2024 NFL Trade Deadline: Final Grades & Analysis

The 2024 NFL trade deadline is in the books. From the start of the regular season until now, there were 18 trades. Eight were on deadline day and 12 were in the last week of the trading period.

It’s not the most active trading season we’ve ever seen but it was plenty busy yet again. There were just seven teams who sat out all the trade activity and declined to make a deal between Week 1 and now. Shoutout to the league for moving the deadline back to after Week 9, as it helped facilitate more moves from teams out of contention. Hopefully they consider moving it back by another week in the future. 

Here’s a look at all 18 deals and some grades and analysis of each. We already have a few weeks of results for some of these trades as well, which will be factored in. 

49ers traded for Texans DT Khalil Davis

SF gets: Davis

HOU gets: 2026 7th

San Francisco has made a midseason trade for several years running now, and this squad needs as much help as any in recent memory. It makes sense they went after a defensive lineman, and particularly one who’s been playing in a similar scheme under former 49ers DC and current Texans HC DeMeco Ryans. This deal probably doesn’t move the needle dramatically for either team but the pick tends to be more valuable overall. 

Grade: C+ for HOU, C for SF

Ravens traded for Rams CB Tre’Davious White

BAL gets: White, 2027 7th

LAR gets: 2026 7th

The Ravens look like they’re on a short list of potential Super Bowl contenders right now but that’s in spite of a secondary that’s been awful and given up gobs of yards. They can improve as the year goes on, both through work in practice and getting players back healthy, but this is another dart throw to try and help. 

White was one of the worst cornerbacks in football to start the year and was victimized for four games before the Rams benched him. However, he was coming off a torn Achilles and Los Angeles has since admitted they had to rush him back because of injuries in the secondary. The veteran is still on the right side of 30, super cheap and at one point was one of the league’s better corners. The Ravens gave up hardly anything to take a flier to see if White can recapture some of his previous form and help them. As for the Rams, having a pick in 2026 instead of 2027 gives them more optionality with how much they like to trade. 

Grade: C+ for both

Steelers traded for Packers OLB Preston Smith

PIT gets: Smith

GB gets: 2025 7th

Smith started every game for Green Bay so far this season so it’s a little surprising to see him shipped away for so little, especially because the Packers are 6-3. Contending teams rarely take a step back at pass rusher voluntarily. 

But the starts total for Smith is misleading as his snaps had started to decline. The Packers have some other young edge rushers like Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness who can hopefully step up into bigger roles. Smith was likely to be cut this offseason anyway and would not have qualified for a compensatory pick. 

From Pittsburgh’s point of view, they add an established, competent pass rusher for dirt cheap who can reinforce the edge rusher rotation behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. The Steelers have high hopes of contending this season and are currently in first place in the AFC North. If Smith gives them 10-15 quality snaps a game, this probably nets out positively. 

Grade: C for GB, C+ for PIT

Steelers traded for Jets WR Mike Williams

PIT gets: Williams

NYJ gets: 2025 5th

The Steelers finally got a receiver after lurking all offseason, summer and regular season for any notable name who became available. Williams is a perfect fit with QB Russell Wilson as a big-bodied, contested catch receiver who can win on deep balls and in the red zone. Steelers OC Arthur Smith likes big bodies out wide and this gives him another to pair with WR George Pickens. Williams is still rounding his way back after last year’s torn ACL and wasn’t a good fit with the Jets but he probably gives the Steelers an upgrade over WRs Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin, especially as a perimeter player. 

Is the level of upgrade worth a fifth-round pick straight up? That’s much more debatable. A fifth-round pick is valuable capital this time of year even with the hit rates on Day 3 of the draft being poor. Jets GM Joe Douglas is generally known for driving a hard bargain and getting a fifth instead of a sixth or worse is solid work by him — though it doesn’t make up for some of his other failings. There’s no question this was the right move for New York, as Williams was minimally involved even with WR Allen Lazard going down. 

Grade: B+ for NYJ, C for PIT

Commanders traded for Saints CB Marshon Lattimore

WAS gets: Lattimore, 2025 5th

NO gets: 2025 3rd, 2025 4th, 2025 6th (NO)

We don’t always get blockbusters at the deadline but this one certainly qualified given Lattimore’s track record and the compensation involved. The four-time Pro Bowler and 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year has had his status up in the air for a little bit now, with injuries and friction with the coaching staff leading the Saints to quietly shop him this offseason. They held on going into this season and paid a $13 million bonus, but the 2-7 start and the excision of HC Dennis Allen this past week made it clear the Saints were rebuilding. 

In that context, the 28-year-old Lattimore was far more valuable to the Saints as a trade asset, and the number of cornerback-needy contending teams helped drive up his value compared to what it was earlier this year or what it would have been in March. The Saints got an absolute haul for Lattimore, including a Day 2 pick, a premium swap on Day 3 and their own sixth-rounder back for this coming draft. Depending on which trade chart you use, the equivalent value is either an early third (No. 69 overall, Jimmy Johnson chart), an early 2nd (No. 41, Chase chart) or even a late first-round pick (No. 29, Over The Cap’s Fitzgerald/Spielberger chart). 

The only thing this trade doesn’t do is save cap space for the Saints in 2025. However, it clears over $36 million in future cash obligations from their books and the dead money hit is manageable next year. Lattimore will count about the same against the cap as he was scheduled to before, the biggest difference is that number is now locked in. The Saints will now move ahead with a youth movement of sorts, especially at cornerback. 

From Washington’s perspective, the Commanders had become surprise contenders in the first year under new GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn thanks to hitting an apparent home run with first-round QB Jayden Daniels. The Commanders are 7-2 and in first place in the NFC East. Instead of needing to rebuild in a disciplined manner, Washington now finds itself with one of the most prized assets in football — a star quarterback on a rookie contract — and some urgency to maximize what’s just a three or four-year window. 

Washington’s defense has improved since an awful start to the year but that improvement has pushed them from the bottom of the ranks to the bottom third. The secondary in particular has been a major weakness, and Lattimore helps address that. When he’s been on the field, he’s been a quality player for the Saints this year and he gives Quinn a true No. 1-level corner. 

Being on the field is a catch, though. Lattimore has missed a couple weeks with a hamstring injury and those can linger. Corners can also hit a wall quick the closer they get to 30 years old, so the Commanders are definitely taking on some risk in this deal. But the upside is there too with a player with Lattimore’s track record. 

Next year, the Commanders will have options. Lattimore’s deal has no guarantees, so if things don’t work out they can cut him with no strings attached apart from the draft capital given up. If things go well, the two sides can work out some kind of reworked deal that keeps him in Washington as a piece to build around. 

Grade: A for NO, B for WAS

Cowboys traded for Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo

DAL gets: Mingo, 2025 7th

CAR gets: 2025 4th

The Cowboys sat on their hands for most of the offseason, bringing back largely the same team as last year to a healthy amount of criticism, much of it justified by the team’s 3-5 start. But owner Jerry Jones decided to pull the trigger on another in-season receiver trade — just not for quite as big a name as the last time. Mingo was a second-round pick by Carolina last season who the Cowboys were apparently high on as well. With Mingo failing to impress and slipping further down the depth chart, he was available. 

From Dallas’ perspective, this was a chance to get a player they really liked at a discount compared to what they would have invested a year ago with the chance. The receiving corps outside of CeeDee Lamb has been underwhelming and Mingo has two more years on his rookie deal, giving him a chance to grow into a role alongside Lamb after the Cowboys paid the star wideout big money this offseason. The contract and draft pedigree is why Mingo commanded so much, especially compared to the other, more established receivers traded this season. 

It certainly wasn’t Mingo’s tape from his first season and a half. He was one of the most inefficient starting receivers as a rookie in 2023, catching 43 balls on 85 targets for 418 yards and no touchdowns. He has just 12 catches in 2024, still hasn’t scored a touchdown and slid behind UDFA WR Jalen Coker on the depth chart. Mingo was well on his way to becoming another draft bust for Carolina, and turning him into a fourth-round pick instead is a big way to salvage the pick. 

Overall, this is a weird trade for the Cowboys. They gave up too much draft capital for a receiver who probably is not going to make much of an impact this year and maybe not even after that. 

Grade: D for DAL, A for CAR

Bengals traded for Bears RB Khalil Herbert

CIN gets: Herbert

CHI gets: 2025 7th

This is an ultra-rare in-season trade for the Bengals, who almost never ship out draft picks for players. It was prompted by a few different things. Cincinnati lost veteran RB Zack Moss to a neck injury that’s going to keep him out the rest of the season and was incredibly thin in the backfield behind him, thin enough to necessitate more than a practice squad or street free agent signing. 

There’s also more urgency around this season for the Bengals. The 2024 season was supposed to be the last year where the Super Bowl window was wide open, before expiring contracts such as the one for WR Tee Higgins and QB Joe Burrow’s expanding salary changed the way the Bengals had to build. Instead, they’re on the verge of wasting it with a 4-5 start. 

Could they have done more than trade a seventh-round pick for a running back? Probably, but this move does help address a need and isn’t a big price to pay. Herbert has been a solid back in the past and should help Cincinnati’s ground game from petering out if there are more injuries. For Chicago, getting a pick for a player who wasn’t contributing at all is solid business. 

Grade: B for both

Lions traded for Browns DE Za’Darius Smith

DET gets: Smith, 2026 7th

CLE gets: 2025 5th, 2026 6th

This made way too much sense not to happen and both sides worked up until the deadline to get it done. Smith is a perfect fit for what the Lions need at the edge rusher spot and was the best option among the pass rushers who were realistically available. Injuries have left the Lions ridiculously thin at edge rusher, and while it hasn’t slowed them down too much yet, that’s the kind of flaw that could tank a team’s Super Bowl hopes. It was worth getting aggressive to try and address. 

Smith is a solid addition, with five sacks on the season already and solid underlying metrics. Is he still a Pro Bowl player at 32 years old? Probably not, and his efficiency could go down without Browns DE Myles Garrett drawing a lot of attention across from him. But he raises the floor of the Lions’ edge group substantially. 

Dealing Smith away made a ton of sense for the Browns as well. At 2-7, it’s clear the season is lost and there will be no magical playoff run for the second straight season. Smith was a valuable commodity who likely had multiple teams interested, as contending teams are always on the lookout for pass rushing help. His value for the Browns was at its apex compared to this offseason, and the pick will be much more helpful to the organization going forward as it tries to rebuild than Smith would have been. The Browns were reportedly seeking a fourth, but the fifth plus the late-round pick swap is a nice substitute. 

Grade: A- for CLE, B+ for DET

Cardinals traded for Broncos OLB Baron Browning

ARI gets: Browning

DEN gets: 2025 6th

Arizona has had one of the worst edge rushing groups of any NFL team this season, though you wouldn’t have known it watching them beat the Bears this past week. They also are one of the teams that blitzes the least, meaning they’re more reliant on their front to generate pressure than other teams. It made some sense to try and address that issue after finishing the midway point of the season on top of the NFC West. 

Browning is a relatively cheap addition that could pay off in a big way. He’s battled injuries throughout his career and just came off a stint on injured reserve earlier this season. Through four games, Browning has no sacks in 2024. But the converted off-ball linebacker had 9.5 sacks in 24 games across the past two seasons and flashed some upside as a rotational rusher with the talent to develop into more. 

Arizona will give up a late-round pick to see if he can realize his potential in the second half of the season before his contract expires. The Broncos were willing to move him because of their depth at edge rusher, with four options seeing time in the rotation, and because of his expiring deal. This locks in a pick for them rather than having to play the compensatory pick formula game, and with their depth it was unlikely they would have re-signed him with the way things were going. 

Grade: B for ARI, B+ for DEN

Vikings traded for Jaguars LT Cam Robinson

MIN gets: Robinson, conditional 2026 7th

JAX gets: Conditional 2025 5th

Teams that lose star left tackles like the Vikings did with Christian Darrisaw the other week are usually SOL. Tackle is usually one of the positions where the supply never meets the demand in the NFL. But Minnesota got lucky that the Jaguars had an excess of starting-caliber tackles available and were willing to move one. Robinson’s not nearly as good as Darrisaw, but he’s average and competent, maybe more than competent in pass protection. That’s something a lot of teams don’t have at left tackle, and it’s more imperative for a contending team like Minnesota. 

The Vikings gave up a fifth that can become a fourth if Robinson hits a certain benchmark in snaps the rest of the way. The seventh-round pick can also go away if Robinson plays enough, so in the end this could be a fourth-round pick for Robinson. That would be one of the biggest returns of this trade deadline. A major factor was Jacksonville taking on $7 million of Robinson’s remaining salary to facilitate a trade. It’s a lot, but it also netted them a pick for a player who was on track to leave for nothing after this season. 

In the end, the Vikings stabilized an important position for a steep but understandable cost, and the Jaguars added another pick to help their rebuild in 2025 for a player who wasn’t going to be in their future plans. 

Grade: B for MIN, A- for JAX

Ravens traded for Panthers WR Diontae Johnson

BAL gets: Johnson, 2025 6th

CAR gets: 2025 5th

This is one of the weirdest deals of the season for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s a surprisingly low return for a Pro Bowl, 1,000-yard receiver. A fifth for a sixth swap on paper doesn’t seem horrendous, but when you factor that Baltimore’s pick will likely be near the end of the round and Carolina’s near the top, it could end up being a difference of 10-15 picks. On top of that, the Panthers ate some of Johnson’s remaining salary in the trade. 

Receiver also didn’t seem to be a top need for the Ravens, as they’re a run-heavy offense centered around QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry that already doesn’t have enough targets to feed all the pass catchers on the roster. But at this price, why not? Johnson gives the Ravens yet another weapon and could even return punts to boot. Should something happen to top WR Zay Flowers, Johnson could step in without too steep of a dropoff. The only downside is if he stirs things up in the locker room if he doesn’t get the amount of targets he wants, and even then the Ravens could cut him without being on the hook for much. 

Despite this being a seemingly poor return, there’s a good chance this was the best offer the Panthers had on the table for Johnson. There are a couple reasons for that. One, it was clear he wasn’t happy with the losing and lack of production. He arrived in Carolina with a bit of a history of checking out in Pittsburgh when things weren’t going his way, and there were similar issues in less than half a season of work with Carolina. 

The second, and it might be related to the first, is that the NFL just doesn’t value Johnson in the same way fans and analysts do. He was available to be traded in the offseason, too, and the Panthers got him for a pittance then. Carolina gave up CB Donte Jackson, who was a potential cap cut, and a sixth for Johnson and a seventh. Any team that wanted Johnson has now had two chances to get him. 

Grade: A- for BAL, D for CAR

Chiefs traded for Patriots OLB Josh Uche

KC gets: Uche

NE gets: 2026 6th

The second trade Kansas City made ahead of the deadline, the Chiefs looked to fortify an already solid defense by adding the equivalent of a closing pitcher. Uche is a former second-round pick of the Patriots who has an 11.5-sack season under his belt. At 6-1 and 240 pounds, he’s not big or stout enough for a full-time role, which was a limiting factor with the Patriots, but he’s fast and agile. He’s a great fit in a situational role to go get opposing quarterbacks on third down or when they’re trying to pass to catch up with the Chiefs’ offense — and that role will be even more important in the playoffs. 

As a neat little bonus, Uche was already on a cheap deal after taking a hometown discount to stay with the Patriots as a free agent this past offseason. And because he’s on an expiring contract, he will count toward the compensatory formula for the Chiefs next year, giving them a chance to recoup a similar pick to what they gave up. There’s some upside and very little downside with this move. 

For the Patriots, Uche wasn’t a great scheme fit and this locks in a pick rather than having to play the compensatory pick game (and New England likely would have canceled out Uche’s departure because they’ll need to be active in free agency this offseason). Is it a low price for a pass rusher and a former second-round pick? Perhaps but the market is the market. 

Grade: A- for KC, C+ for NE

Chiefs traded for Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins

KC gets: Hopkins

TEN gets: Conditional 2025 5th

Hopkins has been a Chief for two games, and after a quiet opener he made his presence felt in a major way in an overtime win against the Buccaneers on Monday night. The veteran turned nine targets into eight catches for 86 yards and two scores. He was on the same page with QB Patrick Mahomes for most of the night and the two look like they’ve quickly built a rapport with Mahomes trusting the sticky-handed Hopkins to come down with the ball. 

For a Chiefs offense desperate for pass-catching threats following a rash of injuries, this trade is looking like an early home run. Hopkins isn’t necessarily a dynamic player at this point in his career. But he fits right in with this methodical, physical and wily Chiefs offense with guys like TE Travis Kelce and RB Kareem Hunt. The Chiefs won’t blitz by opponents with this group, but they’ll wear them down over the course of the game with jab after jab after jab. 

For Tennessee, getting the pick for a player who was a pending free agent after this year was a solid move. The pick can become a fourth if Hopkins plays at least 60 percent of the snaps for the Chiefs and Kansas City makes the Super Bowl. Right now they’re on pace for both. 

Grade: A- for both 

Titans traded LB Ernest Jones for Seahawks LB Jerome Baker

TEN gets: Baker, 2025 4th

SEA gets: Jones

For the second time this year, Jones was traded, this time going from the Titans back to the NFC West with the Seahawks after the Rams dealt him to Tennessee coming out of the preseason. Seattle had a major need at linebacker with new HC Mike Macdonald’s defense struggling in his first year, and the good news is that Jones has provided a bit of a jolt with 24 total tackles in just two games so far. His best-graded game of the year was this past week against the Rams, per PFF, and he has seven stops in two games. 

The bad news is the Seahawks defense is still bleeding out and needs more time to shore things up. Jones has not been a cure for all their ills and Seattle gave up a lot to get him. A fourth-round pick is a considerable investment at this point of the season, especially for a player in a contract year and especially for a linebacker. It speaks to how much Macdonald prioritizes the position. There’s still time for things to shift, though, and if Seattle re-signs Jones to an extension, it will probably be a positive outcome. 

As for the Titans, getting this much for a player in a walk year is a no-brainer. There’s a world where Tennessee banks the pick and is still able to re-sign Jones as a free agent this offseason. The inclusion of Baker in the deal gave the Titans an alternative and helped offset salary, but he hasn’t really been able to get on the field yet because Titans LB Jack Gibbens has been playing well. 

Grade: C+ for SEA, A for TEN

Vikings traded for Texans RB Cam Akers

MIN gets: Akers, conditional 2026 7th

HOU gets: Conditional 2026 6th

Akers was with the Vikings last year before suffering an Achilles injury in November, the second of his career. That injury used to be a death sentence for running backs, but we’re seeing more and more backs come back successfully. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins is having a breakout season, and Akers has looked solid in limited touches this season, taking 52 touches for 216 yards from scrimmage and two scores. 

He flashed enough with the Texans that Minnesota traded a conditional pick swap to bring him back and fortify their depth at running back. This past week, Akers ran as the No. 2 ahead of Vikings RB Ty Chandler. The Texans are also still flush with running back depth even after trading Akers, so both sides have come out solid. 

Grade: B for both

Bills traded for Browns WR Amari Cooper

BUF gets: Cooper, 2025 6th

CLE gets: 2025 3rd, 2026 7th

For more on the grades for these two teams, check out our article from after the trade

Jets traded for Raiders WR Davante Adams

NYJ gets: Adams

LV gets: Conditional 2025 3rd

For more on the grades for these two teams, check out our article from after the trade. 

Seahawks traded for Jaguars DT Roy Robertson-Harris

SEA gets: Robertson-Harris

JAX gets: 2026 6th

Robertson-Harris has played in three games since being acquired by the Seahawks, notching 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass deflection. After recording 11 pressures in the first six weeks for Jacksonville, per PFF, Robertson-Harris has just one for Seattle, though he’s playing 27 snaps a game on average instead of 35. The Seahawks’ defense has been gashed in back-to-back weeks against the Bills and Rams. So far, it’s safe to say Robertson-Harris hasn’t had the impact the team hoped for, though there’s time for him to hit his stride and the pick given up wasn’t significant. It does add more to the Jaguars’ war chest to rebuild and freed up snaps for younger players. 

Grade: C for SEA, B- for JAX