Winners and Losers from NFL's 2023 trade deadline
It was kind of up-in-the-air as to how active teams were going to be during the NFL's 2023 trade deadline, but as always, we found out really quick. The day started with the Washington Commanders' decision to trade defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears and then things kicked off from there. As the […]
It was kind of up-in-the-air as to how active teams were going to be during the NFL's 2023 trade deadline, but as always, we found out really quick.
The day started with the Washington Commanders' decision to trade defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears and then things kicked off from there. As the hours passed, more and more moves were made as more players found themselves calling new cities home.
So, who came out on the good side of things? And who came out on the wrong end? Let's dive in and talk about the winners and losers from the 2023 trade deadline.
Please note the following list is based off Tuesday's trades, only.
Winners
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are on a three-game skid, but that could come to a halt after the team acquired Chase Young on Tuesday.
Granted, Young isn't the same guy who terrorized opposing offenses during his rookie year, but he's still an athletic freak that has an elite pass rushing skill set. He should make plenty of impact plays as a rotational piece on a stacked 49ers d-line.
But what really makes the 49ers winners is they're going to pull off the trade without missing a beat in terms of 2024 draft picks, as you can see below:
John Lynch has done it again. We'll find out quickly as to whether or not this move helps the 9ers get back on track.
Washington Commanders
Yes, the Commanders traded away two starters, but they now have five picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft – including two second-rounders and two third-rounders.
If that holds up, then it'll be the first time in franchise history where the team makes five picks in the first three rounds. But, as we've already discussed, they should try and package those picks in order to move up and snag one of the top quarterbacks in the draft.
Either way, the Commanders have put themselves in a great spot for the future. Even if they finish under .500 for the fourth straight year under Ron Rivera. And don't worry about the pass rush. When you have two guys like Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen on the inside, the edges will take care of itself.
Jacksonville Jaguars
I mean, anytime you get a quality player on the cheap that can also help protect your franchise quarterback, it's a win. Plain and simple. That's exactly what the Jags did with Ezra Cleveland, who should help keep Trevor Lawrence upright as the team continues its push for a second-straight AFC South title and playoff berth.
"We've already got a good offensive line and Ezra can come in and give us some really good depth," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on The Pat McAfee Show. "It's just a matter of getting him caught up and getting him in the room with a really good offensive line…
"… Getting a guy like Ezra, [a guy of] his caliber – we got a starting-type guard. [It] really solidifies our offensive line and makes us guys better."
Buffalo Bills
The Bills were in desperate need of cornerback help and they got just that in the form of Rasul Douglas. It cost them a third-round pick, but Douglas is a savvy, veteran leader that will help alleviate the loss of Tre'Davious White and the ineffective play of Kaiir Elam. Plus, the Bills received a fifth-rounder in return, so it's not like they fully lost a draft pick in the deal.
Losers
Minnesota Vikings
The Josh Dobbs trade makes sense, as he did all he could to keep the Arizona Cardinals competitive for the first eight weeks of the season. But, overall, there's a reason why Dobbs is on his fifth team in less than 12 months: He just can't win games as a starting quarterback.
It's not like the Vikings have a great offensive team around him, either. And that's compounded by their strange decision to trade starting offensive guard, Ezra Cleveland, to the Jags. That was a move, especially for a Day 3 pick, that didn't make any sense, whatsoever.
Chicago Bears*
There's an asterisk, here, because it remains to be seen if the Bears extend Sweat. If they can't or don't, then yes, the Bears are losers in this scenario. Trading the No. 35 overall pick for a half-year rental isn't the way to do business for a 2-6 football team that is currently starting a DII undrafted rookie at quarterback. As we saw last year, the Bears missed out on a chance to draft a guy like Joey Porter Jr. at 32 overall because they traded that pick for Chase Claypool, who is now on the Miami Dolphins.
But if the Bears can work out a long-term deal, it's a fine move. Sweat is a very good pass rusher and represents an immediate upgrade over what the team has, now.
As with all these trades, time will ultimately tell whether or not the Bears made the right move. But we'll have a better idea a lot sooner than we will with the other teams on this list.
Dallas Cowboys
Instead of reading what I have to write, check out why A to Z Sports Dallas' Mauricio Rodriguez has the 'Boys as big trade deadline losers:
The Cowboys' NFC rivals just landed one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, Chase Young, from the Washington Commanders. All they had to give up in exchange was a third-round draft pick.
This will heavily reinforce the 49ers, who desperately need it amid a three-game losing streak. Adding Young takes one of their biggest weaknesses, defensive line depth beyond Nick Bosa, and turns it into one of their biggest strengths…
… The Cowboys are losers out of the deadline for more than this reason alone, however. It's not just that the 49ers are adding Young to their roster. The Philadelphia Eagles went ahead and made a move for an All-Pro upgrade by landing Kevin Byard in a low-cost move.
In other words, out of the top three NFC contenders, the Cowboys are the ones who went the conservative route and stayed put despite clear-cut needs like the one they have at the cornerback position. In such a close NFL, this matters. Even the Detroit Lions pulled the trigger on a move and added wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones to aid their wide receiver room. – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Dallas
Overall, it was quite the day for trade activity. Now, it's all about seeing which trade(s) take off quicker and which one(s) falls flat on its face.
