especially in a wide-open AFC North), but the clock is ticking. ESPN's Football Power Index gave the Bengals only a 9.2% chance to make the playoffs with Browning at quarterback.
So the Bengals needed to make a move, and they did. But is this the right quarterback? That's where I take issue with the trade.
Flacco is coming off a failed stint as the Browns' starter in which he recorded as disastrous 27.6 QBR, 4.6 yards per dropback and a 4.2% (!) turnover rate. And that came playing for Kevin Stefanski, with whom Flacco had some level of success with in 2023. At 40 years old, Flacco could simply be done at this point. And considering his play this season, are we sure he's an upgrade?
In my opinion, Cincinnati's first choice should have been Atlanta's Kirk Cousins. If you're asking someone to steward the team to a .500ish record until Burrow can return, Cousins can probably do that better than any quarterback who realistically could be available. I would have been willing to pay more for him, too, considering the leverage and importance here. But would the Falcons be willing to trade Cousins? For how much? And are they willing to trade him now -- this far ahead of the deadline? The last question is important, because the Bengals had urgency.
But even if Cousins wasn't available, there were other options -- namely, one of the Giants' backup quarterbacks. The Giants don't need Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston now that they've turned to Jaxson Dart. If I were Cincinnati, I would rather have either Wilson or Winston than Flacco. And I suspect the Giants would have taken this deal for one of them.
This is found money for the Browns -- even if it's heavy pocket change. Cleveland is in full rebuild/evaluate-quarterback-play-for-the-future mode, so Flacco's job as a bridge quarterback was done. They can play Dillon Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders the rest of the way. And there should be zero qualms about trading Flacco within the division. Whether the Bengals contend in 2025 doesn't affect the Browns when it matters (2026 and beyond). If anything, it's better to take draft capital from a rival than anyone else.
Texans trade OT Robinson to Browns
Browns get: OT Cam Robinson, 2027 seventh-round pick
Texans get: 2027 sixth-round pick
Browns' grade: A-
Texans' grade: C
The Browns needed help at tackle and found an unlikely partner in the Texans -- another team with offensive line woes. Houston signed Robinson to a one-year, $12 million deal this offseason to shore up their left tackle position after trading away Laremy Tunsil.
At the time, I was a fan of the deal. Though Robinson has long been overrated with below average win rates, he had experience (7½ seasons with the Jaguars and Vikings) and looked better than a replacement level tackle. It turned out he could barely crack the starting lineup. After starting as Houston's left tackle in Week 1, the team shifted rookie Aireontae Ersery to the left side in Week 2 and kicked Tytus Howard out to right tackle.
It's a bad sign that Robinson couldn't start in Houston. The team ranks 28th in pass block win rate this season, though Ersery has been decent with an 89.0% pass block win rate (average for a tackle). That's well above Robinson's career 82.9% PBWR. Ersery is below average in run block win rate (72.6%), but that's also better than Robinson's career number (68.9%).
The Texans paid $8.75 million of Robinson's $12 million 2025 contract via a signing bonus, so the Browns are only on the hook for the proration of his $2 million base salary and $1.25 million in per-game roster bonuses, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. He also has $500,000 in incentives.
Still, it's remarkable the Texans are cutting bait on a $12 million free agency signing just four games into the season, particularly because a large chunk of it was the signing bonus. A further $1.25 million was in per game roster bonuses, meaning Houston will have already paid close to a quarter of that sum.
I'm all for ignoring sunk costs, but Robinson still offered some value as a backup at a key position of uncertainty. In exchange for losing him, the Texans only got a little cap relief and minimal draft pick compensation at a time when Houston hopes to contend. With Robinson gone, Blake Fisher is the team's clear No. 3 tackle.
It's easier to see why the Browns made this move. The team just lost left tackle Dawand Jones for the season to a knee injury. And outside of 16 snaps in Week 1, they have been without right tackle Jack Conklin due to an elbow injury. That has meant playing a combination of Cornelius Lucas and KT Leveston at each tackle spot. The duo rank 61st and 57th, respectively, in pass block win rate out of 66 qualifying tackles this season.
In Robinson, the Browns surely hope they have at least a slight upgrade at left tackle. And they didn't have to give up much in either draft pick or salary compensation to get him. While Cleveland is clearly not a contender this season, they can benefit from at least decent pass protection once they turn to one or both of their rookie quarterbacks. That makes a move like this worth it.
Titans trade CB Brownlee to Jets
Jets get: CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., 2026 seventh-round pick
Titans get: 2026 sixth-round pick
Jets' grade: A-
Titans' grade: C
With free agent signing Brandon Stephens struggling and limited depth behind him, the Jets waded back into the trade market for a young cornerback with experience.
Stephens, who was signed to a surprisingly expensive three-year, $36 million deal this offseason despite having a poor season in Baltimore in 2024, has allowed 1.5 yards per coverage snap thus far this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, well above the 1.1 average for outside cornerbacks. So the Jets brought in Brownlee, a 2024 fifth-round pick who has already started 16 games and who brings decent numbers.
Brownlee has allowed 1.0 yards per coverage snap in his young career, slightly better than average. His 15% target rate is roughly average, and his EPA allowed (+12.6) and completion percentage allowed over expectation (+2%) are positive, though those stats are unstable and unreliable indicators of future performance. Brownlee has also graded very favorably in run stopping, according to Pro Football Focus.
The second-year corner does get flagged quite a bit, as he has recorded a penalty on 1.1% of his defensive snaps since the beginning of last season, 17th most among defensive backs with at least 300 snaps. He has been penalized three times in two games this season. But it's not completely untenable, as his penalty rate lags behind old teammate L'Jarius Sneed (1.9%) and is slightly behind new teammate Sauce Gardner (1.2%).
Brownlee has been a success story considering his draft position. With his experience and nearly three cheap years remaining on his rookie contract, I'm surprised the Jets got him for so little. At worst, he's a good depth option (my colleague Rich Cimini indicated Brownlee could provide depth at nickel, as well) with both short- and long-term upside -- especially if Stephens continues to struggle.
I don't get why the Titans would want to deal Brownlee for so little right now. Rebuilding teams should acknowledge who they are and deal veterans for draft capital -- but that's not Brownlee! He is a young starting corner who netted very, very little in return.
Perhaps the Titans got tired of Brownlee's penalties, or maybe there is another factor we aren't seeing. Brownlee missed the Titans' Week 3 game with an ankle injury, but that seems unlikely to be a major consideration.
Either way, this move leaves the Titans with -- according to their new depth chart -- Darrell Baker Jr. as the starting outside cornerback opposite Sneed. Baker has made 15 starts in his career and his nearest defender numbers are solid: a 1.1 yards per coverage snap and a much lower career penalty rate (0.05%). But even if Tennessee felt good about Baker, Brownlee's youth and remaining cheap contract meant they let a lot walk out the door for almost nothing in exchange.
Jaguars trade RB Bigsby to Eagles
Eagles get: RB Tank Bigsby
Jaguars get: 2026 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick
Eagles' grade: C-
Jaguars' grade: A
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wins more trades than anyone, but he doesn't win 'em all.
In Bigsby, the Eagles acquire a very solid runner. The 2023 third-round pick accumulated an impressive 124 rush yards over expectation last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, after a disappointing rookie campaign.
But that's all he is, which is his downside. Bigsby offers almost nothing in the receiving game; he has only eight career receptions. He has pass blocked on only 33 snaps in his pro career. And he evidently didn't win the starting job in Jacksonville this season despite not facing particularly stiff competition in Travis Etienne Jr. and fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten.
This trade makes it clear that the Eagles felt they needed running back depth behind Saquon Barkley. They have Will Shipley, who figures to be more of a receiving complement and backup -- very different from Bigsby. But my first reaction was, wow, that's a lot for a backup at a nonpremium position who doesn't catch passes, especially considering how much Philadelphia has already invested at running back with Barkley. Even with Bigsby under control for another rookie contract year in 2026, this is a bit much for my liking.
Bigsby could also partner with Shipley on kick returns after having returned 11 kicks in his career. It's a more important role now than before given the precipitous drop in touchbacks, but it doesn't change that the Eagles gave up a lot for Bigsby.
This is a nice result for Jacksonville, though. It seemed likely that one of Etienne or Bigsby would be dealt after the addition of Tuten in this year's draft. That it happened now is an upset. But in exchange for their second- or third-string running back, the Jaguars are receiving a fifth- and sixth-round pick. That's great value, and it hardly leaves Jacksonville short-handed considering Bigsby didn't start.