With the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline over, here is a quick recap of the top moves along with grades for teams who made the trades. What a hot start yet slow finish to an amazing deadline. 

Former 2021 first round pick headed to the City of Brotherly Love

After the Miami Dolphins fired long-time general manager Chris Grier, it was believed the team would start a fire-sale of players–even before Grier was fired it was believed the team would sell at the deadline. Now with an interim general manager, everyone seems on the table from offense and defense. 

The Philadelphia Eagles have actively looked to add to the pass rush department and found that piece in Dolphins defensive end Jaelan Phillips. Phillips has recorded just three sacks on the season, but has an impressive pressure rate of 18.5% per Pro Football Focus. Phillips is a former-first round pick by the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL Draft and now heads to a loaded Eagles team.

Eagles acquired: DE Jaelan Phillips | Grade: A-

Dolphins acquired: 2026 third round pick | Grade: B+

Las Vegas wide receiver stays in the AFC in move to state of Florida

On Aug. 25, 2025, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers requested a trade from the team due to a contract dispute. As the Raiders sat at 2-6 on the season through the first nine weeks, the team started fielding calls for the disgruntled Meyers. 

With wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter on injured reserve and second-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. battling an ankle injury, the Jacksonville Jaguars needed to add another weapon to help out quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The team called for Meyers and the Raiders answered. Meyers is a consistent wide receiver who has recorded 33 catches for 352 receiving yards so far this season. 

Jaguars acquired: WR Jakobi Meyers | Grade: B+

Raiders acquired: 2026 fourth round pick and sixth round pick | Grade: B

Superstar defender moved in shocking deal to AFC South team

After a rough 1-8 start for the New York Jets, first-year head coach Aaron Glenn has figured which guys are his and which are not. 

The Indianapolis Colts have been the biggest surprise of the 2025-26 NFL season and have been searching for defensive help. After they looked around the league, the team landed a deal with the Jets to acquire superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner.

This is a shocking move, to say the least, after the Jets extended Gardner on a four year, $120.1 million contract just this offseason. The Colts have acquired a two-time All-Pro as they make a Super Bowl push–though the price was heavy. 

In turn of the deal, the Colts have been disappointed with wide receiver AD Mitchell after the costly fumble that lost them their Week 4 matchup against the Rams. Mitchell is heading to the Jets as apart of the trade and gets a fresh new start.

Colts acquired: CB Sauce Gardner| Grade: A

Jets acquired: 2026 first round pick, 2027 first round pick and WR AD Mitchell | Grade: A

Wide receiver reunited with former offensive coordinator

It was rumored that the New Orleans Saints could not only be shopping one of their starting wide receivers but possibly both. In need of a contract, the Saints decided to see what the league’s interest was in wide receiver Rashid Shaheed. The Seattle Seahawks called and agreed to a deal.

While wide receiver is not the Seahawks biggest need, with veteran Cooper Kupp battling injury and some inconsistencies from his play, this move does not hurt the team at all. Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak spent the 2024-25 season with the Saints and in six games with Shaheed, Kubiak was able to get 20 catches for 349 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Now Shaheed and Kubiak are reunited. Through Week 9, Shaheed has caught 44 passes for 499 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. 

Seahawks acquired: WR Rashid Shaheed | Grade: B

Saints acquired: 2026 fourth round pick and fifth round pick | Grade: B-

AFC East fire-sale continues with another superstar defender headed to the NFC East

As mentioned earlier, the Jets have already traded away one superstar player. Now another has been traded to the NFC East, this time to the Dallas Cowboys. 

The Cowboys defense has been one of, if not the worst, in football for the 2025-26 season. The defensive line has struggled to get pressure after the team traded away defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers to start the season. Now they turn to the Jets to acquire defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Williams has only recorded one sack on the season but has been about as dominant as you can be for a defensive tackle in his career with an All-Pro nod in the 2022-23 season. 

As apart of the deal, the Cowboys have sent young defensive tackle Mazi Smith who has struggled with the team but gets a change of scenery with the Jets.

Cowboys acquired: DT Quinnen Williams | Grade: A

Jets acquired: 2026 second round pick, higher of the two 2027 first round picks the Cowboys have and DT Mazi Smith | Grade: A+