NFL trade deadline updates: Chase Young to 49ers among flurry of late moves
That's a wrap on NFL teams' bids to make any trades for the 2023 season.
The league's annual trade deadline officially brought an end to the action on Tuesday afternoon, with teams making critical calls for their final window for teams to significantly reshape their roster. While this year's deadline didn't feature as many marquee players being moved as last year's cutoff did, there were still several surprises, including the Washington Commanders parting with both of their standout defensive ends in Montez Sweat (sent to the Chicago Bears) and Chase Young (dealt to the San Francisco 49ers).
Here's a recap of all the action:
Several notable names staying home
While this year's NFL trade deadline featured more meaningful moves than many might have expected, a few key figures aren't going anywhere.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Minnesota Vikings edge rusher and NFL sack leader Danielle Hunter was not dealt, nor was Carolina Panthers pass rusher Brian Burns.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy also is staying put, as coach Sean Payton signaled Monday that the team was not in selling mode.
And the Tennessee Titans didn't move any of their biggest offensive names - running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins - ahead of Thursday night's showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Patriots stand pat at trade deadline
With the Patriots standing at 2-6, many wondered whether Bill Belichick might trade away some of his key veteran contributors. But Belichick didn't budge on Tuesday.
Pass rusher Josh Uche, safety Kyle Dugger and offensive linemen Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu were among the players who had been speculated to be potential targets if made available, but all are staying put.
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne had also been considered as a candidate to be moved, but he suffered a torn ACL on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
Packers trade CB Rasul Douglas to Bills
The Green Bay Packers typically aren't active around the NFL trade deadline, and it's been some time since the team has sold off any key pieces. But this is no ordinary season for the franchise.
Amid a 2-5 start and four-game skid, the Packers agreed Tuesday to trade cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills, according to multiple reports. The Packers will receive a third-round pick while sending back a fifth.
Douglas, 29, broke out for the Packers in 2021 with five interceptions, including two he returned for touchdowns.
The Bills had been seeking cornerback help after losing top starter Tre'Davious White for the season to a torn Achilles.
Lions get WR help with trade for Donovan Peoples-Jones
Donovan Peoples-Jones is headed back to Michigan.
The Detroit native and former Wolverines wide receiver is joining his hometown team after being traded by the Cleveland Browns, the Browns announced.
The Browns will receive a 2025 sixth-round pick in return.
Peoples-Jones, 24, had a career-high 61 catches and 839 yards for the Browns last season. But with Deshaun Watson out and the Browns' passing attack struggling, the receiver has had scant opportunities this season. In Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Peoples-Jones was not targeted on any of quarterback PJ Walker's 31 attempts.
In Detroit, Peoples-Jones could help diversify a passing attack that has become heavily reliant on top target Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who have combined to post half the catches (100) of the entire offense.
Commanders trade DE Chase Young to 49ers in latest big move
Entering Tuesday, the discussion on the Washington Commanders centered on whether the team would move either Montez Sweat or Chase Young. In the end, the team parted with both.
The Commanders agreed to trade Young to the San Francisco 49ers for a third-round pick, a person with knowledge of the move told USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move was not yet official. The trade comes shortly after Washington struck a deal to send Sweat to the Chicago Bears for a second-round pick.
The move is the latest big splash for the 49ers, who also stole the spotlight of last year's trade deadline by swinging a deal for running back Christian McCaffrey.
Young, 24, had five sacks in seven games this season as he recaptured the form that helped make him the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year before a November 2021 torn ACL derailed his past two seasons. But the former No. 2 overall pick is in the final year of his contract after the Commanders did not pick up his fifth-year option, and Washington looks to be embracing a full reset.
In San Francisco, he will be expected to boost a flagging pass rush that has been one of the key factors in a three-game skid. Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa has just three sacks on the season after registering 18 ½ in 2022.
Another Vikings trade: G Ezra Cleveland goes to Jaguars
The Minnesota Vikings aren't done dealing after landing quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
The team is sending left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.
Cleveland, 25, has started 49 games in three and a half years for the Vikings since the team selected the Boise State product in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. But the Vikings signed free agent Dalton Risner, who was a four-year starter for the Denver Broncos, in mid-September.
The Jaguars will look to Cleveland, who is in the final year of his contract, to help improve the support cast for Trevor Lawrence, who is tied for ninth among quarterbacks with 19 sacks taken this season.
Vikings trade for QB Joshua Dobbs after Kirk Cousins' season-ending injury
The Minnesota Vikings have made their move to bolster their quarterback room after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles.
The Vikings agreed to trade for Joshua Dobbs in a deal with the Arizona Cardinals, the teams announced. The Cardinals will receive a sixth-round round pick while sending back a conditional seventh-round pick.
Dobbs, who was dealt to the Cardinals in a trade with the Cleveland Browns just before the season began, is now off to his third team in three months.
Shortly after the trade for Dobbs, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell announced that fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall would start Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Dobbs started the first eight games of the season for the Cardinals as Kyler Murray continued to recover from a torn ACL suffered last December. But Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday that the team would play either Murray or rookie Clayton Tune this week against the Cleveland Browns.
Montez Sweat trade grades
Who made out best in the deal between the Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears?
Obviously, we won't know the true outcome for some time. But Tuesday's big swap of the standout pass rusher reflected two rebuilding teams taking different approaches as they try to reset.
Check out our grades for the Sweat deal and all the other moves leading up to the deadline.
Montez Sweat traded to Bears
The Washington Commanders and Chicago Bears might have pulled off the biggest trade of the day.
The Commanders are sending defensive end Montez Sweat to the Bears for a 2024 second-round pick, according to multiple reports.
Sweat, 27, becomes the long-needed edge threat for a Bears defense that has an NFL-worst 10 sacks this season after also finishing last in 2022 with 20. The 2019 first-round pick, who was in the final year of his deal, has recorded 6 ½ sacks this season and 35 ½ in his four-and-a-half-year career.
The Bears are currently projected to have an NFL-high $110 million in cap space for 2024, according to OverTheCap.com, giving them ample flexibility to sign Sweat to a long-term deal.
NFL trade deadline grades
As the deadline draws in, we're breaking down every deal.
We've already handed out grades for the Seattle Seahawks' acquisition of defensive end Leonard Williams from the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles' move to grab two-time All-Pro safety Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans.
See our analysis of those moves as well as a handful of deals here with our trade grades.
Top players on the trade block
Montez Sweat, DE, Commanders: With 35 ½ sacks in four and a half years, Sweat has a proven track record of generating pressure and finishing plays. He might not be the most dynamic edge rusher, but his presence would surely be a welcome addition for a number of teams trying to mount a playoff push.
Chase Young, DE, Commanders: Perhaps one of the more high-risk, high-reward figures on the block, the former No. 2 overall pick seems to be rounding back into his pre-knee injury form.
Jaylon Johnson, CB, Bears: Not many high-impact cornerbacks who appear available at this time of year, so Johnson stands alone. The fourth-year pro ranks as PFF's No. 3 cornerback so far this season. But any team acquiring him will have to keep in mind that he's seeking a substantial payday that the Bears have yet to dole out.
Jaylon Johnson could be on the move
Many of the most notable names linked to the trade deadline don't appear to be available, but there could be one notable late entrant to the field.
The Chicago Bears have granted cornerback Jaylon Johnson permission to seek a trade, according to multiple reports.
Johnson, 24, is in the final year of his rookie deal and said last week after a two-interception performance that he believes like deserves to be paid as a top cornerback.
Facilitating a deal in the final hours could be tricky, but Johnson could be plenty alluring to several contenders if the price is right. The San Francisco 49ers stand out as one potential fit with the team's pass defense falling off during a three-game skid. The Buffalo Bills also could stand for some reinforcements on the secondary after top cornerback Tre'Davious White was lost for the season.
When is the 2023 NFL trade deadline?
The NFL trade deadline is at 4 p.m. ET on Oct. 31.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.