NFL trade grades: Kyle Dugger, Keion White

Seth WalderOct 28, 2025, 09:02 PM ET

CloseSeth Walder is an analytics writer at ESPN, specializing in quantitative analysis. He is also a regular on “ESPN Bet Live” and helps cover sports betting. Seth has been at ESPN since 2017. He previously worked at the New York Daily News covering the Jets and Giants. You can follow Seth on X via @SethWalder.

Let’s grade trades from the 2025 NFL season. When a deal happens, we often hear the old adage that it will take years to know how well each team did. To that I say: nonsense. General managers don’t get the benefit of hindsight while they are making their decisions, so why should we when evaluating those decisions?

That’s a long way of saying I’m a big fan of trade grades, which document our reaction at the moment a deal is made. When grading trades, I evaluate them for each team based on on-field impact, cap implications, draft compensation and effects within the context of a team’s overall short-term and long-term outlook. I like to think about decisions on two axes:

They’ll both play a role in our grades, though a low-impact decision can still receive a strong or poor grade. Low-stakes, clear-cut wins or losses still matter.

Let’s dive in on in-season deals leading up to NFL trade deadline on Nov. 4, with the Patriots’ trades of Kyle Dugger and Keion White being the most recent.

Jump to a deal:
Dugger | White | McCreary
Campbell/Newsome | Oweh/Gilman
Flacco | Robinson | Brownlee | Bigsby

Steelers get: S Kyle Dugger, 2026 seventh-round pick
Patriots get: 2026 sixth-round pick

Steelers grade: B
Patriots grade: B

Steelers safety DeShon Elliott suffered a leg injury in Sunday night’s loss to the Packers that could cost him the rest of the season. Evidently, Pittsburgh felt it needed to look outside of the building for his replacement.

Chuck Clark took Elliott’s snaps against Green Bay and was notably beaten by tight end Tucker Kraft on a 59-yard gain. Had Pittsburgh not made a move, it probably would have been Clark or another ex-Patriot, Jabrill Peppers, taking over Elliott’s box safety role, with Juan Thornhill as the deep safety. Dugger, who fell out of favor in New England a year after signing a four-year, $58 million contract, can fill that void.

Dugger has 69 career starts and was particularly well-regarded during a 2022 season that included two pick-sixes. But he has played only 101 defensive snaps for the Patriots this season. He was due the pro-rated remainder of the $9.75 million salary he was owed, but the Patriots are picking up some of that, which makes sense and was probably necessary to get a deal done.

Between that, Pittsburgh’s need and Dugger’s past high-level play, I think it’s worth it for the Steelers to make this move — especially since it didn’t cost them much draft capital. This is a secondary that has had a rough past two games (losses to the Bengals and Packers), so getting safety help can’t hurt.

The Patriots had phased out Dugger from the lineup, as he really played only when Jaylinn Hawkins sat out time. Currently, we don’t know exactly how much cap relief they are getting, but it seems as if they’re getting at least some for a player that coach Mike Vrabel doesn’t seem to want. That seems fine, particularly given the price of Dugger’s contract in 2026 meant that he was certainly going to be cut if he remained in New England.

49ers get: Edge Keion White, 2026 seventh-round pick
Patriots get: 2026 sixth-round pick

49ers grade: A-
Patriots grade: C-

The 49ers need pass-rushing help. Since Week 4, the first week after Nick Bosa‘s season-ending ACL injury, the 49ers rank 26th in pass rush win rate. They got some help from Bryce Huff, who looks as if he’s back to the form he showed with the Jets, but Huff recently suffered a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out this week.

The four players who have played at least 100 snaps along the 49ers’ interior defensive line are Alfred Collins, Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Mykel Williams. None of them have a double-digit win rate. Enter White, who I think could be quite a useful addition.

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White fell out of favor in the Patriots and was a healthy scratch last week. But he has inside-outside flexibility and his career numbers, particularly as an interior rusher, have been somewhat impressive on a per-snap basis. As an interior lineman, White has managed a 13.6% pass rush win rate and a 9.6% pressure rate, with most of those snaps coming the previous two seasons. Those numbers would be solidly above average for an interior player. White plays more frequently on the edge, but in an unusual quirk, his numbers are not as strong there.

White probably will be a rotational player at best for the 49ers but considering their need, the cost (almost nothing) and that the 49ers will have White under contract for only $1.8 million in 2026, I think this is quite a nifty deadline deal for San Francisco.

It was clear White fell out of favor in New England. He was buried on a strong depth chart, with Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson having nice seasons on the edge and Milton Williams and Christian Barmore playing well inside. But considering that the 6-2 Patriots should be harboring deep playoff expectations, the compensation they received does not make up for the loss in depth. Should injuries strike, they might wish they had White back.

Rams get: CB Roger McCreary, conditional 2026 sixth-round pick
Titans get: Conditional 2026 fifth-round pick

Rams grade: B+
Titans grade: B-

The Rams kicked off the penultimate week of the 2025 trading season by trading with the Titans for McCreary, who has mostly served as a slot corner. McCreary is known for his consistency: In each of the past four seasons, he has allowed between 1.0 and 1.2 yards per coverage snap, per NFL Next Gen Stats — at or slightly worse than the league average for a slot corner (1.0) or outside corner (1.1).

The interesting aspect of this is that the Rams already had a nickel they were presumably happy with in Quentin Lake, whose 0.9 yards allowed per coverage snap is sixth best among slot corners with at least 100 coverage snaps.

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As of this writing, I don’t know exactly how the Rams will deploy McCreary. Will he play nickel, with Lake being bumped back to safety? Or could they put McCreary outside, replacing the snaps of either Emmanuel Forbes Jr. or Cobie Durant, who have been rotating along with Darious Williams (who has a very strong 0.6 yards allowed per coverage snap this season). McCreary certainly gives the Rams flexibility.

Moving the fourth-year corner was an easy choice for the Titans. Not only is Tennessee well out of contention and McCreary in the last year of his rookie contract, but the Titans also have so much cap space next year (almost $113 million, per OverTheCap.com — more than any other team) that they are likely to be spenders in free agency and therefore less likely to receive compensatory picks for lost free agents than most teams. Therefore, it’s better for them to get whatever draft capital they can through trades for players who won’t be around next season.

The draft pick compensation after the pick swap works out to roughly an early sixth-rounder, by our draft pick valuations. It strikes me as a shade lighter than I would have expected considering there are other teams likely to be in the cornerback market between now and next Tuesday. That’s why it’s worthwhile for the Rams to make a move like this — secondary depth is good when you’re trying to make a run! If I were Tennessee, I might have held out until next week to see if a better offer came in, but I wouldn’t expect to get that much more.

Browns get: CB Tyson Campbell, 2026 seventh-round pick (via Eagles)
Jaguars get: CB Greg Newsome II, 2026 sixth-round pick (via Jets)

Browns grade: B
Jaguars grade: B-

We’ve got ourselves a challenge trade of sorts.

The Browns and Jaguars — two teams on opposite ends of the contention spectrum — decided to flip-flop fifth-year cornerbacks. However, because of their very different contract situations, this isn’t exactly a like-for-like swap.

But let’s start with the players themselves.

Campbell was off to a rocky start this season, allowing 1.6 yards per coverage snap (well above the 1.1 average for an outside corner). That he also allowed 1.6 yards per zone coverage snap was even worse, because corners tend to have lower yards allowed per snap in zone — and the Jaguars play a lot of it. That 1.6 is a career worst for Campbell, who posted a solid 1.0 last season and had gotten as low as 0.6 in 2022. Like many corners, Campbell’s career has been up and down.

Meanwhile, Newsome entered the season as a trade candidate (I pitched a Newsome trade for almost nothing in July) given his guaranteed money and a down 2024 campaign in which he allowed 1.5 yards per coverage snap. That number has remained level in 2025, though his zone coverage numbers have been better than his man numbers during each of the past two seasons.

Both Newsome and Campbell have been flagged twice for penalties this season.

Though Newsome had played outside corner in Cleveland, he provides slot flexibility. But Jourdan Lewis is playing well at nickel right now for Jacksonville, so I presume Newsome will remain outside.

Now to the huge part of this deal: the difference in these two players’ contracts.

Newsome is in the final year of his, playing on a fifth-year option worth $13.4 million this season.

On the other hand, Campbell signed an extension during the 2024 offseason — notably, with the Jaguars’ previous front office regime — that runs through 2028. Campbell’s deal includes $13.1 million in fully guaranteed 2026 money and non-guaranteed $16 million and $16.5 million in cash in 2027 and 2028, respectively, per OverTheCap.com, with a rolling guarantee on some of that 2027 money. Campbell was due a $12.4 million option bonus in 2025; as of this writing, I am not certain whether the Jaguars already paid that out, but I will currently grade this deal as if they had.

Assuming that’s the case, the Browns are shedding money in the short term by exchanging Newsome’s remaining guaranteed salary for a proration of Campbell’s $2 million salary plus per-game roster bonuses. But then they will be on the hook for Campbell’s $13.1 million next year and will trigger an $8.9 million guarantee of his 2027 money, per Roster Management System, if they keep him. I find this detail critical.

By my count — I’ll confess to some late-night, back-of-the-napkin contract arithmetic — I think the Browns would pay around $5.5 million more for Campbell than Newsome if they cut Campbell after this year. That number grows to around $15 million if they keep Campbell for 2026 but cut him after that year or around $22.5 million if they keep him through 2027 (with a pure team option on 2028).

If that’s right, then they’re essentially betting that Campbell’s short-term play this year won’t carry forward. It could cost the Browns a few million if they’re wrong. It could save them quite a few more million if they’re right. I don’t love committing more guaranteed money mid-rebuild with a tight medium-term cap situation, but I see where they can find value.

This only makes sense for the Jaguars if they believe Newsome is an immediate upgrade. But is he? I don’t think that was the consensus opinion heading into the season, and I’m not sure the numbers suggest a change of heart. Still, cornerback evaluation is fraught with errors, so it’s possible. And while they lose the long-term upside of Campbell’s deal, this will give them more financial flexibility in the 2026 offseason.

Chargers get: Edge Odafe Oweh, 2027 seventh-round pick (originally from Rams)
Ravens get: S Alohi Gilman, 2026 fifth-round pick

Chargers grade: B
Ravens grade: B

We’ve got ourselves an intra-Harbaugh, player-for-player swap. And it’s an interesting cross-positional defensive deal.

Let’s start with the Chargers. Since (and perhaps even before) losing Khalil Mack to an elbow injury in Week 2, the Chargers looked like a team needing to add pass-rushing help. Without Mack for now, the Chargers were rolling with Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu at edge rusher. Both have been below average for the position so far in terms of pass rush win rate (Tuipulotu at 14.9% and Dupree at 11.7% — average for this season is 16.3%).

Despite zero sacks this season, Oweh is an improvement in this department. His pass rush win rate at edge is 20%, which would be a career high for him. Last season, Oweh recorded 10.0 sacks and a 16.5% pass rush win rate. He is playing on his fifth-year option, costing $13.25 million in salary this year. The Chargers will presumably pick up the prorated portion of his deal for this season.

The Chargers lose a starter in Gilman, but they have veterans Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden still on the roster along with Derwin James Jr., though he mostly plays as a nickel. Gilman, like Oweh, is in the final year of his (much cheaper) contract.

Although Oweh hit double-digit sacks for the Ravens in 2024, he played only 45% of the defensive snaps this season. Baltimore has historically been more willing to part with edge rushers than most teams, and it has replacements already in place. Rookie second-rounder Mike Green and Tavius Robinson were already playing a higher percentage of snaps than Oweh, and Kyle Van Noy returned from a hamstring injury last week. However, Robinson and Green are sporting just 7.7% and 5.5% pass rush win rates at edge, respectively. Van Noy is at 17% in a limited sample, but this is an edge rushing group that is hardly overwhelming.

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Gilman gives the Ravens a third safety (they also added C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad on Tuesday). That helps in the short term if Kyle Hamilton misses more time, but safety should be an asset for Baltimore once Hamilton returns. The Ravens like to play three safeties: Last season, they played a combination of Hamilton, Ar’Darius Washington and either Marcus Williams or Eddie Jackson for 290 snaps. With Washington injured, they haven’t had that type of three-safety flexibility this season. Perhaps they do now.

With both Oweh and Gilman impending free agents, compensatory picks are a factor worth considering. If the Chargers and/or Ravens don’t re-sign the players, they could each net a compensatory pick in return. That’s potentially more beneficial to the Chargers considering edge rushers get paid much more than safeties, though the Chargers have so much cap space next year they might be spenders in free agency (and thus not get any comp picks).

Ultimately, this is a rare player-for-player swap between two teams hoping to contend in 2025 (yes, the Ravens are still in that bucket) and opting to lightly subtract from one area of perhaps light surplus to fill a greater need. The Chargers added a player at a more impactful position but had to pay in both draft capital and cap space to do so. Baltimore is rolling the dice, losing Oweh to add some wrinkles to the back end of its defense while gaining some draft and cap flexibility while at it.

I can see how this works from both sides.

Bengals get: QB Joe Flacco, 2026 sixth-round pick
Browns get: 2026 fifth-round pick

Browns grade: B+
Bengals grade: C

Jake Browning forced the Bengals’ hand. After his disastrous three-game stretch as the team’s starter in the wake of Joe Burrow‘s turf toe injury, Cincinnati chose to trade for Flacco to get another QB option.

The Bengals are correct to try to find an alternative at this point. As high as I was on Browning — I called him the second-best backup in the league just a few weeks ago — his 35.3 QBR this season has significantly altered what we should think of him going forward, even if those three games came against the Vikings, Broncos and Lions.

The Bengals have no time to waste. Burrow could potentially be back for the end of the regular season and the playoffs, but Cincinnati must win enough games in order to put that scenario in play. At 2-3 they aren’t out of it (especially in a wide-open AFC North), but the clock is ticking. ESPN’s Football Power Index gave the Bengals only a 9.2% chance to make the playoffs with Browning at quarterback.

So the Bengals needed to make a move, and they did. But is this the right quarterback? That’s where I take issue with the trade.

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Rich Eisen wonders if Joe Flacco will instantly start for the Bengals

Rich Eisen discusses when Joe Flacco will be ready to start at quarterback for the Bengals.

Flacco is coming off a failed stint as the Browns’ starter in which he recorded as disastrous 27.6 QBR, 4.6 yards per dropback and a 4.2% (!) turnover rate. And that came playing for Kevin Stefanski, with whom Flacco had some level of success with in 2023. At 40 years old, Flacco could simply be done at this point. And considering his play this season, are we sure he’s an upgrade?

In my opinion, Cincinnati’s first choice should have been Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins. If you’re asking someone to steward the team to a .500ish record until Burrow can return, Cousins can probably do that better than any quarterback who realistically could be available. I would have been willing to pay more for him, too, considering the leverage and importance here. But would the Falcons be willing to trade Cousins? For how much? And are they willing to trade him now — this far ahead of the deadline? The last question is important, because the Bengals had urgency.

But even if Cousins wasn’t available, there were other options — namely, one of the Giants’ backup quarterbacks. The Giants don’t need Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston now that they’ve turned to Jaxson Dart. If I were Cincinnati, I would rather have either Wilson or Winston than Flacco. And I suspect the Giants would have taken this deal for one of them.

This is found money for the Browns — even if it’s heavy pocket change. Cleveland is in full rebuild/evaluate-quarterback-play-for-the-future mode, so Flacco’s job as a bridge quarterback was done. They can play Dillon Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders the rest of the way. And there should be zero qualms about trading Flacco within the division. Whether the Bengals contend in 2025 doesn’t affect the Browns when it matters (2026 and beyond). If anything, it’s better to take draft capital from a rival than anyone else.

Browns get: OT Cam Robinson, 2027 seventh-round pick
Texans get: 2027 sixth-round pick

Browns grade: A-
Texans grade: C

The Browns needed help at tackle and found an unlikely partner in the Texans — another team with offensive line woes. Houston signed Robinson to a one-year, $12 million deal this offseason to shore up their left tackle position after trading away Laremy Tunsil.

At the time, I was a fan of the deal. Though Robinson has long been overrated with below average win rates, he had experience (7½ seasons with the Jaguars and Vikings) and looked better than a replacement level tackle. It turned out he could barely crack the starting lineup. After starting as Houston’s left tackle in Week 1, the team shifted rookie Aireontae Ersery to the left side in Week 2 and kicked Tytus Howard out to right tackle.

It’s a bad sign that Robinson couldn’t start in Houston. The team ranks 28th in pass block win rate this season, though Ersery has been decent with an 89.0% pass block win rate (average for a tackle). That’s well above Robinson’s career 82.9% PBWR. Ersery is below average in run block win rate (72.6%), but that’s also better than Robinson’s career number (68.9%).

The Texans paid $8.75 million of Robinson’s $12 million 2025 contract via a signing bonus, so the Browns are only on the hook for the proration of his $2 million base salary and $1.25 million in per-game roster bonuses, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. He also has $500,000 in incentives.

Still, it’s remarkable the Texans are cutting bait on a $12 million free agency signing just four games into the season, particularly because a large chunk of it was the signing bonus. A further $1.25 million was in per game roster bonuses, meaning Houston will have already paid close to a quarter of that sum.

I’m all for ignoring sunk costs, but Robinson still offered some value as a backup at a key position of uncertainty. In exchange for losing him, the Texans only got a little cap relief and minimal draft pick compensation at a time when Houston hopes to contend. With Robinson gone, Blake Fisher is the team’s clear No. 3 tackle.

It’s easier to see why the Browns made this move. The team just lost left tackle Dawand Jones for the season to a knee injury. And outside of 16 snaps in Week 1, they have been without right tackle Jack Conklin due to an elbow injury. That has meant playing a combination of Cornelius Lucas and KT Leveston at each tackle spot. The duo rank 61st and 57th, respectively, in pass block win rate out of 66 qualifying tackles this season.

In Robinson, the Browns surely hope they have at least a slight upgrade at left tackle. And they didn’t have to give up much in either draft pick or salary compensation to get him. While Cleveland is clearly not a contender this season, they can benefit from at least decent pass protection once they turn to one or both of their rookie quarterbacks. That makes a move like this worth it.

Jets get: CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., 2026 seventh-round pick
Titans get: 2026 sixth-round pick

Jets grade: A-
Titans grade: C

With free agent signing Brandon Stephens struggling and limited depth behind him, the Jets waded back into the trade market for a young cornerback with experience.

Stephens, who was signed to a surprisingly expensive three-year, $36 million deal this offseason despite having a poor season in Baltimore in 2024, has allowed 1.5 yards per coverage snap thus far this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, well above the 1.1 average for outside cornerbacks. So the Jets brought in Brownlee, a 2024 fifth-round pick who has already started 16 games and who brings decent numbers.

Brownlee has allowed 1.0 yards per coverage snap in his young career, slightly better than average. His 15% target rate is roughly average, and his EPA allowed (+12.6) and completion percentage allowed over expectation (+2%) are positive, though those stats are unstable and unreliable indicators of future performance. Brownlee has also graded very favorably in run stopping, according to Pro Football Focus.

The second-year corner does get flagged quite a bit, as he has recorded a penalty on 1.1% of his defensive snaps since the beginning of last season, 17th most among defensive backs with at least 300 snaps. He has been penalized three times in two games this season. But it’s not completely untenable, as his penalty rate lags behind old teammate L’Jarius Sneed (1.9%) and is slightly behind new teammate Sauce Gardner (1.2%).

Brownlee has been a success story considering his draft position. With his experience and nearly three cheap years remaining on his rookie contract, I’m surprised the Jets got him for so little. At worst, he’s a good depth option (my colleague Rich Cimini indicated Brownlee could provide depth at nickel, as well) with both short- and long-term upside — especially if Stephens continues to struggle.

I don’t get why the Titans would want to deal Brownlee for so little right now. Rebuilding teams should acknowledge who they are and deal veterans for draft capital — but that’s not Brownlee! He is a young starting corner who netted very, very little in return.

Perhaps the Titans got tired of Brownlee’s penalties, or maybe there is another factor we aren’t seeing. Brownlee missed the Titans’ Week 3 game with an ankle injury, but that seems unlikely to be a major consideration.

Either way, this move leaves the Titans with — according to their new depth chart — Darrell Baker Jr. as the starting outside cornerback opposite Sneed. Baker has made 15 starts in his career and his nearest defender numbers are solid: a 1.1 yards per coverage snap and a much lower career penalty rate (0.05%). But even if Tennessee felt good about Baker, Brownlee’s youth and remaining cheap contract meant they let a lot walk out the door for almost nothing in exchange.

Eagles get: RB Tank Bigsby
Jaguars get: 2026 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick

Eagles grade: C-
Jaguars grade: A

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman wins more trades than anyone, but he doesn’t win ’em all.

In Bigsby, the Eagles acquire a very solid runner. The 2023 third-round pick accumulated an impressive 124 rush yards over expectation last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats, after a disappointing rookie campaign.

But that’s all he is, which is his downside. Bigsby offers almost nothing in the receiving game; he has only eight career receptions. He has pass blocked on only 33 snaps in his pro career. And he evidently didn’t win the starting job in Jacksonville this season despite not facing particularly stiff competition in Travis Etienne Jr. and fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten.

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This trade makes it clear that the Eagles felt they needed running back depth behind Saquon Barkley. They have Will Shipley, who figures to be more of a receiving complement and backup — very different from Bigsby. But my first reaction was, wow, that’s a lot for a backup at a nonpremium position who doesn’t catch passes, especially considering how much Philadelphia has already invested at running back with Barkley. Even with Bigsby under control for another rookie contract year in 2026, this is a bit much for my liking.

Bigsby could also partner with Shipley on kick returns after having returned 11 kicks in his career. It’s a more important role now than before given the precipitous drop in touchbacks, but it doesn’t change that the Eagles gave up a lot for Bigsby.

This is a nice result for Jacksonville, though. It seemed likely that one of Etienne or Bigsby would be dealt after the addition of Tuten in this year’s draft. That it happened now is an upset. But in exchange for their second- or third-string running back, the Jaguars are receiving a fifth- and sixth-round pick. That’s great value, and it hardly leaves Jacksonville short-handed considering Bigsby didn’t start.