We're still just under two weeks from the NFL's annual trade deadline, but there's already been a fleury of deals. Receivers Amari Cooper, Davante Adams, and DeAndre Hopkins have all been moved, while we also had a linebacker swap of Jerome Baker for Ernest Jones. Given the rampant run of injuries the league has seen in recent weeks, something tells me we could be in for another hectic deadline day come November the 5th. Teams like the 49ers and Lions specifically, who've been hit very hard with key injuries, have the chance to re-affirm their title-contending status, while some teams trending towards hitting the reset button, the Titans, Giants, and Rams, for instance, can get a jump start on that heading into the offseason. Here are five deals that make sense for everyone involved, with deadline day fast approaching.
Trade No. 1
Detroit Lions receive: Azeez Ojulari
New York Giants receive: 2025 Fourth-Round Pick
Even if the Lions get Aidan Hutchinson back for either the NFC Championship Game or the Super Bowl, they still need to address things before getting there. In their first full game without him, the Lions were able to get pressure and sacks, but looking at things, you can chalk all but the Hail Mary sack up to good coverage, and they could use some lightning in a bottle anyway.
Meet Azeez Ojulari, a former second-round pick of the Giants who's the No. 3 pass rush option in New York these days but has looked excellent in an expanded role with Kayvon Thibodeaux hurt. He's in a contract year, and the potential of playing well on a title contender would do wonders when it's time to negotiate next spring. Giving up a fourth would be a gamble because of the injury history, but would anyone in Detroit care if the Lions win the Super Bowl? I, for one, would highly doubt it.
Trade No. 2
San Francisco 49ers receive: D.J. Jones
Denver Broncos receive: 2025 Fourth-Round Pick and a 2026 Sixth-Round Pick
Much of what the Broncos do or don't do at the deadline revolves around their results in upcoming games vs. the Panthers and Ravens. Still, should they sell off, D.J. Jones is probably the most likely piece available. Currently on an expiring contract, he's been one of the NFL's best in stopping the run, but for the Broncos, this is a scenario of, would you rather get max value now or run the risk of not getting any comp pick value in 2026 should he walk in '25? 9ers have a clear need in the trenches with Javon Hargrave out for the year, and this would be an instant plug-and-play situation. Jones spent five years with the 49ers before moving to Denver.
Trade No. 3
Green Bay Packers receive: Za'Darius Smith
Cleveland Browns receive: 2025 Fifth-Round Pick
How about another reunion trade? If the writing about the Browns hadn't been on the wall before, it sure as hell is now. Za'Darius Smith has been pretty solid, if not a little inconsistent on a week-to-week basis, for the Browns this year, but Green Bay's front office is familiar with him, and they could absolutely use someone like him to give them valuable pass rush reps they desperately need. A fifth-rounder isn't all that bad a return, given Smith's age and contract.
Trade No. 4
San Francisco 49ers receive: Jakobi Meyers
Las Vegas Raiders receive: 2025 Fifth-Round Pick
No sugar-coating it; the 49ers wide receiver room is as banged up as any I've ever seen, and they could very well be without Deebo and Jauan Jennings this week, in addition to the now done-for-the-year Brandon Aiyuk. I'd love to see John Lynch bring in a guy like Jakobi Meyers, just so Brock Purdy has a rental option who's as dependable as any Z/Slot receiver in the league when he's out there. He's been banged up on occasion since leaving New England, but he's getting back in the lineup this week. Speaking of, I wouldn't rule out Kendrick Bourne as an option for San Fran either (for what should be obvious reasons), but I think Meyers would be the more logical add, given that he's up at the end of the year via the fact the Raiders aren't playing him with a $15,000,000 cap hit.
Trade No. 5
Pittsburgh Steelers receive: Cooper Kupp
Los Angeles Rams receive: Conditional 2025 Third-Round Draft Pick (Becomes a Fourth if benchmarks aren't hit)
I don't know if there's ever a "good" time to trade a franchise legend like Kupp is for the Rams, but I don't know if his value will ever be as high as it is right now, and the Rams certainly seem to be trending towards another sub .500 season after getting back into the postseason a year ago. I agree with Bert Breer in that these next two games, including tonight, affect what Les Snead does, but there are a lot of holes on this Rams team, and getting a day-three pick for someone who hasn't been on the field for you much recently would be big.
The Steelers ended up striking out on Brandon Aiyuk despite their best efforts, and they certainly need another reliable pass catcher to pair with George Pickens in the wide receiver room. If for nothing else, it's clear that Omar Khan is willing to play ball to do that. Any trade involving Kupp would have to be conditional, much like with Adams and Nuk Hopkins, but adding a guy like the former Super Bowl MVP would turn the Steelers from a sure first-round exit to a sneaky formidable opponent in the AFC playoffs (should they make it in).
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