If we're all being honest here, the NFL trade deadline is more fun for the imagination than it is in reality. Dreams of remaking multiple franchises often descend into bit moves and short-term fixes, at least compared with the in-season blockbusters we see in other sports.
With that said, NFL teams had been relatively active in the weeks heading into the Nov. 2 deadline. They added backup quarterbacks. (Welcome back to the Jets, Joe Flacco.) They bolstered linebacker depth in Denver, added a complementary running back in New Orleans, rebuilt the defensive secondary in Carolina and, in one notable instance, acquired a player who could put a team into serious contention for the Super Bowl championship. (Indeed, former Eagles tight end Zach Ertz seems a perfect fit for the Cardinals.)
Leading up to the deadline, the Rams made a big move and showed their all-in approach, trading two picks for Broncos edge rusher Von Miller. Then the Chiefs and 49ers addressed defensive needs with deals for Melvin Ingram III and Charles Omenihu, respectively. The Chiefs also sent guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to the Jets, and right before the 4 p.m. ET deadline, the Eagles landed cornerback Kary Vincent Jr. from the Broncos.
We evaluated every deal of even mild significance and handed out letter grades to both teams involved. We should be clear that grades are based on circumstances at the time of the agreement. Performance of players and teams involved at any point afterward are not part of the consideration. Let's get to it.
Broncos trade CB Vincent to Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles get: Cornerback Kary Vincent Jr.
Denver Broncos get: Sixth-round pick
Eagles' grade: B-
Broncos' grade: B+
A seventh-round pick this spring, Vincent had been inactive for all eight Broncos games this season. This trade gives the Broncos a chance at a do-over next season, and at a higher draft position.
At this point, the Eagles should be considering every possibility for improving their pass defense. Through eight games, their opponents have an adjusted completion rate of 76.2%, third worst in the NFL. They have no more idea than anyone else whether Vincent can help them, but in some ways, this deal is like adding an additional member to their 2021 draft class.
Chiefs trade G Duvernay-Tardif to Jets for TE Brown
New York Jets get: Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
Kansas City Chiefs get: Tight end Daniel Brown
Jets' grade: A-
Chiefs' grade: C
At first glance, this might seem like a one-sided trade. Duvernay-Tardif was a starter for five seasons, while Brown is primarily a special teams player. In 23 games over the past two seasons, Brown has played a total of 41 offensive snaps.
But it has been clear for a while that the Chiefs had moved on from Duvernay-Tardif, who is eligible for free agency after the season. He hasn't played a single snap for them since the 2019 season after opting out of the 2020 season to work as a doctor in Canada and then suffering a broken hand in August. He was inactive for the Chiefs' first seven games of the season, was in uniform but did not play in Monday night's victory over the Giants and had lost his job at right guard to rookie Trey Smith.
It's fair to wonder why the Chiefs, who have been short at offensive line for years, would not try to maximize their depth as they struggle to make a playoff run. But they are also the only team that has seen Duvernay-Tardif on the field in two years, and maybe they know best how equipped (or ill-equipped) he currently is to help them. And that probably explains why the Chiefs didn't find much value for him on the trade market.
For the Jets, meanwhile, it was worth giving up a 29-year-old special teams player to get a first look at a potential target in free agency.
Texans trade DE Omenihu to 49ers
San Francisco 49ers get: Defensive end Charles Omenihu
Houston Texans get: 2023 sixth-round pick
49ers' grade: B
Texans' grade: C+
This deal is one step above a waiver claim. The Texans had clearly given up on Omenihu, making him a healthy scratch in two games this season and giving him an average of 33.3 snaps in the four games he did play after being removed from the starting lineup in Week 3. He hasn't had a sack in 108 pass rushes this season, and the seven sacks he accumulated in the previous two seasons came under a different coaching staff.
It's not surprising that the best the Texans could do here is an additional sixth-round draft pick in two years. In that context, the 49ers did the right thing here by assuming the contract of a still-young (24) edge player with a previous history of getting to the quarterback.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that the Chiefs considered this deal as well, and if anything, it's a surprise that more teams weren't lining up to take a flier on Omenihu.
Steelers trade OLB Ingram to the Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs get: Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram III
Pittsburgh Steelers get: Sixth-round pick
Chiefs' grade: B
Steelers' grade: B-
The Steelers paid Ingram a $2.95 million signing bonus to give them a targeted boost to their pass rush, but he managed just one sack in 123 pass rush opportunities and was winning 12% of his rushes, according to ESPN's pass rush win rate. His playing time dropped in each of his past four games, from a high of 60 snaps in Week 2 to 17 in Week 6, and it was time for the Steelers to cut their losses for a failed decision in free agency.
Fortunately for Ingram, the Chiefs fall into the category of accepting whatever level of help they can get from whomever is available to give it. They rank in the bottom third of the NFL in pressure rate, and opposing quarterbacks are getting an average of 2.83 seconds to throw, sixth-worst in the NFL. Veteran Chris Jones returned to the edge Monday night after recovering from a wrist injury, but Ingram's arrival might give Jones an opportunity to rush the passer from the inside more often.
Ingram brings a recognizable name and offers the Chiefs a chance for modest improvement. But their defense has plenty of other holes, especially in the back end, and thus, his big-picture impact is likely to be modest.
Broncos trade OLB Miller to Rams
Los Angeles Rams get: Outside linebacker Von Miller (and $9 million toward his base salary)
Denver Broncos get: Second-round pick and third-round pick
Rams' grade: A-
Broncos' grade: A-
There is no disputing the Rams are in win-now mode, if the deals to acquire cornerback Jalen Ramsey and quarterback Matthew Stafford in the past 24 months hadn't already convinced you. Draft picks mean less to the Rams than to arguably any other NFL team. And to be fair, they have a 7-1 record so far this season to show for it.
At some point, the Rams are going to get old and won't have enough young talent to transition into a new era. But the point of their approach is to maximize their current standing, and so they might as well go as all-in as they can. Miller, 32, is unquestionably on the downturn of his career, but the Rams don't need him to be close to his prime to make this deal a home run. Miller missed the Broncos' game Sunday against Washington, and he has managed only seven starts in the past two seasons. But he has shown some juice in those seven games he has played this season, ranking No. 15 of 59 qualifiers in pass rush win rate at edge, according to ESPN metrics and NFL Next Gen Stats data.
The Rams should be able to maximize the skills he has left by pairing him with the best interior pass-rusher in the game in Aaron Donald. (Donald will surely benefit from Miller's presence as well.) The Rams' defense already has the NFL's fourth-best Total QBR allowed (45.3), but again, this is about lifting the team to a Super Bowl level. It's important to note that the Rams are in a fight to win the NFC West, much less the Super Bowl, given the Cardinals' 7-1 start. They needed help, and Miller -- provided he stays healthy -- will give them more than most midseason trade acquisitions.
Giving up second- and third-round picks would make most teams cringe, but the Rams -- who now have just one pick in the first four rounds of the 2022 draft -- would call that "Monday." The Broncos helped the Rams by agreeing to pay $9 million of the remaining $9.7 million on Miller's contract. Otherwise, the Rams wouldn't have had enough salary-cap space to complete the trade.
The best way to think of what the Broncos did is to accept that they upgraded the compensatory pick they would have received if Miller had remained with the team and then departed via free agency next year. Instead of a pick in maybe the fourth round, the Broncos got picks in the second and third rounds. The price was steep -- $9 million and the services of Miller -- but they were probably going to part ways with Miller anyway. And the only people affected by the cash outlay fall within Broncos' ownership group.
Texans trade RB Ingram to Saints
New Orleans Saints get: Running back Mark Ingram II
Houston Texans get: 2024 seventh-round pick
Saints' grade: A-
Texans' grade: C
It's not often that we'll praise a team for bringing in a 31-year-old running back, especially if it requires giving up an asset to make the deal. But the Saints were in a bind at the position, and at this point, the top priority was being able to send someone onto the field who knows what he is doing. Ingram spent eight seasons in the Saints' system before signing with the Ravens in 2018, and he'll fit in nicely alongside Alvin Kamara following the preseason release of Latavius Murray and the ankle injury to backup Tony Jones.
To be fair, a seventh-round pick in 2024 is minimal compensation. The Saints will pay Ingram a reasonable proration of his $1.5 million base salary, along with a roster bonus of $31,250 for every game he is active. He won't work miracles -- he missed five games in 2020 because of a calf injury and was averaging 42 yards per game in seven starts in Houston this season -- but the Saints' roster is better with him on it.
The Texans had no business signing Ingram in the first place. Their strategy of signing a slew of aging veterans in the first season of a rebuilding project has blown up in their face, and this probably isn't the last trade they'll make before the deadline.
Eagles trade QB Flacco to Jets
New York Jets get: Quarterback Joe Flacco
Philadelphia Eagles get: Conditional sixth-round pick
Jets' grade: D
Eagles' grade: B+
For two seasons, Flacco has been the veteran backup that no one wants on the field -- including the Eagles. They seemed poised for this move from the moment they acquired Gardner Minshew II from the Jaguars in September. Kudos to the Eagles for getting compensation of any kind for Flacco, whose teams are 2-10 in his last 12 starts.
The draft pick could escalate to a fifth-round pick depending on Flacco's playing time with the Jets, who should be embarrassed of their team-building process at the position. After correctly determining that Flacco was unsuitable to continue as their backup, they stacked unproven Mike White and journeyman Josh Johnson behind rookie starter Zach Wilson. With Wilson set to miss at least a few weeks because of a knee injury, the Jets felt compelled to give up a draft asset to bring Flacco back.
The deal surely won't threaten the Jets' future, but the glimpse it provides into the Jets' inner workings is far from favorable.
Rams trade LB Young to Broncos
Denver Broncos get: Linebacker Kenny Young and a 2024 seventh-round pick
Los Angeles Rams get: 2024 sixth-round pick
Broncos grade: B+
Rams grade: B-
The Broncos added Young a few days after acquiring Stephen Weatherly in an attempt to re-stock a linebacker group decimated by injuries. It was a bit surprising to see a starting player -- Young started all of the Rams' first seven games -- traded for what amounts to a move up from the seventh to the sixth round in three years. Perhaps the Rams were ready to give up on him entirely, and in essence, this deal got the Broncos to the head of the line instead of hoping they could claim him on waivers.
As with Weatherly, the Broncos are desperate for bodies at the position, and Young is healthy and ready to play right away.
Vikings trade DE Weatherly to Broncos
Denver Broncos get: Defensive end Stephen Weatherly and a 2023 seventh-round pick
Minnesota Vikings get: Seventh-round pick
Broncos grade: B-
Vikings grade: B
Weatherly has primarily been a 4-3 defensive end, but the Broncos are in triage mode at linebacker and will accept all comers in their 3-4 scheme. He had some success as a pass-rusher during his first stint with the Vikings, notching three sacks as a part-time starter in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but he was mostly a special-teams player in 2021.
If anyone would know whether he can help the Broncos, it's general manager George Paton, who was with Minnesota when Weatherly was drafted in 2016. The compensation exchange was as close to being insignificant as it could be. That the Vikings got anything for a defensive end who was relegated to special teams should be considered a win.
Eagles trade TE Ertz to Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals get: Tight end Zach Ertz
Philadelphia Eagles get: Cornerback Tay Gowan and a fifth-round pick
Cardinals' grade: A-
Eagles' grade: B-
This would have been a great deal for the Cardinals even if they hadn't lost tight end Maxx Williams because of a knee injury. Ertz is still a productive veteran with Super Bowl experience.
He isn't cheap -- the Cardinals will pay him a prorated portion of his $8.5 million base salary -- and is eligible for free agency after the season. But the Cardinals are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and are all in for 2021 after signing defensive lineman J.J. Watt and receiver A.J. Green during the offseason. Ertz fits the same profile and is another in a growing list of players on the Cardinals' roster who could help put them over the top. Giving up a rookie defensive back and a fifth-round pick seems like modest compensation at best.
The deal is more complicated from the Eagles' perspective. They drafted Dallas Goedert as Ertz's tight end heir apparent in 2018, but Ertz then went on to have the best two seasons of his career. There was no hurry to move on from him. But assuming they plan to sign Goedert to a contract extension, now was probably the Eagles' last chance to get any return beyond a compensatory draft pick. Stranger things have happened, but the Eagles should feel confident that they got the best years of Ertz's career before parting ways.
In his first game with the Cardinals, Ertz caught three passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Patriots trade CB Gilmore to Panthers
Carolina Panthers get: Cornerback Stephon Gilmore
New England Patriots get: 2023 sixth-round pick
Panthers' grade: A
Patriots' grade: D
There is something to be said for moving on from a 31-year-old cornerback, especially one who was still dealing with a torn quad that had ended his 2020 season. And there is no doubt that the Patriots can benefit from the $5.8 million in salary cap space they saved in this maneuver. But general manager/coach Bill Belichick drew an artificial line here that doesn't jibe with a free-agency spree presumably designed to elevate the team's competitiveness in 2021.
Gilmore had been agitating for a new contract for some time, and the Patriots should have been motivated to get a deal done. Gilmore would have made the Patriots better, at least in the short-term, which is what they seemed focused on during the offseason. Allowing the issue to spill into the regular season, while Gilmore spent time on the physically unable to perform list, only served to reduce the compensation the Patriots got in return for a still-valuable asset. As it turned out, they couldn't get so much as a 2022 draft pick for him, instead settling for a Day 3 selection in the 2023 draft.
For the Panthers, the deal makes all the sense in the world, especially after the loss of rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn -- and even if it did come after they had already acquired cornerback CJ Henderson. Knowing the Patriots planned to release Gilmore, they sent a 2023 pick just to ensure his arrival in Carolina. They'll pay a prorated portion of his $7 million base salary and should get a boost for a defense that averaged 29 points allowed between Weeks 4-7. And while it's not a primary factor in evaluating this trade, it certainly doesn't hurt that Gilmore is a native of nearby Rock Hill, S.C.
Jaguars trade CB Henderson to Panthers
Carolina Panthers get: Cornerback CJ Henderson and a fifth-round pick
Jacksonville Jaguars get: Tight end Dan Arnold and a third-round pick
Panthers' grade: B
Jaguars' grade: C
New Jaguars coach Urban Meyer wanted nothing to do with Henderson, the No. 9 overall pick of the 2020 draft, from the start of training camp. Reports surfaced in early August that he could be available by trade. It's not unusual for new coaches to feel less attachment to a draft pick selected during a different era, but how in the world did Meyer and the Jaguars' new front office make up their minds about him so early?
Henderson didn't make a huge impact during his rookie season, but giving up on a top-10 pick early in his second season (for football reasons) is reflective of the larger inexperience Meyer has displayed of the professional level. The Jaguars surrendered a draft pick as well in order to get two assets in return.
But there are no worlds where Arnold has a higher upside than Henderson. And, in fact, Arnold has had much more time in the NFL to show who he is and isn't. He has some receiving ability, but has never been a difference maker during stints with the Saints, Cardinals and Panthers. The Panthers had signed Arnold to a free-agent contract in the offseason but jumped to acquire a player they had coveted during the 2020 draft. There are no guarantees here, but when you can ship out middling assets for Henderson's upside, you make that deal every time.