The NFL Trade Deadline: Everything You Need to Know

The NFL trade deadline is upon us! Here’s everything you need to know about who could be on the move, what the deadline means for teams, and more.

Introduction

The NFL trade deadline is an exciting time for football fans. Every year, there are rumors and speculation about which players will be on the move. Some trades happen, and some don’t. But it’s always fun to speculate about what could happen.

This year, the trade deadline is October 29th. That means there’s just a few days left for teams to make a deal. So what can we expect? Here’s everything you need to know about the NFL trade deadline.

Who’s eligible to be traded?

Any player who is on a team’s 53-man roster is eligible to be traded. That includes players who are on injured reserve, as well as players who have been suspended by the NFL. So if a team wants to trade a player who is currently suspended, they can do that.

What about contracts?

Players’ contracts are not relevant when it comes to the trade deadline. A team can trade any player, regardless of their contract situation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that traded players still have to honor their current contracts. So if a player is in the middle of a long-term deal, they can’t just walk away from that contract if they’re traded to a team they don’t want to play for.

What do teams usually trade for?

Teams usually trade for two things: draft picks and veteran players. Draft picks are tradable assets that can be used to acquire talented young players. Veteran players are usually more expensive than draft picks, but they can provide immediate help to a team that is trying to win now. Sometimes, teams will trade away draft picks for veteran players, but that doesn’t happen as often as you might think.

Who are some potential trade targets?

Some potentialtrade targets include quarterbacks desperatefor playing time (like Teddy Bridgewater or Josh Rosen), running backs onbad teams (like Carlos Hyde or Jay Ajayi), and wide receiverson bad teams (like DeVante Parker or Keenan Allen). There are also always rumorsabout star players being traded (like Odell Beckham Jr.), but those dealsare very rare and usually don’t happen at the deadline.

What is the NFL Trade Deadline?

The NFL trade deadline is the last day in the NFL regular season that trades are permitted between NFL teams. After this date, trades can only occur during the offseason. The trade deadline usually falls on the Tuesday after Week 8 of the NFL regular season.

This year, the NFL trade deadline will be on Tuesday, October 29th.

Trades are allowed during the preseason and regular season, but they are much more common during the offseason. During the preseason and regular season, teams are allowed to trade players and draft picks for other players, draft picks, or cash considerations.

The trade deadline is typically a busy day for NFL front offices as they look to improve their teams for the stretch run of the season. In recent years, some big-name players have been traded at the deadline, including wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was traded from the New York Giants to the Cleveland Browns in 2019.

When is the NFL Trade Deadline?

The NFL trade deadline is the Tuesday after Week 8 of the NFL season. This year, that falls on November 3. The deadline was originally during Week 6, but was pushed back in 2012 to give teams more time to evaluate their roster and make a decision on whether they want to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.

In recent years, the trade deadline has been fairly active, with a number of high-profile trades happening in the weeks leading up to the deadline. However, this year’s trade deadline is shaping up to be one of the quietest in recent memory, with very few major trades happening around the league.

NFL Trade Deadline History

The NFL trade deadline is the date by which all NFL teams must finalize their rosters for the remainder of the season. After this date, teams are not allowed to make any trades or transactions involving players on their active roster.

The trade deadline was originally instituted in 1934, but it was not until after World War II that it began to be regularly enforced. In the 1950s, the trade deadline was typically set for the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, but it was moved to later in the season in recent years.

Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, there have been some notable trades made at the deadline. In 1989, the San Francisco 49ers traded future Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two first-round draft picks. The following year, the Buffalo Bills traded future Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas to the New York Jets for two first-round draft picks.

In 2000, the Minnesota Vikings traded wide receiver Randy Moss to the Oakland Raiders for two first-round draft picks. Moss would go on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Raiders, while the Vikings used their draft picks to select running back Michael Bennett and wide receiver Koren Robinson.

In 2007, the New England Patriots traded defensive end Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a first-round draft pick. Seymour was a key member of the Raiders’ defense during their run to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013.

The most recent notable trade occurred in October 2012 whenthe Miami Dolphins traded wide receiver Brandon Marshall tothe Chicago Bears for two third-round draft picks. Marshall wenton to have three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons withthe Bears and made his sixth Pro Bowl appearance in 2015.

How do Trades Work in the NFL?

In order to make a trade in the NFL, teams must have been under the salary cap at the beginning of the league year (March 18th this year). If a team is over the salary cap, they can still make trades, but they must do so in a way that gets them under the salary cap. For example, if Team A is over the salary cap by $1 million, and Team B is under the salary cap by $1 million, Team A can trade a player to Team B for nothing in return (or for future draft considerations), and both teams will be compliant with the salary cap.

There are two deadlines that teams need to be aware of when it comes to trades:
The first deadline is the NFL’s trade deadline, which is this Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET. After this deadline passes, no more trades can be made for the remainder of the season.
The second deadline is the deadline for players to be eligible to play in the playoffs. This year, that deadline is December 15th. So, any player who is traded after December 15th will not be eligible to play in the playoffs for his new team.

What is the NFL Trade Process?

All trades in the NFL must be processed through the league office by 4:00 p.m. ET on the Tuesday following Week 8 of the regular season. Trades made after that date are not allowed, with the exception of trades involving players who were on a team’s inactive list for that week’s games.

Who are the Most Likely Trade Candidates?

At this point in the season, there are a few teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention and are looking to the future. These teams are more likely to be sellers at the trade deadline, and some of their players could be on the move. Here are a few names to watch out for:

1. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans
2. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
3. Leonard Williams, DE, New York Jets
4. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
5. Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions
6. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions

Conclusion

The NFL trade deadline is a critical time for teams to make moves that could put them over the top for a playoff run, or help them in the long term by unloading veteran players for draft picks. It’s also a time when plenty of rumors circulate, and only a handful of trades actually happen. This year’s deadline is October 29, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

In recent years, the trade deadline has been relatively quiet, with only a handful of deals happening league-wide. That could change this year, as there are a number of teams that appear to be sellers, and several others that could use an upgrade or two.

The biggest names that have been rumored to be on the trade block are Jadeveon Clowney of the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate, and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. It’s unclear if any of these players will actually be traded, but they’re all names to keep an eye on in the days leading up to the deadline.

So what can we expect at this year’s NFL trade deadline? Only time will tell, but it’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting deadlines in recent memory.