2020 NFL trade deadline winners and losers
The 2020 NFL trade deadline did not produce any blockbuster deals.There were plenty of rumors and speculation leading up to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, but most teams were unwilling to pay the asking prices for the top players available.There were several smaller moves made, though, and they could have a meaningful impact on the playoff races in both conferences.Let's take a look at the biggest winners and losers from the trade deadline.
Veteran linebacker Avery Williamson went from the only winless team, the 0-8 New York Jets, to the lone unbeaten team, the 8-0 Pittsburgh Steelers.
That switch alone makes Williamson one of the biggest winners of the trade deadline.
The Steelers have a good chance to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LV, and the acquisition of Williamson gives Mike Tomlin's defense much-needed depth at linebacker.
The Green Bay Packers should have added more wide receiver depth, ideally a No. 2 wideout behind Davante Adams.
The Packers reportedly showed interest in Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller but couldn't work out a deal.
When you look at the 2020 NFL Draft and Tuesday's trade deadline, it's clear Green Bay has not surrounded franchise quarterback Aaron Rodgers with enough talent at the skill positions, and that could be a real problem for the Packers in the playoffs.
The Seahawks pass rush has underwhelmed this season, and it's among the reasons why the team has allowed a league-worst 358.7 passing yards per game. Seattle's defense also has tallied just 12 sacks in seven games.
The acquisition of Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap gives the Seahawks much-needed depth, talent and experience on the defensive line.
The Patriots weren't real buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
Acquiring wide receiver Isaiah Ford from the Dolphins for a conditional 2022 sixth-round draft pick was a decent depth move, but it doesn't solve any of the biggest issues on the team's offense.
The Patriots still don't have enough talent or depth at the skill positions, especially at wide receiver and tight end.
New England also didn't trade any of their most valuable veterans, including cornerback Stephon Gilmore and left guard Joe Thuney.
The Patriots' inactivity at the trade deadline didn't help their short or long term outlook. Their roster still isn't good enough to be a playoff team, and it's not bad enough to land a top five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Being in the middle of those two scenarios is not ideal.
The Titans are 5-2 and a legit contender in the AFC. They bolstered their secondary by acquiring veteran cornerback Desmond King from the Los Angeles Chargers for just a sixth-round draft pick. It was a pretty small price to pay for a player of King's caliber. He was a 2018 first team All Pro selection, in addition to being Pro Football Focus' highest graded cornerback since 2017 (tied with Casey Hayward).
The Houston Texans had three wide receivers -- Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks and Kenny Stills -- as possible trade candidates.
Fuller and Stills are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, and instead of getting a draft pick(s) for either player, the Texans now risk losing both for nothing in free agency.
Houston, a team that's lost valuable draft picks (including their 2021 first-rounder) in a couple awful trades over the last two years, had a great chance to improve their draft capital at Tuesday's deadline and failed.
The Washington Football Team took Haskins with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft hoping he'd be their next franchise quarterback.
This dream seems all but dead.
Haskins has disappointed through 13 career games, and Washington was "open to dealing" him "for the right price," per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Both sides would benefit from a departure, but that'll have to wait until at least the offseason.
The NFL trade deadline came and went without any major fireworks, which was a disappointing outcome for fans hoping to see star players change teams.
Whether it was asking prices being too high, the uncertainty surrounding the salary cap in future seasons or other reasons, there was very little action in the hours leading up to the 4 p.m. ET deadline.
