Many blockbuster trades went down before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET NFL trade deadline.
The Commanders traded their two standout edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat to get a head start on the many changes that are expected with new team ownership. But, surprisingly, only one went to a contending team.
Chicago probably would have been better off staying quiet for the league’s trade deadline, but it at least drastically improved its defensive front with Sweat.
As for the contending teams, the race for the NFC West took several turns this week, with the Seahawks landing Leonard Williams before being overshadowed by the 49ers acquiring Young to pair with Nick Bosa.
But many contending teams, including the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs, were too scared to make a move on Halloween. (Sorry, I had to make one Halloween reference.)
Here are our trade deadline winners and losers.
WinnersSeahawks
Seattle didn’t acquire interior defensive lineman Leonard Williams to address immediate needs. It made the splash move to push the 49ers’ cast of skill players. It was a move for depth on the defensive line, similar to what the Cowboys have amassed, and a decision made to match the Eagles’ toughness in the trenches.
The Seahawks went all in with hopes of making a deep postseason run in the NFC. With a new-look defensive line, Seattle is well-equipped to face those aforementioned teams—it also plays the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles between Weeks 12 and 15.
Seattle paid a hefty price after sending 2024 second-round and ’25 fifth-round picks to the Giants for Williams, the former Pro Bowler in the final year of his contract. But the pros outweigh the cons for this notable move. (The Giants are paying the bulk of Williams’s remaining $10 million salary for this season.)
Williams doesn’t primarily play on the edge, but he’s a quality pass rusher on the interior, similar to what Dre’Mont Jones has provided during his first season in Seattle. Both players will help fill the void of edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu, who recently suffered a season-ending pectoral injury. The team also has second-round standout Boye Mafe, and it recently signed Frank Clark.
The Seahawks also have playmakers with linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks, and cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. This defense is loaded and primed for a deep postseason run.
