The NFL’s trade deadline is now just days away. A number of teams are working the phones to see if they can find a player or two who can help them fill holes and position them for a strong second half of the season. Meanwhile, others have players they’d like to unload in exchange for draft picks that can help their rebuilding efforts this offseason.
As of Wednesday morning, 10 trades had taken place since the start of the season. A year after the league saw a total of 18 trades go down, it’s believed that this year’s tally could exceed that.
But team officials should remain mindful of the fact that history suggests midseason trades are far from a lock to help bolster a roster. More often than not, there’s simply not enough time for a player to integrate into a system effectively enough to make a major impact — unless you’re Joe Flacco, that is.
Of last year’s 18 trades, none delivered game-changing results. Some proved solid and offered modest boosts. Others were good, but not great. But the majority would have been better off never happening. The talent-needy teams simply acquired rental players in exchange for draft picks that could have helped strengthen the roster for the long term.
Here’s a look back at the good, bad and ugly involving last year’s in-season trade action.
The trade: San Francisco 49ers acquire DT Khalil Davis from Houston Texans for 2026 seventh-round pick
Verdict: Wasted trade. Davis appeared in just three games (starting none) and recorded three tackles.
The trade: Baltimore Ravens acquire CB Tre’Davious White and 2027 seventh-round pick from Los Angeles Rams for 2026 seventh-round pick
Verdict: Solid. White managed to overcome an extensive injury history and help provide depth for the Ravens. He appeared in seven regular-season games and two playoff games, recording a total of 10 tackles and three pass breakups.
The trade: Pittsburgh Steelers acquire LB Preston Smith from Green Bay Packers for 2025 seventh-round pick
Verdict: Good, not great. Smith came at a good value as far as rentals go. He became a member of the Steelers’ rotation, recording 13 tackles and two sacks and a fumble recovery in eight games. However, Pittsburgh officials weren’t impressed enough and released Smith in the offseason to save $12 million in cap space.
Preston Smith was OK in Pittsburgh, but not good enough for the Steelers to keep him around another season. (Joe Sargent / Getty Images)
The trade: Pittsburgh Steelers acquire WR Mike Williams from New York Jets for 2025 fifth-round pick
Verdict: Wasted trade. Williams didn’t move the needle after his trade from New York, recording only nine catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in nine games (only two starts). Williams had just one catch for 37 yards in Pittsburgh’s playoff loss to Baltimore.
Washington Commanders acquire CB Marshon Lattimore and 2025 fifth-round pick from New Orleans Saints for 2025 third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks
Verdict: Bad move. Lattimore came at a hefty price and appeared in just two regular-season games because of a hamstring injury. He played in all three playoff games and recorded two pass breakups and 15 tackles. In the NFC Championship Game, A.J. Brown beat up on Lattimore, recording six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Lattimore has underperformed this season as a member of a Commanders defense that has given up 244 passing yards a game (seventh-most in the NFL). Washington certainly could have used those picks rather than deal with the frequent big plays surrendered and penalties committed by Lattimore.
Dallas Cowboys acquire WR Jonathan Mingo and 2025 seventh-round pick from Carolina Panthers for 2025 fourth-round draft pick
Verdict: Wasted move. Mingo made a minimal impact, recording five catches for 46 yards and no touchdowns in eight games.
Cincinnati Bengals acquire RB Khalil Herbert from Chicago Bears for 2025 seventh-round pick.
Verdict: Solid move. Herbert helped meet a depth need created by Zack Moss’ injury and contributed with 28 carries for 114 yards and eight catches for 21 yards in eight games.
Detroit Lions acquire OLB Za’Darius Smith and 2026 seventh-round pick from Cleveland Browns for 2025 fifth-rounder and 2026 sixth-rounder
Verdict: Solid move. Smith helped fill the void caused by Aidan Hutchinson’s injury, and recorded four sacks, 12 tackles and 10 quarterback hits for the Lions.
Arizona Cardinals acquire LB Baron Browning from Denver Broncos for 2025 sixth-round pick
Verdict: Solid move. Browning became a solid rotational pass rusher last season with two sacks and 14 tackles. But this year, he has started all seven games, recording two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Minnesota Vikings acquire OT Cam Robinson and 2026 conditional seventh-round pick from Jacksonville Jaguars for 2026 conditional fifth-rounder pick.
Verdict: Good move. When Christian Darrisaw went down with injury, the Vikings acquired Robinson, who started 10 games and helped keep Sam Darnold upright during their march to the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens acquire WR Diontae Johnson and 2025 sixth-round pick from Carolina Panthers for 2025 fifth-round pick
Verdict: Wasted move. Johnson appeared in just four games and recorded a whopping total of one catch for six yards.
Kansas City Chiefs acquire LB Josh Uche from New England Patriots for 2026 sixth-round pick
Verdict: Wasted move. Uche played in just six games, starting none and didn’t play in the postseason.
Seattle Seahawks acquire LB Ernest Jones from Tennessee Titans for LB Jerome Baker and 2025 fourth-round pick
Verdict: Good, one-sided trade. Seattle won this deal. Jones started all 10 games with the Seahawks and recorded 94 tackles and a forced fumble, and he’s still there, starting each game this season and ranking among Seattle’s leading tacklers. Baker started three out of five games, but made minimal impact and is no longer in Tennessee.
Kansas City Chiefs acquire WR DeAndre Hopkins from Tennessee Titans for 2025 conditional fifth-round pick
Verdict: Solid move. Hopkins provided a boost for the injury-riddled wide receiving unit last season, averaging 10.7 yards per catch and recording four touchdowns in 10 regular-season games. He also recorded a touchdown catch in the postseason, helping the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl.
Minnesota Vikings acquire RB Cam Akers and 2026 seventh-round pick from Houston Texans for 2026 sixth-round pick
Verdict: Solid deal. The Vikings acquired Akers in a midseason trade for a second straight year for backfield depth, and again he contributed, this time with 24.8 rushing yards and 4.3 receiving yards per game.
Buffalo Bills acquire WR Amari Cooper and 2025 sixth-round pick from Cleveland Browns for 2025 third-round pick and 2026 seventh-round pick
Verdict: Disappointing return. Cooper didn’t put the Bills over the top as they had hoped. His production was modest: 20 catches for 297 yards and two touchdowns in eight regular-season games (four starts). In the postseason, he started just one of three games, recording six catches for 41 yards and no touchdowns.
Trading for Amari Cooper at last year’s deadline didn’t put the Bills over the top like they hoped. (Harry How / Getty Images)
New York Jets acquire WR Davante Adams from Las Vegas Raiders for 2025 conditional third-round pick
Verdict: Disappointing return. Adams, Aaron Rodgers and the Jets hoped a reunion between the receiver and his longtime teammate would help them get things on track, and Adams did record 67 catches for 854 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. However, the Jets’ dysfunction proved too great to overcome. The Jets changed regimes and released both Rodgers and Adams in the offseason.
Seattle Seahawks acquire DL Roy Robertson-Harris from Jacksonville Jaguars for 2026 sixth-round pick
Verdict: Good, not great. Robertson-Harris helped improve the depth of the Seahawks’ line, recording 13 tackles in 11 games. But he didn’t do enough to carve out a long-term role. The Seahawks released him to save $6.6 million.