Winners and losers of the 2026 NFL trade deadline

Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins is 38, so he may not be the most exciting addition. Still, he’s a better option than Carson Wentz, Kyler Murray or the other realistic choices Minnesota had.

He remains an above-average quarterback and is currently second in the NFL in passing touchdowns. With an elite defense already in place, Cousins gives the Vikings a better chance of keeping their lead in the fiercely competitive NFC North.

Loser: Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers seem intent on becoming the first team to start 0-8 and still reach the playoffs. Otherwise, it’s hard not to call them one of the deadline’s biggest disappointments.

Reports that they would keep veteran players with expiring contracts proved accurate. Khalil Mack and Donte Jackson could both have brought back useful draft picks.

Instead, Los Angeles traded Daiyan Henley, a young linebacker who had developed within the team, to division rival Denver.

Winner: Chicago Bears

Chicago was quiet on deadline day because it had already made its big move two weeks earlier. The Bears’ trade for All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons may have been the season’s most impactful deal.

Simmons has quickly strengthened the defense, and players around him, including Devin Bush and Austin Booker, have benefited. In recent weeks, many sportsbooks have moved Chicago from 10th to third in Super Bowl odds. The Simmons trade is one reason for the jump.

Loser: Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville added safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle Jordan Davis, but paid a steep price for both. The deals may have been an overreach.

The Jaguars sent Philadelphia a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-rounder for Davis. He’s a good player, especially against the run, but Jacksonville paid as though it were getting a game-changing pass rusher. That’s not his role.

For Bates, Jacksonville gave Atlanta a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-rounder. Bates is set to become a free agent after the season, while the Jaguars are projected to be over the salary cap.

Buffalo, meanwhile, got safety Amani Hooker from Tennessee for a second-round pick, while also receiving a fifth-rounder. Hooker is two years younger than Bates and has two and a half years left on his contract. By comparison, Jacksonville’s deal looks especially costly.

Winner: Tom Pelissero

Tom Pelissero’s dismissal from ESPN seemed like a mistake. Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport and Pelissero account for much of the league’s major news, and ESPN could have had all three.

Now working with The Ringer and Netflix, Pelissero has become a popular figure on social media during his return to the spotlight, going head-to-head with ESPN’s much larger operation. It’s a little like Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo.

Football fans took notice of Pelissero’s busy day on Tuesday. One reaction was simply: “Moses, huh?”

Loser: Dianna Russini

Russini returned to social media just in time for the trade deadline, posting for the first time since April to confirm that the 49ers would not trade Mac Jones.

Her absence from social media isn’t why she lands on this list. Rather, it was her first interview since leaving The Athletic amid the Mike Vrabel scandal. Speaking with People, Russini described herself as the target of “heartbreaking” lies but did not take responsibility for her part in the situation.

The response came across as arrogant and disappointing.