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Nfl Trade Deadline Grades 2025 Jets Cowboys Fast24news

Bonisiwe Shabane
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nfl trade deadline grades 2025 jets cowboys fast24news

The 2025 NFL trade deadline produced more activity and shock value than many expected. From the New York Jets’ surprise moves to impactful additions across the league, deadline day reshaped rosters and playoff narratives. Here’s a close look at the top transactions and our assessment of how teams fared. The most talked-about development came when the New York Jets shipped out star cornerback Sauce Gardner. That move — one of a pair of surprising trades by the Jets on deadline day — immediately altered the AFC East landscape and raised questions about the franchise’s longer-term plans. The decision to move a cornerstone defensive player signaled a willingness to pivot midseason and extract value while teams are willing to buy.

New York’s other deadline transaction also drew attention, though reactions were mixed among analysts and fans. Collectively, the deals represented a substantial shift for a team that had entered the season with high expectations. The Dallas Cowboys were among the teams that made notable moves, adding personnel intended to bolster depth and push for a postseason run. While no single trade dominated headlines like the Gardner deal, Dallas’s deadline activity reflected a strategic approach: targeting specific roster weaknesses while trying to maintain salary-cap flexibility. Beyond the Jets and Cowboys, several franchises completed deadline deals meant to address immediate needs — whether that was pass rush, secondary help, or offensive weapons. Deadline-day trading often separates contenders from pretenders, and this year’s flurry of transactions emphasized the urgency teams feel as they chase playoff positioning.

With the 2025 NFL trade deadline firmly in the rearview, it's time to take a closer look at how the sides fared in 20 deals made between the start of the season and Nov. 4. With Charvarius Ward on IR, Indy's CBs needed help. So the Colts pushed all their chips into the middle, and now in comes Sauce to play savior. Gardner opened his career with smashing success, using his length and physicality to compile 31 passes defended and two INTs in his first two seasons, earning All-Pro honors in each campaign. The corner position being fickle, the past two years haven't been as kind; he's struggled some in coverage and dealt with a concussion earlier this year.

When he's on, though, Gardner remains an upper-echelon cover man. Per Next Gen Stats, he faced No. 1 receivers on 45.5% of his coverage matchups, the NFL's highest rate (min. 125 matchups). When targeted, he has forced tight windows (allowing less than 1 yard of separation) at a rate of 53.8%, also leading the league (min. 20 targets).

The Colts are betting big that their Lou Anarumo-led defense will present Sauce with a better situation than he played under the past two seasons in New York. Still, considering that the cost is similar to what Green Bay gave up for pass rusher Micah Parsons (two first-round picks and a player), it's a hefty price to pay for a corner. Even one as good as Sauce can be. On the Jets' end, it's a stunner of a move. They just handed Gardner -- drafted fourth overall in 2022 -- a sizable contract this offseason to be one of their building blocks, and four months later, said building block is headed for Indianapolis. Once we pick our jaws off the floor, it's not hard to see the logic for New York.

The windfall was simply too good to pass up. What good is a star corner when the rest of the operation is crumbling? The 2025 NFL trade deadline was much more active than any of us anticipated, with the New York Jets providing us with a pair of surprising trades. New York shipped out star cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in separate moves on Tuesday to give the Jets major draft capital. The Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys were the beneficiaries of the Jets' sudden fire sale, but did they give up too much for the defensive standouts? Let's dish out grades for each team involved in Tuesday's most notable trades on deadline day.

Colts receive: CB Sauce GardnerJets receive: 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell This is a much bigger trade than most expected on Tuesday, and it's an all-in move for the Colts, even though their first-rounders are likely to be in the bottom 10 each of the... Coming off a six-turnover loss, it feels a little panicky for Indianapolis, but this is a solid longterm addition that will have major weight in the playoffs as it tries to make an extended... The 2025 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, with arguably more fireworks than any before it. Quinnen Williams is a Dallas Cowboy. Sauce Gardner is an Indianapolis Colt.

Rashid Shaheed is a Seattle Seahawk. Jakobi Meyers is a Jacksonville Jaguar. All those deals went down Tuesday. How did your team grade out overall, taking all of its moves since the season began in context? Find out below. NFC East: Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Commanders

NFC North: Bears | Lions | Bay Packers | Vikings Now that the 2025 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, every deal will shape the playoff chase or accelerate a rebuild. Movement really began in early October, nearly a month before the deadline, when the Cleveland Browns sent Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals in a rare in-division trade as part of Cincinnati's effort to... Deadline day didn't disappoint as the rebuilding Jets were part of two blockbuster deals, trading away star defenders Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. To help you track all the NFL trade deals that were consummated on Tuesday, we've logged every move in one place with concise analysis highlighting who got better, who got future assets, and what... Whether it was a blockbuster involving a former Pro Bowler or a depth move that filled a key injury gap, this page will be your running guide.

A sixth-round pick in 2022, Taylor was a rotational piece and occasional plug-in starter for the Chargers for his first three seasons, but he has played only special teams on all but one game... The Jets are extremely thin at cornerback after trading away Sauce Gardner (see below), and Taylor provides another body as New York plays out the string on a lost season. He's also a special teams contributor who could see plenty of run there. The Chargers needed to create space for the Trevor Penning trade (see below), and they do so by moving on from a player who has not been in the defensive rotation all season. A conditional seventh-round pick in three drafts from now is at least something, and Los Angeles will hope to make a playoff push without Taylor, who will need to be replaced for special teams... The Chargers offensive line has been decimated after losing offensive tackle Joe Alt this past week.

When you add that they were already without Rashawn Slater, it only adds to the need for healthy bodies along the line. Penning, a first-rounder in 2022, didn't live up to expectations with the Saints but does give Los Angeles some versatility at both tackle and guard. He'll need to improve, however, as he ranks 22nd among 28 eligible left guards (min. 200 pass-blocking snaps) in pressure rate allowed (6.3%) this season. The 2025 NFL trade deadline has arrived, and front offices across the league are making their final pushes to either shape postseason rosters or build for the future. We’re tracking every major trade with instant analysis, player grades and team outlooks as deals come together across the league.

The Cowboys become the latest team to land a Jets star, acquiring defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick. Dallas has been desperate for defensive reinforcements, and Williams — who leads all interior defensive linemen in PFF run-defense grade this season at 90.8 — should provide a massive boost to a unit that... As part of the deal, the Jets also receive defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The 27th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Smith has yet to record a season with a PFF grade above 50.0 and now becomes a reclamation project for Aaron Glenn and the Jets. Adding Tryon-Shoyinka is a solid depth move for a Bears team that lost Dayo Odeyingbo to a season-ending Achilles injury this past week. Tryon-Shoyinka has been on the field for just 14 snaps as a pass-rusher for the Browns this season, but he has managed to registered three pressures on those snaps, and registered 20 pressures or...

A blockbuster trade that sends shockwaves through the NFL, this move firmly establishes the Colts’ credentials as contenders in 2025. Sauce Gardner has forced 49 incompletions and earned a 90.8 PFF grade since entering the league — both the highest marks among all cornerbacks over that span. He also leads the NFL with a 74.1% lockdown percentage through the first half of this season. The 2025 NFL trade deadline saw unexpected activity, notably from the New York Jets, who traded star cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Colts and Cowboys, respectively. The Jets aimed to gather draft capital for a future rebuild, securing multiple high-round picks, while the Colts and Cowboys sought to bolster their defenses despite questionable playoff prospects. Expert grades assessed the trades, highlighting both the potential impact on future seasons and the immediate risks for the acquiring teams.

Critics argue that the Colts and Cowboys may have overpaid for star players amid their struggling seasons. Both teams face the risk of not making the playoffs while sacrificing valuable draft assets. Some analysts believe the Jets leveraged their assets well, even if it meant dismantling a previously strong defense. The restructured Jets may focus on developing young talent, while the Colts will prioritize making the playoffs with their recent acquisitions. The Cowboys need to find a way to integrate Williams into their defense, while also assessing their future draft strategy in light of these trades. The deadline moves signal a significant shift in team strategies, with the Jets committing to a rebuild while the Colts and Cowboys push for a playoff presence.

Each team's performance in the coming games will determine the success of their trades, but the Jets have positioned themselves favorably for the future. The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI The 2025 NFL trade deadline has officially passed, and Bleacher Report's team of NFL analysts—Brent Sobleski, Gary Davenport, Kris Knox and Moe Moton—have weighed in on all the major deals. Grades are based on factors such as player upside, positional value, trade compensation, how well needs are addressed, and how deals fit into each team's short- and/or long-term plans. .css-wrcrjw{margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-3nqh9c:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}.css-lu48cp{margin:0;font:inherit;color:var(--br--palette-primary-main);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(var(--br--palette-primary-mainChannel) / 0.4);margin:0;font-size:1.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback Arial;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;line-height:1.92rem;color:var(--br--palette-foreground__link__secondary__default-mainChannel);font-size:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;white-space:normal;}.css-lu48cp:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}The Trade .css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Indianapolis Colts Receive: CB Sauce GardnerNew York Jets Receive: 2026 and '27 first-round draft picks, WR Adonai Mitchell

Colts: AThe Colts are all-in to win this season. At 7-2 and tied for the NFL's best record, general manager Chris Ballard pulled off the most stunning trade prior to this year's deadline. The acquisition of Sauce Gardner addresses the Colts' biggest need area at cornerback, while giving the team a two-time All-Pro to build around now and in future years. True difference-makers aren't readily available at the trade deadline. The Colts saw an opportunity and took the plunge. Gardner is the NFL's highest-graded cornerback since entering the league in 2022, per Pro Football Focus.

His addition helps solidify a cornerback room ravaged by injuries in the short term and provides a long-term building block since the 25-year-old defensive back signed a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension in July. The Colts are operating differently under the guidance of owners Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson. Tuesdays' deadline deal is the most obvious example of the franchise's shifting philosophy. Adam Schefter joins Pat McAfee to break down how the Colts were able to trade for Sauce Gardner. (2:08) What an NFL trade deadline!

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