The 2018 NFL trade deadline saw the most action yesterday than it had in the last decade. Multiple stars are on flights right now headed to their new teams and some may even play in week nine.
Receivers were on the move more than any position this past deadline day. Amari Cooper was moved over a week ago while Golden Tate and Demaryius Thomas were shipped out of their respective cities on Tuesday.
A few more transactions were made but none more prolific than the Amari Cooper deal. The deal between the Raiders and Cowboys set the benchmark that no other trade could surpass, other than the Khalil Mack deal made prior to the season.
2018 is a new breed of football and a new way general managers build their teams. Gone are the days when teams would hoard veteran players or trade them for multiple first-round picks. Instead, NFL GM's decided to shake the foundation that is the NFL trade deadlines and complete trade.
Although some teams came out winners, multiple teams can count past Tuesday's deadline as a loss.
WINNERS:
JOHN GRUDEN/OAKLAND RAIDERS
The Amari Cooper deal shook the NFL and the twitter-verse but not because Cooper was traded. The dysfunction in Oakland is well documented and John Gruden is looking to make the roster his own. Cooper apparently did not fit the mold and the 24-year-old was subsequently moved to Dallas.
Oakland and John Gruden come out of the deal as the winner for what they were able to pry away from Jerry Jones. The Raiders received a first-round pick for Cooper, giving Oakland three first-round picks in 2019. One of those picks will surely be to replace the former number 89.
The three picks Gruden has compiled will make or break the decision to hire him. Last year the Raiders drafted Kolton Miller in the first round, the NFL's 70th ranked offensive tackle according to profootballfocus.com. Miller is a stepping stone for Gruden's system and in 2019 Gruden will have three more opportunities to add pieces to what looks like a ten year long puzzle.
The way Gruden was able to negotiate somewhat of a bidding war with the NFC East is astounding. The Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys were all reportedly in on Cooper but the latter prevailed. Philadelphia and Washington, who sits above Dallas in the East, were prepared to let go of a 2nd round pick.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones forked out the money, or in this case, the pick to land Cooper-a move made to help Dak Prescott. Cooper has been one of the more dynamic young receivers in the NFL, producing consecutive 1,000-yard seasons but saw his number decline in 2017 and into 2018.
Cooper and Dallas need each other. Unfortunately, Dallas became too needy and could have acquired one if not two of the other receivers on this list.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Have the Lions waived the white flag? It sure looks like it after Detroit traded away leading receiver Golden Tate. The Lions may have been right to do so considering the NFC North has two of the best defenses in the entire NFL and Aaron Rodgers.
The decision to trade Golden Tate is a logical one as Detroit has little chance of making the playoffs. In fact, credit is due to the front office for making such a move but even a third-round pick in return does not make Detroit a winner. The Lions sit somewhere in the middle and only time will tell who that pick turns out the be.
What is known, is how valuable Golden Tate has been the last four seasons in Detroit. Since becoming the number one receiver in the Motor City, Tate has averaged 93 receptions and 1,185 yards along with nine touchdowns. He is on pace to repeat his success in 2018.
Now playing in Philadelphia Tate should thrive as he gives the Eagles something they have not had all year-yards after the catch. Tate has yet to play a game with Philadelphia but already leads the team in yards after the catch with 259 yards. Tate's ability to make defenders miss will add the big play capability the Eagles have desperately needed in 2018.
HOUSTON TEXANS/DENVER BRONCOS
The Broncos finally got out from under Demaryius Thomas' contract. Arguably one of Denver's greatest wide-outs , Thomas made name for himself after being on the receiving end of the now legendary Tim Tebow overtime touchdown pass to beat the Steelers the in 2012 playoffs.
Now in year nine of his career, Thomas has a new home in Houston alongside pro-bowlers Deandre Hopkins and JJ Watt in a move that benefits both sides.
Thomas is due to make $4.5 dollars this season but season a huge spike reaching $14 million next season, a price Denver was unwilling to pay. Needing to move his salary, Denver found perfect suitor for the soon to be 31-year old.
The Houston Texans sit atop the AFC South with a record of 5-3 but they took their biggest loss of the season last Thursday. Star wide-out Will Fuller suffered a torn ACL and has been ruled out for the season. The injury, albeit devastating, opened the door for negotiations between Denver and Houston.
The two teams agreed to terms that mainly sent Thomas to Houston and a fourth-round pick to Denver. The fit could not have been more perfect. Denver needed to move on from Thomas and with the emergence of second-round pick Courtland Sutton, will not miss a beat.
Houston sees themselves in the thick of a playoff race and could not survive without another star level receiver. Thomas may not be explosive as he once was but can still provide a veteran presence and consistency inside the hashes.
LOS ANGELES RAMS/DANTE FOWLER
If someone had said the only undefeated team in the NFL that has a top seven offense and defense would add a former-first round pick, the statement would have been labeled as asinine.
That is exactly what the Los Angeles Rams did when they acquired Dante Fowler from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fowler has had a roller coaster ride of a career since coming into the league in 2015. He missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL, struggled in 2016 and finally broke through with eight sacks last year.
However, a limited amount of playing time and little production made trading the decision to trade the defensive lineman easy for Jacksonville. Fowler was lost in the shuffle and in need a fresh start. He'll get that fresh start in Los Angeles and play on a defensive line composed of the reigning defensive player of the year Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh and Michael Brockers.
The potential of playing more than 30 percent of snaps and more opportunities to get to opposing quarterbacks exists in LA. Fowler alone will not fix the Rams pass rush but adds another layer to an already pro bowl level front seven.
Los Angeles gave up little in return for the 24-yeard old. A 2019 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick was sent to the Jaguars, not a lot but enough for Jacksonville to wash their hands of Fowler.
The deal is based on potential and if Fowler can take advantage of the opportunities gifted to him in Los Angeles, the Rams may have the steal of the 2018 NFL trade deadline.
The move benefits Fowler on the field and off the field. Fowler has a chance to prove himself but could also land a new contract worth upwards of $10 million per year in the off-season if he plays like a former first-round pick.
LOSERS:
NEW YORK GIANTS/ODELL BECKHAM Jr.
The New York Giants are hot a mess trending towards the number one overall pick in next year's draft-a singular upside in an otherwise terrible season.
Disputes between owner John Mara and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. increased speculation of who would be dealt at this year's trade deadline.
New York did make two moves for the future by trading away Damon "Snacks" Harrison and Eli Apple but kept the one player dragging the team down. The Giants have more than one flaw and trading away one player will not lessen the existing dumpster fire but could ease the flames.
Eli Manning has done it all as a member of the New York Giants. He has won two Super Bowls, ruined the Patriots' chances at a perfect 19-0 season and started nearly all of the 224 games he has played. New York's iron man, Manning is at the end of his run with one more year remaining on his contract.
The Giants are in obvious need for a younger quarterback and are in prime position to draft one. Manning, at best, is an average quarterback during this stage in his career. The 37-year old is likely to retire in the next two years but New York missed a chance to make in a change in an already lost season.
Many have speculated if the Giants would be open to trading Manning. The Giants closed the door on a possibility of a deal this past Tuesday.
Manning is no longer a starting caliber quarterback and has already lost favor with many of his teammates. Trading Manning may anger Giants fans but would ultimately be the best option moving forward.
The move would free up over $20 million in cap space and give the Giants the ability to strengthen the offensive line for their eventual next franchise quarterback.
GREEN BAY PACKERS/AARON RODGERS
The Green Bay Packers have let Aaron Rodgers down once again. An off-season full of hope and promises were not kept by the Green Bay front office.
Signing Muhammad Wilkerson and Jimmy Graham caught the media's attention and signaled the Packers were going to do anything possible to please Aaron Rodgers. Even the draft class was smartly dedicated to improving the weakest part of the team, the secondary.
The off-season additions worked to sway Rodgers to sign a new four-year extension with $134 million.
Only eight weeks into the NFL season and Packers' general manager Brian Gutekunst has undone all the good work he did in the off-season.
Trading Ty Montgomery was a must after his actions on Sunday and reports of the running back being unhappy. The trade involving former pro bowl safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a betrayal from the front office to Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers currently sit at 3-3-1 in the NFC North and are coming off a week where they could have beaten the Rams if not for Montgomery. Green Bay is also only one game out of first place and is coming up on the toughest stretch of their schedule. It was the wrong time to trade Clinton-Dix.
The Packers are now weaker than they were last this time last week. Even the return for Clinton-Dix is laughable. A fourth-round pick was sent to Green Bay in the deal. A former pro bowl talent for a mid-level pick. General manager Brian Gutekunst failed the Packers and Aaron Rodgers by making an unnecessary trade that hurts the team's playoff chances.
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