NFL Insiders Reportedly Don't Expect 'Frantic Finish' Ahead of 2025 Trade Deadline

There is reportedly a belief within the NFL that there won't be an abundance of impactful deals leading up to the Nov. 4 trade deadline.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, several league sources said they aren't expecting a "frantic finish" to the deadline due to an apparent lack of clear and obvious sellers.

An anonymous NFL coach told Russini, "There are plenty of teams with needs. Just not enough willing to give up good players."

So far this season, there are very few teams that are truly out of the playoff race. In the NFC, every team except the 1-5 New Orleans Saints is either in a playoff spot or within two games of one.

Eleven teams are in that same situation in the AFC, plus the 1-5 Baltimore Ravens aren't likely to give up on the season with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson possibly in line to return from injury soon.

That suggests the only teams likely to be in seller mode are the Saints, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, although a win or two for any of those teams over the next couple of weeks could change their outlook.

A high-ranking league source told Russini that organizations need to be honest with themselves about where they stand before deciding on how to handle the deadline, saying:

"It's easy to lie to yourself when there isn't a clear understanding of who is good and who is bad in the league. Decision-makers have to be as honest as possible. Can we really win the Super Bowl this year? If not, let's get ahead here and move players. It's not an easy conversation. Even though it's been pushed back, the trade deadline is still too early."

The NFL trade deadline was after Week 8 for many years, but it was moved back to Week 9 starting last season.

While that gives teams a bit more time to make a decision on their roster, it is essentially only the halfway point of the season, and there is a lot of football left to be played afterward.

There typically aren't many teams willing to throw in the towel on their season with two months left, and that may be why NFL insiders don't envision there being a ton of high-level activity.