The NFL’s Oct. 31 trade deadline is less than a week away, so teams need to start working on trades now.
A season’s weekly fluctuations alter the situation every week before the trade window closes. The Vikings would be sold before the deadline, everyone believed a week ago. Nonetheless, Minnesota is now in the midst of the confusing NFC playoff battle following their decisive victory over San Francisco on Monday. If GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was thinking about selling off his assets at this point, he might want to think twice.
When a team is talking about avoiding burning things down to the wire before the deadline, it’s common to mention the 2022 Detroit Lions’ incredible run from 1-6 into playoff contention in the previous season. Four of the clubs ranked 1–5 won in Week 7 alone, maintaining optimism for a turnaround. However, it’s important to remember that the Lions had a run last year despite trading tight end T.J. Hockenson at the deadline. Thus, teams can continue to be competitive and acquire riches in the future.
The NFL’s trading activity is stifled by a variety of problems. The compensatory-pick system, salary limit issues, clubs’ reluctance to give up future picks, and the calendar date—which is still relatively early in the season—all work against cutting players. Less trading may also result from injuries. Prior to suffering a quad injury, safety Jeremy Chinn of the Panthers was considered a possible target. Zach Ertz, the tight end for the Cardinals, was on this list prior to his placement on injured reserve on Tuesday, which required a rewrite from me.
There is a short window of time left for teams to make roster upgrades before to the stretch run. This week, the Philadelphia Eagles have already made a big impression by acquiring Tennessee’s All-Pro safety Kevin Byard. GMs across the board now have to counter Howie Roseman’s strategies.
The ten trade fits listed below are ones I hope to see happen before the deadline on Halloween at 4 p.m. ET.
