The NFL trade deadline is approaching, and teams are weighing whether to buy, sell or stand pat. With clubs moving in very different directions, league observers expect an unusually busy few days. The Indianapolis Colts have already begun moving players, while the Chicago Bears made a major addition by trading for defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons.
Colts are taking a wait-and-see approach
Indianapolis started making deals after firing general manager Chris Ballard, a move that raised questions about whether the team was beginning a full rebuild. The Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle and sent defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to San Francisco.
Those moves, along with wide receiver Josh Downs asking to be traded, fueled talk of a potential fire sale. Downs could help a contender’s offense, and running back Jonathan Taylor may be one of the more appealing players available before Tuesday’s deadline.
For now, though, the Colts appear willing to wait. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports that the team plans to see how its Week 9 game against Dallas goes before taking another look at the offers it has received. Indianapolis could make deals on Monday or Tuesday if the terms are right.
Potential destinations for Taylor and Downs have already been discussed, but interested teams may have to wait a little longer to find out whether either player will actually be moved.
What will Dallas do?
The Cowboys are in an awkward spot. They are 3-5 after a painful overtime loss to Arizona, a record that might suggest a team should sell. Yet Dallas is second in the NFC East and only one win behind the division-leading New York Giants.
One player the team reportedly does not expect to trade is wide receiver George Pickens. NFL insider Ian Rapoport said he would be extremely surprised if Dallas moved him.
Pickens is not under contract for next season, but Rapoport has also pointed to the Cowboys’ place in the division and their upcoming schedule as reasons the team may not be ready to sell.
Dallas could even look to add help. Analysts Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano have identified Arizona pass rusher Josh Sweat as a possible target, given the Cowboys’ ongoing need to improve their pass rush.
There may be a complication: teams around the league believe Sweat would want a new deal as part of a trade, or at least a salary increase. He is in the second year of a four-year, $76 million contract and is due $18.1 million this season. Renegotiating so early in the deal could make a trade harder to complete.
After adding several defensive players through free agency, trades and the draft over the past year, owner Jerry Jones may still be tempted to make one more move.
Could the Bears add another defender?
Chicago has already made a major investment in its defensive line, acquiring Jeffery Simmons from Tennessee. The move appeared to pay off quickly in the Bears’ Week 8 win over Seattle.
Seattle averaged just 3.0 yards per play on the 48 snaps Simmons played, with three sacks and an interception during that stretch. On the eight plays he was off the field, the Seahawks averaged 13.3 yards per play. Sam Darnold completed fewer than half his passes with Simmons in the game, then went 5-for-5 for a touchdown when Simmons was out.
Chicago could still look for another pass rusher. Analyst Seth Walder has floated Miami Dolphins edge rusher Josh Uche as a possibility. The Bears have already spent heavily to bring in Simmons, so a more affordable deal may make sense. Uche could join a rotation with Montez Sweat, Austin Booker and Daniel Hardy. His pass-rush win rate this season ranks in the 60th percentile among edge players, while his pressure rate sits in the 35th percentile.
Adding Uche would give the Bears another option on the edge, though it remains to be seen whether they will make a move.
Are the Steelers looking for a receiver?
There has been plenty of speculation this fall that Pittsburgh might trade for a wide receiver to give Aaron Rodgers another target during the team’s push toward the playoffs. But longtime Pittsburgh reporter Gerry Dulac has played down the chances of that happening.
Asked about the possibility in a weekly reader chat, Dulac said the Steelers were not seriously pursuing a receiver and were unlikely to make a trade. He added that a deal could still come together if another general manager approached Pittsburgh with an offer.
The Steelers have added several receivers in recent seasons. They traded for DK Metcalf before the 2025 season and Michael Pittman Jr. this past offseason, then drafted Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen in the spring. Fans hoping for one more addition may have to prepare for disappointment by Tuesday night.
What about Brian Thomas Jr.?
The Jaguars’ Halloween post featuring some of the players around quarterback Trevor Lawrence caught people’s attention for one notable reason: Brian Thomas Jr. was missing.
Thomas, a first-round pick in 2024, has yet to fully meet expectations in Jacksonville. Teams searching for help at wide receiver may at least check whether he is available.
Kansas City and San Francisco are two possible teams to watch. Both have dealt with injuries at receiver and could use another option before the deadline.
