Over the last two years, the NFL’s in season trade deadline has been the backdrop to an uncharacteristic flurry of action. 2022 took that a step further.
In the two weeks leading up to the November 1 cutoff, we saw All-Pros and former first round picks swap uniforms. Christian McCaffrey became the newest racehorse in Jimmy Garoppolo’s stable. The New York Giants wiped away the final first round pick of the Dave Gettleman era by making Kadarius Toney a Kansas City Chief.
And then, as Week 8 groaned to a close, things got wild. Nine trades went down on deadline day. Pro Bowlers on both sides of the ball were dealt. The 2023 NFL Draft took on a new shape while waves of picks changed hands.
This year’s NFL trade deadline was one of the most active in league history. Some of these deals will shape this January’s playoffs. Others have effects that won’t be felt until next fall, if at all. Let’s take a look at every in-season trade based on how much each will impact this year’s postseason race.
1
The San Francisco 49ers trade a busload of picks to the Carolina Panthers for Christian McCaffrey
We’ve already seen this deal impact the NFC West race. In his second game as a 49er, McCaffrey threw for one touchdown, caught another and ran for a third as his Niners overcame a 14-10 second half deficit to beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-14.
McCaffrey is a perfect fit for Jimmy Garoppolo’s offense; a yards-after-catch machine that can provide the big gains the Niners have been unable to create through deep and intermediate passes.
when you've got a QB who throws short of the sticks you surround him with players who can turn that into first downs. that's pretty much the entire 49ers offense pic.twitter.com/DJB4BJmdEY
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 30, 2022
The 49ers have a championship defense. No one in the league has given up fewer yards. While the secondary poses a few questions, San Francisco’s ability to create pressure without blitzing is an effective way to hide whatever weaknesses persist in the defensive backfield.
Now the offensive backfield has an upgrade that can be similarly effective. McCaffrey’s arrival may not get the Niners back to the Super Bowl, but it will certainly help them get to the postseason.
2
The Baltimore Ravens invest in a lagging defense and make Roquan Smith their next great linebacker
The Ravens defense hasn’t been especially Ravens-esque the past two seasons. Baltimore ranked 19th in points allowed and 25th in yards given up in 2021 and rank 20th and 24th, respectively in those categories through eight weeks of 2022.
This made adding Smith a priority over giving Lamar Jackson more receiving help. The price to add the Chicago Bears’ All-Pro linebacker was steep for someone who plays off-ball — second- and fifth-round picks before what’s sure to be a pricy contract extension somewhere in the Shaq Leonard/Fred Warner range of five years and $100 million — but it’s a big deal. Here’s the Ravens’ core of defenders who are both under 27 years old and signed through at least 2024:
- Roquan Smith
- Kyle Hamilton
- Marlon Humphrey
- Marcus Williams
- Odafe Oweh
- David Ojabo
- Justin Madubuike
- Tyus Bowser
- plus whatever Patrick Queen could maybe offer if he remembers how to play football.
That’s impressive. Smith can be the center of that universe at linebacker. His arrival means relying less on the disappointing Queen and having a viable succession plan for 33-year-old Josh Bynes. His coverage and tackling in the middle frees up everyone else to focus on their own assignments. While that may not be a sexy addition, it’s one that should make the entire Baltimore defense better — even if it doesn’t evolve into a top 10 unit right away.
3
The Vikings give Kirk Cousins another playmaking pass-catcher in T.J. Hockenson
The Vikings were 6-1 and in control of the NFC North, but that came at the benefit of a soft schedule. On the field, Minnesota’s offense had regressed. Kirk Cousins had taken a step back from the typically productive numbers he’d put up in the final years of the Mike Zimmer era.
Adding Hockenson gives Cousins a 25-year-old seam-busting target who leads all tight ends in yards per catch and is in the midst of his best season as a pro. He’s not a cure-all for the Vikings’ problems, but he’s extra ammunition in case Minnesota winds up locked in a shootout come January.
4
The Dolphins give up a Day 1 pick to beef up their 29th-ranked pass rush with Bradley Chubb
The Dolphins are in the midst of a breakthrough season from Tua Tagovailoa. Through six games he leads the league in yards per attempt and passer rating. In terms of advanced stats, he’s more efficient than Josh Allen Patrick Mahomes, or anyone else in the NFL.
But Miami is 4-4 not just because Tagovailoa missed time thanks to a poorly-handled head injury but because its defense is a problem. The Dolphins rank 25th in defensive DVOA, 29th in passing defense DVOA and 29th in pressure rate through Week 8.
That compelled them to add Denver Broncos pass rusher Bradley Chubb at the steep cost of a 2023 first round pick, a 2024 fourth rounder and running back Chase Edmonds.
Chubb will step into a lineup in need of pass rushers. He has 5.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits this season, though none in his last three games. Still, those numbers would be enough to rank first and second, respectively, among current members of the Miami roster.
His arrival should help create a little extra chaos for Jaelan Phillips to clean up while reducing the Dolphins’ reliance on the aging Emmanuel Ogbah-Melvin Ingram combination. While he can’t singlehandedly fix the defense that could be Miami’s fatal flaw this winter, he should have a positive impact for a team with aspirations beyond just making it to the postseason.
5
Robert Quinn joins an already beefy Eagles front seven
The Eagles didn’t have many weaknesses approaching the trade deadline — a fact highlighted by their 6-0 record. They still managed to shore up a minor problem by adding Quinn, a player who isn’t as good as his 18.5 sacks in 2021 suggests but who can still be a difference maker.
Quinn played just 20 snaps in his Philadelphia debut but managed to make an impact. His pressure helped make Kenny Pickett look like an overwhelmed rookie and, importantly, contributed to six sacks and 11 quarterback hits against an undermanned Pittsburgh Steeler offensive line.
wiped out by a hold but my god the Eagles pass rush is getting scary pic.twitter.com/Ctd7ggNx9a
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 30, 2022
6
The Kansas City Chiefs take a flier on Kadarius Toney
The Chiefs freed Toney from a New York Giants team that appeared to have little interest in using him (this feeling may have been mutual). The cost wasn’t cheap — a supplemental third-round pick as well as a fifth.
Toney has the chops to make that look like the bargain and an NFL resume to make it look like a bust. He has only 41 catches in 12 games as a pro, none of which ended in touchdowns. He has two catches in two appearances for the Giants in 2022.
But he’s also a former first round pick with ridiculous acceleration and the speed and size to play either outside or in the slot. He can gash defense on deep balls, quick slants or on carries out of the backfield. He’s a multitool who goes from playing with Daniel Jones to Patrick Mahomes.
He’s a risk, but one who could pay off in a big way for one of the league’s best offenses.
7
The Bills acquire Nyheim Hines to add more electricity to their backfield
The Bills had been a rumored suitor for Christian McCaffrey. While they weren’t able to pry the All-Pro from Carolina, the team instead settled on the Colts’ RB2 in Hines. In exchange, Buffalo shipped 2020 third round pick Zack Moss and a conditional sixth-rounder to Indianapolis.
Hines is a valuable receiver out of the backfield; his 300 regular season targets equals his 300 carries in four-plus seasons as a pro. Since entering the league in 2018 he ranks sixth in receptions among running backs and fifth in receiving yards. He’ll provide an immediate boost to a passing game that has doesn’t necessarily rely on its running backs as receivers, but could always use more weapons.
8
James Robinson arrives to fill Breece Hall's shoes in New York
The Jets acted quickly after rookie running back Breece Hall’s spectacular debut season was cut short by a torn ACL. Robinson, doubted from the moment FBS schools ignored him as a high school recruit, was shipped north by a Jacksonville Jaguars team eager to hand the reins of its run game to Travis Etienne.
James Robinson NFL disrespect, 2020-present:
-undrafted
-begins '20 as Jags' RB5
-Urban Meyer drafts Travis Etienne in Rd. 1 even after he runs for 1,070 yards in 14 games
-Meyer spends 2021 shitting on him, is fired
-after ceding snaps to Etienne, is traded for 6th round pick— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 24, 2022
Robinson had an inauspicious debut in Week 8 against a New England Patriots defense that has struggled against the run in 2022. It could be the continuation of a troubling trend. After running for 230 yards and more than 4.5 per carry in his first three games of the season he has just 127 yards on 3.6 per touch in his last five appearances.
Still, doubting Robinson has consistently been a sucker’s bet. The Jets badly need him to rise up and provide stable, efficient offense that takes some pressure off Zach Wilson’s shoulders. If he can return to his rookie year form, Robinson could help New York break a 12-year playoff drought.
9
The Falcons get young cornerback depth by landing Rashad Fenton
Fenton has been a useful defensive back in Kansas City, but recently fell out of the starting lineup. That made him expendable and the Falcons, home of the league’s 31st-ranked passing defense, swooped in to give AJ Terrell some extra help at corner.
10
The Miami Dolphins replace Chase Edmonds with Jeff Wilson
The San Francisco 49ers had a running back surplus with Christian McCaffrey on the roster and Eli Mitchell set to return from the injury he suffered in Week 1. The Miami Dolphins were down a member of their tailback platoon after shipping Chase Edmonds to the Denver Broncos as part of the Nick Chubb deal.
A trade between the two sides was a logical conclusion. The Niners sent Jeff Wilson east in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick, giving Miami a tailback who has averaged 5.1 yards per carry this season. But while he’s valuable Raheem Mostert insurance, Wilson’s 1.3 yards after contact per carry ranks 45th among 47 qualified running backs in 2022. Still, that’s better than Edmonds’ 0.9 YAC mark.
11
The Bills add veteran safety help just in case Jordan Poyer's injuries linger
Buffalo already faced the grim prospect of playing the rest of 2022 without Micah Hyde due to a neck injury. Losing Jordan Poyer on Sunday night to a minor elbow ailment was enough to spur the Bills to action. At the tail end of the trade deadline they added eight-year veteran Dean Marlowe to bulk up their depth at the safety position.
12
The Cowboys add veteran depth to their defensive line in Johnathan Hankins
Hankins is 30 years old and had fallen out of the starting lineup in Las Vegas. Now he joins a deep rotation of lane-clogging tackles for a defense that could use some extra help against the run. The 330-pounder hasn’t had multiple tackles for loss in a season since 2019, but he’s tough to move up front and adds some extra depth to a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
13
The Bears, mercifully, get Chase Claypool -- the big wideout Justin Fields badly needs
The Bears aren’t exactly *in* the playoff race at 3-5, but given the state of the NFC they aren’t completely out of it, either. Adding Chase Claypool, whose rookie contract runs through 2023, is a move that could pay off this winter but is mostly in service of lining up chess pieces for next spring.
That’s when Chicago will have roughly $120 million in salary cap space and what will likely be a top 15 or top 10 draft pick. Those assets need to be spent upgrading the talent level around Justin Fields, who shows flashes of greatness despite taking too many sacks, occasionally throwing into absolute garbage and generally looking like an overwhelmed young quarterback with a limited supporting cast. Claypool could take this opportunity to emerge as a WR1. With the right roster building, he won’t have to.
14
The Steelers add William Jackson III in hopes a return to the AFC North revitalizes him
The Steelers are even less in the playoff race than the Bears. But after getting beaten like a giant drum at a Purdue game by A.J. Brown they took a proactive step by adding a veteran cornerback.
William Jackson III was an above-average cornerback with the Bengals. Then he signed with the Washington Commanders and, like all things touched by Dan Snyder, promptly turned to garbage. Now he’s getting a do over in Pittsburgh and a chance to audition for the Steelers’ starting lineup in 2023.
15
The Cardinals acquire Robbie Anderson in hopes he can be the deep threat they need
Anderson was a downfield burner in a past life, though weak quarterbacks and inefficient offenses turned him into an afterthought from 2021-on. Arizona traded a pair of late picks in hopes he could boost a passing offense that’s seen Kyler Murray regress and will be without Hollywood Brown for the rest of the 2022 season. So far he has four targets and zero catches in two games as a Cardinal.
16
The Falcons ensure Calvin Ridley never plays another down for them
This move could have playoff implications in 2023. But Ridley is suspended at least through 2022 and the Jaguars were out of the playoff hunt anyway. It’s an interesting deal — and Jacksonville may have just gotten a bargain — but not one that affects this year’s postseason.
