The 2024 nfl trade deadline has come and gone, and teams have made last-minute deals knowing they must now wait until the 2025 offseason to acquire players from other clubs.
Several teams stayed busy Tuesday, with the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions among notable teams that gained depth during the season at key positions. Here are some of the biggest winners and losers from the deadline, keeping in mind that plenty of moves were made in the weeks prior as well:
Winner: AFC quarterbacks
Both at the deadline and in the weeks leading up to it, nearly every major AFC contender was in action, adding at least some level of weaponry. Take a look at how signalers benefited:
Most likely, almost all acquisitions will also influence the playoff race.
Loser: Jerry Jones
It’s one thing to buy cheap into a distressed asset. It’s another to give up a fourth-rounder for a wide receiver in Jonathan Mingo who, at a young age (23), fell to the bottom of the Carolina Panthers’ depth chart after a boring season and a half in the nfl. Even worse: Jones did this after spending weeks publicly resenting people wondering why he wouldn’t pay Derrick Henry instead of Ezekiel Elliott, and on the same day Dak Prescott went on injured reserve with the Dallas Cowboys of Jones with a record of 3-5.
A classic win-win deal, but not so much for the Cleveland Browns as for the acquiring team and the acquired player. Smith wasn’t going to compete for significant wins anytime soon in Cleveland, but his move to Detroit means a possible Super Bowl bid. Meanwhile, the Lions get a proven pass rusher to replace the injured Aidan Hutchinson at a reasonable price. Greetings to all.
A day after waiving Dennis Allen, the Saints leaned further into their apparent re-signing, selling four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders. However, notice that we said “2024 saints.” Lattimore’s departure is bad news for this team and current Saints like Derek Carr, Cameron Jordan, etc. But honestly, it may mean a much-needed change of perspective from team brass, pushing the Saints toward the kind of proper rebuild they’ve ignored for so long.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah deserves props for filling holes without sacrificing premium draft capital this season. Omar Khan, the Steelers’ top decision-maker, did the same on Tuesday, adding proven pieces at wide receiver (Mike Williams) and pass rusher (Preston Smith) for the price of two late-round picks. Both veterans may be best suited for rotational roles, but they should only help Pittsburgh in its effort to be taken seriously atop the AFC North.
