With the trade deadline nearing, more player movement can be expected during the coming days. Of course, a key factor in any deals will be the financial situation for contenders aiming to bolster their rosters for the second half of the campaign.
Just like last year, the 49ers find themselves with considerable cap space to work with. The team has several reasons to roll over as many funds as possible into the offseason, however, with Brock Purdyeligible for an extension and the likes of Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoirand Talanoa Hufangaon track for free agency. Major investments including a commitment beyond 2024 would thus come as a surprise.
San Francisco is among the teams to watch regarding an addition, and major injuries on both sides of the ball could lead to a stop-gap solution being targeted. The 49ers may also be open to moving away players before the deadline, though, with Ward being named as potential candidate to be dealt. Sitting at 3-4, the team’s bid to return to the Super Bowl has not gone as planned to date, but a notable midseason addition could certainly change things.
Having lost Aidan Hutchinsonuntil at least the Super Bowl, the Lions have an obvious need along the edge. Replacing his production with any one addition will not be feasible, but bringing in at least a rotational option would not come as a surprise. Indeed, Detroit has been involved in the edge market with respect to showing interest in some of the veterans who could be on the move.
That list no longer includes Haason Reddick, but the Lions have also been connected to Za’Darius Smith. The Browns have already moved Amari Cooper, so it would come as little surprise if the team were to deal away the three-time Pro Bowler in a move which would allow him to return to the NFC North. Smith certainly seems to be open to a trade, and Detroit would easily be able to absorb the remainder of his $1.2MM 2024 salary.
While Smith could be on the move, fellow Cleveland edge rusher Myles Garrettis (understandably) seen as untouchable. That is also the case for Raiders start Maxx Crosby, with owner Mark Davis making it clear a trade will not be considered before or after the deadline. Even though the Titans have been active already on the trade front, they too will not entertain a deal involving two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. While talks have taken place related to Cooper Kupp, the Rams do not expect to move on from the former Super Bowl MVP.
The Titans have already started pivoting to 2025, with the organization having dealt wideout DeAndre Hopkins and linebacker Ernest Jones over the past week. While the front office will likely continue to sell off players with an eye towards the future, one piece that is likely staying put is defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Simmons is considered “off-limits” in trade talks. The Titans believe the defensive lineman is a “big part of their future,” and the rebuilding squad presumably has Simmons penciled in to their future cap sheets.
The former first-round pick has spent his entire career in Tennessee, earning a pair of All-Pro nods while collecting 26.5 sacks. The lineman inked a four-year, $94MM extension with the organization prior to the 2023 campaign, but he was limited to only 12 games that season before landing on IR.
The 27-year-old has appeared in five of the Titans’ six games this year, collecting 17 stops and one sack. Pro Football Focus has ranked Simmons 18th among 119 qualifying interior defenders this season, including the third-best positional grade for run defense.
Naturally, a number of teams would love to add the six-foot-four, 305-pound lineman to their defense, with Russini specifically pointing to the Lions, Ravens, and Vikings. Those squads would also likely be eyeing Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby and Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett, although Russini echoes previousreports that those two players won’t be moved. Instead, the reporter suggests DL-needy teams could look to the likes of Jadeveon Clowney (Panthers), Preston Smith (Packers), and Za’Darius Smith (Browns).
The NFC North has been the best division in football this season. All four teams reside above .500 and carry a combined 19-7 record (.733 winning percentage) that far outpaces the other seven divisions’ marks.
If the season ended today, all four NFC North teams would make the playoffs, which would be the first time an entire division qualified for the postseason since the NFL added a third wildcard in 2020 (it was impossible for this to occur from 2002-19). But each team will be aiming to win the division, which would guarantee home-field advantage in the wild-card round and potentially beyond.
The Lions finished Week 7 atop the division at 5-1 with a plus-62 point differential that leads the NFC. Jared Goffis playing at an MVP level after signing a massive extension in May, leading an offense that ranks second in the league with 6.4 yards per play. Detroit has largely carried over its success under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson from last season after spending most of their money this offseason on internal extensions for Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, and Taylor Decker. A two-game suspension forJameson Williamswill force other playmakers to step up in the coming weeks, but the backfield duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery has churned out almost 200 yards from scrimmage per game this season.
The Lions focused on defense for their external additions in the offseason, trading for Carlton Davisand signing D.J. Reader and Marcus Davenport in free agency. After giving up 24.3 points per game in 2023, the seventh-most in the league, Detroit has surrendered just 20 points per game this year, the ninth-fewest. Injuries have plagued the unit, however, with Davenport and Derrick Barnes suffering season-ending injuries and Aidan Hutchinson‘s Defensive Player of the Year campaign coming to a screeching halt with a broken tibia and fibula in Week 7.
Hutchinson does have an outside shot to return if the Lions make the Super Bowl, but he won’t play again in the regular season, depriving the defense of its most impactful pass rusher and run defender. Detroit has the third-hardest strength of schedule remaining; its remaining opponents have a combined .581 winning percentage. The Lions may need to look for edge-rushing help at the trade deadline to withstand the losses of Hutchinson and Davenport. They checked in with Haason Reddick‘s camp, before he ended his Jets holdout, and are believed to be interested inZa’Darius Smith.
The Vikings started the season as the NFL’s hottest team, stringing together five straight wins before back-to-back losses to the Lions and the Rams dropped them to 5-2 and second place in the NFC North. Minnesota underwent a minor roster overhaul this offseason, letting Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter walk in free agency and replacing them with less expensive options in Sam Darnold and Jonathan Greenard. The surplus money went toward Justin Jefferson‘s record-setting contract as well as veteran free agents like Aaron Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Shaquill Griffin. The Vikings also traded up twice in the draft to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthywith the 10th overall pick, though a preseason meniscus tear prematurely ended his rookie year.
Kevin O’Connell is an early frontrunner for Coach of the Year after resurrecting the career of Darnold, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 draft. The Vikings’ offense ranks sixth with 26.9 points per game on the back of another dominant start from Jefferson, while Brian Flores‘ defense has allowed just 19.6 points per game with one of the league’s best run defenses and relentless blitzing against the pass. Their 0.545 strength of schedule remaining is the seventh-hardest in the league, but the easiest of the NFC North, giving them a solid chance at retaking the division lead by the end of the season.
The third-place Packers are also 5-2, with a loss to the Vikings already on their record. They managed to win two games with Malik Willis, whom they acquired via trade with the Titans in August, at quarterback after Jordan Love‘s Week 1 MCL sprain. Green Bay made Love the highest-paid player in NFL history in July, and he has delivered thus far with an average of 270.2 yards and three touchdowns through the air per game this year.
Love’s quick recovery from injury and return to high-level play bodes well for his long-term future as a franchise quarterback. The Packers also extended Kenny Clark and signed Xavier McKinney and Josh Jacobs to free agency contracts during the offseason as they moved on from veterans David Bakhtiari, De’Vondre Campbell, and Aaron Jones.
The Packers’ 11 turnovers committed this season rank are the fourth-most in the league, but their 6.1 yards per play and 26.6 points per game are both top-seven marks. If they can take care of the football, they should finish as one of the NFL’s best offenses. The defense, meanwhile, ranks in the top 10 of both points per game and yards per play allowed with a league-leading 17 turnovers. Green Bay’s .544 strength of schedule remaining is the fifth-hardest in the NFL, but the team has avoided major injuries to key players.
The 4-2 Bears represent one of the league’s biggest surprises after remaking their franchise overnight with the selection of Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. Williams withstood some early hiccups to rip off three consecutive wins with 71 combined points in the last two weeks. Chicago also invested in its wide receiver room, extending D.J. Moore, trading for Keenan Allen, and drafting Rome Odunze in the first round to give Williams a strong array of weapons to ease his adjustment to the pros. The Bears also signed D’Andre Swift to lead their backfield after rotating between three running backs last season. The offense has been inefficient with just 4.7 yards per play, the fifth-fewest in the league, but they have been clinical in the red zone with a 70.6% touchdown rate.
Chicago also invested in its secondary over the offseason with a major extension for Jaylon Johnson and the addition of Kevin Byard in free agency. The Bears have reaped the rewards with the fourth-fewest points per game (16.8) and the fifth-fewest yards per play (5.0) and per game (292.0) allowed.
The Bears have benefitted from an easy schedule, beating the struggling quarterbacks of the Titans and the Panthers as well as an injured Rams team and a slumping Jaguars squad in London. The rest of the season will be more difficult, with a league-high .613 strength of schedule remaining that will make the playoffs an uphill climb for Chicago. Still, even finishing above .500 would be a resounding success for the long-suffering franchise and a clear sign that this regime is on the right track.
How will this division’s historically successful start turn out over the next two-plus months? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
It was announced on Monday that Jameson Williamswill serve a two-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. The third-year Lions wideout will not be appealing the ban.
In a statement, Williams noted the news of the ban was a “complete surprise.” The same is of course true of several players when they address similar situations, but in spite of the fact he was caught off guard Williams will not attempt to have the suspension reduced. He will miss Detroit’s Week 8 and 9 matchups as the team looks to continue its four-game winning streak.
“I don’t take supplements or vitamins and I am overly cautious about even taking over-the-counter medicine,” the 23-year-old said. “At no time have I ever taken something in an attempt to cheat or look for an unfair advantage. I understand that I am responsible for everything that goes into my body and I have to take accountability in this instance.”
Williams’ rookie season saw him only make six appearances as he rehabbed the ACL tear which ended his college career. The former No. 12 pick was then delayed in making his season debut last year due to a gambling suspension, but he proved to be an effective deep threat once he was on the field. Entering the 2024 season as Detroit’s WR2, Williams has been a strong contributor with 361 yards and three touchdowns on 17 catches.
In his absence, Amon-Ra St. Brownwill remain the Lions’ top receiver and he could see an uptick in targets. The same could also be true of tight end Sam LaPorta. In terms of secondary wideouts, Tim Patrickhas handled a 45% snap share with his new team, so the former Bronco could step into Williams’ role on a temporary basis. Kalif Raymondis also a candidate for extra snaps and targets during the next two weeks.
Williams will be eligible for an extension this offseason, and Detroit will also have a decision to make on his fifth-year option in the spring. The presence of multiple suspensions on his resume will not help his value on either front, but his attention and that of the team will turn to replicating his early-season production once he is back on the field.
Hutchinson successfully underwent surgery to repair his broken bones last week, with head coach Dan Campbell offering a four-to-six month timetable for his recovery. However, doctors discovered during surgery that Hutchinson suffered no ligament or nerve damage in the injury, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, indicating that he might be able to beat Campbell’s original prognosis and return in time for the Super Bowl, which is set for just under four months after his injury on October 13.
“I would never count him out,” said Campbell after Hutchinson’s surgery. “I would say if anybody can make it back it would be him.”
While Hutchinson’s injury shocked many who watched it on live television, it was a clean break without any additional complications, simplifying the repair and recovery process for the star edge rusher’s leg. The injury also fortuitously took place at AT&T Stadium in Arlingon, Texas, with nearby Baylor University Medical Center designated as the Level 1 trauma center for any major injuries that happened during the game. Baylor’s medical director of orthopedic trauma services is Dr. Alan Jones, one of the nation’s experts in tibia and fibula repairs, placing Hutchinson in good hands immediately after his injury.
Those factors will give Hutchinson an outside chance at playing in the Super Bowl should the Lions advanced through the playoffs and win the NFC Championship Game in January. His injury brought Hutchinson’s Defensive Player of the Year campaign to a screeching halt, but it’s still possible he could help Detroit hoist an even more important trophy if all goes right.
The Ravens finally activated Maulet to the 53-man roster at the very end of his 21-day return window. The veteran slot cornerback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason, but dealt with a minor hamstring injury upon his return to practice. To make room, Baltimore waived Ross, a special teams starter, likely hoping to add him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Maulet’s return could not be coming at a better time for a Ravens pass defense that was already struggling before starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey left Monday night’s victory over the Buccaneers with an injury.
The Panthers signed Gill off the Lions’ practice squad and Harris off the Dolphins’ practice squad to fortify their defense on Tuesday. They also released Haynes and waived Wooten and Smith as part of an overhaul of their weak front seven.
The Giants signed Watts from their practice squad to strengthen the interior of their defensive line while waiving Basham, a former Bills second-round pick who arrived in New York via trade in August 2023. Giants general manager Joe Schoen was the assistant GM in Buffalo when Basham was drafted, while Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Schoen traded a sixth-round pick in exchange for Basham and a seventh-rounder from the Bills just before the 2023 regular season, but Basham did not record a single sack in 13 games as a Giant.
Prince played under Brian Callahan in Cincinnati but has only played two games over the past two seasons. A six-game starter with the Dolphins and Bengals, Prince missed all of the 2020 season due to a COVID-19 opt-out and then all of the 2022 season due to injury.
The Vikings cut Tonyan from their 53-man roster earlier today, but because the NFC North mainstay is a vested veteran, he did not need to clear waivers before joining Minnesota’s practice squad. With T.J. Hockenson on the way back, Tonyan profiles as insurance.
This is a third chance for Marshall. The Panthers waived him after three seasons. No team claimed the former second-round pick, with Joe Brady‘s Bills passing. The 49ers took a flier soon after but released him last week.
Jameson Williams‘ breakout season may be coming to a brief pause. According to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard (and via ESPN’s Adam Schefter), the Lions wide receiver is facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy.
Williams spoke to Woodyard, stating that he’s disappointed with the development and has “no choice but to take it on the chin.”
“I’m in good spirits,” Williams told Woodyard. “[I’m] just ready to get back with the my brothers ASAP soon as possible.”
This is a tough blow for both Williams and the Lions, as the former first-round pick was putting together the strongest season of his career. In six games (four starts), Williams has already established career-highs in receiving yards (361) and touchdowns (three). His 60.2 yards-per-game mark was more than double his 2023 average, and it barely trailed Amon-Ra St. Brown‘s team-leading 66.8 yards per game.
The 12th-overall pick in the 2022 draft, Williams didn’t make his debut until that December while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in college. After finishing his rookie campaign with a single catch (a 41-yard touchdown, no less), Williams got a full offseason ahead of the 2023 campaign. However, the start of his sophomore season was still delayed thanks to a suspension for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. When he returned, he was firmly behind St. Brown and Josh Reynolds on the depth chart.
With Reynolds no longer around in 2024, Williams has stepped up as the team’s WR2. In an offense loaded with talent, Williams has still managed to garner the second-most targets (30) on the squad. Fortunately for the Lions, they should be more than capable of overcoming Williams’ impending suspension. Tim Patrick and/or Kalif Raymond could step up at WR, and tight end Sam LaPorta could see an uptick in targets following a disappointing start to his sophomore campaign.
OCTOBER 20: Adding more substance to the Lions-Smith speculation, ESPN’s Adam Schefter hears from league sources that Detroit could indeed be interested in acquiring the accomplished pass rusher prior to the deadline. Cleveland would prefer to retain Smith and his thru-2025 contract, but the club is expected to listen to offers.
OCTOBER 18: The Browns have traded awayAmari Cooper, a sign the 1-5 team could continue to sell leading up to the trade deadline. If that proves true, edge rusher Za’Darius Smithcould soon be on the move.
The veteran served as a full-time starter last year, his debut campaign in Cleveland. Smith posted only 5.5 sacks – his fewest during a healthy season since 2017 – but he managed to land an extended look with the Browns in the offseason. Team and player agreed to a two-year, $23MM deal in March which prevented him from testing the open market. Things have not gone according to plan in 2024, however.
The Browns’ offense has struggled mightily with Deshaun Watsonat quarterback, but the team has also failed to live up to expectations on defense so far. In terms of pass rush production, Cleveland sits 14th in the NFL with 15 sacks; Smith has accounted for three of those while adding four pressures and two tackles for loss. The three-time Pro Bowler’s base salary for this year is just $1.2MM (a prorated portion of which would be taken on by an acquiring team) and none of his base compensation for next year is guaranteed.
“You know what, that’s not my decision. That’s all upstairs,” Smith said when asked about the possibility of a trade (via Scott Petrak of the Chronicle-Telegram). “I would rather you ask them to see what that would be… I’m staying positive, but now that you say that, [getting traded] might be a good look, a good feel for me.”
Smith’s 10-year career has seen him suit up for four different teams, including stints with the Packers and Vikings. A deal sending him to the Lions would allow for a return to the NFC North, and it would help fill the void created by Aidan Hutchinson‘s broken leg. No firm links have emerged between Smith and Detroit, but he would apparently welcome the opportunity to finish the season in the Motor City.
“Hate that injury happened to him, a guy that was on his way to get Defensive Player of the Year possibly,” the former fourth-rounder said of Hutchinson. “That’s a big loss for them. But if I was to go to Detroit, I would like it, because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year. So, yeah, that’ll be big.”
The Lions could certainly use help along the edge with both Hutchinson and Marcus Davenportout of the picture. The team has, to no surprise, showed at least some interest in Haason Reddick as his new representation seeks to bring an end to his Jets holdout. Adding Reddick will require some kind of contractual commitment unless he changes his stance and elects to play out the remainder of his existing deal (either in New York or as a member of a new team) and in doing so puts himself on track for free agency.
Other edge rushers could be on the trade market, though, including Smith. Given his remarks, he would certainly welcome a move sending him to the Lions. It will be worth watching closely to see if that sentiment is reciprocated, or if other teams show interest in adding him before the November 5 deadline.
If Detroit makes it all the way to New Orleans on February 9, they could receive a massive boost in the form of injured defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who broke his tibia and fibula in Week 6.
