2025 NFL trade deadline: Could Cowboys, Jets deals end up among most impactful midseason deals of all time?

The NFL trade deadline is increasingly a harbinger of big-name activity. Exhibit A: the 2025 cutoff, which brought this year's running total of in-season deals to a record high, and saw the New York Jets add a whopping three first-round draft picks via surprise deals.

The Jets' first splash, which came hours before Tuesday's deadline, was the biggest, with star cornerback Sauce Gardner relocating to the Indianapolis Colts in return for a pair of first-rounders, plus wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The next surprise involved Quinnen Williams, Gardner's former Pro Bowl teammate, going to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a pair of early picks, including a 2027 first-rounder, plus former first-round defensive lineman Mazi Smith.

Gardner and Williams have the star power to make immediate impacts in Indy and Dallas, respectively. But is it possible we'll look back on their moves as monumental for the other sides? The Jets, after all, now have five combined first-round picks over the next two seasons as a result of their Tuesday deals; that kind of haul has the potential to completely reshape the identity of the franchise, starting with the likely pursuit of a new quarterback.

With all that in mind, we can look to both the recent and distant past to see there's a precedent for last-minute trades having true ripple effects, not only on the season at hand but for seasons to come.

Here are some of the most impactful midseason NFL deals of all time:

11. Jim Everett to the Rams (1986)

Technically, Everett never even signed with the Houston Oilers, who spent the No. 3 overall pick in the 1986 draft on the Purdue quarterback, as contract talks between team brass and Everett's agent never progressed. But the franchise waited until the first month of the rookie's would-be debut season to ship his rights to Los Angeles. The Rams proceeded to get close to a decade out of Everett, including a 1990 Pro Bowl campaign and 1989 NFC Championship appearance.

10. Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers (2019)

Pittsburgh already boasted a top-shelf defense when it acquired Fitzpatrick, a former first-rounder, from the Dolphins for a package that included a Day 1 pick. The Alabama product was one of the NFL's top ballhawks after his relocation, however, totaling 45 pass breakups and 18 interceptions, plus three pick sixes and four fumble recoveries, over more than a half-decade in Steel City.

9. Jay Ajayi to the Eagles (2017)

In the annals of Eagles superstars, Ajayi doesn't really hold up, playing just 14 games for the team over two and a half seasons. His arrival from the Miami Dolphins for a fourth-round pick, however, jump-started Philadelphia's ground game behind then-MVP candidate Carson Wentz, and his big-play juice paired perfectly with the rougher LeGarrette Blount en route to the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory that year.

8. Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers (2017)

Drafted as a potential successor to Tom Brady, Garoppolo was shipped to San Francisco for a second-rounder after three and a half years on the New England Patriots' bench. He quickly went 5-0 as Kyle Shanahan's starter, and then bounced back from an injury-shortened 2018 season to help guide the team to Super Bowl LIV in 2019. Imperfect but resilient, he reached another NFC title game in 2021.

7. Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers (2022)

Long regarded as a super-skilled but injury-bitten centerpiece of the Carolina Panthers, McCaffrey finally joined a playoff-caliber lineup when San Francisco acquired him in exchange for four picks, giving Kyle Shanahan a versatile workhorse for an already-efficient offense. His multipurpose work helped ease young Brock Purdy into the starting quarterback gig, and powered the 49ers to back-to-back NFC title games.

6. Eric Dickerson to the Colts (1987)

A three-time rushing champion with the Los Angeles Rams, the electric running back went to Indianapolis as part of a three-way trade and instantly vaulted the Colts' ground game into elite territory, eclipsing 1,000 yards in just nine games while helping lead Indy to its first winning playoff season in a decade. He then led the NFL with almost 1,700 yards rushing the following year, remaining an icon at the position.

5. Von Miller to the Rams (2021)

Two years after swinging big for Jalen Ramsey (more on him below), Los Angeles doubled down on its win-now approach with Matthew Stafford now under center, sending two picks to the Denver Broncos for one of the most accomplished pass rushers of all time. The eight-time Pro Bowler only stayed through the end of the season, but went on an absolute tear -- nine sacks in 12 games, including playoffs -- to help L.A. win it all.

4. Jalen Ramsey to the Rams (2019)

A dynamic but disgruntled Jacksonville Jaguars star, the former No. 5 overall pick was shipped to Los Angeles for three picks, including two first-rounders. It was a steep price for the Rams to pay, but Ramsey instilled much-needed swagger into the team's remade secondary, validating an eventual big-money contract with a Super Bowl ring in 2021. He logged three Pro Bowl nods before leaving in 2023.

3. Marshawn Lynch to the Seahawks (2010)

Banged up and disgruntled with the Buffalo Bills, Lynch went to Seattle for two mid-round picks and quickly restored -- then exceeded -- his first-round reputation, most notably with an unforgettable tackle-shedding touchdown run in the postseason. He became the centerpiece of the Seahawks' physical attack, eclipsing 1,200 yards rushing in each of the four subsequent seasons, and helping the team win Super Bowl XLVIII.

2. Mike Haynes to the Raiders (1983)

A six-time Pro Bowl cornerback and former Defensive Rookie of the Year with the New England Patriots from 1976-1982, Haynes was dealt to Los Angeles for a pair of early-round draft picks. He proceeded to pair with fellow future Hall of Famer Lester Hayes, giving the Raiders one of the NFL's most feared cover duos and helping the team win Super Bowl XVII. He spent seven total seasons in silver and black.

1. Herschel Walker to the Vikings (1989)

Minnesota got itself an apparent superstar by acquiring the emergent running back from the Dallas Cowboys, but Walker's move in exchange for five players and six future draft picks is now regarded as arguably the most lopsided trade in NFL history. Two of those picks would become Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson, perennial Pro Bowlers for three different Super Bowl-winning Cowboys teams.