This year, NFL teams got on the trade train early. J.J. McCarthy was traded in Sept., and now he is starting at quarterback for the New York Giants. Marvin Harrison Jr. was moved in a deal that reunited him with his college quarterback, and for the first time ever, multiple first-rounders were traded for a defensive tackle, as Jeffery Simmons was dealt to the Chicago Bears. The Indianapolis Colts also embraced a full-blown and unprecedented rebuild that started with the departures of Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner and didn't end until the NFL trade deadline past.
Now, the deadline itself was arguably less hectic than the trades that took place earlier. Still, there were some big moves that drastically alter the NFL landscape. So, which NFL teams were the big winners of the trade deadline?
Kansas City Chiefs
Everybody knows how potent the Kansas City Chiefs' offense can be, particularly when it comes to the passing came, and even more specifically, when it comes to the deep ball. While the Chiefs have three Super Bowl championships and two more appearances since Patrick Mahomes became their quarterback, the offense just hasn't been quite as explosive since Tyreek Hill's departure.
Now, Mahomes still has a case as the best quarterback in the NFL, and tight end Travis Kelce somehow always finds a way to get open, even at age 37. Running back Kenneth Walker is a part of the offense now, too. After winning Super Bowl MVP honors with the Seattle Seahawks last season, Walker has been arguably the best ball carrier in the league. The team needed more pass-catching help, though, and that was the case before the season as well as heading into the trade deadline.
Rashee Rice is talented, but he has left plenty to be desired since his rookie year, largely in part due to injuries and off-the-field issues. Xavier Worthy has tons of speed, but the former first-rounder has proven himself to be more of a gadget option than a potential star. Tyquan Thornton had been the player operating as Mahomes' deep option, but he suffered a gruesome injury that could keep him out for the rest of the year. Even Cyrus Allen hasn't done much since a fantastic training camp showing.
This all led to the Chiefs trading for Josh Downs, a route-running specialist who operated in the slot for the Indianapolis Colts. Downs has enough speed to make plays down the field, but he is also someone who will be able to get open on short and intermediate routes. This will provide more balance to a Chiefs' offense that has been overly reliant on their running game than would be ideal. It didn't cost premier draft picks to add Downs, who had requested a trade from a Colts team in the midst of blowing up their roster, either.
Fourth and seventh-round picks were enough to get the deal done. That is great value for a player with 231 career receptions. Considering the Chiefs didn't give up any more capital, the door is still open to reunite with Hill, too. Hill's injury is still a question mark, but a return to action and a reunion with the Chiefs has been rumored for quite some time now. Even if that doesn't happen, a trade for Downs made a lot of sense.
Denver Broncos
The Chiefs' AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos, just keep finding ways to win games. It isn't always pretty, though, and they tend to rely on fourth-quarter comebacks to get the job done. The offense is electric in the clutch but has struggled to begin games. Because of this, many assumed the Broncos would add offensive talent at the trade deadline.
That didn't end up being the case, though. The Colts opted against moving Jonathan Taylor, and trading for a star tight end like Trey McBride proved to be unrealistic. There also wasn't much interior offensive line talent on the trading block. The Broncos didn't just decide to tuck tail and let the trade deadline pass, though.
They instead added to an already elite defense. The Broncos are arguably the best sacking team in the NFL, and nobody has more secondary talent. If there was an area of weakness, though, it was off-ball linebacker depth. Alex Singleton was playing 99.85% of the defensive snaps. He was followed by Justin Strnad with a 81.64% snap count rate. The backups had played just a couple of snaps all season combined.
Not only were the Broncos putting themselves in a risky position if they were to suffer an injury, but they were also overworking their linebackers. Then, they traded fourth and fifth-round picks for Daiyan Henley. The up-and-coming linebacker was a captain for the Los Angeles Chargers. He also had 301 combined tackles over the last two and a half seasons. Denver went from having no linebacker depth to arguably the best LB3 in the sport. More offensive help would have been beneficial, but the Broncos made the most of taking what they could get, and they embraced the mantra that defense wins championships.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of four teams that have never appeared in the Super Bowl. Therefore, they can't be blamed for going all in at the trade deadline. The team made three blockbuster trades for well-regarded defensive players. First, the Jaguars traded second and fifth-round picks for Jessie Bates.
A deal for Davon Godchaux was to follow and cost just a conditional sixth-rounder, and the biggest trade of them all saw a first and a second-round pick go to the Philadelphia Eagles for Jordan Davis. Now, that latter trade was the most polarizing of the bunch. That much draft capital was a lot to give up for a defensive tackle who is most known as a lane-stuffing run-stopper. The former college football national champion and Super Bowl champion doesn't get enough credit for the pressure he generates, though. Davis is 340 pounds and someone that opposing offenses have to game plan against.
Was it an overpay? Possibly, but the Jaguars are in a much better position to make a championship run now that they have a proven winner who knows how to do the dirty work. Godchaux brings even more interior defensive help. He comes at a much cheaper price than Davis but can be similarly productive. Teams already struggled to run against Jacksonville, but now that is going to be a near-impossible task.
Finally, Bates drastically improves the secondary. The three-time Second-Team All-Pro has long been viewed as one of the best safeties in the NFL. Now, Bates is in the final year of his contract, but he'd make for a great rental. The safety has lost a step from his younger days, so the Jaguars can move on at season's end if they so desire. In the meantime, Bates certainly still has enough left in the tank to hold down the back end of Jacksonville's defense. He is a ball-hawking safety who will be sure to add to the Jaguars' turnover totals.
Trevor Lawrence is starting to look like the highly touted prospect the Jaguars were hoping for when they took him number one overall. Adding defensive depth and talent was paramount, though. Jacksonville did just that. They were the most aggressive trade deadline buyers and prioritized winning now over adding talent in the future, and they just can't be blamed for that.