Bears trade for DI Jeffrey Simmons
Bears receive: DI Jeffery Simmons, 2028 5th-round pick Grade: Very good
The Bears’ defensive line has been an issue all season, with Chicago owning the 26th-ranked pass rush and having particular trouble 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, this type of splash could help put the team over the edge in a competitive NFC North, let alone conference.
Titans receive: 2027 1st-round pick, 2027 4th-round pick, 2028 1st-round pick Grade: Very good
The Titans didn’t seem interested in trading Simmons, but two first-round picks and another fourth-round selection is simply too good to pass up. Tennessee has clearly not been able to construct a winning team around the All-Pro interior defender, and even his presence alone hasn’t elevated a unit that sits 22nd in EPA per play. Parting ways with a talent like Simmons naturally creates another big hole, but it simultaneously gives a rebuilding team that much more ammunition to manufacture a better long-term roster — which makes sense given multiple years are needed to contend.
Seattle Seahawks make blockbuster move for G Quenton Nelson
Seahawks receive: G Quenton Nelson Grade: Very good
Seattle’s offensive guards ranked 26th among the NFL’s 32 guard groups in PFF grade, reflecting the uncertainty at right guard, where Anthony Bradford, Beau Stephens and Christian Hayes have all seen substantial playing time with limited success. Enter Nelson, the NFL’s second-highest-graded guard and one of the premier offensive linemen in recent memory. With the All-Pro now in the fold, the Seahawks address one of their few weaknesses and can move second-year guard Grey Zabel to the right side, where he played 222 snaps in college.
Colts receive: 2027 3rd-round pick, 2028 5th-round pick Grade: Average
It’s never easy to let go of a homegrown star, but the Colts were savvy in moving Nelson at this point. To receive a third- and fifth-round pick for a 30-year-old guard in the final year of his contract surpasses the value generally anticipated for that kind of player, even one as good as Nelson. Those added resources will prove paramount for an Indianapolis team staring down a rebuild, helping offset the lack of a first-round pick in 2027.
San Francisco 49ers acquire DL DeForest Buckner from Indianapolis Colts
49ers receive: DI DeForest Buckner Grade: Very good
While the 49ers’ defense had overachieved for much of the season, its interior defensive line still lacked high-end, proven talent. San Francisco’s interior defenders rank 17th in PFF pass-rush grade and 20th in pressure rate in 2026. Reuniting with 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.
Colts receive: 2027 4th-round pick Grade: Average
It felt that the writing was on the wall for Buckner in Indianapolis, and the Colts were correct in locating value for a player on an expiring contract. At the same time, receiving only a fourth-round pick for one of the NFL’s more consistently great pass-rushing interior defenders doesn’t feel very rich.
Houston Texans trade for WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Texans receive: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., 2027 6th-round pick Grade: Average
Looking to revive their ailing offense amid a dreadful start, the Texans make a splash by landing the former No. 4 overall pick, reuniting Harrison with his college quarterback, C.J. Stroud. While Harrison’s big-play potential is enticing, the fit in Houston is somewhat puzzling, given the return of Tank Dell and the team’s other receiving options, including the recently acquired Kayshon Boutte. On top of that, the Texans surrendered a second-round pick for a player whose overall PFF grade has declined in each of his three seasons and who had dropped 16.7% of his targets before the trade. Harrison will need to deliver star-level production for this move to 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 only two full years after drafting him, but it seemed like destiny that Harrison’s time in Arizona had run its course. Fetching that kind of capital for a player averaging 0.60 yards per route run — and never really looking anywhere close to a consistently good wideout — is at least strong business by the Cardinals to get teams to bank on Harrison’s underlying talent.
Dallas Cowboys acquire CB Joey Porter Jr. from Pittsburgh Steelers
Cowboys receive: CB Joey Porter Jr. Grade: Good
Jerry Jones is never satisfied in the efforts to fix his weary defense, and Porter gives 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 won’t immediately sign a long-term extension is risky, but Porter will prove to be a major upgrade over the likes of DaRon Bland, Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel in a cornerback unit that sits 29th in PFF coverage grade through Week 7.
Steelers receive: 2027 6th-round pick, 2028 2nd-round pick Grade: Average
Pittsburgh found a solution to its never-ending contract standoff with Porter, and the capital it received in return for an ascending player is worthwhile. However, Porter’s departure means he’ll have never played a snap with newcomer Jamel Dean, and it leaves Pittsburgh with a vacancy at CB2 — not to mention a very bitter taste by losing a legacy and homegrown stud.
New York Giants acquire QB J.J. McCarthy from Minnesota Vikings
Giants receive: QB J.J. McCarthy Grade: Good
The Giants take a gamble 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 upgrades the floor of New York’s quarterback room without Jaxson Dart, and McCarthy not playing well wouldn’t be overly detrimental. On the other hand, if the Michigan product not only overtakes Jameis Winston but also plays well, it could open the door for another trade next offseason — thereby allowing the Giants to acquire even more draft capital.
Vikings receive: 2027 5th-round pick Grade: Average
McCarthy was clearly on the outside looking in in Minnesota after being demoted to QB3 entering the regular season, marking the conclusion of a very rocky and injured tenure in his time 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 still-23-year-old passer doesn’t seem overly valuable, especially in a quarterback-needy league. Perhaps waiting until the trade deadline would have yielded a bigger return.
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