Seven NFL trades we wish had happened at the deadline, including Super Bowl contenders strengthening defenses

The NFL trade deadline came and went Tuesday afternoon. A few big names, including Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore and Browns edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, were moved to contenders. There were several other trades that would have made sense for both parties, and CBSSports.com explores some of those below. 

San Francisco has always valued length along the defensive line and few compare to Campbell. There is familiarity between the two teams considering Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel came over from the Bay Area. The 38-year-old is playing on the final year of his contract, but has 2.0 sacks and one forced fumble to his name this season. Javon Hargrave is likely done for the season and Javon Kinlaw is now in the Big Apple. The 49ers are relying on two interior defenders who were not on the roster last season, and the franchise needs to push for a Super Bowl in the current window.

Outside of shipping Diontae Johnson to Baltimore to scraps, Carolina held firm at the trade deadline despite being in contention for the original rights to the No. 1 overall selection for the third consecutive year. The Panthers needed to have an eye towards the future, and a nearly 32-year-old is unlikely to play much of a role in that vision. The franchise may not have been able to draft and develop a player with the theoretical acquired draft compensation, but the odds of that player impacting the roster in future years would have been greater than Clowney, who is also under contract for the 2025 campaign. 

Kansas City knew trading away L’Jarius Sneed would stress the team in 2024, but it was willing to gamble on the roster’s collection of talent. Trent McDuffie is a remarkable player and others have shown flashes, but accumulating depth and talent would have been beneficial in the Chiefs’ bid for a third consecutive Super Bowl championship. The cost of acquiring Jones should have been small considering he ranks No. 175 in defensive passer rating and is playing out the final year of his contract.

Kansas City has pulled all of the correct personnel levers, so it deserves the benefit of the doubt, but Jones probably could have helped them.

Atlanta has a comfortable lead in the NFC South, but there are obvious deficiencies on the roster. The 27.6% team pressure rate is the second-lowest in the league, according to TruMedia. Saints edge rusher Chase Young and Clowney may have been better compliments to the roster, but an intra-division trade was unlikely. The Giants are staring up in the NFC East, but Ojulari’s 13.1% pressure rate ranks No. 34 in the NFL among players with at least 100 pass rush snaps, according to TruMedia. By comparison, the highest rated Falcon is No. 58 (Arnold Ebiketie).

Arizona has one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL, and yet 16 different players applied at least one pressure last week against the Bears. Stop reading for a moment, consider your own favorite team, and try to name 16 players who could reasonably create pressure on the quarterback.

At 2-7, Jacksonville is going nowhere this season and, truthfully, Chicago may not be, either. However, there is value in protecting rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and investing in building his confidence. Scherff is a free agent at season’s end, so the Bears could have brought him back if the experiment worked out well.

Thielen has lined up in the slot on 71.2% of his snaps this season, according to TruMedia. His presence would have complimented Terry McLaurin’s downfield skill set while also providing rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels with a reliable route-runner. Draft capital was a bit more limited than it had been before the Marshon Lattimore trade, but it should not have costed much to acquire the 34-year-old, and the move would have saved Carolina more than $3 million towards the salary cap in 2025. Thielen has been limited this season with a hamstring injury, but had only missed 11 regular season games over the prior 10 seasons. Last season, Thielen caught 103 passes for 1,014 yards and 4 touchdowns despite an unstable quarterback situation. Washington is a half game back of the Lions for the best record in the NFC. 

Saints EDGE Chase Young to the Cardinals

New Orleans firing head coach Dennis Allen and trading Lattimore was indication that they are folding on the season. Young is scheduled to hit free agency at season’s end, so there was little point in keeping him if a worthwhile trade was on the table. Although viewed as a disappointment relative to his No. 2 overall selection, Young is producing a 13.0%+ pressure rate for the second straight season. He has actually been more impactful as a pass rusher than in his NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign. 

Every team in the NFC West is separated by one game or fewer. Arizona had to find ways to improve itself, and the pass rush could have been strengthened more (even after acquiring Baron Browning). According to TruMedia, the 29.4% team pressure rate is the fourth-lowest in the NFL this season; and that is after delivering its best performance to date (42.0%) last weekend against a woeful Bears offensive line.