What is often the case in the NFL at this time of year, the trading period ended at 2 p.m. Arizona time Tuesday with not a bang but a whimper. Call it many breaths of hot air after the constant chatter and speculation, mostly from fan bases that believe one move in early November will make a huge impact during the second half of the season and beyond.
Consider this: In 2023, there were 15 trades involving 16 players after roster cutdown to 53 players, while only nine happened on the trade deadline.
Of those 16 players, only seven are still with the team that acquired them. And that includes running back Cam Akers, who was traded by the Rams to the Vikings and then signed with the Texans in July after not being tendered as a restricted free agent four months earlier.
Akers is now back in Minnesota after Houston traded him on Oct. 16. There were three 2026 draft picks in those deals, one in the sixth round and two in the seventh with all being conditional.
The other six are Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams, Bears defensive end Montez Sweat, Jaguars guard Ezra Cleveland and Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas.
Three players aren’t even in the league and one is on a practice squad.
Of the 26 draft choices that changed hands, 19 were sixth- or seventh-rounders, with seven being conditional.
The Cardinals made one trade last year, sending quarterback Joshua Dobbs to the Vikings and one this week, acquiring edge rusher Baron Browning from the Broncos.
The numbers were similar this year with 18 total trades of 19 players with eight on deadline day Tuesday. Wide receiver was the most popular position with six switching teams.
Of the 29 choices traded, 17 were in the sixth or seventh round with three conditional. Overall, 18 were for picks in 2026, 10 in 2026 and one in 2027.
Not surprisingly, eight teams with a winning record acquired 12 players: Steelers 3; Chiefs and Vikings 2; Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Commanders and Ravens 1.
Conversely, eight teams with a losing record traded 12 players: Browns, Jaguars, Panthers, Titans 2; Raiders, Patriots, Saints and Jets 1.
There is often a push to have the deadline later in the season, but that would only shorten the time for players to adapt to a new scheme with new language and new players.
Here are this year’s trades with all the details:
Oct. 15: Browns WR Amari Cooper with sixth-round pick (from Detroit) in 2025 to Bills for third-round pick in 2025, seventh-round pick in 2026.
Oct. 15: Raiders WR Davante Adams to Jets for third-round pick in 2025 (conditional).
Oct. 15: Jaguars DT Roy Robertson-Harris to Seahawks for sixth-round pick in 2026.
Oct. 16: Texans RB Cam Akers to Vikings for seventh-round pick in 2026 (conditional)
Oct. 24: Titans ILB Ernest Jones to Seahawks for ILB Jerome Baker and fourth-round pick in 2025.
Oct. 24: Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins to Chiefs for fifth-round pick in 2025 (conditional).
Oct. 28: Patriots DE Joshua Uche to Chiefs for sixth-round pick in 2026.
Oct. 30: Panthers WR Diontae Johnson with sixth-round pick in 2025 to Steelers for fifth-round pick in 2025.
Oct. 31: Jaguars T Cam Robinson with seventh-round pick in 2026 (conditional) to Vikings for fifth-round pick in 2026 (conditional).
Nov. 4: Broncos OLB Baron Browning to Cardinals for sixth-round pick in 2025.
Nov. 5: Bears RB Khalil Herbert to Bengals for sixth-round pick in 2025.
Nov. 5: Browns DE Za’Darius Smith with seventh-round pick in 2026 to Lions for fifth-round pick in 2025, 6th-round pick in 2026.
Nov. 5: Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo with seventh-round pick (from Kansas City) in 2025 (conditional) to Cowboys for fourth-round pick in 2025.
Nov. 5: Saints CB Marshon Lattimore with fifth-round pick in 2025 to Commanders for third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks (from New Orleans) in 2025.
Nov. 5: Jets WR Mike Williams to Steelers for fifth-round pick in 2025 (conditional).
Nov. 5: Rams CB Tre’Davious White with seventh-round pick in 2027 to Ravens for seventh-round pick in 2026.
Nov. 5: Packers OLB Preston Smith to Steelers for seventh-round pick in 2025.
Nov. 5: Texans DT Khalil Davis to 49ers for seventh-round pick in 2026.
2025 picks traded (18): 3 in third round (1 conditional); 3 in fourth round; 5 in fifth round (2 conditional); 4 in sixth round; 3 in seventh round (1 conditional)
2026 picks traded (10): 1 in fifth round (conditional); 3 in sixth round; 6 in seventh round (2 conditional).
2027 pick traded: 1 in seventh round.
Positions traded: Wide receiver 6; edge 4; running back, defensive tackle, inside linebacker, cornerback 2; tackle 1.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
