This year’s NFL in-season trade window proved more active than last year’s, with 19 players changing teams compared to 15 the previous year. Wide receivers and pass rushers were particularly sought-after commodities, resulting in some teams strengthening their squads greatly.
The defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been affected by injuries to their wide receiver unit, are one of the winners this year. General Manager Brett Veach acquired five-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins as a new weapon for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. He also fortified the defensive unit by bringing Josh Uche from New England. The cost — a conditional fifth for Hopkins and a sixth for Uche, appeared to be a worthy purchase, albeit with the downside of not securing help for the defensive back, an area where Chiefs have been struggling.
The trade window, however, was not very fruitful for AFC challengers. This was due to ever-present injury issues that exposed the vulnerability of teams like Baltimore, Buffalo, or Cincinnati. The acquisitions by Kansas City have now put them on a path for a potential historic Super Bowl three-peat, creating a significant obstacle for AFC challengers.
Amid this, the Detroit Lions also emerged as winners by filling the gaping void left by top pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson’s injury. They acquired one of the top-edge players Za’Darius Smith, who had recorded five sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 23 tackles for Cleveland in that season. This acquisition can significantly help Detroit in their hunt for the division lead.
On an individual front, Pro Bowl wide receivers – Hopkins, Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and Diontae Johnson – were seen as winners as they managed to escape from stagnant situations in Tennessee, Las Vegas, Cleveland, and Carolina, respectively. The Baltimore Ravens also came out on top with the acquisition of Johnson from the Panthers and Tre’Davious White from the Rams.
However, not all were lucky. The New York Jets, despite gaining Adams, are considered losers this season. With unlikely chances of staging a dramatic rebound, they might have benefited better from offloading more veterans and acquiring more picks for the future. The same goes for the Giants, who ended up not trading the massively in-demand pass-rusher Azeez Ojulari and thus failed to amass resources for fortifying their weak roster.
