Trade Rumors: Slayton, Lattimore, Broncos
Rumblings about the Steelers pursuing both Courtland Sutton and Darius Slayton surfaced days before the deadline. While no real traction has come out regarding Sutton — one of the NFL’s 2020s trade-rumor pillars — Slayton is still in play to be moved. The Giants wide receiver indeed came up during a Steelers push that concluded with a Mike Williams addition, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler noting Pittsburgh “took a hard look” at the sixth-year New York pass catcher.
Slayton has shown ability as a deep threat in the Big Apple, helping the Giants after a few of their past WR plans have gone awry. We are in crunch time for Big Blue regarding a trade of either Slayton or Azeez Ojulari, with the deadline looming in less than two hours. Slayton is finishing up a two-year, $12MM deal but is attached to barely $1MM in remaining salary. The Giants keeping Slayton would open the door to a potential compensatory reward if he leaves as a 2025 free agent.
Here is the latest from the trade market:
- The Ravens also explored a trade for Marshon Lattimore, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Chiefs and Chargers joined the Commanders in being in on the Pro Bowl cornerback, but a three-pick package sent him to Washington. Baltimore has Marlon Humphrey and used a first-round pick on Nate Wiggins. Pro Football Focus, however, has graded boundary starter Brandon Stephens 95th overall at the position this season. Lattimore, his injury trouble notwithstanding, would have been an upgrade on Stephens in a Humphrey-fronted position group. Both Lattimore and Humphrey entered the NFL as 2017 first-round picks.
- Although the Broncos are likely to see another deadline pass without dealing Sutton, some around the league are wondering about Javonte Williams‘ status. The fourth-year back has not quite looked the same since his ACL and LCL tears in 2022, though he has produced at points for this year’s 5-4 team. Still, execs are wondering about Williams’ trade availability, per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, due to rumors Denver is planning to give rookie Audric Estime a bigger workload. Estime, however, has fumbled twice — despite logging only 15 carries. Williams has also lost two fumbles, and given his form since the injury and Estime being signed through 2027, teams may be touching base with the Broncos about their contract-year RB.
- Rodney McLeod does not want to be part of a Browns exodus. Announcing before the season he intends to retire, McLeod said (via cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot) he does not want to be moved off the 2-7 team’s roster. “I’m riding with this team,” McLeod said. “I’m in the boat. I’m not looking to escape.” The Browns have traded Amari Cooper and Za’Darius Smith and cut Quinton Jefferson. They may well be done for the day, however, with Fowler adding talks about other players have not produced a deal.
Bills Release S Mike Edwards
12:02pm: Rather than subject Edwards to the waiver wire, the Bills will give the veteran a break by cutting him early. With no trade coming to pass, the team announced the Edwards release. Because Buffalo cut him before the 3pm CT deadline, he passes straight to free agency.
11:16am: Mentioned as a player on the trade block, Mike Edwards looks set to make his Buffalo stay short. The Bills are planning to cut the veteran safety if they cannot trade him today, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes.
The former Buccaneers and Chiefs defender sits behind Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin and second-round rookie Cole Bishop at safety. Although the Bills have run into memorable safety injuries in the recent past, they appear fine parting with Edwards. The Bills made him available recently and have until 3pm CT today to deal him.
Buffalo showed interest in Julian Blackmon this offseason, hosting him on a visit, but ended up signing Edwards. Blackmon then agreed to a one-year deal to stay in Indianapolis. Edwards signed a one-year, $2.8MM deal with the Bills more than a week into free agency. The agreement did not produce notable playing time, as the former third-round pick has seen just seven defensive snaps this season.
Edwards, 28, asked for the Buffalo exit, per Pelissero. The Bills separated from their seven-year safety duo, cutting Jordan Poyer and not re-signing Micah Hyde. The team had re-signed Rapp and have Hamlin in a contract year. After barely playing in 2023, following an inspirational recovery from cardiac arrest, Hamlin has commandeered a starting job. The Bills chose Bishop 60th overall and have used him primarily as their third safety. Versatile DB Cam Lewis also gives the team a depth option; he has played in front of Edwards this season.
Injuries at the position plagued Buffalo during training camp; this included Edwards battling a hamstring malady. But the perennial AFC East champions saw their situation clear up not too long after. Edwards returned by Week 1 but has been unable to land playing time, despite the two-time Super Bowl champion playing a starting role down the stretch for the Chiefs last season.
Edwards has 28 career starts on his resume. Filling in for an injured Bryan Cook in Kansas City last year, Edwards played 97% of the snaps in Super Bowl LVIII and at least 93% of the Chiefs’ defensive plays in two other postseason games.
Browns To Release DT Quinton Jefferson
Mentioned in trade rumors, Quinton Jefferson looks to have been unable to generate sufficient interest for the Browns. As a result, Cleveland will drop the veteran D-lineman.
The Browns will give Jefferson a chance to catch on elsewhere, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicating they are cutting him hours before today’s trade deadline. By doing so now, the Browns are allowing Jefferson to pass through waivers and straight to free agency. Had Cleveland waited until after the deadline to cut Jefferson, he would have been subject to waivers.
[RELATED: Browns Trade Za’Darius Smith To Lions]
This figures to mark yet another team change for the veteran defender, who has been with five franchises since 2020. Jefferson has moved from the Bills to the Raiders to the Seahawks to the Jets to the Browns. He has two Seattle stints on his resume but most recently chose Cleveland, signing a one-year, $4MM deal. The Browns will take on around $3MM in dead money by cutting Jefferson now.
It is not too surprising no team wanted to give up a draft asset for Jefferson, who has spent recent weeks inactive. Jefferson, 31, has not played since Week 5; the Browns have made him a healthy scratch for each of their past four games. While this stands to affect teams’ interest in the ninth-year veteran, Jefferson not driving a market could also benefit him due to the Browns agreeing to cut bait early.
Jefferson is not a stranger to releases, either. The Bills and Seahawks have cut him this decade, though both teams moved on during the offseason. Jefferson had signed two-year deals with Buffalo and Seattle, but following those releases, he managed to catch on elsewhere. For his career, Jefferson has worked as a 62-game starter. This includes a 14-game stretch for the Jets last season.
The Jets saw Jefferson produce a career-high six sacks under Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich; that came after the interior defender posted 5.5 during his Seahawks return. Jefferson tallied 13 QB hits in each of those slates. This season in Cleveland, he has one sack and two QB hits. The Browns have Dalvin Tomlinson, Shelby Harris, second-round pick Michael Hall and Maurice Hurst at DT. While they are open for business beyond a few cornerstone players, the Browns have moved on from one veteran piece without making a trade.
Chargers Interested In Patriots’ K.J. Osborn
The Chargers showed interest in veteran wide receivers this offseason, doing so after cutting ties with the seven-year Keenan Allen–Mike Williams tandem. Although Jim Harbaugh is in the process of turning around yet another team, it is back in the WR market.
In addition to showing interest in reacquiring Williams, the Bolts have one of the available Patriots pass catchers on their radar. The AFC West club is believed to be in the K.J. Osborn market, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. With Allen Lazard‘s injury perhaps giving the Jets cold feet on moving Williams, interested teams need to have backup plans.
[RELATED: Examining WR Market’s Final Stage]
It is unclear if a trade market will truly form, though Giardi points to other teams being open to adding the former Vikings slot receiver as well. The Patriots gave Osborn a one-year, $4MM deal in free agency. They are shopping the fifth-year veteran but have also been linked to merely cutting him after the deadline if no deal comes to fruition. For the season, Osborn has just seven receptions for 57 yards.
Were Osborn to be cut following today’s 3pm CT deadline, his vested-veteran status would no longer protect him from waivers. All players cut hit the wire if they are dropped after the deadline, opening the door to Osborn being unable to pick his next team. He is tied to just a $1.18MM base salary, which would not do too much to dissuade an interested team from claiming him. This prospect could convince a team to send a low-level compensation package the Patriots’ way.
Osborn, 27, fared better in Minnesota. He totaled 655 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2021 and nearly matched those totals in 2022 (650, five) to help the Vikings win the NFC North. Osborn caught 48 passes for 540 yards last season, one that featured four Minnesota starting QBs due to Kirk Cousins‘ midseason Achilles tear.
The Pats appear OK moving Kendrick Bourne or former second-rounder Tyquan Thornton as well. The team pursued big-ticket WR upgrades this offseason but did not add one. Still, the Pats drafted two receivers (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker) and have Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte rostered.
The Chargers have centered their first post-Allen/Williams passing attack around second-rounder Ladd McConkey; the Pats traded down with the Bolts to give them McConkey access at No. 34. Josh Palmer is currently with the team, but the Chargers may be open to trading the former third-round pick due to the free agent-to-be not being in their 2025 plans. Los Angeles hosted a few receivers this offseason but settled on DJ Chark, who has missed much of this season due to injury.
Raiders To Bring Back Norv Turner
Nearly 20 years after the Raiders fired Norv Turner from his HC post, they are bringing back the veteran offensive coach. As Scott Turner looms as the most likely OC fill-in, his father is coming in, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report.
Norv Turner surfaced as a potential staff addition recently, as the Raiders determine their post-Luke Getsy path. The older Turner is coming in as an assistant, with the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore noting the Raiders are hiring him for an advisory role. Although it is not yet known if Scott Turner will be the Raiders’ new play-caller, signs are pointing to it.
[RELATED: Raiders Fire Luke Getsy, Two Others]
This marks an unretirement for Norv Turner, 72. He last worked as the Panthers’ OC from 2018-19. Once the Panthers fired Ron Rivera that year, Norv moved into a different role as Scott became Carolina’s play-caller. Scott Turner parlayed that Panthers stint into a three-year run as Washington’s OC. The Raiders hired him as pass-game coordinator after his 2023 Commanders dismissal. With Getsy gone, the Turners appear set to play a central role in the Raiders’ second-half plans on offense.
Al Davis initially hired Turner after firing Bill Callahan, but the former Washington HC and future San Diego leader could not prevent what became an extended period of Raiders futility. Norv went 9-23 as Raiders HC, taking over an aging team that ended up saying goodbye to most of its Super Bowl XXXVII bastions — including Rich Gannon, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice and Rod Woodson — during his short HC tenure. (The Raiders traded Rice to the Seahawks during the ’04 season.) The Raiders acquired Randy Moss in 2005, and while the all-time WR great fared better under Turner than he did during a disastrous 2006 Oakland season, Davis still fired his HC ahead of a search that produced a second Art Shell HC stint — one that lasted all of one season.
Turner went just 1-for-7 in playoff berths as Washington’s HC but was 3-for-6 in San Diego. Since the Chargers canned him following the 2012 season, Turner spent time as OC for the Browns (2013), Vikings (2014-16) and Panthers before retiring from coaching. Norv’s 15 seasons of HC experience aside, his most successful coaching period came when he served as Cowboys OC under Jimmy Johnson for three early-1990s seasons during a period that doubled as the launch of the team’s ’90s dynasty.
Scott Turner, 42, will have his father and fellow ex-HC Joe Philbin to lean on, with Antonio Pierce‘s staff also including a third former HC in Marvin Lewis. Pierce said he would spend a day or two determining where he would turn for OC. Ex-Packers OC Edgar Bennett is also on the Raiders’ staff, but an announcement installing Scott Turner as the next play-caller appears imminent.
Panthers Trade Jonathan Mingo To Cowboys
Jerry Jones‘ mystery wide receiver is now revealed. The Cowboys will make a deal with the Panthers, who are sending Jonathan Mingo to the NFC East team, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.
In a corresponding move, Pelissero notes cornerback Andrew Booth has been waived. The 2022 Viking made only a pair of starts across two seasons in Minnesota. The former second-rounder was dealt to the Cowboys in a swap for fellow corner Nahshon Wright back in August, giving both players a change of scenery. Booth, 24, played just 38 snaps with Dallas and he will now hit the waiver wire.
Mingo was viewed as a player no longer in Carolina’s plans, and the 2023 second-rounder had not caught on in either of the two offensive systems in which he has played. The Cowboys are taking a flier on a player who was a top-40 pick just last year. The Cowboys will add Mingo and a seventh-round pick, while the Panthers will receive a fourth-rounder, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets.
[RELATED: Panthers Deal Diontae Johnson To Ravens]
Mentioned in PFR’s rundown of the WR trade market, Mingo joins Adam Thielen as players the Panthers appeared OK dealing. Thielen remains with Carolina, but the 34-year-old veteran is believed to be eager to join a contender. Thielen is signed through 2025 but profiles as a cut candidate next year — due to his age and his ’25 salary being nonguaranteed. The Panthers have already dealt two of their WRs; a third would certainly be interesting, even for a rebuilding team.
This is a better return than the Panthers received for Diontae Johnson, who fetched merely a Day 3 pick swap in the Ravens trade. Mingo being signed through 2026 undoubtedly procured that for the Panthers, as the Cowboys will have multiple years to evaluate the Ole Miss alum. Mingo’s age (23) and contract status factored into this value, as it is worth noting the Cowboys-Browns Amari Cooper trade and the Dallas-Houston Brandin Cooks swap did not involve a fourth-round pick.
Mingo managed a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at 220 pounds during the 2023 Combine, leading to the Cowboys showing interest, per Jones. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rated Mingo as its No. 37 overall prospect. Mingo only topped 300 receiving yards in one of his four Rebels seasons, however, with the 2022 campaign bringing 861 yards and five touchdowns last season. But he still caught the Panthers’ eye before becoming the No. 39 overall pick last year. Carolina had managed to keep No. 39 despite acquiring Bryce Young via trade-up; that decision led to Carolina trading No. 61 to Chicago, which also acquired the Panthers’ 2025 second-rounder in that seminal swap.
The Cowboys had chosen Jalen Tolbert in the 2022 third round and had traded for Cooks shortly before last year’s draft. Cooks is now on IR. Mingo profiles as more of a developmental piece compared to one that will immediately reignite the Cowboys like Cooper did following a 2018 in-season trade. Mingo has just 12 receptions for 121 yards this season. During a rookie season that featured Frank Reich being fired after 11 games, Mingo managed 43 catches for 418 yards. He does not yet have an NFL touchdown. Under the hood, The33rdTeam.com notes Mingo ranks either last or second-to-last in yards per route run and catch rate for players with 50 receptions since 2023.
Mingo will now join Tolbert and CeeDee Lamb in Dallas’ receiving corps. Carolina, meanwhile, has until 3pm CT today to decide on trading Thielen. It is also possible Thielen becomes a post-deadline release, though that is far from certain. The Panthers will retool around rookie first-rounder Xavier Legette and rookie UDFA Jalen Coker.
Cowboys Planning To Trade For WR
Jerry Jones has not seen his 2024 team deliver on his expectations, but the Cowboys are not selling. In fact, the owner confirmed a full-fledged effort to buy is underway.
After Jones appeared to show more interest in adding before today’s deadline, he said during a 105.3 The Fan interview (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) a wide receiver trade should be expected. This is certainly an interesting development, as the Cowboys are 3-5, and it all but signals a trade is imminent.
[RELATED: Examining Final Stage Of WR Trade Market]
Jones indicated this mystery pass catcher drew interest from the team coming out of the draft — whichever one said player was part of. The Cowboys have Brandin Cooks on IR, leaving CeeDee Lamb short on complementary help. Lamb is also iffy for Week 10, but the All-Pro is not certain to be out. The recently extended WR1 suffered an AC joint injury in Week 9.
The receiver market has seen several dominoes fall already, though a few trade chips remain. It would be borderline stunning if the Giants dealt Darius Slayton to a division rival, so that path is probably closed. One of the Patriots’ trade pieces could be in play here. Beyond Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton are believed to be available. Ditto Adam Thielen, but he would not qualify as a player a team liked in the draft; after all, Thielen is 34 and latched on with the Vikings after impressing at a rookie minicamp.
The Jets initially made Mike Williams available upon acquiring Davante Adams — a player the Cowboys checked on before quickly exiting that market due to contract reasons — but after Allen Lazard hit IR, Gang Green may now be fine keeping the former top-10 pick. The Chargers also may have Josh Palmer available; the former third-round pick is in a contract year and is not believed to be part of the team’s post-2024 plans.
A 2018 trade for Amari Cooper, who cost a first-round pick, ignited the Cowboys and keyed a turnaround that produced an NFC East title. The Cowboys have been effectively trying to replace Cooper since trading him to the Browns in 2022. Cooks has not proven wildly underwhelming, but he is now 31 and has not been as effective compared to his work following the other three trades in which he was involved. This Cowboys team is also, especially considering Dak Prescott‘s imminent IR placement due to a hamstring injury, in bigger trouble than the ’18 edition was.
Dallas has neither impressed on offense or defense. Prescott ranks 25th in QBR, while Mike Zimmer’s troops rank 31st in points allowed and 27th in total defense.
Bengals, Bears Agree On Khalil Herbert Trade
Rumored to be on the trade block, Khalil Herbert will be on the move on deadline day. The Bears are trading the veteran running back to the Bengals, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
The Bengals, who lost Zack Moss to a neck injury that caused him to miss Week 9, will send the Bears a 2025 seventh-rounder, Pelissero adds. This is a rental move, as Herbert is in a contact year, but it is certainly notable for a Bengals team not known for in-season moves. Moss’ injury prompted the Bengals to call around on RBs over the past week, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Moss is expected to miss the rest of the regular season, Pelissero and NFL.com colleague Mike Garafolo report.
[RELATED: Bears Open To Trading G Nate Davis]
This marks only the second time in 52 years the Bengals have acquired a player in-season. They did so in the Carlos Dunlap trade four years ago, adding O-lineman B.J. Finney. But Mike Brown‘s franchise is deviating from its M.O. to help a team that entered the season with high expectations.
Herbert had fallen out of Chicago’s RB rotation, playing behind free agent signing D’Andre Swift and 2023 draftee Roschon Johnson. Although the Bears do not profile as a true seller due to their 4-4 record, they will give Herbert an opportunity to finalize his free agency case. Herbert had operated as a key Bears back from 2021-23, but he was drafted by prior GM Ryan Pace. Ryan Poles will pick up an asset for a player no longer in the team’s plans.
Rumors about Herbert’s availability came up recently, as the former Kansas and Virginia Tech cog’s Bears role had diminished. Although Herbert heads to Cincinnati after having logged just eight carries for 16 yards this season, the former sixth-round pick played much bigger roles for high-end Bears rushing attacks previously. Herbert helped Chicago’s then-Justin Fields-centered ground game lead the NFL in 2022. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry in 2022, totaling a career-high 731 rushing yards that season. Last year, Herbert gained 611 on the ground, averaging 4.6 per tote.
The Bengals are 4-5 and have a difficult Week 10 assignment — a Thursday Ravens matchup in Baltimore — but they are not believed to be done adding at today’s deadline. Cincinnati continues to push for defensive help, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Bengals have regressed significantly on defense, ranking 25th to effectively remove Joe Burrow‘s margin for error on the other side of the ball. With the Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase–Tee Higgins troika perhaps in its final act together, it is understandable Cincy — its reputation for deadline inactivity notwithstanding — intends to explore more trades today.
Herbert will join Burrow and Co., being set to team with second-year RB Chase Brown. Both players came into the NFL with speed-based profiles. Herbert, 26, has a chance to assemble a free agency case with his second NFL team. Brown is signed through 2026, while Moss is attached to the Bengals through 2025. Though, Moss’ two-year, $8MM deal does not feature any 2025 guarantees. The Bears have Swift signed through 2027, and Johnson’s rookie contract goes through 2026.
Browns, Lions Complete Za’Darius Smith Trade
Rumored to be near the finish line while the Browns were playing their Week 9 game, the team’s deal with the Lions involving Za’Darius Smith is now done. The veteran pass rusher will be dealt to a third NFC North franchise.
As it turns out, Detroit will end up paying less for Smith than initially reported. The Lions will receive Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports, while the Browns will acquire a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder.
Cleveland’s hopes in acquiring a better return for Smith led to the delay here, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, who adds the AFC North team was hoping someone would send over a fourth-round pick for the veteran edge defender. Exiting Week 9, no club was willing to do so. That will lead to the Browns accepting the Lions’ offer.
These terms are not far off from those involved in the 2023 trade that sent Smith from Minnesota to Cleveland. Following the 2023 draft, the Vikings dealt Smith and 2025 sixth- and seventh-round picks to the Browns for 2024 and 2025 fifths. Eighteen months later, Smith is involved in another trade that includes at least three Day 3 draft choices.
The Lions will take on Smith’s remaining salary, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. That only requires a $605K payment, however. The Browns, as they are wont to do under GM Andrew Berry, inserted void years in Smith’s contract to reduce his cap hits. He entered the season with just $1.21MM due in 2024 base salary. Smith re-signed with the Browns on a two-year, $23MM deal in March. The Lions will take on this through-2025 contract, giving them flexibility to keep the well-traveled defender next season as well. Smith is due a $1.5MM base salary in 2025; that money is not guaranteed.
Aidan Hutchinson suffering a broken leg made the Lions an obvious pass-rushing suitor, and Smith ended up being asked about a potential trade to Detroit not long after the then-Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner went down. Smith, 32, expressed intrigue about a Lions fit; soon after, a report pointed to the Lions showing interest. The former Packers and Vikings edge rusher will move from Myles Garrett sidekick on a 2-7 team to the most accomplished healthy pass rusher for a 7-1 squad.
While the Lions have steamrolled their way to the top of the NFC, they have done so without reliable production from their non-Hutchinson edge players. Hutchinson racked up 7.5 sacks before going down in Week 5. Through eight games, no other Lions player has tallied more than 2.5 sacks. Among outside rushers, no Lion has accumulated more than one sack this season.
Smith checks a key box for a team that allocated significant offseason resources to locking down the core GM Brad Holmes assembled. The former Pro Bowler helped the Packers to two NFC championship games and aided the Vikings to the 2022 NFC North title during his one Minnesota season; the Lions will hope their former rival can push their effort over the top.
It will cost the Browns nearly $19MM in dead money to move Smith, which certainly presents an interesting scenario for a team tied to Deshaun Watson‘s contract through 2026. The Smith dead money will be spread over two years for the Browns. As the Watson contract has done the most to sink this Browns team after a 2023 playoff season, Berry and Co. have been tied to more seller’s moves before today’s 3pm CT deadline.
Despite the Browns’ struggles this season, is on a better pace compared to his 2023 form. Helping last year’s Cleveland squad to the No. 1 pass defense ranking, Smith finished with 5.5 sacks. Through nine games this year, he has five. Smith posted 20 QB hits last season; he has seven thus far this year.
The former Ravens, Packers and Vikings EDGE has reeled off three double-digit sack seasons — each of which coming in the NFC North. He reached 13.5 sacks upon signing with Green Bay in 2019 and added 12.5 to help the Pack return to the NFC title game a year later. Upon signing with the Vikings in 2022, Smith teamed with Danielle Hunter to record 10 sacks.
The Browns have now moved Smith and Amari Cooper. They are not planning to trade Garrett or Denzel Ward, but other names have come up. Greg Newsome‘s name has come up. It will be interesting to see if the retooling squad unloads more pieces over the next several hours. The Lions have not shown they need much, but they also could further augment their roster before today’s trade endpoint.
Broncos Trade Baron Browning To Cardinals
Although the Broncos are still an AFC playoff contender despite their one-sided loss to the Ravens, Baron Browning‘s name came up as a player the team was willing to move. Those rumors turned out to be prescient.
Browning is indeed being dealt, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reporting Denver is sending the outside linebacker to Arizona. The Cardinals will take on the remainder of Browning’s third-round contract, which expires at season’s end. Browning, who had fallen to a reserve role in ex-Cardinal DC Vance Joseph‘s unit, will attempt to help another playoff contender. The Broncos will receive a sixth-round pick for Browning, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
[RELATED: Broncos Extend OLB Jonathon Cooper]
Also sitting 5-4, the Cardinals are coming off an impressive defensive performance against the Bears. Arizona dropped Caleb Williams six times, but Jonathan Gannon‘s team entered the season with a limited edge-rushing situation. The Cards lost BJ Ojulari for the season in August, and Dennis Gardeck joined him in being lost for the campaign’s remainder weeks later. Gardeck suffered a torn ACL in October, further stripping pieces from the Cardinals’ OLB corps.
This is an interesting move for both teams. The Cardinals started a multiyear rebuild in 2023, hiring Monti Ossenfort after Steve Keim served in the GM role for 10 years. Ossenfort’s operation remains a work in progress, but it is starting to bear fruit. Gannon’s team has won three straight, and the defense-oriented HC has managed to improve on what was one of the NFL’s worst pass rushes (33 total sacks) in 2023. The Cardinals’ 21 sacks rank in the middle of the pack this season, though Gardeck contributed three to that cause. Only Dante Stills, a 2023 sixth-round pick, has that topped (3.5).
For Denver, this looks like a move to add draft capital without sacrificing a starter to do so. Browning, however, had worked as a starter in 2022 and ’23. He also entered this season as a first-stringer under Joseph, starting two games before going down with a foot injury. Upon return, Browning played behind ex-Ohio State teammate Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto. This trade ensures Bonitto’s starting spot is secure, and even as the Broncos have used rookie third-round pick Jonah Elliss a regular, the Browning trade strips away an experienced piece that has flashed in spurts.
Browning arrived in Denver before Sean Payton, being part of GM George Paton‘s quality 2021 draft class. The Broncos used Browning as an off-ball linebacker as a rookie before moving him to the edge in 2022. Browning replaced Randy Gregory as a starter early that season, teaming with Bradley Chubb. Browning became the team’s lead OLB following the in-season Chubb trade. Browning totaled five sacks in 2022 and 4.5 in ’23, though he missed 10 games due to injury in that span — seven because of an offseason knee injury that kept him out months last year — and then was down for four more this season. Browning has played in each of Denver’s past three games, and the Broncos will cash out. Cooper signed an extension over the weekend, following fellow 2021 draftees Patrick Surtain and Quinn Meinerz in doing so.
The Broncos have made many memorable seller’s trades in recent years. The first wave of moves — those involving Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and Von Miller — broke up the team’s Super Bowl 50 core. The team has since parted with pieces acquired following that game, trading Chubb to the Dolphins in 2022, Gregory to the 49ers last year and now Browning.
Although this trade may not qualify as a true seller’s move, it comes months after the Broncos dealt trade-rumor mainstay Jerry Jeudy to the Browns. Courtland Sutton has once again appeared in trade rumors, but Denver’s top receiver figures to be hard to pry given the top-heavy makeup of Denver’s current receiving corps.
The Cardinals will deploy Browning in a pass rush group that consists of Stills, converted ILB Zaven Collins, former Seahawks first-rounder L.J. Collier and 2021 sixth-rounder Victor Dimukeje, whose six QB hits lead the team despite the fourth-year player yet to produce a sack this season. He joins Browning in that regard, but with a regular role on tap, the latter will aim to secure a solid second contract while helping a suddenly competitive Arizona club.