NFL Trade Deadline 2020: Examining Top News and Rumors

After numerous deals were made over the past week, the NFL trade deadline had a bit of an anticlimactic conclusion. The deadline came and passed at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and no major trades were completed at the buzzer, with some of the top rumored potential deals not coming to fruition.

Several players who had their names in rumors and buzz leading up to the deadline stayed with their current teams. And numerous teams that seemingly had plenty of valuable trade assets it could have potentially moved instead opted to hold on to those players.

Only two minor deals took place on Tuesday, both involving the Miami Dolphins. They traded wide receiver Isaiah Ford to the New England Patriots and acquired running back DeAndre Washington from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here's some of the fallout from the news and rumors that unfolded on deadline day.

Fuller Stays Put as Texans Remain Quiet

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

The Houston Texans are 1-6, and it seemed possible they might trade some top players in order to acquire draft picks for the future. However, that wasn't the case on Tuesday.

Houston didn't make any deals, which included holding on to wide receiver Will Fuller V, whose name had been featured in trade rumors leading up to the deadline. On NFL Total Access, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Texans wanted a second-round pick in exchange for Fuller, and while the Green Bay Packers were among the teams that had interest, a trade didn't get completed between Houston and Green Bay.

"In the end, I'm told the two sides simply could not agree on compensation," Rapoport said on the show. "I thought maybe at one point a third-rounder would do it, it was simply not to be."

Fuller is in the final year of his contract with the Texans, and he's stayed healthy and played well this season. The Packers could have used another top receiver to play alongside Davante Adams and to give quarterback Aaron Rodgers another option in the passing game, but they didn't end up acquiring one.

Although Fuller remains in Houston now, he's set to become a free agent next offseason, so his future could still be uncertain.

Patriots Wanted Huge Return for Gilmore

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Stephon Gilmore was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winner in 2019. And although the New England Patriots have struggled during their 2-5 start, the 30-year-old Gilmore remains a top cornerback in the league.

That's why the Patriots reportedly wanted a huge return if they were to trade Gilmore ahead of Tuesday's deadline. According to ESPN's Dianna Russini, New England told numerous inquiring teams that it wanted a first-round draft pick and a player in exchange for Gilmore in a potential deal.

This wasn't the first time that Gilmore's name was brought up in trade discussions this year. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that the Pats "were in contact with other teams in March and April, and again in August." So New England could be open to dealing the All-Pro cornerback for the right return in the future, but it likely was not offered on Tuesday.

Gilmore has 20 tackles and an interception in six games this season. He didn't play in this past Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills because of a knee injury. Now, after not getting traded, he'll look to help New England get its season back on track when he returns to action.

Smith Stays with Cowboys in Return Season

Daniel Kucin Jr./Associated Press

The Dallas Cowboys' defense has had some struggles during their 2-6 start to the season. However, one bright spot has been the play of defensive end Aldon Smith, who returned to the NFL this year after having not played since 2015 because of multiple suspensions.

Through eight games, the 31-year-old Smith has 35 tackles and five sacks. And it appears his strong first half attracted some attention from another team.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan (h/t Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) on Tuesday that the Seattle Seahawks reached out with interest in trading for Smith, but Dallas decided it wanted to keep him moving forward. And that's what it did as the trade deadline passed.

Smith was a strong player during his first five seasons from 2011-15 (four with the 49ers and one with the Raiders), and it appears he can still play at a high level despite his long layoff from football. If he keeps it up, perhaps the Cowboys will have interest in keeping him beyond 2020, as he's currently signed for just this season.