Week 10 will mark the debut for both players the Chargers gave the IR-designated for return label during roster cutdowns in August. Their activations had already been accounted for, but Hand’s had not. With those three now back in the fold, the Bolts have three IR activations remaining on the season.
The NFL’s latest trade deadline featured eight Tuesday trades, but a total of 22 in-season swaps occurred this year. Some teams made multiple trades; several others stood pat. Two of the biggest trades in deadline history went down this week.
As we detailed Wednesday in the latest Trade Rumors Front Office post, the Jets’ perspective brought strong value for young players toiling on a downtrodden team. The three first-rounders plus the 2026 second will give New York’s new decision-makers a chance to retool while having assets to either find a quarterback in the draft or trade for a veteran. While it will be difficult to replace Gardner and Williams, the Jets’ Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn regime made the decision to cash in their top assets to launch a true rebuild — one that suddenly features plenty of QB ammo.
From the Colts’ perspective, Gardner brings an accomplished starter at a young age. Indianapolis received a player signed through 2030, though New York’s contract structure on the July extension limited the Gardner dead money to $19.75MM — far less than the Dolphins just took on for Ramsey or what the Saints absorbed upon trading Marshon Lattimore last year.
The Colts, after building from within for years, now have three high-cost DB contracts added this year in the Gardner accord and those given to Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum. Tied for the best record in the AFC (at 7-2), the Colts made a move and watched the Patriots, Broncos, Bills and Chiefs hold off on buyer’s trades.
Dallas’ stance is a bit more complicated. The Cowboys went from trading Micah Parsons for two first-rounders ahead of his age-26 season to acquiring Williams, who will turn 28 in December. The team still has three first-round picks between 2026 and ’27, but sending the higher-value ’27 first to the Jets strips away a prime asset for a player not on Parsons’ level.
Jerry Jones harped on the team’s run defense upon acquiring Kenny Clark in the Parsons trade, but that unit has faceplanted this season. Williams joins Clark and Osa Odighizuwa in a suddenly pricey Dallas D-tackle corps, and the longtime Jet had angled for a contract rework — something the Cowboys may now have to navigate.
The Cowboys also addedLogan Wilson, after trying to grabQuincy Williams from the Jets in a two-brother trade, but the younger Williams brother represents the obvious talking point here. Dallas’ interior D-line is well stocked. Will Quinnen Williams help transform a sub-.500 Cowboys team in the way Amari Cooper did after the team surrendered a first at the 2018 deadline?
Meyers will help the Jags replace Travis Hunter and provide some stability in a receiving corps also dealing with a Brian Thomas Jr. injury. Shaheed joins a surging Seattle squad, reuniting with 2024 New Orleans OC Klint Kubiak, and will be an interesting complementary piece for All-Pro candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. With Smith-Njigba, Shaheed, Cooper Kupp and rookie Tory Horton, the Seahawks look to have one of the NFL’s best receiving cadres.
Jacksonville also engaged in a cornerback swap, prying contract-year cover man Greg Newsomefrom the Browns in October. Newsome has started two games with the Jags and has incentive to perform well this season, as he is uncontracted for 2026. Tyson Campbell is signed through 2028, giving the Browns some cost certainty — albeit now carrying two upper-crust CB contracts, along with Denzel Ward‘s — at a premium position.
Cleveland did not aggressively sell, keeping its guards, David Njoku and other rumored trade assets, though they did do Joe Flacco a solid — to Mike Tomlin‘s chagrin — by trading the demoted QB within the division. Flacco immediately became the Bengals’ starter and has rejuvenated Cincy’s offense.
The Rams quietly bolstered their CB contingent by obtaining Titans contract-year slot playerRoger McCreary, while Tennessee also sent Dre’Mont Jones to Baltimore. The Ravens added Jones and Alohi Gilman, the latter becoming an immediate starter and helping maximize All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. Jones, who has 4.5 sacks this season, replaces Odafe Oweh — traded to the Chargers in the Gilman swap — in Baltimore’s OLB rotation. A former 3-4 defensive end, Jones gives Baltimore some pass rush options after Gilman supplied them with a deep safety. Gilman is also in a contract year.
While the Dolphins did not dive into full sales mode, retaining Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb, after parting with longtime GM Chris Grier, they did obtain a third-round pick for Phillips — who is in his fifth-year option season. The Chargers also added two more trades before the 3pm buzzer Tuesday, most notably addingTrevor Penning — a three-position starter for the Saints — for a late 2027 draft choice. A contract-year blocker, Penning will be an option for a battered Bolts’ tackle corps.
The Steelers’ long-rumored wide receiver quest did not lead to a deal, but the team did add veteran safetyKyle Dugger, who had fallen out of favor with the Patriots despite signing an eight-figure-per-year extension as a transition-tagged player in 2024.
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Kane, a seventh-round pick last year, was waived after undrafted rookie Keondre Jackson proved to be a recent factor on special teams. Having cleared waivers, Kane’s back in Baltimore, but his rookie contract is gone.
The Saints sent Rashid Shaheed to the Seahawks as part of Tuesday’s trade deadline frenzy, receiving fourth- and fifth-round picks for the veteran wide receiver.
New Orleans had previously set an asking price of a third-rounder, but they accepted less value for Shaheed knowing that he was hitting free agency in March. He was hesitant about the team’s quarterback situation, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, making him less likely to re-sign with the Saints.
Sure, the Saints may have been able to earn a compensatory draft pick if Shaheed left in free agency, but that would not come until 2027 and is no guarantee, either. It is also unlikely that Shaheed will receive a large enough contract to qualify for a third-rounder, and teams cannot receive multiple picks for one player through the compensatory system. As a result, the Seahawks’ offer was much better than what the Saints could hope to get by letting him walk in free agency.
Shaheed, meanwhile, lands in a better situation in Seattle. Sam Darnold is having another excellent season, and Shaheed seems positioned to slide into a deep-threat role in an offense that has only been able to rely on Jaxon Smith-Njigba downfield. That could help boost his stock before free agency, but the Seahawks also have their eye on quickly ascending the ranks of the NFC. You could argue they already have with a 6-2 start and top-10 units on both sides of the ball. That may inspire them to pursue an extension with Shaheed if he turns out to be a fit in Klint Kubiak‘s offense.
Not long after one receiver domino fell on the trade front, another swap has been worked out at the position. To little surprise, Rashid Shaheedis on the move.
The Saints are sending Shaheed to the Seahawks, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. Seattle’s passing attack will receive a boost for at least the second half of the campaign with the pending free agent in the fold. This swap will allow for Shaheed to reunite with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. New Orleans will receive fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2026, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. The trade is now official.
Earlier today, veteran insider Jordan Schultz identified the Seahawks as one of the candidates to make a notable addition. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports later confirmed Seattle could be among the teams to swing a move hours before this afternoon’s deadline. That has indeed taken place, and the 6-2 outfit will have a notable new element on offense for the stretch run.
The Seahawks entered Tuesday with nearly $21MM in cap space; they will take on the prorated remainder of Shaheed’s $4.2MM salary. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes no extension agreement has been worked out as part of this trade. As such, this is strictly a rental acquisition.
Seattle had emerged as one of the candidates for an offensive line addition on the trade front. One could still be coming, of course, but for the time being it appears this will be the team’s primary move ahead of the second half of the campaign. Jaxon Smith-Njigbahas been stellar in 2025, and he currently leads the NFL with 948 receiving yards. Free addition Cooper Kuppmissed Sunday’s night’s win while dealing with heel and hamstring injuries. This move may be a sign more missed time is forthcoming in his case.
Even if not, though, Shaheed will be in line to serve as a strong complementary option for his new team. The 27-year-old has flashed potential as a deep threat over the course of his Saints tenure, averaging 14.9 yards per catch across his career. Adding a vertical element to a WR room led by Smith-Njigba and Kupp could be key in allowing the Seahawks to remain in contention for the top spot in the highly-competitive NFC West.
The Saints have been linked to trades involving not only Shaheed but also fellow wideout Chris Olave. The latter would have been a more surprising trade target, and an extension could be in the team’s plans. That may be especially true without Shaheed in the fold any longer. New Orleans had set a high asking price leading up to the deadline, reportedly asking at least one suitor for a third-round selection. To no surprise, that did not prove attainable, especially with a pair of Day 3 picks being moved for Jakobi Meyers.
Shaheed always represented the Seahawks’ top target at the receiver spot based on Kubiak’s presence, Rapoport notes (video link). A lengthy acclimation period will not be required based on the familiarity between the two. Kubiak served as New Orleans’ OC in 2024, a year in which Shaheed was on track to deliver another strong campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Now healthy, he will look to boost his market value with a new team as the Seahawks prepare for what could be a deep playoff run.
The modern NFL features four clear trade windows. While the Cowboys and Steelers’ George Pickens swap showed moves can be made at other points on the NFL calendar, early March, the draft, the late-August 53-man roster-setting date and the November deadline reside as the primary points trades occur around the league. On that note, it is a good time to check in on what has transpired on the trade market ahead of today’s deadline.
Excluding pick-for-pick trades, here are the moves NFL teams have made thus far in 2025:
The Texans are bringing Wright on as an emergency option as regular kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn works through an injury. Wright has plenty of experience in this role as this will be his fourth team this year alone.
Usually when a player retires in the middle of the season, it’s a free agent who hoped they’d find a home due to the attrition of the regular season but never do. Rarely do we see active players like Lovato retiring partway through a campaign like this. Lovato is choosing to go out on his own terms, though, as it appears he was close to being released. Los Angeles only signed Lovato just before the season because its regular long snapper, Josh Harris, got hurt and placed on the team’s injured reserve with a designation to return. Harris returned to practice last week, so seeing the writing on the wall, Lovato is saving the Chargers the trouble of releasing him.
Kane had been a core special teamer for the Ravens since getting drafted out of the seventh round last year but had been made a healthy scratch in each of the team’s past two games. Jackson, though, has emerged as a standout on the unit over three practice squad elevations. The Ravens wanted Jackson to keep playing, so he’ll take Kane’s spot on the 53-man roster.
Reed’s time on Seattle’s active roster was short-lived. They’ll likely plan for him to sign back to the practice squad, but he’ll have to clear waivers before they can bring him back. The same is expected of Davis in Dallas.
As one of three NFC West teams sporting a five-win record, the Seahawks do not fit the profile of a seller at the trade deadline. Nevertheless, a pair of notable defenders continue to be mentioned in trade talk.
Cornerback Tariq Woolen remains a name to watch ahead of the November 4 deadline. The most recent update on his status indicated he could remain in Seattle. Things could change in short order, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Seattle prefers to keep Woolen in place through the remainder of the season.
The former Pro Bowler has struggled this season and his rookie contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The same is also true of edge rusher Boye Mafe, who could very well depart in free agency this spring. As such, the 26-year-old is worth monitoring on the trade front. Schefter adds, though, that the Seahawks would also prefer to keep him.
Here are some other trade notes from around the NFC:
In terms of receivers, one of the top candidates to move shortly is Rashid Shaheed. The Saints have been connected to an asking price of a Day 2 pick for the pending free agent. In particular, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football passes along New Orleans asked an AFC suitor for a third-round selection. Shaheed would provide a notable vertical addition to any acquiring team, but a price that high would be a surprise for a rental. It will be interesting to see if the Saints lower their asking price in the coming days.
Logan Wilson‘s trade request is still in effect, and he is among the defenders worth monitoring on the Bengals. A number of teams have made calls recently, and Schefter reports the Cowboys are among them. Dallas could stand to use one (or more) defensive additions given the team’s play on that side of the ball, and the team is not only in the market for rentals. Wilson – who has 65 starts to his name – is under contract through 2027.
The Packers faced questions about their secondary entering the campaign, but the team sits 15th against the pass so far. Green Bay is among the teams looking into corners on the trade market, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Tyson Campbell, Roger McCreary, Michael Carter IIand (most recently) Jaire Alexanderhave already been dealt ahead of the deadline. Other corners could be on the move, however, and with nearly $12MM in cap space the Packers can afford a rental addition.
Sitting atop the NFC South, the Buccaneers could look to add. It would nonetheless come as a surprise if a notable acquisition were to be made. Greg Auman of Fox Sports predicts Tampa Bay will (if anything) only be in the market for a depth addition in the rental market. Adding at the linebacker spot or along the edge would be feasible, per Auman, but a major move should not be expected.
Another team not viewed as a serious buyer is the Lions. Defensive depth could still be targeted, though, and Russini writes safety and defensive line are among the positions being explored. Detroit is also among the teams which have called the Bengals about their defensive trade candidates (including Wilson but also cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt). With over $22MM in cap space, the Lions could afford a rental with ease.
