Every NFL trade deadline day move, explained by the one stat that tells the story

One of the busiest NFL trade deadlines has come and gone, with moves that not only shaking up the pecking order in both conferences, but also changing the fortunes of teams who shipped players off. The New York Jets were big sellers at the deadline, parting ways with core players for the chance to rebuild in the future, while teams like the Colts and Seahawks added quality players to fuel Super Bowl pushes.

What is every team getting in their new acquisition? There’s one number that explains why each team made the trade they did, so let’s get into it.

---

CB Sauce Gardner

One Number: 70.4% — how often the Colts’ DBs play press coverage

Let’s start with the biggest trade of the day: the Indianapolis Colts sending two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. While the price tag might be steep, the schematic fit for Gardner makes a whole lot of sense.

Under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Colts’ cornerbacks play in press coverage a whopping 70.4% of the time — the fifth-highest rate in the NFL. One of the few teams ahead of Indianapolis in press rate is the Jets, where Gardner was the linchpin of their defensive scheme.

While Gardner isn’t perfect, and this season has been up and down in press (likely because he’s played more man coverage), his career numbers in press are elite: 38.2% completion percentage allowed and 4.9 yards per attempt. Even in a “down” year, he’s still forcing the second-highest rate of tight-window throws in the NFL among all defensive backs.

Gardner’s length and physicality at the line of scrimmage make him one of the best corners in the league, and the Colts have the coordinator to weaponize it. Gardner also has active eyes in zone and is a willing tackler, which fits Indy’s system.

If there were any holes on the Colts this season, it was the lack of impact players in the secondary with cornerback Charvarius Ward out. When Ward returns, the trio of Gardner, Ward and nickel Kenny Moore gives Indy a physical, gritty group that plays in your face.

The Colts clearly believe they can reach the Super Bowl within two years. That puts faith in quarterback Daniel Jones, but having Gardner on defense widens the margin for error — if he returns to All-Pro form.

---

DT Quinnen Williams

One number: 3  — third among all DL in stops (tackles that cause a positive EPA for the defense)

I’ve got to hand it to Jerry Jones — I didn’t think the Cowboys had this in them. Dallas traded a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-rounder for Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, the biggest of their two moves on the day. And honestly, it makes sense.

Yes, Williams is 28 and will need an extension, but with the way their defensive-line contracts are structured (especially Kenny Clark‘s), Williams looks like a long-term play.

On the field, his impact should be immediate. He’s one of the five best defensive tackles in the NFL, elite against the run thanks to his power, technique and block recognition. Per Next Gen Stats, Williams has 13 run stuffs for loss or no gain this season — second most in the league. He forces offenses to account for him, freeing up linebackers to make plays.

His pass rush has been inconsistent (8.0% pressure rate, lowest since his rookie year), but that’s partly due to the Jets’ negative game scripts. His peaks are forceful, collapsing pockets with power and creating matchups for others.

The Cowboys needed an impact defender who could affect both the run and pass, and Williams gives them that. The question is how defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will fit three expensive defensive tackles — Williams, Clark and Osa Odighizuwa — into his four-down front. Still, having too much interior talent isn’t a bad problem. Williams becomes the fulcrum of a defensive front Dallas hopes can fuel a playoff push.

---

WR Rashid Shaheed

One Number: 45.5 — yards per catch on passes over 20 air yards since 2023 (highest in the NFL, minimum three catches)

This might be my favorite deal of the deadline because the Seahawks took a strength and made it nuclear. They traded a 2026 fourth- and sixth-round pick to the Saints for wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, adding another explosive weapon to an already dynamic offense.

Shaheed is a legitimate deep threat — averaging 47.8 yards per scrimmage touchdown, the highest mark since 1970 for players with 10 or more touchdowns. His speed changes defensive math instantly.

That fits perfectly with quarterback Sam Darnold, who loves to go deep. Darnold ranks second in completions of 20-plus air yards with a +30.1% CPOE and 1.68 EPA per dropback on such throws. Pairing him with Shaheed and Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives Seattle an explosive trio.

Defenses already struggle to handle the speed of Smith-Njigba and Tory Horton. With Shaheed added, Seattle’s passing game becomes terrifying — and run lanes should open as defenses back off. Against base defenses this season, Seattle is averaging 12.6 yards per attempt. Shaheed could force opponents into nickel looks, creating more favorable run situations.

A fourth and sixth might seem pricey, but for how Shaheed changes the math, it’s well worth it.

---

WR Jakobi Meyers

One Number: 2.7% — Meyers’ career drop rate

The Jaguars also traded for a receiver, sending a fourth- and sixth-rounder in 2026 to the Raiders for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. It’s not flashy, but it’s a stabilizing move for a banged-up receiver room.

Meyers simply doesn’t drop passes — his 2.7% drop rate is among the best in football. In 2024, he caught 50% of tight-window throws (defender within 1 yard).

Drops have been a major issue for Jacksonville. Per Sports Info Solutions, its 21 drops are the seventh-most through nine games since 2020, and its 9.1% team drop rate is ninth-highest in that span. Fourteen of those have come over the middle of the field.

With WR/CB Travis Hunter out, Dyami Brown injured, Brenton Strange on injured reserve and Brian Thomas Jr. nursing an ankle, the Jags were desperate for reliability. Parker Washington is the only fully healthy receiver — and he’s primarily a slot guy.

Meyers adds toughness outside and can complement the YAC skills of Strange and Hunter once healthy, along with the vertical explosiveness of Brown and Thomas. Jacksonville just needed a steady, dependable option — and Meyers brings that.

---

EDGE Jaelan Phillips

One Number: 16.5% — Phillips’ pressure rate this season (would be second on the Eagles)

In one of the quieter but shrewd moves, the Dolphins sent edge rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles for a third-round pick — a great value for Philadelphia.

Quietly, the Eagles’ pass rush has taken a step back due to injuries and roster turnover. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s blitz rate has jumped from 28th in 2024 to 21st this year. With Nolan Smith on injured reserve, rookie Jalyx Hunt still raw, and Brandon Graham pulled out of retirement, depth was needed.

Phillips, finally healthy, has looked sharp. His three sacks don’t tell the story — his 16.5% pressure rate shows his disruptive impact. He wins with quickness, technique and length, bringing the kind of rush variation the Eagles have missed since Josh Sweat‘s prime stretch.

He fits the Eagles’ “wave” philosophy — rotating fresh pass rushers throughout the game. You can never have too many defensive linemen, and Philadelphia knows it as it chases another title.

---

LB Logan Wilson

One Number: 0.38 — EPA per play allowed when opponents throw over the middle (fifth-highest in the NFL)

Dallas’ other trade-deadline move was more predictable. The Cowboys’ linebacking corps has been among the NFL’s weakest, and Logan Wilson helps address that.

Wilson was being phased out in Cincinnati and requested a trade, but in Dallas he’ll start again. While he’s lost some athleticism, he remains instinctive and sound — something this defense sorely needs.

Kenneth Murray and Shemar James struggled in coverage and run fits. Wilson, acquired for a 2026 seventh-rounder, brings experience and awareness to plug holes in the middle.

---

OT Trevor Penning

One Number: 7 — healthy offensive linemen remaining for the Chargers

The Chargers’ playoff hopes hang by a thread despite a 6-3 record, largely due to a decimated offensive line.

Joe Alt is out for the season (ankle), Trey Pipkins and Jamaree Salyer didn’t start last week, Mekhi Becton is banged up and even free-agent addition Bobby Hart went down.

Enter Trevor Penning. He’s not great — maybe not even good — but he’s athletic and has starting experience. At this point, the Chargers just needed a functional tackle who can line up and survive.