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Last season’s trade deadline reshaped several NFL rosters — and the outcomes are still unfolding. With the 2026 deadline looming on Nov. 10, it’s worth grading last year’s biggest deals: some executives earned praise, others look like missed chances, and a few players walked away as clear beneficiaries.
Winner: New York Jets
The Jets’ front office executed a bold roster reset. General manager Darren Mougey traded cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts and sent defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys, collecting a haul that included three first-round picks, a 2026 second-rounder, defensive tackle Mazi Smith and receiver Adonai Mitchell.
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New York has already converted part of that bounty into tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who has shown promise with 16 receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown in seven games. Mitchell contributed early before a finger injury sidelined him for about a month. Smith later moved on to the Dolphins.
Those future first-round selections — including two in the quarterback-rich 2027 class — represent long-term assets. If those picks pay off, Mougey’s deadline gambit will look prescient.
Loser: Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis hoped Sauce Gardner would be the missing piece. In reality, the acquisition has not produced the expected uplift.
Gardner graded well the prior season, earning a 76.9 mark from Pro Football Focus and ranking ninth among corners, and he has been on the field for about 91% of defensive snaps under coordinator Lou Anarumo. Still, he has not recorded an interception since the trade and has not elevated the Colts’ results.
The broader picture has been worse. Last season’s 7–2 start collapsed after quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in December, finishing 8–9 and out of the playoffs. Early in the new campaign, Indianapolis sits at 2–5 and looks vulnerable to front-office changes, without the immediate benefit of the draft capital they surrendered.
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville’s most impactful deadline move came when it swapped fourth- and sixth-round picks to the Raiders for veteran receiver Jakobi Meyers. The move altered the Jaguars’ trajectory.
With Meyers on board, Jacksonville finished the stretch 8–1. Meyers compiled 42 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns in that span, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw 20 of his 29 touchdown passes over the final nine games. Those bursts helped the Jags secure a high seed in the AFC.
Meyers was rewarded with a three-year, $60 million extension in December. This season he’s continued to provide reliable production, catching 20 passes for 285 yards and two scores in six games, complementing young perimeter talent such as Parker Washington.
Loser: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys spent significant draft capital at last year’s deadline and have yet to see a return on those assets. Owner Jerry Jones moved aggressively, first trading Micah Parsons to the Packers for picks and Kenny Clark, then acquiring Quinnen Williams from the Jets for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-rounder (the better of Dallas and Green Bay’s).
So far, results have been underwhelming. Dallas is 2–4 and trailing in the NFC East, and Williams hasn’t produced the disruptive numbers the team sought — 3.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and 14 quarterback hits across 13 games. His contract also creates near-term cap pressure, with cap hits of about $19.9 million and $24.9 million over the next two seasons.
Another deadline move raised eyebrows: a 2026 seventh-round pick was traded for linebacker Logan Wilson, who appeared in seven games for Dallas and did not record a tackle for loss, quarterback hit, sack or interception. That outcome highlights the risk of using draft capital on low-return short-term pieces.
Winner: New Orleans Saints
The Saints opted to reset, moving veteran pieces to add draft capital and payroll flexibility. New Orleans dealt receiver Rashid Shaheed and tackle Trevor Penning for mid-round selections — fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2026 and a 2027 sixth-rounder.
GM Mickey Loomis used two of those picks on guard Jeremiah Wright and safety Lorenzo Styles Jr., both young players who have yet to make a notable impact but represent lottery-ticket upside. Penning has surfaced as a reserve with the Chargers, while Shaheed’s success elsewhere has validated the decision to get picks for veterans the Saints were unlikely to keep.
If Wright, Styles or the 2027 pick develops into a regular contributor, the trades will look increasingly wise as the Saints work to rebuild under second-year coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough.
Winner: Rashid Shaheed
Shaheed’s move from New Orleans to Seattle paid immediate dividends for him personally. Though his offensive line was modest — 15 receptions across nine games with the Seahawks — he transformed the return game, producing three return touchdowns, including a 95-yard kickoff return in Seattle’s 41–6 divisional-round rout of the 49ers.
Seattle rewarded Shaheed with a three-year, $51 million deal that included about $34.7 million guaranteed, a choice that prioritized his veteran special-teams impact over extending other contributors. While his 2026 regular-season start has been quiet (16 catches for 163 yards and no touchdowns), Shaheed leaves last season with a Super Bowl ring and a secure contract.
