Bears trade for DI Jeffrey Simmons
Bears receive: DI Jeffery Simmons, 2028 5th-round pick Grade: Excellent
The Bears’ defensive line has been an issue all season, with Chicago owning the 26th-ranked pass rush and having particular problems on the interior. Landing Simmons, who sits in the top four among qualified interior defenders in both PFF pass-rush grade and pass-rush win rate, is a major remedy. While the cost isn’t cheap for Chicago, that kind of splash could help put the team at the bottom in a competitive NFC North, let alone the conference.
The Titans received: 2027 1st-round pick, 2027 4th-round pick, 2028 1st-round pick Grade: Excellent
The Titans don’t seem interested in trading Simmons, but two first-round picks and another fourth-round selection are too good to pass up. Tennessee clearly hasn’t built a winning team around the All-Pro interior defender, and even his presence alone hasn’t lifted a unit that ranks 22nd in EPA per game. Parting ways with a talent like Simmons naturally creates another big hole, but it simultaneously gives a rebuilding team more ammunition to build a better long-term roster — which makes sense if it takes years to contend.
The Seattle Seahawks made a blockbuster move for G Quenton Nelson
The Seahawks received: Mr. Quenton Nelson Grade: Excellent
Seattle’s offensive guards are ranked 26th out of the NFL’s 32 guard groups in the PFF grade, reflecting the uncertainty at right guard, with Anthony Bradford, Beau Stephens and Christian Hayes seeing significant playing time with limited success. Enter Nelson, the NFL’s second-highest scoring guard and one of the top offensive linemen in recent memory. With the All-Pro now in the fold, the Seahawks address one of several weaknesses and could move second-year guard Gray Zabel, where he played 222 snaps in college, to the right side.
The colts received: 2027 3rd-round pick, 2028 5th-round pick Grade: Excellent
It’s never easy to let go of a homegrown star, but the Colts are savvy in moving Nelson at this point. Receiving a third- and fifth-round pick for a 30-year-old guard in the final year of his contract exceeds the amount normally expected for that type of player, even one as good as Nelson. Those added resources will be invaluable for an Indianapolis team looking at a rebuild, helping to offset the lack of a first-round pick in 2027.
The San Francisco 49ers acquired DL DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts
The 49ers received: NOT DeForest Buckner Grade: Excellent
While the 49ers’ defense has overachieved for most of the season, its interior defensive line still lacks high-end, proven talent. San Francisco’s interior defenders are 17th in PFF pass-rush grade and 20th in pressure rate in 2026. Reuniting Buckner, whose 73.7 pass-rush grade slots 11th at his position this year, offers key reinforcements for a group that now includes Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Mykel Williams and other promising rookies.
The colts received: 2027 4th-round pick Grade: Medium
It felt like the writing was on the wall for Buckner in Indianapolis, and the Colts were right in finding value for a player on an expiring contract. At the same time, receiving just a fourth-round pick for one of the NFL’s more consistently good pass-rushing interior defenders isn’t exactly rich.
Houston Texans trade WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Texans receive: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., 2027 6th-round pick Grade: Medium
Looking to revive their offensive offense amid a terrible start, the Texans made a splash by landing former No. 4 overall pick, Harrison was reunited with his college quarterback, CJ Stroud. While Harrison’s big-play potential is enticing, the fit in Houston is somewhat tricky, given the return of Tank Dell and the team’s other receiving options, including recently acquired Kayshon Boutte. Furthermore, the Texans gave up a second-round pick for a player whose overall PFF grade dropped in each of his three seasons and dropped 16.7% of his targets before the trade. Harrison will need to deliver star-level production to make this move pay off.
Cardinals receive: 2027 2nd-round pick, 2027 7th-round pick Grade: Good
No team wants to move on from a top-five pick just two years after he was drafted, but it seemed fate that Harrison’s time in Arizona had run out. Getting that kind of capital for a player who averaged 0.60 yards per route run — and doesn’t really look anywhere near a consistently good wideout — is at least solid business for the Cardinals to get teams to bank on Harrison’s underlying talent.
Dallas Cowboys acquire CB Joey Porter Jr. from the Pittsburgh Steelers
The cowboys received: CB Joey Porter Jr. Grade: Good
Jerry Jones was never satisfied with efforts to fix his tired defense, and Porter gave Dallas a talent it never had in terms of a physical, suffocating press cornerback. Paying a second- and sixth-round pick for a player who doesn’t immediately sign a long-term extension is risky, but Porter will prove to be a big upgrade over the likes of DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel in a cornerback unit that ranks 29th in PFF coverage grade through Week 7.
The Steelers received: 2027 6th-round pick, 2028 2nd-round pick Grade: Medium
Pittsburgh found a solution to its never-ending contract standoff with Porter, and it was worth the capital it received in exchange for an upside player. However, Porter’s departure means he’ll never get to play a snap with newcomer Jamel Dean, and it leaves Pittsburgh with a vacancy at CB2 — not to mention a bitter taste by losing a legacy and homegrown stud.
The New York Giants acquired QB JJ McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings
Giants received: QB JJ McCarthy Grade: Good
The Giants gambled on McCarthy’s traits despite him finishing with a 60.1 PFF passing grade and 71.0% adjusted completion percentage in his lone season as Minnesota’s starter last season. At worst, McCarthy is upgrading the floor of New York’s quarterback room without Jaxson Dart, and McCarthy isn’t doing much harm in playing well. On the other hand, if the Michigan product not only outperforms Jameis Winston but also plays well, it could open the door for another trade next offseason — thereby allowing the Giants to acquire more draft capital.
The Vikings received: 2027 5th-round pick Grade: Medium
McCarthy is clearly on the outside looking in Minnesota after being demoted to QB3 entering the regular season, marking the end of a rocky and injury-plagued tenure with the franchise that selected him 10th overall. At least the Vikings got something in return for a below-average starter, but receiving just a fifth-round pick for a 23-year-old passer doesn’t seem terribly valuable, especially in a quarterback-needy league. Perhaps waiting until the trade deadline would yield a bigger profit.