| Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com updates us on the current draft order – with the Jets out of the number one spot: As a reminder, there are three teams without a first-round pick in 2026 as a result of draft day trades, plus the Micah Parsons deal: Atlanta, Green Bay and Jacksonville. Here is the current 2026 NFL Draft order, per Tankathon, as well as potential team needs: 1. New Orleans Saints (1-7)Projected needs: CB, S, DL, RB, WRNew Orleans struggled to get anything going on offense against Tampa Bay and the team made the decision to install Tyler Shough as the new starting quarterback. 2. New York Jets (1-7)Projected needs: QB, WR, DL, CB, TENew York got its first win of the season as Justin Fields led the franchise to a comeback victory over the Bengals. It was a particularly strong performance on the ground for the Jets. 3. Tennessee Titans (1-7)Projected needs: OT, IOL, WR, DL, EDGEThe Titans continue to struggle on both sides of the ball as Indianapolis delivered a decisive blow Sunday. 4. Cleveland Browns (2-6)Projected needs: OT, WR, QB, CB, IOLEdge rusher Myles Garrett produced five sacks and a forced fumble. Cleveland played New England close for one half, but the Patriots eventually pulled away from Dillon Gabriel and the Browns. 5. Miami Dolphins (2-6)Projected needs: CB, WR, TE, IOL, SThe vibes were bad in Miami after last weekend’s loss to Cleveland in blustery conditions. Coach Mike McDaniel was able to rally the troops for a definitive victory over the Falcons. 6. New York Giants (2-6)Projected needs: IOL, OT, DL, CB, LBNew York was unable to pull off the regular-season sweep of the rival Eagles. The loss was even more costly as running back Cam Skattebo was lost for the season with an ankle injury. 7. Baltimore Ravens (2-5)Projected needs: EDGE, DL, IOL, TE, CBPro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley led Baltimore to a much-needed victory over Chicago in the absence of Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have an opportunity to gain ground in the AFC North. 8. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)Projected needs: CB, LB, S, DL, OTThe Raiders were on a bye this week after dropping last week’s contest. 9. Arizona Cardinals (2-5)Projected needs: OT, IOL, LB, DL, RBArizona was able to use its bye week to sulk over last weekend’s loss to the Packers. Coach Jonathan Gannon attempts to rally the troops in time for next week’s Monday night game against the Cowboys. 10. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)Projected needs: IOL, CB, S, TE, EDGEJoe Flacco provided Cincinnati with competent play at the game’s most important position once again. He threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns, but the defense was unable to stop the Jets when it needed it most. 11. Washington Commanders (3-5)Projected needs: EDGE, LB, CB, TE, WRAnother loss for the Commanders without Jayden Daniels. It’s getting late early for last season’s playoff darlings. 12. Los Angeles Rams via Atlanta Falcons (3-4)Projected needs: CB, OT, LB, S, IOLAtlanta’s loss to Miami was Los Angeles’ gain. The Rams possess the Falcons’ first-round pick after a draft night trade in April. 13. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)Projected needs: LB, CB, S, DL, RBThe curtain may have dropped on Carson Wentz on Thursday night. Minnesota was nowhere near competitive as Max Brosmer was inserted into the lineup late. 14. Houston Texans (3-4)Projected needs: IOL, OT, TE, DL, SHouston has not had the season it had envisioned, but Sunday was a bright spot as the Texans overcame one of the league’s best teams: San Francisco. 15. Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, RB, CBDallas is a difficult team to pinpoint this year. The Cowboys are capable of outscoring teams, but the defense is not stopping much of anything. The Cowboys were nearly doubled up Sunday by the Broncos. 16. Carolina Panthers (4-4)Projected needs: CB, S, IOL, WR, DLCarolina’s three-game win streak ended Sunday against Buffalo. The Panthers were a complete no-show without Bryce Young. 17. Chicago Bears (4-3)Projected needs: DL, S, IOL, RB, OTChicago’s win streak draws to a close as the Ravens pulled away Sunday. The Bears remain above .500 and alive in the NFC playoff hunt. 18. Cleveland Browns via Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3)Projected needs: OT, WR, QB, CB, IOLJacksonville was on its bye after losing to the Rams in London last weekend. The Browns retain the rights to the Jaguars’ first-round pick, following a draft day trade for Travis Hunter Jr. 19. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)Projected needs: QB, DL, WR, CB, IOLThe Steelers lost the much-anticipated prime-time game against the Packers as Aaron Rodgers couldn’t beat his former team. 20. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)Projected needs: OT, IOL, DL, WR, TEInjuries continue to mount for San Francisco. The 49ers finally faltered against Houston on Sunday. 21. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)Projected needs: IOL, EDGE, CB, TE, DLThe Chargers crushed Minnesota on Thursday night. Justin Herbert threw for three touchdowns and Los Angeles’ defense limited the Vikings to 10 points. 22. Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)Projected needs: DL, RB, CB, LB, TEThe Chiefs were locked in a 7-7 tie at halftime on Monday night before Patrick Mahomes’ flawless second half led them to a 28-7 victory. 23. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)Projected needs: CB, OT, LB, S, IOLThe Rams were on a bye this week after toppling Jacksonville in London a week ago. 24. Detroit Lions (5-2)Projected needs: EDGE, DL, LB, CB, OTDetroit was on a bye this week. The Lions return next week against Minnesota. 25. Buffalo Bills (5-2)Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, CB, WRBuffalo, coming off its bye week, demolished Carolina. First-round cornerback selection Maxwell Hairston had a tackle in his professional debut. 26. Seattle Seahawks (5-2)Projected needs: CB, DL, IOL, S, WRSeattle is yet another team on a laundry list of bye teams this week. 27. Denver Broncos (6-2)Projected needs: LB, TE, S, WR, OTDallas gave up big play after big play as the Broncos ran away in a romp. Wide receiver Troy Franklin (two) and running back RJ Harvey (three) combined for five scores. 28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)Projected needs: LB, DL, EDGE, IOL, TETampa Bay stifled the New Orleans offense to the point that second-round pick Tyler Shough replaced Spencer Rattler. 29. New England Patriots (6-2)Projected needs: OT, TE, WR, LB, EDGENew England and Cleveland played a tight game in the first half, but the Drake Maye hype train rolled as the Patriots pulled away in the second half. 30. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)Projected needs: TE, CB, EDGE, S, IOLPhiladelphia avoided a regular-season sweep at the hand of the Giants. Jalen Hurts threw for four touchdowns. 31. Dallas Cowboys via Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, RB, CBDallas has the rights to Green Bay’s first-round pick as a result of the Micah Parsons trade. 32. Indianapolis Colts (7-1)Projected needs: LB, CB, EDGE, IOL, DLIndianapolis’ magical season continues as the Colts put divisional foe Tennessee in its place. The Colts have scored 25+ points in each of their seven victories this season. |
| NFC NORTH |
| DETROITDianna Russini of The Athletic says QB JARED GOFF does not get enough love: Lions quarterback Jared Goff is firing on all cylinders. So why isn’t the league noticing? “It’s been hard for people to get past the fact that Sean McVay got rid of him. That’s why people thought he wasn’t good. But they need to move on and see what he’s doing now,” a high-ranking league source told me. The numbers tell the story. Detroit ranks near the top of the league in points per game (30.7). Yet in conversations about elite quarterbacks, Goff slips through the cracks. Yes, Dan Campbell deserves credit. The well-caffeinated force of nature has turned around this franchise alongside GM Brad Holmes, and a big part of that was restoring confidence in his QB. Their faith in him helped change his own belief. This isn’t the same Jared Goff who shrank under Super Bowl pressure years ago. And it’s time people noticed. |
| NFC EAST |
| NEW YORK GIANTSAn update on RB CAM SKATTEBO from Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: Giants running back Cam Skattebo went immediately from Lincoln Financial Field to the operating room after dislocating his ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles, but that won’t be the only injury he’s recovering from as he moves toward the 2026 season. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Skattebo also fractured his fibula and ruptured the deltoid ligament in his ankle. The team said all went well with the surgery to replace his injuries and Rapoport reports that he’s expected to be ready for the team’s offseason work. The Giants placed Skattebo on injured reserve on Tuesday. The fourth-round pick had 110 carries for 410 yards and five touchdowns before his injury. Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary will handle the running back work for the Giants in Skattebo’s absence. |
| PHILADELPHIAWR A.J. BROWN is tired of being an afterthought in the Eagles offense until all else fails. Dianna Russini of The Athletic talked to owner Jeffrey Lurie about Brown’s frustration: The defending Super Bowl champs are getting phone calls and interest in wide receiver A.J. Brown, but for now, the Eagles want him on their team. That’s despite Brown’s ongoing social media gripes after wins and losses, including his latest after a 121-yard, two-touchdown performance in a win over the Vikings, when he captioned his Instagram photos with: “using me but not using me.” Translation: The Eagles are using him when they are in trouble, but not involving him consistently enough for his liking. He’s clearly losing patience. Brown — who will miss Week 8 with a hamstring injury — is loved in the Eagles’ locker room and even has a lengthy personal history with his quarterback, Jalen Hurts, but it’s obvious something has changed between the two on the field. The Eagles will say everything is fine, but many around the league can see it plainly on the film. An opposing defensive coach said he actually understands Brown’s frustration. “Hurts struggles against zone,” he said. “That’s when A.J. goes MIA. There are times it looks like Hurts doesn’t fully trust what he’s seeing, so he checks it down and plays it safe. It’s either a deep shot or a checkdown — not much in between. The timing is just off. And you can see it on the field — the communication between Hurts and Brown just isn’t there right now.” The question is inevitable: If Brown continues to seem miserable in the final 10 days before the trade deadline, does something have to change? I asked Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie what he would do if Brown knocked on his door and asked for a trade. His answer was firm, team-first and championship-minded. “We do what’s best for the team,” he said. “We don’t even consider it seriously unless it’s best for the Eagles. We will always do what gives us the best chance of winning big. Everything else is secondary.” Bottom line: Brown can be frustrated all he wants, but this team plays for the ring first. However, GM Howie Roseman will always listen, and if the Eagles get an exorbitant offer? Nobody is untradable in Philadelphia. So why do the Eagles, a team that, on paper, might have one of the top rosters in football, always seem to have internal conflict? “It’s not conflict. It’s intensity,” Lurie said. “The players respect it. I like intensity. The players are intense. Howie’s intense, I’m intense, the coach is intense. Every week, every situation, we approach it with intensity.” Lurie, Roseman and Nick Sirianni are among the architects of a locker room that may appear combustible to the outside, but is constructed this way for a reason. “We encourage it. We want different personalities,” Lurie said. “Sometimes, in trades or in free agency, we’ll bring people in that complement those that we have. They’re different on purpose. We don’t want sameness.” Lurie believes Sirianni holds a key role in Philadelphia’s operation. “He is one of the best connectors in sports,” he said. Now, Sirianni may have one of his biggest challenges: To find a way to make it work on the field between Jalen and A.J. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| ATLANTAFrank Schwab of YahooSports.com on Atlanta’s offensive struggles: The Falcons have failed to gain 300 yards in consecutive games. On Sunday they barely got past 200. Even worse than those stats, both performances were against defenses that have otherwise struggled. The 49ers haven’t been great on defense since Nick Bosa’s season-ending injury, and without Bosa and Fred Warner on Sunday they gave up 475 yards to the Houston Texans’ mediocre offense. Sunday’s game by the Falcons’ offense was really poor. The Miami Dolphins have one of the worst defenses in the NFL and the Falcons got only 212 yards against them at home. Michael Penix Jr. was out but it shouldn’t be that bad with Kirk Cousins, the league’s highest-paid backup, replacing him. But it was that bad. There has been a lot of criticism for offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and some stale play-calling. The Falcons are 3-4 and trending the wrong way. Even when Penix and Drake London return from injuries, there are a lot of issues to work out. Panic meter: The season is slipping away fast |
| AFC WEST |
| DENVERIn terms of sack differential, the Broncos are dominating. Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com: When it comes to sacks, the Broncos are the best team in the NFL, on both sides of the ball. Denver’s defense is leading the NFL with 36 sacks. The Broncos’ offense is also the best in the NFL at avoiding sacks, with only eight sacks allowed. That’s not just the best in the NFL this year, it’s unprecedented in NFL history midway through a season: The 2025 Broncos are the first team in NFL history with at least 35 sacks on defense and 10 or fewer sacks allowed on offense in the first eight games of a season. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has only been sacked on 2.7 percent of his pass attempts, the best mark in the NFL. The Broncos’ defense has recorded a sack on 12.2 percent of their opponents’ pass attempts, which is also the best mark in the NFL. The league average is a sack on 6.8 percent of pass attempts. The Broncos are on a five-game winning streak, and they’re going to win a whole lot more games if they keep doing two of the most important things in football: Getting to the other team’s quarterback, and keeping their own quarterback upright. |
| KANSAS CITYThis on the state of the Chiefs stadium situation from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com: The Chiefs continue to move toward an inevitable decision between renovating Arrowhead Stadium and building a new stadium. On Monday, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt addressed the status of the team’s effort to achieve a long-term solution. The comments came in the context of the recent ouster of Jackson County, Missouri, executive Frank White via a recall election. White was replaced by Phil LeVota. “We have had some preliminary conversations with [LeVota],” Hunt said, via KMBC.com. “He obviously has a lot of things on his plate, but he expressed eagerness to work with us, and we expect to expand those conversations in the coming weeks.” The threshold question continues to be renovation vs. new construction, with the likely destination being the other side of the Missouri-Kansas border. “We’re still working on both the renovation of GEHA Field at Arrowhead, as well as the possibility of building a new stadium somewhere in the metropolitan area,” Hunt said. Hunt’s comments also pointed to the apparent necessity of a new ballot measure in Jackson County to fund the project at Arrowhead. “So if we pursued the renovation option there, there’s a chance that we would be on a ballot next year,” Hunt said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be April, and we haven’t gotten that specific in terms of timing at this point.” That’s significant, given the colossal failure of a Jackson County ballot measure in April 2024. Even though the Chiefs (and Royals) were hoping to secure the extension of an existing sales tax, the electorate’s answer was a resounding no. In the end, then, the Chiefs may not have to make a decision. If Jackson County voters once again refuse to fund the renovation with taxpayer money, a new stadium in Kansas becomes the only option. |
| AFC NORTH |
| PITTSBURGHIt looked like, with QB AARON RODGERS plugging the hole at quarterback adequately, that Pittsburgh’s run of mediocrity would come to an end this year. Then, the defense imploded. Frank Schwab of YahooSports.com: The Pittsburgh Steelers started the season 4-1, but it’s not like they were without flaws. A two-game losing streak has made it clear that the hot start was a mirage. The Steelers were completely uncompetitive in the second half against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. The defense looked bad, as it has multiple times this season. The offense isn’t explosive enough to overcome that. The Steelers aren’t terrible, but they aren’t as good as their 4-1 start either. As with any Steelers slump, it begins a conversation about the state of the franchise and Mike Tomlin’s tenure. The Steelers haven’t been bad under Tomlin but they’ve been barely on the right side of mediocre for a while. This season looks like more of the same. The Steelers are atop the AFC North, and given the malaise elsewhere in the division, it’s not out of the question Pittsburgh could hang on and win it. But a division title with a record around .500 and another early playoff exit wouldn’t satisfy anyone in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are stuck and have been for a while. They’re not bad enough to start a rebuild but not good enough to be relevant in the postseason. The defense is expensive, aging and slipping. Aaron Rodgers has been reasonable at quarterback but everyone understands he isn’t the answer beyond this season. Even if he did come back for another season, he’s not going to be better next season when he turns 43 years old. The Steelers will be back on the hamster wheel at quarterback, without a draft pick high enough to pick a surefire quarterback of the future. Given the age of the roster, this might not be an easy or quick rebuild. The Steelers get a benefit of the doubt because they’re a good organization, but the near future doesn’t look particularly good. There’s the Tomlin question. He has a Hall of Fame resume. But as disgruntled Steelers fans point out, he hasn’t won a playoff game since the end of the 2016 season. There’s a good chance the Steelers’ next coach won’t be as good as Tomlin. Also, every coach’s message becomes stale after a while. Unless the Steelers win a playoff game this season, there will be speculation about Tomlin’s future. It’s an annual tradition. For now, the Steelers are in an awkward spot. The defense probably isn’t getting totally fixed; only two teams have given up more yards. The offense ranks 25th in total yards. But they are in first place of the AFC North. That just doesn’t feel too satisfying. Panic meter: High for now, and even higher for the future The last four seasons are actually a tad better than we thought: 2021 9-7-1 2nd WC2022 9-8 3rd2023 10-7 3rd WC2024 10-7 2nd WC The Steelers have games left with the Browns and Dolphins, so that might be 6 wins. Two with the Ravens, one each with Lions, Bills, Bears, Bengals, Colts and Chargers. If they go 3-5 in those eight, they are back to 9-8. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| INDIANAPOLISAs we wrote about yesterday – the Colts have a tougher schedule ahead of them than the one they went 7-1 against and Coach Shane Steichen knows it. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: The Colts have been the surprise success story of the first half of the season and doubts about their bona fides have slipped away as they’ve kept winning games by comfortable margins while putting up the most points in the league. Their 7-1 mark has them well ahead in the AFC South, but head coach Shane Steichen doesn’t want to see his team take its foot off the gas pedal because of the size of their lead. Steichen said this week that teams prove themselves in November and December, which means he’s looking for the team to rise even higher in the coming weeks. “That’s where it really starts to pick up,” Steichen said, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “You’ve got to play at your very best starting in these next two months.” The schedule provides some good tests of the Colts’ mettle. Starting with Sunday’s game against the Steelers, the Colts play teams that currently have winning records in six of their final nine games. They’ll also have a pair of games against the Texans, who are 3-4 at the moment but divisional games always offer other challenges that the Colts will have to navigate to head into the postseason with the kind of good feelings that they’ve generated so far this season. |
| AFC EAST |
| NEW ENGLANDThe Patriots are so good that they feel they can afford to ship out a pair of veterans to other contenders. Nick Wagoner and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com: The New England Patriots traded away two former defensive starters Tuesday night, sending defensive end Keion White to the San Francisco 49ers and safety Kyle Dugger to the Pittsburgh Steelers, sources told ESPN. The Pats acquired a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Niners in exchange for White and a 2026 seventh-round pick, according to sources. They acquired a 2026 sixth-round pick from the Steelers, who received Dugger and a 2026 seventh-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Patriots will help cover part of Dugger’s remaining salary, which amounts to $9.75 million, according to sources. White and Dugger were starters under the former Patriots regimes led by Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo but had been backups under first-year coach Mike Vrabel. White was a 2023 second-round draft pick under Belichick who totaled five sacks in his second season. His addition comes at a critical time for the Niners, who have seen their group of defensive ends dwindle by the week because of injuries. The biggest loss came in Week 3 when star end Nick Bosa was lost for the season with a torn right ACL. The Niners left Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans with ends Bryce Huff (hamstring), Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) and Sam Okuayinonu (ankle) dealing with injuries that either prevented them from playing in that game or were suffered during it. Although Huff and Gross-Matos are expected back soon and Okuayinonu is day-to-day this week, the 49ers clearly needed help at the position following their struggles generating any pass rush against Houston. For the season, the Niners rank last in the NFL in pressure percentage (21.3%) and 25th in pass-rush win rate (33.8%). In White, the Niners are taking a flier on a once-promising prospect who fell out of favor in New England as his fit in Vrabel’s scheme wasn’t as clear. He was a healthy scratch in the Patriots’ win against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and played in just 26% of the defensive snaps this season with six tackles and one pressure. White was selected by New England in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, the final draft with Belichick as coach. He played in 16 games as a rookie, with four starts, totaling 26 tackles, 1 sack, 5 quarterback hits and 2 pass breakups. When Mayo, a former Belichick assistant, took over as head coach in 2024, White’s role expanded as he played in every game (13 starts) and amassed 56 tackles, 5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, 5 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles. White has one year remaining on his rookie deal at a base salary of $1.812 million for 2026. Given the injuries on the roster, the Niners might not be done making trades, with more help for the defensive line still possible as they await the returns of Huff, Gross-Matos and Okuayinonu. Dugger signed a four-year, $58 million contract as a free agent last year after initially being assigned the transition tag by the team. A second-round pick in 2020, he has started 69 games, including four this season, and totaled nine interceptions. The Steelers added Dugger in large part because starting strong safety DeShon Elliott hyperextended his knee in their loss to the Packers on Sunday night. Elliott was a hub of communication in the secondary and was a physical presence in the run game. “He’s a significant component of what we do, particularly relative to some of the things that Indy does well,” coach Mike Tomlin said of Elliott on Tuesday. “He is a central figure in our secondary in terms of run defense for example. He covers tight ends oftentimes in passing circumstances and so certainly we have some adapting to do in terms of how we divide the labor up this week, but that’s always the case when you lose someone, particularly someone significant, it’s not a one-person job, it’s a multi-person job.” Without Elliott, the Steelers struggled to slow tight end Tucker Kraft using safety Chuck Clark, and they have an equally difficult task in Week 9 against the Colts and rookie Tyler Warren. Elliott missed time with a different knee injury earlier this season, and the Steelers helped replace him by signing former Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers. |
| NEW YORK JETSA note from Dianna Russini of The Athletic: Keep an eye on the Jets; teams have been showing interest in DT Quinnen Williams, although New York’s asking price is massive. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| CONNOR ORR’s DEADLINE DEALSConnor Orr of SI.com proposes some trades: This year’s NFL trade deadline could be spectacular or it could model out what we’ve seen of late: Coaches and general managers are horrified of the idea of being seen as “out of it” and, after a tidal wave of college football firings primed the pump, are more likely to lean into a desperate attempt to salvage every season. Below are 12 dream trades, which range from dreams like “I finally scored a touchdown in a high school football game” to “I dreamed that the laundry was already done and folded, so I could go for a walk instead.” There are definite tiers to dreams and, thus, there are definite tiers to dream trades. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson to the ColtsPrice: 2026 third- and conditional fourth-round picksHendrickson tidily reunites with his former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in a move that firmly stamps the Colts as Super Bowl contenders. Hendrickson is a great buy-low option for the Colts, who, in this scenario, wait out the Bengals until the last moment after Cincinnati loses to the Bears in Week 9 and decides to recoup some assets after its admirable attempt at an all-in season. Hendrickson joins a rotation with Kwity Paye and the excellent second-year edge rusher Laiatu Latu, helping Anarumo create increased chaos up front, with a slate of games coming up against quarterbacks who either struggle with escapability or have extreme deficiencies on the offensive line. Indianapolis still has two games against the offensive line-needy Texans, and Hendrickson can provide a boot to the throat of any potential comeback. Browns TE David Njoku to the BroncosPrice: 2026 third-round pickThe 12-personnel craze was so last year. Now, it’s all about 13-personnel. The Colts, Steelers, Lions and Rams have all had success with three-tight end formations that could define the latter portions of the season and boost the run game’s efficiency. The Broncos have one of the lowest percentages of multi-tight end formational usage in the league. Still, Sean Payton has long been a fan of the position and talks about his ideal playmakers as positionless entities. After getting a glimpse of RJ Harvey on Sunday, his pass-catching abilities are receiver-esque, and a heavier personnel set could set him loose in the running game, get him to the edge more often or set him up on more screen plays. A personnel grouping with Njokou and Evan Engram would pose lots of problems for the opposition. The Chiefs’ defense has been somewhat vulnerable to 12-personnel packages this year. Jets WR Garrett Wilson and a fifth-round pick to the GiantsPrice: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 first-round pick I wonder if the conclusion Aaron Glenn comes to at the end of this season is that there are certain players he needs to rebuild, and that Garrett Wilson is not one of them. Wilson is an in-prime, top-tier wide receiver who, at best, will be playing for a highly drafted rookie quarterback in 2026. The Jets are on a collision course to have the No. 1 pick, and, with few veteran options on the horizon, may have to begin the offense anew. That’s perilous territory for someone like Wilson, who has thrived despite meager quarterback play throughout his career. The Giants continue a trade deadline trend of scooping up pre-combine market stars from the Jets (Leonard Williams), despite being nowhere near playoff contention. Wilson would be valuable protection against Malik Nabers’s injury. Browns G Wyatt Teller to the SeahawksPrice: 2026 fourth-round pick, 2027 sixth-round pickTeller had a three-season run where he may have been the best guard in the NFL. At age 30 (and he’ll turn 31 next month), he is likely more valuable for his veteran expertise and would help shore up a glaring need for the Seahawks offensively. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak goes back a long way with Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and can gauge whether Teller still has enough in the tank to help solidify Seattle’s right side. However, Seattle isn’t done yet … Dolphins DE Bradley Chubb to the EaglesPrice: 2026 fourth-round pickThe Eagles welcoming back Brandon Graham likely wouldn’t have happened if the team did not have a pronounced need on the edge. While the Vic Fangio Dolphins were a largely failed experiment in 2023, Chubb had what I would consider his best season under the now Eagles defensive coordinator. Chubb played in 16 games, nearly set a career high in sacks (11) and forced a staggering six fumbles. While Jalyx Hunt has probably had his best two games of the season in each of the past two weeks, Chubb, 29, adds a veteran presence alongside Graham, who, when properly protected, can still wreak havoc on an offense. Giants OT Evan Neal to the SeahawksPrice: 2026 sixth-round pickNeal, the No. 7 pick in 2022, has some outstanding traits for an offensive lineman, but for one reason or another, struggled to put together a consistent campaign for the Giants. This move provides depth for the Teller signing and a possible flier for the Seahawks, who may want to utilize Neal not only for his guard depth but for additional bigger personnel sets. While the Giants aren’t in a position of strength on the offensive line, with this deal general manager Joe Schoen recognizes the need to give Neal a much-needed change of scenery. Jets QB Justin Fields to the VikingsPrice: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pickWith Carson Wentz battered to the point of being placed on injured reserve and the Vikings staring out at a very fine line between competency at the quarterback position and a deep, empty ravine, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell snag Fields from the Jets after the strength of Fields’s performance last week against the Bengals. Fields is the perfect high-upside quarterback for O’Connell to mix into the fold should J.J. McCarthy struggle to play with his injured ankle. The move is an attempt to restock the cupboard in Minnesota after both Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones left for high-end starting jobs elsewhere. O’Connell learned a valuable lesson about hubris and the limitations of coaching this offseason by also eschewing Aaron Rodgers after McCarthy’s promising spring. Fields, who is not valued by Jets ownership, would likely welcome the change with open arms. Raiders DE Tyree Wilson to the PatriotsPrice: 2026 fifth-round pickThe Patriots should be looking to improve their edge-rusher rotation heading into the trade deadline. Wilson was a draft pick of Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels back when McDaniels was the coach of the Raiders. While it’s an oversimplification to say that the scheme Wilson fit in Las Vegas would be similar to the one Vrabel runs in New England, McDaniels had done a lot of work on the former Texas Tech standout. Wilson’s gigantic wingspan also adds an interesting layer of intrigue, given how critical special teams have been to this season and the ability of top coordinators to block kicks with more regularity. Saints RB Alvin Kamara to the ChiefsPrice: 2026 fifth-round pick, 2027 conditional sixth-round pickI think this is one of the most popular model trades we’ve seen this season, and I would be remiss if I didn’t include it on my list (even if Kamara has said he doesn’t want to leave New Orleans). I think of Kamara less as a part of the busy Chiefs’ backfield rotation and more as someone else you can stick out wide and use to motion opposing teams to death with. Kamara could fill in that iconic Tyreek Hill role that made third-and-short plays nearly automatic thanks to his ability to destroy a slower defender at the line of scrimmage and find open space. Saints OT Trevor Penning to the LionsPrice: 2026 fourth-round pickTrevor Penning did not have his fifth-year option picked up by the Saints. The former first-round pick has guard/tackle flexibility and could help the Lions ease the burden of a banged-up Taylor Decker and continue the team’s push to replenish the lifeblood of their team. Penning had a promising rookie debut but has been subjected to some bad Saints teams and offensive lines that did not necessarily offer a lot of complementary aid. The Saints are going to push for as much draft equity as possible as they reshape a roster under Kellen Moore, who spent a first-round pick on a tackle, Kelvin Banks Jr., in this past year’s draft. Raiders CB Eric Stokes to the LionsPrice: 2027 sixth-round pickEric Stokes, a former first-round pick of the Packers, has been a massive bright spot for an otherwise dreary Raiders defense this year. The 26-year-old has played 95% of Vegas’s defensive snaps and is allowing an opposing quarterback completion percentage of less than 50 on targeted passes. The Lions need to add depth to a secondary that can hang with any team despite mounting injury concerns. As the team learned a year ago, the Lions’ all-out physical style of play is effective so long as there is a constant replenishment of certain resources. Stokes knows the NFC North well and is incredibly fast. Giants DT Dexter Lawrence to the BillsPrice: 2026 first-round pick*Whiffs smelling salt* O.K., that’s the good stuff. Let’s end with a bang. Lawrence is a centerpiece of the Giants’ defensive line but has not played up to his brand name this season. The Lawrence situation recently came to a head when longtime Giants radio voice Carl Banks ripped the former first-round pick and three-time Pro Bowler by saying (as transcribed by the New York Post): “Your opponents do not—the pre-injury Dexter is not there in their heads. They don’t respect you. And there’s a difference. You’re on the field, they’re blocking you with a [five]-year backup center. You’re not making a difference. The old Dexter would. There are a lot of things that go into your performance, only you know what that is. Whether you’re still recovering or not, I’m just telling you now, I’m looking at enough tape to know that your opponents don’t respect you, not like they used to.” While Lawrence is unlikely to land a first-round pick, the Bills’ sheer desperation and the glaring lack of interior defensive line help on the market elevate this to a must-consider for the Giants. Also, Joe Schoen was Bills GM Brandon Beane’s longtime assistant, if that matters for much. |
