The NFL trade deadline was action-packed.
Several teams have traded for a new starting quarterback. Stars at all three levels of defense were handed out. Well-known offensive linemen and receivers were moved. Strangely, after weeks of discussions, the only position that wasn’t traded was running back. But there were enough offerings to keep everyone busy.
Advertisement
Here are the five most notable transactions made since the start of this season:
1. DT Jeffery Simmons, Bears
Simmons showed in his first game in Seattle just how much of an impact he will have on the Bears this season. Chicago’s defense looked much different with Simmons in the middle, attracting the attention of blockers while continuing to make plays. He was a first-team All-Pro last season and could follow a similar path this season. Everyone saw Simmons’ dominance, but it was the Bears who acted on it. Chicago sent two first-round picks to Tennessee for the 29-year-old Simmons, but the Bears and their fans won’t mind if he helps break a Super Bowl drought that dates back to the 1985 season. Given the quality of Chicago’s offense and how the defense has already improved with Simmons in the middle, it’s realistic to think Chicago could find itself in the Super Bowl.
“I think it’s just — I don’t know — you can feel his presence,” linebacker TJ Edwards said after Simmons’ Week 8 Bears debut, according to the team website. “Especially me, I’m right behind him, so I can kind of feel how they’re trying to block him. … They’ve made our job a lot easier. But he definitely helps, for sure.”
Advertisement
2. DT Jordan Davis, Jaguars
The Eagles had a lot of potential trade chips, but Davis wasn’t talked about as such because he was only 26 years old and also one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL. But the Jaguars got aggressive, sending a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick to the Eagles for a player who can immediately replace (and potentially improve) DaVon Hamilton, who was having a terrific season before tearing his quads and going on injured reserve. It was a very expensive trade, and probably overpaid, but Davis undoubtedly makes the Jaguars stronger this season.
The Jaguars also made moves for safety Jessie Bates III and another defensive tackle, Davon Godchaux, but the move for Davis makes a big difference for a team with Super Bowl hopes.
3. QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings
We must be careful not to overestimate the impact of this decision. The Vikings still have the fourth-best quarterback and fourth-best offense in their division. Cousins is 38 years old. And many of the same people who were clamoring for the Vikings to trade for Cousins were the same people who, during Cousins’ previous six seasons in Minnesota, said he could never win anything.
Advertisement
This is a rare move in the NFL, as viable starting quarterbacks are hardly available in a trade. The Vikings didn’t overpay for a third-round pick, and it’s a unique situation for a quarterback who has already played with the coach and within the program. He can intervene directly. The Vikings have a fantastic defense and should now have a competent offense. Wherever this reunion leads, it was wise for the Vikings to find out.
4. S Amani Hooker, invoices
Hooker is having a career year in his eighth season. He leads the NFL with five interceptions. His Pro Football Focus grade ranks fourth among safeties with at least 300 snaps. The Bills had a hole at the position after cutting CJ Gardner-Johnson and did well to land Hooker.
The Bills defense got off to a slow start this season and while it played well through two weeks, it struggled against quarterbacks Joe Fagnano and Carson Wentz. Buffalo needed a defensive upgrade. The Bills are pretty good up front, and they now have a potential All-Pro safety this season at guard. It was a drastic move that should improve the Bills, who are in a great position to make the Super Bowl for the first time in the Josh Allen era.
Advertisement
5. QB JJ McCarthy, Giants
When the Giants traded a fifth-round pick for McCarthy, it seemed like a low-cost gamble on a reclamation project. The Giants couldn’t have known they had found a first-team starting quarterback in the NFC East. McCarthy had a stunning fourth quarter in relief of Jameis Winston against the Saints, throwing for 243 yards in less than a quarter. He then earned the starting job and the Giants have since won both games.
It’s possible that McCarthy returns to the inconsistent form he had last season, which caused the Vikings to give up the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after just 10 starts. But he has looked composed and gives the Giants a more stable quarterback option than the hot and cold Winston. It looked like the Giants’ season might have been over when Jaxson Dart suffered a knee injury in Week 2, but a smart, cheap trade for McCarthy could end up saving him.
Gn sports
