As the 2026 NFL trade deadline approaches, it's a good time to look back at the biggest moves from the past decade and how they panned out.
Excluding this year's blockbuster deals, we've broken down the most buzzworthy pre-deadline moves from 2016 onward, examining the trade details, how teams used the draft capital in these transactions and the impact of the player(s) involved.
Three years is more than enough time to grade these transactions properly, though a few deals are still only a year or two old, so projections of productivity factor into some of the grades.
Here's our review of the biggest trades that sent midseason shockwaves across the NFL over the last 10 years.
Colts Acquire Sauce Gardner from the Jets (2025)
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Indianapolis Colts Received: CB Sauce Gardner
New York Jets Received: 2026 first-rounder, 2027 first-rounder, WR Adonai Mitchell
This trade happened a year ago, but it's already aging poorly for the Indianapolis Colts.
The New York Jets shocked many by dealing Sauce Gardner almost four months after signing him to a four-year, $120.4 million extension. In his first two seasons with Gang Green, he earned two first-team All-Pro and two Pro Bowl nods.
Yet you can't blame Jets general manager Darren Mougey for acquiring two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for Gardner. The Colts overpaid for a player whom they thought would help them make a deep playoff run last season.
Instead, Indianapolis fell apart largely because of injuries. Quarterback Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in December of last year, and Gardner missed four of the Colts' last five games.
In seven games with the Colts this season, Gardner has logged only six pass breakups and has yet to record an interception. He's allowing a passer rating of 96.8 out of a possible 158.3. Gardner has only three career interceptions, but in his rookie year alone, he led the league with 20 pass breakups.
Meanwhile, in 12 games with the Jets, Mitchell has already eclipsed his receiving numbers from his 25-game tenure with the Colts. He's caught 40 passes for 566 yards and three touchdowns with the Jets after hauling in only 32 catches for 464 yards and zero touchdowns in Indianapolis.
The Jets continue to benefit from this deal as the Colts sink to the bottom of the standings. Through Week 8, Indianapolis is in line to send Gang Green the No. 4 overall pick in the 2027 draft.
Colts Grade: F
Jets Grade: A
Cowboys Get Quinnen Williams from the Jets (2025)
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Dallas Cowboys Received: DT Quinnen Williams
New York Jets Received: 2026 second-rounder, 2027 first-rounder (higher of Cowboys' first-rounders) and DT Mazi Smith
While the Sauce Gardner trade looks lopsided in favor of the New York Jets, the Dallas Cowboys have seen strong short-term returns from Quinnen Williams.
Williams had a modest showing in the second half of the 2025 season with the Cowboys, but he's recorded 29 tackles (a league-leading 11 for loss), five sacks and 13 pressures in eight games this year. Dallas signed him to a three-year, $105.9 million extension in August, and he's fulfilling the expectations that come with a massive new deal. However, the Cowboys' defense remains one of the league's worst, ranking 27th in points allowed and giving up the most yards per game entering Week 9.
With the Cowboys' 2026 second-rounder, the Jets moved down several spots to select cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and picked up a fourth-rounder, which they used to select quarterback Cade Klubnik. Mazi Smith only played 54 defensive snaps with Gang Green before the team released him.
Assuming the Jets draft a quarterback with one of their three 2027 first-round picks, Klubnik will be a developmental backup at best. However, that Cowboys pick could change the franchise's trajectory, whether it's a quarterback or an immediate-impact starter.
Cowboys Grade: B+
Jets Grade: A
Cowboys Acquire Amari Cooper from the Raiders (2018)
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Dallas Cowboys Received: WR Amari Cooper
Los Angeles Rams Received: 2019 1st-round pick
The then-Oakland Raiders hired Jon Gruden as head coach in 2018, and he tore down the roster, trading away stars Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper between September and October that year.
Mack didn't play a snap under Gruden; the Raiders traded him before the season opener. Cooper had a lackluster six-game stretch, catching 22 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown.
Despite that, the Raiders somehow got a first-round pick from the Cowboys for Cooper. In the 2019 draft, they used that pick to select safety Johnathan Abram, whose physicality sometimes bordered on recklessness and drew penalties.
Abram suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in his first NFL game. Under a new regime, the Raiders released him in the final year of his rookie deal. He'll go down as one of the many first-round picks the Raiders have squandered in recent years.
Cooper had an immediate turnaround in Dallas and earned Pro Bowl nods in his first two years there. He eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in three of his four seasons with the Cowboys and led the team in that category before CeeDee Lamb's ascension in 2021.
In March 2022, Dallas traded Cooper and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for a 2022 fifth-round pick and a 2022 sixth-rounder.
Cowboys Grade: B
Raiders Grade: D
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49ers Get Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers (2022)
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Carolina Panthers Received: 2023 second-rounder, 2023 third-rounder, 2023 fourth-rounder, 2024 fifth-rounder
San Francisco 49ers Received: RB Christian McCaffrey
Six weeks into the 2022 season, the Carolina Panthers realized they needed to reboot their roster with young talent. That caused them to trade star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in his age-26 campaign.
At the time of the deal, McCaffrey was three years removed from becoming the third player in NFL history to rack up 1,000-plus rushing and receiving yards in the same season. However, he missed 23 games between 2020 and 2021, which likely impacted his trade value.
Subsequently, Carolina traded all four picks in this deal.
The Panthers used the second-rounder in a package deal to secure the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 and drafted quarterback Bryce Young, who's having his best season despite struggles over the last few weeks. They used the Niners' third- and fourth-round picks to trade up to the No. 80 spot in the 2023 draft for linebacker DJ Johnson, who played in 31 total games before they waived him in September 2025. And Carolina packaged the 2024 fifth-round pick with perennial Pro Bowler Brian Burns in a blockbuster trade with the New York Giants.
In the short term, the McCaffrey trade allowed D'Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard to lead the Panthers' ground attack. The latter eventually turned his opportunities into a four-year, $33.2 million extension, and he's still the team's lead ball-carrier. Also, after a 1-5 start with McCaffrey, Carolina went 6-5 without him.
Depending on how this season pans out, the Panthers may sign Young to an extension as he's on pace for career highs in multiple passing categories.
The 49ers don't regret this deal, either. McCaffrey is still one of the league's most productive running backs. He has eight rushing touchdowns and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry this season.
Aside from a 13-game absence in the 2024 season, McCaffrey has been mostly healthy in San Francisco, and the 49ers have played in a Super Bowl with him. They've also ranked in the top eight in rushing in three of the past five seasons.
If Young signs a new contract with the Panthers, you can argue this blockbuster deal worked out for both teams in the long term.
49ers Grade: A
Panthers Grade: B
49ers Acquire Jimmy Garoppolo from the Patriots (2017)
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New England Patriots Received: 2018 second-rounder
San Francisco 49ers Received: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
This deal has flown under the radar because it didn't include a first-round pick, an All-Pro player or a perennial Pro Bowler. However, the New England Patriots chose 40-year-old Tom Brady over young Jimmy Garoppolo, his potential successor.
Meanwhile, in his first year with the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Kyle Shanahan needed to stabilize the quarterback position. He started the 2017 campaign with Brian Hoyer, who went back to the Patriots after the 49ers released him.
The 49ers acquired Garoppolo in October 2017, but he didn't start until Week 13. He went on to lead the 49ers to wins in all five of his starts that year.
Garoppolo didn't develop into an elite quarterback, but he was good enough to help lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship Game before Brock Purdy took over in 2022. Garoppolo benefitted from playing under Shanahan, one of the league's best play-callers.
Meanwhile, the Patriots used the 49ers' pick in a trade to acquire additional selections.
ESPN's Mike Reiss listed the players whom New England acquired via a series of trades that started with San Francisco's 2018 second-rounder. Among them, running back Damien Harris made the biggest impact, leading the team in rushing in 2020 and 2021, though he played only four seasons in New England.
Patriots Grade: D
49ers Grade: B-
Jets Get Davante Adams from the Raiders (2024)
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Las Vegas Raiders Received: 2025 conditional third-rounder
New York Jets Received: WR Davante Adams
As much as Davante Adams tried to downplay trade rumors, his tenure with the Las Vegas Raiders ran its course in three years.
During the 2022 offseason, the Raiders traded their first- and second-round picks in the 2022 draft to the Green Bay Packers for Adams. In doing so, they reunited him with his collegiate teammate, quarterback Derek Carr.
Former Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler made a power move with winning intentions, but a year later, Las Vegas released Carr and signed Jimmy Garoppolo. After that, Adams grew frustrated with his new quarterback and the losses after eight seasons with Aaron Rodgers on the perennial playoff-contending Packers.
Adams appeared on Up & Adams with Kay Adams, where he was noncommittal about his future with the Raiders. Soon after, Las Vegas traded him to the New York Jets.
The Jets' conditional third-round pick in the deal would've become a second-rounder if Adams earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors, or if he was on Gang Green's active roster in the AFC Championship Game or Super Bowl LIX. However, Adams didn't meet any of those conditions, and the Raiders traded the draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for quarterback Geno Smith, who had an abysmal 2025 season in Las Vegas.
The Raiders took a logical risk with the pick to address their quarterback situation, but Smith fizzled out after one year.
Ironically, Las Vegas also traded Smith to the Jets, swapping him and a 2026 seventh-round pick for a 2026 sixth-round pick, which was packaged with a fourth-rounder to move up for running back Mike Washington Jr. The rookie tailback has shown promising flashes with explosive runs, and he took over the lead role in Week 8.
Initially, Adams seemed happier playing with Rodgers again in New York, but the Jets released both of them in the 2025 offseason after a disastrous 5-12 campaign. Neither team won this deal as of now, though if Washington continues to handle a significant workload, the Raiders' grade would be upgraded.
Jets Grade: D
Raiders Grade: D
Rams Acquire Von Miller from the Broncos (2021)
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Denver Broncos Received: EDGE Von Miller
Los Angeles Rams Received: 2022 second-rounder, 2022 third-rounder
In 2021, the Denver Broncos couldn't escape mediocrity, treading water at the bottom of the AFC West.
After sitting out the 2020 season with an ankle injury, Von Miller bounced back in his age-32 season. On a slightly lower snap count, he played at a high level, but the Broncos needed to trade assets to revamp their roster.
Denver traded Miller to the Los Angeles Rams, and he helped them win Super Bowl LVI over the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium. The Rams added an established edge-rusher who helped solidify their middling defense in the second half of the 2021 campaign.
The Broncos used the Rams' draft picks to select edge-rusher Nik Bonitto in the second round and tight end Greg Dulcich in the third round of the 2022 draft.
Dulcich struggled to stay healthy early in his career and appeared in only 16 games before Denver waived him in November 2024. Meanwhile, Bonitto has blossomed into a Pro Bowler-caliber player. The Broncos signed him to a four-year, $106 million extension in September of last year.
Although the Broncos whiffed on Dulcich, they hit on Bonitto, who's taken the baton from an aging Miller to lead the Broncos' pass rush.
Broncos Grade: A-
Rams Grade: A
Rams Get Jalen Ramsey from the Jaguars (2019)
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Jacksonville Jaguars Received: 2020 first-rounder, 2021 first-rounder, 2021 fourth-rounder
Los Angeles Rams Received: CB Jalen Ramsey
In the 2017 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship Game with Jalen Ramsey as a cornerstone All-Pro player in their secondary. He had a lockdown presence with the versatility to line up in the slot.
However, after that campaign, the Jaguars fell to the bottom of the AFC South and needed to shake up the roster with young talent to rebuild.
Jacksonville maxed out Ramsey's trade value, dealing him for three draft picks, including a pair of first-rounders that could've reshaped the roster.
Ramsey earned Pro Bowl nods in all three of his full seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and made first-team All-Pro in two. In his third year with the club, he won a Super Bowl as one of the league's top cornerbacks. Los Angeles made an aggressive move that paid off.
Although the Jaguars capitalized on Ramsey's value, none of the players they drafted with the Rams' picks signed a second deal with them.
Edge-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson struggled to carve out a consistent role in Jacksonville and made a much greater impact with the Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, and now the Washington Commanders.
The Jaguars allowed running back Travis Etienne to sign elsewhere in free agency this past offseason. He eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in three of his four seasons in Jacksonville but averaged fewer than 3.9 yards per carry in two of those campaigns.
Jacksonville used the 2021 fourth-rounder on outside linebacker Jordan Smith, who appeared in just two games and logged one tackle.
Los Angeles won the deal, while Jacksonville's attempt to retool its roster with the Rams' picks fell flat.
Rams Grade: A
Jaguars Grade: D
Steelers Acquire Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins (2019)
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Miami Dolphins Received: 2020 first-rounder, 2020 fifth-rounder, 2021 sixth-rounder
Pittsburgh Steelers Received: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, 2020 fourth-rounder, 2021 seventh-rounder
In a shocking move, the Miami Dolphins traded Minkah Fitzpatrick in only his second year with the team. But if you dig into the news clippings from before the 2019 trade deadline, you'll understand what sparked the deal.
After a solid rookie season with the Dolphins in which he logged 80 tackles (two for loss), nine pass breakups,and two interceptions, Fitzpatrick grew frustrated with his role under a new coaching regime under Brian Flores.
According to Safid Deen of the Orlando Sentinel, Fitzpatrick discussed his role with Flores and wanted out of Miami. Soon after, the Dolphins traded the safety to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As one of the league's top ball-hawking safeties, Fitzpatrick went on to have six productive years with the Steelers, recording 344 tackles (including six for loss), 45 pass breakups and 18 interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns.
Pittsburgh used the 2020 fourth-round pick to select guard Kevin Dotson, who played in 39 games (30 starts) before the team traded him to the Los Angeles Rams in August 2023. The Steelers selected cornerback Tre Norwood with the 2021 seventh-rounder. He suited up for 32 outings (including six starts) while logging 61 tackles (four for loss), four pass breakups and an interception.
With the Steelers' 2020 first-rounder, the Dolphins selected Austin Jackson, who's had one solid season at right tackle after transitioning from left tackle. He's survived multiple coaching regimes and remains a starter at right tackle. The seventh-year pro has an extensive injury history that slowed his early development.
Miami didn't get much out of 2020 fifth-round defensive end Jason Strowbridge. He only played 55 defensive snaps with the club.
The Dolphins traded the 2021 sixth-rounder to the Kansas City Chiefs for running back DeAndre Washington and a 2021 seventh-rounder. They swapped that seventh-rounder with a Washington Commanders seventh-rounder and selected running back Gerrid Doaks, who didn't play in a regular-season game. Washington appeared in three games with the Dolphins, logging 28 carries for 86 yards and four catches for 28 yards.
The Steelers came out of this deal with the most productive player. They capitalized on Flores and Fitzpatrick not seeing eye to eye on the safety's role.
Dolphins Grade: C-
Steelers Grade: B+
Vikings Get T.J. Hockenson from the Lions (2022)
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Detroit Lions Received: 2023 second-rounder, 2024 third-rounder
Minnesota Vikings Received: TE T.J. Hockenson, 2023 fourth-rounder, 2024 fourth-rounder
The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions agreed to terms on a rare in-division deal involving a Pro Bowl-caliber player in 2022, making it worth reviewing four years later.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson caught 67 passes for 723 yards and six touchdowns in his second season with the Lions in 2020. However, the No. 8 overall pick's receiving numbers dipped in 2021. Although the Lions exercised the fifth-year option in his rookie contract, they traded him in his fourth year, and he signed a four-year, $68.5 million extension with the Vikings in August 2023.
The Lions avoided the rising cost of Hockenson's services, but they didn't get much production from the players whom they acquired with the draft capital.
Detroit flipped the 2023 second-rounder into more picks, though it ultimately moved down for backup quarterback Hendon Hooker and used the additional picks to move up for third-round defensive lineman Brodric Martin, who played in six career games.
The Lions used the 2024 third-round pick in a package deal to move up for cornerback Terrion Arnold, whom the team released this past offseason while he faced eight felony charges stemming from a robbery and kidnapping in Tampa, Florida. He's currently with the Seattle Seahawks on the commissioner's exempt list. Arnold didn't live up to first-round expectations in Detroit, logging 18 pass breakups and an interception in 24 outings.
Hockenson tore his ACL and MCL late in the 2023 season, but he's otherwise had a productive run in Minnesota, hauling in 278 passes for 2,667 yards and 14 touchdowns in 57 games.
The Vikings used the 2023 fourth-rounder on core special-teamer Jay Ward and included the 2024 fourth-rounder in a move up one spot for quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the following year.
Minnesota traded McCarthy to the New York Giants in September, but the two other players whom the Vikings acquired in the deal remain on the roster in notable roles.
Lions Grade: F
Vikings Grade: B
NFL player contract details are provided by Over the Cap.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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