Confusing

By: Mike Rifkin

Tuesday was not only Halloween but also the NFL Trade deadline. The deadline was more active than usual. Four teams were deemed “sellers” that I wished had done more. 

Let’s start with the Chicago Bears, who did make a trade today. The Bears acquired Defensive End Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick. Montez Sweat so far has 6.5 sacks this season, which is the same amount the Bears defensive line has a whole so far. Right now, that second-round pick going to Washington is 35th overall, another first-round pick, and Montez Sweat is an impending free agent. So if Sweat doesn’t like it in Chicago and doesn’t re-sign with the Bears, you gave up a free draft pick for meaningless Sweat games. Now, the Bears will have the most cap space in the NFL this offseason at about 110 million dollars. But the Bears have other questions: Is Justin Fields the long-term answer at quarterback? Is Matt Eberflus the head coach? Those are the two most important questions. Jaylon Johnson, an impending free agent, requested a trade, but the Bears pulled him off the market late in the day. But why would you take him off the market and risk losing him for nothing? So my thing on why the Bears had a confusing day was why they were more of a buyer than a seller here. Not just Johnson, but Yannick Ngakoue could have been moved somewhere for even a day three pick.

I can’t mention the Bears without mentioning their long-time rival, the Green Bay Packers. The Packers traded corner Rasul Douglas to the Bills in exchange for a third-round pick in 2024. But the trajectory of the Packers changed when they moved on from Aaron Rodgers in the offseason. Now, I could be wrong, and Jordan Love could be fantastic, but right now, after Rodgers’ departure, I wish they would have said you know what? We’ve had two elite quarterbacks for over 30 years; it might be time to reset this. Right now, I don’t know what the Packers are, and if they had moved Running Back AJ Dillon or someone, they could have gotten some picks out of it. 

The Tennessee Titans made a move last week when they traded Safety Kevin Byard to the Eagles. There was a heavy rumor that star Running Back Derrick Henry could be had for the right price. There was a rumor the Ravens and Titans had a Henry deal until ownership stopped the deal. I also wish they had moved receiver Deandre Hopkins, although I’m still shocked he signed there. But here’s my thinking: Will Levis was phenomenal on Sunday, but I hope they don’t go all in after one start. But the rest of the season presents Levis an opportunity to be the Titans quarterback of the future. Mike Vrabel got a lot out of a team that has never led the world in talent. 

The final team that had me puzzled at the trade deadline was the Denver Broncos. Now, I never thought they’d trade Pat Surtain, but I felt Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy should have been moved. Some teams could’ve bought them for the future. We’re another year into this Russell Wilson deal, and even under Sean Payton, it hasn’t been great. So Denver’s a team that is going for it, but they’re not on the level of the elite of the AFC. But I do wonder what they do this offseason.

Now, these four teams did confuse me at the deadline, but I am curious how they approach the offseason and draft.