The NFL has just four weeks left in its 2024 regular season, and there’s a lot that still needs to be solidified between now and when things wrap up in Week 18. As we turn the page toward the final month of the season, it’s an ideal time to look back and take the temperature of some of the more notable midseason trades that went down across the league this year.
While the trade deadline does seem like ages ago, it was a remarkably hectic cycle with loads of notable names switching teams. How have they worked out? Did those acquisitions help their respective clubs turn the tide of the season or keep them on the upswing? We’ll dive into all of the notable trades that went down earlier this year and determine how impactful they’ve been as we gear up for the final stretch of the regular season.
Seattle has been a key catalyst in Seattle suddenly bursting atop the NFC West. The Seahawks now hold a one-game lead in the division after winning four straight, including a Week 14 victory over the Cardinals. Against Arizona, Jones picked off Kyler Murray on the second possession of the game to instantly put his team in the red zone and take the lead. In his six games played for Seattle, Jones has 63 tackles and two pass breakups to go along with Sunday’s key takeaway.
Grade: A
- Ravens acquired: CB Tre’Davious White, 2027 seventh-round pick
- Rams received: 2026 seventh-round pick
White isn’t the same player he was earlier in his career when the corner was an All-Pro with the Buffalo Bills. So far, he’s had a muted start with the Ravens, playing in three games and logging no more than 52% of the defensive snaps in those contests. He also has three pass breakups and three tackles over that stretch. Considering this trade was a mere swap of future seventh-round picks, expectations weren’t that high for White, who has been a depth piece thus far.
Grade: C
Pittsburgh had tried tirelessly to add another wide receiver to its offense. Eventually, the Steelers landed Mike Williams in a deal with the Jets, but the production is still lacking. In five games with the Steelers, Williams has four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Sunday’s Week 14 matchup against the Browns proved to be his most productive since joining the Steelers. With George Pickens sidelined Williams caught three of his four targets for 36 yards. Before that, he had gone three straight games without a catch. He’s also yet to play more than 32% of the offensive snaps in a game.
Grade: D
- Commanders acquired: Marshon Lattimore, 2025 fifth-round pick
- Saints acquired: 2025 third-round pick, 2025 fourth-round pick, 2025 sixth-round pick
The talk of deadline day in the NFL this fall was where Marshon Lattimore was going to end up, and Washington proved to be the destination. The club gave up a bevy of draft picks to acquire the Saints corner, but he has yet to play for the organization. Lattimore has been dealing with a hamstring injury, which has delayed his Commanders debut. With Washington coming off its Week 14 bye, it does set the stage for his first game to be against the Saints in New Orleans next Sunday. While that’s spicy, we’ll grade this midseason trade an incomplete, considering he hasn’t hit the field yet.
Grade: Incomplete
- Lions acquired: DE Za’Darius Smith, 2026 seventh-round pick
- Browns acquired: 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick
Detroit desperately needed pass-rushing help in the aftermath of losing Aidan Hutchinson due to a leg injury and has received it from Smith. The veteran pass rusher has tallied three sacks and seven quarterback hits in his four games played with the Lions since coming over in the trade from Cleveland. Detroit is also 4-0 in those games and has held opponents to 15.7 points per game over that stretch.
Grade: A
- Ravens acquired: WR Diontae Johnson, 2025 sixth-round pick
- Panthers acquired: 2025 fifth-round pick
Johnson jumping aboard with the Ravens was initially looked at as Baltimore loading up on offense as they pushed for a division title. However, the deal has largely blown up in their face. In five games, Johnson has one catch for 6 yards. More recently, he was suspended by the team for one game after refusing to enter Baltimore’s Week 13 matchup against the Eagles. So, not only is Johnson not factoring into the equation on offense, but he’s proving to be a problem in the locker room as well.
Grade: F
- Chiefs acquired: WR DeAndre Hopkins
- Titans acquired: 2025 conditional 2025 fifth-round pick (can become a fourth-round pick)
It feels like Kansas City is still just scratching the surface regarding what it has with Hopkins. The veteran receiver has been solid for the Chiefs this season, catching 30 passes for 357 yards and four touchdowns in his seven games played for the organization. Hopkins came up clutch in his second game with the Chiefs back in Week 8, catching eight of his nine targets for 86 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime win. With pass catchers hobbled in the Chiefs offense, Hopkins will be leaned on even more down the stretch and could prove to be one of the biggest X-factors in the AFC playoff picture.
Grade: B+
- Jets acquired: WR Davante Adams
- Raiders acquired: 2025 conditional third-round pick (can become a second-round pick based on performance)
Adams’ situation is a hard deal to truly hammer down. On the one hand, he’s been productive. In his seven games played with the Jets, Adams has caught 40 balls for 453 yards and three touchdowns. That puts him on a 97-catch, 1,100-yard pace for a full regular season. However, the Jets have won just one of those seven games that Adams has suited up and are now officially eliminated from playoff contention. So, what was the point? The deal didn’t help turn the tide of the season or propel them to more winning football, so while Adams has helped Fantasy teams, the trade didn’t do much to help the Jets.
Grade: C
- Bills acquired: WR Amari Cooper, 2025 sixth-round pick
- Browns acquired: 2025 third-round pick, 2026 seventh-round pick
Cooper is coming off his most productive game since joining the Bills, catching six of his 14 targets for 95 yards in Buffalo’s Week 14 loss to the Rams. In his five games played for the club, he’s amounted 16 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown. Those are not eye-popping numbers by any means, but Cooper had missed two games due to injury. His arrival hasn’t lit the world on fire at Orchard Park, but similar to Hopkins, his value could truly come into play over the final month of the regular season and into the playoffs. For now, we give him a passing C grade.
Grade: C
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Author: Tyler Sullivan
December 10, 2024 | 10:46 am
