The NFL Trade Market Just Turned Into a Salary-Cap Fever Dream
Adam Schefter listed the trades on Twitter, highlighting the sheer volume of star power on the move.
If you thought the NFL was just going to be a couple of backup linebackers swapping practice squads, Adam Schefter just posted a receipt that proves general managers have completely lost their minds.
Schefter dropped a list of trades made since September 28, and it reads like a Madden franchise mode where someone accidentally turned the salary cap off. We are talking about actual foundational franchise pieces being tossed around like crypto in 2021.
The looked at their roster and decided their offense needed , which is the kind of firepower that makes defensive coordinators update their LinkedIn profiles. Houston is coming off a weird 27-21 loss to the , but adding a generational rookie receiver to that offense completely scrambles the AFC futures board.
Out west, the decided to fix their defensive front by bringing DeForest Buckner back home. They just dropped a 29-20 game to the , so the urgency makes sense. Meanwhile, the , fresh off suffocating the 20-3, decided to reinforce their offensive line by grabbing Quenton Nelson.
The celebrated a 38-21 beatdown of the by adding Joey Porter Jr. to their secondary. The panic-bought center Cam Jurgens after getting boatraced 35-13 by the . And the , who just scraped by the 30-24, decided Jeffery Simmons was the missing piece for their defensive interior.
Oh, and the Giants traded for , because is legally required to have a quarterback controversy at all times.
This level of star movement used to be reserved for the NBA. Now, NFL front offices are treating draft picks like expired coupons. If you are holding tickets on any of these teams, the math just changed entirely. The actual deadline is still looming, and at this rate, nobody is safe from getting packed up.