Despite plenty of hype, Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline passed very quietly. There was only one trade on deadline day (Aqib Talib from Denver to Miami).
There were some trades in the days leading up to the deadline – the Patriots got Mohamed Sanu from Atlanta. The 49ers picked up Emmanuel Sanders from Denver and the Jets sent Leonard Williams to the Giants. But that was about all.
It was nothing close to the myriad trades many were expecting. Last week, we listed 10 players who could be traded. Only one of them (Kenyan Drake) actually was traded. Let’s take a look back at that list and try to figure out what did, and did not, happen.
10. Trent Williams, OT, Washington Redskins
There were multiple reports that the Cleveland Browns were very interested in Williams, who had been holding out in Washington. Redskins personnel chief Bruce Allen said all along that Williams wasn’t going to be traded. Allen wasn’t lying. The Redskins played the waiting game and won the battle with Williams. He finally ended his holdout and reported to the team. He still has 2020 remaining on his contract for $12.5 million.
9. Kenyan Drake, RB, traded from Miami Dolphins to Arizona Cardinals
Drake was the only player on this list to actually be traded. It was a deal of necessity for the Cardinals. Their top running backs, David Johnson and Chase Edmonds, are injured. Drake will step immediately into the lineup on Thursday against San Francisco. From the Miami perspective, the Dolphins got what they wanted. They continued their fire sale to stay with their practice of accumulating draft picks for next year.
8. Demaryius Thomas, WR, New York Jets
Thomas had only 12 catches entering Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. That led to speculation that Thomas could be traded to a team that would use him more. But things changed in the Jacksonville game. Thomas had a season-high five catches and that showed there is a role for him in the New York offense.
7. O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There was a lot of buzz from New England media about how the Patriots coveted Howard. There was even speculation that the Patriots were willing to give up a first-round pick. Usually, when there’s that much smoke, there’s some fire. But no deal happened. That’s kind of surprising because Howard hasn’t been a big contributor in Bruce Arians’ offense. Howard has only 13 catches on the season, and Arians isn’t the type to suddenly change his offense.
6. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
There was no indication the Bengals actively shopped Green, but they should have. The veteran speedster could have brought a draft pick or two for a team that already is thinking about next year. The Bengals just benched quarterback Andy Dalton in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. But maybe there wasn’t much of a market for Green, who hasn’t played this season due to an ankle injury, although he supposedly is close to returning. But it would have been risky for any team to trade for an injured player whose contract expires at the end of this season.
5. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
There was a ton of speculation involving Gordon. That was logical because his agent previously had been given permission to seek a trade while Gordon was unsuccessfully holding out for a new contract. Since ending his holdout in Week 4, Gordon hasn’t been much of a factor (he’s rushed for 112 yards and one touchdown) and has been outperformed by Austin Ekeler. Gordon is in the last year of his contract, and the chances of him staying with the Chargers appear slim because there’s bad blood between the running back and the team. That’s why it’s puzzling the Chargers didn’t trade Gordon. They could have at least acquired a draft pick. Now, it’s likely Gordon will just walk away as a free agent.
4. Chris Harris, CB, Denver Broncos
Harris’ name came up quite a bit in trade speculation, but nothing happened. First, any chance of Harris being traded probably went out the window when the Broncos traded cornerback Aqib Talib to the Dolphins. Second, and more significantly, Harris’ contract probably turned off potential suitors. Any team that traded for him would have to pick up his remaining salary for this season, which would amount to about $5 million. Plus, Harris is in the last year of his contract and there was no guarantee he would return next season if a team traded for him.
3. Vic Beasley, DE, Atlanta Falcons
There was a fair amount of speculation about Beasley, but nothing came to fruition. Blame it on his contract. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal, and any team that traded for him would have been on the hook for more than $6 million in salary. That’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t done much since recording 15.5 sacks in 2016. It’s also a lot of money for a guy who might have only stayed with a new team for the rest of this season.
2. Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals were adamant all along that they would not trade Peterson. But that didn’t stop speculation that the veteran cornerback could be on the market. One proposed scenario had Peterson heading to Tampa Bay to reunite with former Arizona coach Bruce Arians. But the Cardinals stayed true to their word. It probably was a smart move to keep one of their best players. With rookie quarterback Kyler Murray progressing, the Cardinals are now in a building mode and not a rebuilding mode. They’re no longer desperate to acquire draft picks.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
This was a long shot, but there was some logic to it from Carolina’s perspective. Second-year pro Kyle Allen is 4-1 since taking over for the injured Newton. In addition to Newton’s current foot injury, he also had major shoulder surgery in the offseason. There’s been speculation that he’s breaking down physically. But the Panthers aren’t ready to give up on the 2011 No. 1 overall draft pick and 2015 Most Valuable Player. Newton will play again this season. That essentially will be an audition for next year, which is the final season on Newton’s contract. He’s scheduled to make $21 million in 2020, but the Panthers could release him and free up $19 million in cap space.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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