Regrading Every Deal from the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline

With the start of the new league year just around the corner and trades sure to be in the pipeline, it's a good time to review the 2025 NFL trade deadline.

Over a dozen moves were made leading up to the cutoff, including several involving superstars. While our analysts weighed in on the deals immediately after they happened, the benefit of hindsight will likely change most of those scores.

With that in mind, let's take a look at each trade and regrade them based on how factors such as how a player performed for their new team, how their old team fared without them and whether the costs were worth it.

Sauce Gardner to Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Indianapolis Colts Received: CB Sauce Gardner

New York Jets Received: 2026 and 2027 first-round draft picks, WR Adonai Mitchell

Colts Grade at the Time: A

Jets Grade at the Time: B

One of the biggest trade deadline deals in history wound up being a dud.

The Colts decided to go all-in at the deadline after a 7-2 start with a resurgent Daniel Jones at the helm, but it wouldn't be long before things fell apart for the club.

Jones fractured a fibula a few weeks after this trade occurred and would eventually be lost for the season following a Week 14 Achilles tear.

The quarterback wasn't the only major Indianapolis contributor to go down with injury either. Gardner was only available for four games following the deadline, missing several contests with a calf injury.

While Gardner will remain a large part of Indy's plans for a bounce-back 2026 campaign and beyond, the early returns weren't great. The Colts missed out on the playoffs entirely after finishing with a losing 8-9 record and have plenty of question marks going into the new season.

The Jets didn't fare much better without their superstar cornerback, but the team received plenty of value on at least one of the first-rounders they acquired in the deal. While it initially appeared that the 2026 pick would be late on Day 1, it instead fell to No. 16 overall.

That increase in value, coupled with some promising play from Adonai Mitchell—his short tenure with Gang Green included an eight-catch, 102-yard, one-touchdown outing—helped New York flip the script and win the trade.

Colts Grade Now: B-

Jets Grade Now: A

Quinnen Williams to Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Dallas Cowboys Received: DL Quinnen Williams

New York Jets Received: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, DT Mazi Smith

Cowboys Grade at the Time: B-

Jets Grade at the Time: A

Sauce Gardner wasn't the only big-name Jets player to get traded at the deadline. Star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams also escaped a sinking Gang Green ship, landing with the Cowboys as part of a midseason push for a playoff spot following a rough start.

Dallas' move reeked of desperation at the time and didn't pan out the way team brass likely planned. The Cowboys' postseason hopes were quickly slipping away due to a 3-5-1 record in early November, with the defense playing particularly poorly at that point in the campaign.

While Williams did help stem the defensive hemorrhaging somewhat, his contributions weren't all too impressive either. During his seven games with the organization, the four-time Pro Bowler only recorded 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks and one interception.

There's still time for Williams to play a large role for a playoff-bound team over the next two seasons—he remains under contract through the 2027 campaign—but the costs of acquiring him were rather lofty.

The Jets shouldn't regret taking a pair of premium picks for Williams, especially with Dallas' 2026 second-rounder falling to No. 44 overall. If they get a mid-Round 1 pick or earlier in 2027, they'll have truly fleeced Jerry Jones and Co. with this low-risk, high-reward maneuver.

Cowboys Grade Now: C+

Jets Grade Now: A

Trevor Penning to Los Angeles Chargers

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Los Angeles Chargers Received: OL Trevor Penning

New Orleans Saints Received: 2027 sixth-round draft pick

Chargers Grade at the Time: C

Saints Grade at the Time: C

The Chargers entered the trade deadline desperate for upgrades along the offensive line, but the move they made did little to address their glaring protection issues.

Penning was a failed first-round pick by the Saints in 2022. While there was hope he could rekindle the form that made him a Day 1 selection with a change of scenery—as a positional change from tackle to guard hardly helped—that did not come to fruition in Los Angeles.

You can't fault New Orleans for giving up on Penning after three-and-a-half painful seasons, with a late-Day 3 pick allowing the club to wash its hands of a Day 1 misstep.

Penning only started four games for the Chargers and continued the struggles that began in the Big Easy. Per Pro Football Focus, he finished the season with eight penalties and five sacks allowed across 551 offensive snaps, ranking as one of the worst guards in football.

Considering offensive-line woes were the Chargers' ultimate downfall in 2025—the team limped into the playoffs before being decimated by the New England Patriots—the organization should have looked elsewhere for assistance.

Chargers Grade Now: D-

Saints Grade Now: C+

Rashid Shaheed to Seattle Seahawks

AP Photo/Ben VanHouten

Seattle Seahawks Received: WR Rashid Shaheed

New Orleans Saints Received: 2026 fourth-round draft pick, 2026 fifth-round draft pick

Seahawks Grade at the Time: B-

Saints Grade at the Time: A-

The Seahawks had a feeling they were on the cusp of something special midway through the 2025 campaign. The team was looking like a force following a hot 6-2 start, but was missing an electrifying return man on special teams and field-stretching vertical threat to complement rising superstar Jaxson Smith-Njigba in the passing game.

Seattle hit a home run with its midseason acquisition of Shaheed, a player who helped push the club over the edge and make it a Super Bowl-winning squad. He was had for cheap too, as the Saints failed to unlock his game-breaking ability with any regularity.

While his regular season numbers weren't jumping off the page—Shaheed recorded 15 catches for 188 yards and seven rushing attempts for 64 yards—he flashed his incredible returning abilities by housing both a kick and punt return.

Come the playoffs, Shaheed continued to give Seattle a massive special teams edge. He only returned four kickoffs across the team's three-game run to the Lombardi Trophy, but the dynamic playmaker amassed a whopping 167 yards in total—including a 95-yard return for a touchdown to open the NFC Divisional Round win over the 49ers—on those runbacks.

Given Seattle gave up a pair of meager Day 3 picks to turn the return unit into one of the league's most dangerous and propel a Super Bowl run, it's safe to say the squad won this trade in a big way.

Seahawks Grade Now: A+

Saints Grade Now: C

Jakobi Meyers to Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Jacksonville Jaguars Received: WR Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders Received: 2026 fourth-round draft pick, 2026 sixth-round draft pick

Jaguars Grade at the Time: B-

Raiders Grade at the Time: B

The Jaguars needed to replenish a banged-up receiving corps at the deadline. They landed on Jakobi Meyers, a solid choice given his top-flight production and the low costs of acquiring him.

The Raiders were likely to lose Meyers for nothing more than a compensatory draft selection this offseason, so you can't fault the club for moving on and taking what they could get at the deadline either.

Meyers took a beat to get integrated into Jacksonville's scheme immediately following the trade but finished 2025 on a high note. The 29-year-old concluded a nine-game run with the Jags having caught 42 of his 61 targets for 483 yards and three touchdowns while helping his new team lock up a divisional crown and playoff berth.

Unfortunately, Meyers couldn't get much going during a Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills. He caught just one of the four looks he received in the contest for a modest 12-yard game, a disappointing showing and part of the reason Jacksonville lost by a 27-24 margin.

Meyers will be part of Jacksonville's future, however, as he signed a three-year, $60 million extension in December. That helps improve Jacksonville's grade, as the team needed and now has another quality wideout to complement Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter through the 2028 season.

Jaguars Grade Now: B+

Raiders Grade Now: B

Logan Wilson to Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Dallas Cowboys Received: LB Logan Wilson

Cincinnati Bengals Received: 2026 seventh-round draft pick

Cowboys Grade at the Time: B

Bengals Grade at the Time: C

Logan Wilson was another defensive talent the Cowboys picked up at the deadline in attempt to overhaul one of the league's most sieve-like units during the first half of 2025.

The linebacker had requested a trade out of Cincinnati leading up to the deadline, so it made sense for the Bengals to take a seventh-rounder for a player who had fallen out of favor in their lineup.

Despite getting the change of scenery he was asking for, Wilson failed to rekindle the solid form he displayed during his earlier years in the NFL. While he was never a Pro Bowler for the Bengals, he did tally 100-plus tackles for four consecutive seasons between 2021-24.

Wilson continued to regress during his time in Dallas and failed to crack the starting lineup. In his seven games with the club, he only recorded 24 tackles, one pass defense and one forced fumble. Considering he had tallied 46 tackles, four pass defenses and a fumble recovery in eight games with Cincinnati in the first half of 2025, it's safe to say that Wilson was a clear miss for the Cowboys.

There won't be an opportunity for Dallas to get any further value from this deal. Wilson was released last week in a cost-saving maneuver that freed up $6.5 million in cap space.

While the Cowboys only gave up a late-Day 3 pick for his services, they didn't receive any worthwhile return on investment and clearly lost this trade.

Cowboys Grade Now: D-

Bengals Grade Now: B

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

Chicago Bears Received: Edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, 2026 seventh-round pick

Cleveland Browns Received: 2026 sixth-round pick

Bears Grade at the Time: B-

Browns Grade at the Time: C+

The Bears became the latest team to kick the tires on Joe Tryon-Shoyinka when they orchestrated a late-round pick swap that brought the 2021 first-rounder to the Windy City.

While Chicago was hoping that the edge-rusher would rekindle some of the promise he showed as a highly-regarded prospect—or even contribute at the modest level he did during his initial NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—that wouldn't come to fruition.

Tryon-Shoyinka had failed to break into Cleveland's pass-rushing rotation after signing with the club as a budget free agent. He chipped in just nine tackles across eight games with the Browns, at which point the team had seen enough and shipped him to Chicago.

The Bears couldn't get much out of the 26-year-old, either. While he did play a higher percentage of defensive snaps in Chicago (22 percent versus the six percent he saw in Cleveland), he only accounted for 13 tackles in total during his eight games.

Tryon-Shoyinka didn't even get on the field during Chicago's postseason run and isn't likely to return now that he's a free agent. It was an inconsequential deal for the club at the time and remains as such in hindsight.

Bears Grade Now: C+

Browns Grade Now: B

Dre'Mont Jones to Baltimore Ravens

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Baltimore Ravens Received: DL Dre'Mont Jones

Tennessee Titans Received: 2026 fifth-round pick (fourth-round conditions not met)

Ravens Grade at the Time: A

Titans Grade at the Time: B-

The Ravens attempted to right the ship at the trade deadline by adding some much-needed juice on the edge. Acquiring Dre'Mont Jones wasn't enough to propel the Ravens into the playoffs, however, as the team struggled on both sides of the ball for much of the 2025 season.

Jones was initially expected to help Baltimore make a run at the AFC North title. He had been off to a solid start to his seventh NFL season, collecting 4.5 sacks in nine games with the Titans. With Tennessee out of contention and willing to sell off veterans at the deadline, it made plenty of sense to provide the Ravens with Jones in exchange for an early-Day 3 selection.

The move looked good for Tennessee then and looks even better now after Jones struggled down the stretch. He failed to energize a flailing Ravens pass-rushing rotation, collecting just 2.5 sacks during his eight games in Charm City.

While the Titans would have been able to get a fourth-rounder out of the deal had Baltimore reached the postseason, they shouldn't be too upset about the selection they ultimately wound up with in exchange for a player who was likely on his way out after the 2025 season regardless.

Ravens Grade Now: C+

Titans Grade Now: A

Jaelan Phillips to Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Philadelphia Eagles Received: Edge Jaelan Phillips

Miami Dolphins Received: 2026 third-round pick

Eagles Grade at the Time: A

Dolphins Grade at the Time: B

The Eagles landed one of the marquee trade targets up for grabs at the deadline in Jaelan Phillips. The edge-rusher was put on the market following an abysmal 2-7 start to the Dolphins season, netting the club a third-round pick for a player it had spent a 2021 first-rounder on.

While Phillips dealt with injuries throughout his time in South Beach—including a rough stretch in which he appeared in a mere 12 games across the 2023-24 seasons combined—he had been healthy and faring well in 2025. Prior to the trade, he had recorded 25 tackles and three sacks while starting all nine games.

Phillips continued his resurgent campaign upon landing in Philly. He finished an eight-game run with the club having accrued 28 tackles and a pair of sacks for a defense that was desperate to improve its ability to create pressure.

Unfortunately his presence wasn't enough to push the defending champs over the hump. The Eagles flamed out in the Wild Card Round, losing by a 23-19 margin to the San Francisco 49ers. Phillips was a non-factor in the contest, recording no stats in what may have been his final game for the Eagles.

If Phillips departs as a free agent, the Eagles will likely regret sending a third-rounder over for his services. He would have been a great addition for a Day 3 pick, but a Day 2 pick was too hefty a cost for his middling contributions.

Eagles Grade Now: C

Dolphins Grade Now: B

Jaire Alexander to Philadelphia Eagles

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Philadelphia Eagles Received: CB Jaire Alexander, 2027 seventh-round pick

Baltimore Ravens Received: 2026 sixth-round pick

Eagles Grade at the Time: B

Ravens Grade at the Time: C

The Eagles wanted to find veteran cornerback help at the deadline and thought they may have gotten exactly that when they landed Jaire Alexander from the Ravens.

While Alexander's star had faded after a stellar start to his career with the Green Bay Packers, the Eagles were hoping to rehabilitate his career after a shaky stretch in Baltimore.

The 29-year-old opted against suiting up in Philadelphia, though, as he announced he would be taking a break from football to focus on his physical and mental health.

It remains to be seen when or if Alexander will return. The Eagles retain his rights if he does elect to come back, having placed the corner on the reserve/retired list shortly after his announcement on November 11.

For now, this trade will be marked as an incomplete for the Eagles, while the Ravens get a bump in grade for extracting some value from a player who was scratched in five of the seven games he was with the club for.

Eagles Grade Now: Incomplete

Ravens Grade Now: B+

Keion White to San Francisco 49ers

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

San Francisco 49ers Received: Edge Keion White, 2026 seventh-round pick

New England Patriots Received: 2026 sixth-round pick

49ers Grade at the Time: A

Patriots Grade at the Time: D

The 49ers couldn't catch a break on the defensive side of the ball in 2025, losing standout talents like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to injury.

Part of the reason the team still made it all the way to the NFC Championship was its ability to plug replacement-level talent into defensive coordinator Robert Saleh's system and get acceptable results, including from edge-rusher Keion White.

White joined the Niners at the deadline after he plummeted out of the Patriots' rotation. He went from being a healthy scratch in New England to a fixture on the field in San Francisco, playing 57 percent of the defensive snaps during the nine games he was with the team.

While the 27-year-old's contributions weren't incredible, he did pitch in 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery during the regular season and added another four tackles and a sack in two playoff games.

White remains under contract through the 2026 season, but he recently suffered a gunshot wound to the ankle at a Super Bowl event in San Francisco and required surgery, leaving his status for the upcoming campaign and timetable for a return uncertain.

49ers Grade Now: A

Patriots Grade Now: D

Kyle Dugger to Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Justin Berl

Pittsburgh Steelers Received: S Kyle Dugger, 2026 seventh-round pick

New England Patriots Received: 2026 sixth-round pick

Steelers Grade at the Time: B-

Patriots Grade at the Time: C

Kyle Dugger was a key piece of the Patriots' defense for several years, but a regression under new coach Mike Vrabel led New England to trade him for a late-round pick swap at the deadline.

The Steelers capitalized on the stalwart safety's availability, immediately inserting him into their starting lineup and keeping him there for all nine games following the trade.

Dugger looked rejuvenated in Pittsburgh, tallying 42 tackles, five pass defenses, a pair of picks—including one returned for a touchdown—and a sack.

While Dugger ended up being a key piece for a Steelers squad that won the AFC North, he might not be around in 2026 after he failed to start the team's playoff game against the Texans. Pittsburgh's brass removed the final two years from the safety's contract, a maneuver that allows Dugger to hit the open market this spring and won't give them any compensatory returns if he signs elsewhere.

Still, the Steelers got plenty of value out of what amounts to a slight loss of Day 3 draft position and should have no regrets about making this move. The Patriots shouldn't miss Dugger either, having made a Super Bowl run without their longtime safety.

Steelers Grade Now: B+

Patriots Grade Now: C

Roger McCreary to Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Ben VanHouten

Los Angeles Rams Received: CB Roger McCreary, 2026 sixth-round pick

Tennessee Titans Received: 2026 fifth-round pick

Rams Grade at the Time: A

Titans Grade at the Time: C

The Rams were one of several teams to pilfer the Titans for veterans at the deadline, coming away with Roger McCreary to bolster their cornerback depth.

While L.A. drew praise for adding more pieces to a secondary that had Super Bowl aspirations, the deal didn't move the needle all that much.

McCreary saw sporadic action in just six regular season games following the trade, recording four total tackles in those contests. He saw more usage after injuries at the cornerback spot mounted, playing in all three of the team's postseason games—including logging a start—but didn't hold up well in coverage, allowing three completions on five targets in those contests.

McCreary didn't live up to the hype, but the low-risk move still provided L.A. with a capable body who helped keep the team in contention. The Rams might not give up a fifth-rounder for that type of production again, but a later Day 3 pick would have made sense.

Rams Grade Now: B

Titans Grade Now: B-

Eagles Swap John Metchie III to Jets for Michael Carter II

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Philadelphia Eagles Received: CB Michael Carter II

New York Jets Received: WR John Metchie III

Eagles Grade at the Time: A

Jets Grade at the Time: D

The Eagles and Jets elected to swap underperforming players at the deadline. While Philly was initially praised for landing a seemingly serviceable corner for a wideout who hadn't cracked their rotation, New York got the most value out of the deal.

Metchie wound up being a valuable backup for Gang Green, stepping into a larger role late in the season. He finished his tenure in the Big Apple having caught 29 of his 44 targets for 256 yards and two touchdowns—a massive increase over the four catches he had in seven games for the Eagles.

Carter didn't play much for Philadelphia, recording just one start in his eight games. He was on the field for only 20 percent of the team's defensive snaps—he had a 45 percent defensive snap share in New York—in those contests, contributing just 10 tackles.

While the Eagles still have Carter under contract for two more seasons and could get more value out of the corner, for now they are the clear losers of this trade.

Eagles Grade Now: D

Jets Grade Now: A