5:48 p.m. ET
Ryan Neuzil trade
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Ravens trade grade: C
The last deal before the deadline was perhaps the most confusing.
Baltimore has certainly taken a lot of interest in its interior line, having drafted Vega Ioane in the first round in April and adding Cam Jurgens at center last month. And with Ioane now installed at right guard, Andrew Vorhees has become replaceable.
Neuzil reunites with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford, under whom he previously worked in Atlanta. The former Appalachian State standout left guard could return to this spot to push for John Simpson, who has largely disappointed in his return to the organization. Or Neuzil could serve as additional insurance for Jurgens, given the center’s injury issues.
But adding an expiring contract into what is shaping up to be a lost season is beyond confusing.
Commercial quality of falcons: C
Even though their team is still in the thick of the NFC South chase, general manager Ian Cunningham and football czar Matt Ryan clearly have their eyes a little further ahead for the Falcons.
Obviously, signing Neuzil wasn’t on the cards for Atlanta. It seems likely that the team’s leadership believed the offense could get by with Corey Levin under center.
But given how crucial it is to have a clear assessment of Michael Penix Jr., who was easily rattled when forced from his position, disrupting the protection plan is a bit of a headache.
5:22 p.m. ET
Commercial Grade Josh Downs
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Commercial grade of chefs: B+
Good admission from Kansas City on what everyone could see: that receiving corps was woefully short of what it needed to be.
Without a play quotient on the perimeter, the Chiefs settled into a dink-and-dunk operation. Mahomes’ 5.7 air yards per attempt is by far the lowest average of any qualified passer, with Kansas City relying entirely on yards after catch to fuel a methodical approach.
Does adding Downs mean building on that identity or putting a hat on a hat? Maybe it doesn’t matter.
With Downs in the fold, Kansas City now has a target who can reliably beat man coverage. That’s something the offense couldn’t have said before Tuesday. And with the offensive tackle prospects looking rather tenuous, getting a reliable entity — assuming he leaves his uncharacteristic drops behind — could prove extremely valuable down the stretch.
Colts trade grade: B
There is another contract that is expiring, and for good reason. Retaining Downs after requesting a trade just seemed like a failure. It’s nice to get some value back here right away rather than trying to play the compensatory draft game this offseason.
The rest of the season probably won’t be much fun for Daniel Jones, who can now throw to a group of receivers more likely to be deep Immaculate Grid answers rather than true contributors. But the rest of a season is a wash anyway, and draft capital takes priority over everything.
5:05 p.m. ET
Daiyan Henley Commercial Qualities
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Broncos: B
Sean Payton and George Paton have been major contributors to building the Broncos roster. Acquiring Henley was a fitting achievement for a team that currently leads the AFC West.
The fourth-year linebacker contrasts well with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, providing more coverage upside than either of his new teammates while also showing plenty of range as a tackler. At 6-0 and 225 pounds, he’s probably not built for the job early in the season. But his skillset helps the second level of the Broncos defense feel a little more complete.
The expenses contained here were admirable. Henley could amount to a rental, but the Broncos should get a compensatory fourth-round pick for losing John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
Quality of chargers: B-
…Is that it?
This is not meant to question the compensation for this move in isolation, as there is value in adding fourth and fifth round picks for a player whose contract is expiring.
The biggest problem is that the 0-8 Chargers haven’t really parted with any other piece other than Henley. If we were rating the team’s efforts as a whole, an F would be needed to capture this malpractice. In a much narrower view, however, the Bolts did well here. They just need to rack up more real wins like this on the field.
4:40 p.m. ET
Kirk Cousins Business Categories
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Vikings trade grade: A
Minnesota deserves a lot of ridicule for the way it pushed itself to the point of needing outside help at the 11th hour to save its season.
As far as escape hatches go, though, that’s about as good as it gets.
With his familiarity with Kevin O’Connell’s offense, Cousins offered not only the smoothest transition of any potential acquisition, but also the highest upside potential. Even with his well-documented limitations at age 38, Cousins still consistently supported a Silver and Black offense that offered no support in the running game or on defense.
The connection with receiver Justin Jefferson should be reestablished shortly. Having some threat downfield should also open things up considerably for a Vikings running game that still can’t find its footing.
Better yet: Minnesota likely won’t miss out on its third-round pick now that it has a real chance to compete for O’Connell’s first playoff win, a breakthrough that seems necessary for the franchise to move forward with a sense of confidence.
Cousins is not a panacea. It will still have to be protected, particularly against the blitz. And the rushing attack needs to come alive to ensure things don’t fall squarely on his shoulders. But if the 15-year veteran can push one of the league’s most inert operations somewhere toward the middle of the pack, it could be enough to reestablish the Vikings as a major threat in the NFC.
Raiders trade grade: B-
Given Las Vegas’ influence here, getting a pick that will be closer to the start of the compensatory draft range seems a bit disappointing.
2:37 p.m. ET
Commercial qualities Amani Hooker
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Ticket quality: B-
The compensation (second and fifth round selections) is equivalent to what the Jacksonville Jaguars gave up to acquire Jessie Bates III. Some key differences though: Hooker is almost two years younger and is under contract through 2028.
However, this is a rather high price. But that’s somewhat understandable given the dire situation Buffalo’s defense finds itself in.
Matchups against shorthanded offenses in the Ravens and Vikings have obscured how much work still remains for Jim Leonhard’s team. Despite this two-game reprieve, the Bills continue to present numerous opportunities on the field for opposing quarterbacks. With a four-game stretch starting on Thanksgiving and resulting in matchups with Patrick Mahomes, Drake Maye, Jordan Love and Caleb Williams, the vulnerability was destined to be exploited if not patched.
The Bills had been linked to Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker in recent weeks, but this might be the best fit. With Bates off the market, Hooker was clearly the best option to improve coverage on a defense.
But that’s a lot to give up for a player in a non-premium position and already isn’t cheap.
Titans grade: B+
This may not be a complete teardown. However, general manager Mike Borgonzi has shown that he will part with any piece if the return helps speed up the reconstruction.
With an opportunity to sell at a high price, the compensation here was too high to pass up.
1:55 p.m. ET
Keenan Allen business qualities
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
49ers Trade Grade: B-
San Francisco lands a wide receiver from the Colts – but not the one most anticipated.
The team in need of receivers was linked to Josh Downs for much of the last month. Instead, the 49ers took a more budget-conscious route by adding Allen for a sixth-round pick.
General manager John Lynch had resisted making a more substantial investment during the season at the position, and his reasoning is sound. Once Evans and Stribling are fully healed, the aerial attack is more than enough to threaten the sturdy secondaries. With the team having already lost a fourth-round selection following the DeForest Buckner trade, any higher cost could have been prohibitive.
Allen should also be a reliable target, capable of continuing Kyle Shanahan’s attacks.
With most of the top pass-catching considerations not for sale, San Francisco did well to add at least some depth if its injury issues resurface down the stretch.
Commercial grade of the Colts: B+
There was little point in extending Allen’s stay on a team that had recognized it was looking toward the future. Indianapolis has bigger fish to contend with in finding deals for Downs and possibly Jonathan Taylor, but extracting long-term value – no matter how small – was a necessary move.
Gn sports
