2025 NFL trade deadline: Ranking every major deal, including Cowboys, Colts, Jets, Eagles, Steelers moves

There's a strong case to be made that the 2025 NFL trade deadline is the most exciting trade deadline the league has seen in the 21st century. 

Seriously. Twenty-seven players have been traded in season in 2025, the most during a year in the past 25 seasons. Three first-round picks have been dealt to the New York Jets in their blockbuster deals that sent All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, making them the only team with multiple in-season trades for first-round picks in the past 25 seasons. The 2025 Jets are also the only two in the last 45 years to trade two former first team All-Pros in the same day, per CBS Sports Research. 

Now that the dust has settled around the league with the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, here's a look at the 13 major deals that were made ranked in order by magnitude of how they could impact the 2025 season. 

1. Colts acquire CB Sauce Gardner from Jets

• Acquired: Gardner
• Traded: 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, WR Adonai Mitchell

The Indianapolis Colts are all in on their 2025 squad that currently sits atop the AFC standings with a 7-2 record through the first nine weeks of the season. Running back Jonathan Taylor is the NFL's top rusher, and quarterback Daniel Jones is playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level, which no one could have foreseen before the season kicked off. 

Defensively, Indianapolis needed help. They enter week 10 ranked 26th in pass defense (244.8 passing yards per game allowed), 29th in third down defense (45.7% third down conversion rate allowed) and dead last in passing yards per game allowed outside the numbers (152.2 passing yards per game allowed). Adding a 25-year-old All-Pro in Gardner should help shore up Indianapolis' greatest weakness. He hasn't allowed more than two catches to a single receiver in a game this season, and he's forced a tight window throw on 52% of his targets, the highest rate of any player targeted at least 20 times in coverage per Next Gen Stats, via NFL Research. 

2025 NFL trade deadline winners and losers: Jets smartly stockpile for overhaul; Colts, Cowboys overpay?

Cody Benjamin

As long as Jones proves his five-turnover performance at the Steelers in Week 9 was just one bad day and not him turning back into a pumpkin, the Colts are a legit contender now. 

2. Cowboys acquire DT Quinnen Williams from Jets

• Acquired: Williams
• Traded: 2026 second-round pick, better of Cowboys and Packers 2027 first-round pick, DT Mazi Smith

The Dallas Cowboys have a top-five scoring offense (29.2 points per game, fourth-best in the NFL) and one of the top offensive nucleuses with quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Javonte Williams, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver George Pickens and tight end Jake Ferguson.

However, the team is off to a 3-5-1 start with their Micah Parsons-less defense wasting that firepower by allowing the second-most points per game (30.8 points per game). They're also the second-worst third down defense (52.6% third down conversion rate allowed) in the last 50 years ahead of only the 1982 Kansas City Chiefs (52.8%). Dallas' was capable to sometimes elite across Parsons' four seasons with the Cowboys from 2021 to 2024, thanks to him helping the team generate a league-best 40.2% team quarterback pressure rate. 

That quarterback pressure can mask deficiencies in the secondary, and that's what the Cowboys are banking on All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to help them do. His 40.0 career sacks are the third-most among 300-pound players since he entered the league as the third overall draft pick that year, and he's made the Pro Bowl the last three seasons. He can also help out against the run as his 13 runs stuffs for a loss or no gain are the second-most in the NFL this season, according to Next Gen Stats via NFL Research. 

3. Bengals acquire QB Joe Flacco from Browns

• Acquired: Flacco, 2026 sixth-round pick
• Traded: 2026 fifth-round pick

Normally one could make the argument that a quarterback is the most impactful position on the field, so a team trading for one should be at the top of this list. However, the Cincinnati Bengals last-ranked scoring defense (33.3 points per game allowed) has mitigated Flacco's impact despite gaudy production.  

He threw for 470 yards passing four passing touchdowns and two interceptions in a narrow 47-42 loss against the Chicago Bears. That made him only the fifth player in NFL history to have a game with 40 or more points scored, 470 or more passing yards and 4 or more passing touchdowns in a game in a loss. Flacco leads the NFL in both passing yards (1,254) and passing touchdowns (11) since arriving in Cincinnati in Week 6, but the Bengals are 1-3 in that span.  

4. Steelers acquire S Kyle Dugger from Patriots

• Acquired: Dugger, 2026 seventh-round pick
• Traded: 2026 sixth-round pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers' fanbase brought out the pitchforks after consecutive defeats in which they allowed over 30 points to the Bengals (33) and the Green Bay Packers (35). Then, Pittsburgh traded longtime New England Patriots safety Kyler Dugger just ahead of the Steelers' Week 9 matchup with the top-seeded Indianapolis Colts, the NFL"s No. 1 scoring offense (32.2 points per game). 

Coincidentally, the Steelers had their most disruptive defensive performance in 15 years, forcing six takeaways in a 27-20 victory. Those six takeaways are Pittsburgh's most since Hall of Fame Troy Polamalu's NFL Defensive Player of the Year season in 2010. They forced Colts quarterback Daniel Jones into five giveaways -- three interceptions and two lost fumbles -- after Jones had committed just three all year entering Week 9. With safety DeShon Elliott suffering a knee injury in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh needed an impact player at safety. Dugger appears to be just that early on. 

5. Eagles acquire DE Jaelan Phillips from Dolphins

• Acquired: Phillips
• Traded: 2026 third-round pick

After being one of the most intimidating pass-rushing units in the NFL the last number of years, which resulted in two Super Bowl runs and a Super Bowl LIX victory, the Eagles needed help in that area. Their 16 team sacks are a bottom-10 figure, tied for seventh in the league, at the halfway point in the 2025 season. Recently retired edge rusher Za'Darius Smith's 1.5 sacks are the fourth-most on the team, and he last suited up for the Eagles in Week 6. Phillips should provide a major boost to one of the top NFC contenders. 

6. Chargers acquire OL Trevor Penning from Saints

• Acquired: Penning
• Traded: 2027 sixth-round pick

The Los Angeles Chargers are in the midst of another stereotypical, injury-plagued season in 2025. This year, their offense line absorbed the brunt of their injury woes this season with left tackle Rashawn Slater (patellar tendon) suffering a season-ending injury before the preseason and right tackle Joe Alt (ankle sprain) now out indefinitely. 

That's a key reason why Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert is taking 8.9 quarterback hits per game this season, the third-most by a quarterback in the last 20 years. He's also taken an NFL-high 465 quarterback hits since entering the league in 2021. Los Angeles adding 2022 first-round pick offensive lineman Trevor Penning could be a major boost for Herbert and his health even though Penning hasn't been a world beater this season. 

Penning played right tackle his first few years in the league, but in 2024, his 7.6% quarterback pressure rate was the third-highest among 34 qualified right tackles last season. This year, he's moved to left guard, and Penning is performing slightly better: his 6.3% quarterback pressure rate is 22nd among 28 qualified left guards. Any help at all for Herbert up front will be much welcome for a 5-3 Chargers squad in the thick of a race for the AFC West crown in 2025. 

7. Seahawks acquire WR Rashid Shaheed from Saints

• Acquired: Shaheed
• Traded: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2026 fifth-round pick

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is cooking with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, so Seattle's front office opted to add more fuel to that duo's collective fire. The Seahawks traded for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to give Kubiak, who was the Saints OC in 2024, one of his favorite weapons back. Shaheed has 11 career touchdowns of 40 or more yards since 2022, the third-most in the league in that span behind only two All-Pros in Tyreek Hill (12) and Ja'Marr Chase (13).

That verticality will pair well with Darnold, whose 9.6 yards per pass attempt this season lead the entire NFL. He threw for 330 yards, four touchdowns and an interception on 21 of 24 passing in a "Sunday Night Football" victory against the Washington Commanders in Week 9, and he was so dialed in he completed all of his 16 first-half passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Adding Shaheed to his arsenal along with 2025 NFL receiving yards leader Jaxon Smith-Njigba (948 yards receiving) and 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year wide receiver Cooper Kupp has Darnold positioned to keep the Seahawks well within the hunt for an NFC West crown. 

8. Rams acquire CB Roger McCreary from Titans

• Acquired: McCreary, conditional 2026 sixth-round pick
• Traded: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick

Overall, the Los Angeles Rams pass defense has been strong, surrendering an opponent passer rating of 84.0, the sixth-lowest in the NFL this season. However, they would probably love to lower their passing yards per game total of 203.1, which ranks 13th in the league this season. The ex-second-round pick can line up inside or outside, making him a valuable piece of defensive coordinator Chris Shula's unit. 

9. Jaguars acquire WR Jakobi Meyers from Raiders

• Acquired: Meyers
• Traded: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick

The 2025 season just wasn't the Las Vegas Raiders' year with the team off to a 2-6 start under head coach Pete Carroll, and that's especially true for the connection between quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Smith threw four interceptions and no touchdowns while target Meyers this season, and Meyers had asked for a trade.

Las Vegas granted his wish and sent him to the Jacksonville Jaguars where he can now contend for an AFC South title this season with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The problem is Lawrence hasn't been good when throwing to his wide receivers this season, ranking 30th in both completion percentage (56%) and passer rating (73.0) when targeting them in 2025. 

10. 49ers acquire DE Keion White from Patriots

• Acquired: White, 2026 seventh-round pick 
• Traded: 2026 sixth-round pick

The San Francisco 49ers are in the midst of the NFC playoff hunt despite all their injuries, which include a season-ending torn ACL for All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa. His absence has been significant: San Francisco ranks as the second-worst in the NFL in quarterback pressure rate (26.5%) since Week 4, their first game after Bosa tore his ACL. Additionally, San Francisco's 11 team sacks are tied for the third-fewest in the NFL this season. They can use all the help they can get from the former second-round pick. 

11. Ravens acquire DE Dre'Mont Jones from Titans

• Acquired: Jones
• Traded: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick

The Baltimore Ravens' playoff hopes have life after consecutive victories and the return to health of MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. That's why they're looking to boost a pass rush that ranks tied for the second-fewest sacks (11) and the third-lowest quarterback pressure rate (27.3%) in the league. Jones could help since he's racked up 4.5 sacks across the last four weeks, but he's never been more than a rotational pass rusher who is now on his fourth NFL team. 

12. Eagles acquire CB Jaire Alexander from Ravens

• Acquired: Alexander, 2027, seventh-round pick
• Traded: 2026 sixth-round pick

In his prime with the Green Bay Packers, Jaire Alexander was once one of the top five cover cornerbacks in football. He's battled knee injuries the last few years, and then was a healthy scratch in his last few games with the Ravens. It's low-risk gamble by Eagles general manager Howie Roseman that Alexander could perform and be healthy while providing some support at the team's other outside cornerback position opposite Quinyon Mitchell. 

13. Cowboys acquire LB Logan Wilson from Bengals

• Acquired: Wilson
• Traded: 2026 seventh-round pick

Linebacker Logan Wilson goes from being benched on the NFL's worst scoring defense (33.3 points per game allowed) to now having a chance to play on the league's second-worst scoring defense (30.8 points per game allowed). Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said linebacker Kenneth Murray had one of his better games in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, but the defense remained a mess. Wilson could be an upgrade for Murray and Jack Sanborn, but that's not saying much.