Decision Day 2024: The NFL Trade Deadline Mega Thread

Oh, is something else happening today too?

The Minnesota Vikings already took their big swing at the 2024 NFL Trade Deadline by acquiring left tackle Cam Robinson following the season-ending injury to Christian Darrisaw, but it’s possible they’re not done yet.

The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. Central time, and with 18 teams at .500 or worse on the season, the arrow would seem to be pointing up for moves as the day progresses.

As many know, I cut my teeth covering MLB, so this trade deadline stuff is a little different with the NFL, but I also feel like that tide is turning a bit. In a sport that long scorned trades and had very few in-season concessions for serious, but not necessarily season-ending injuries, I feel like both of those trends may be getting bucked with a renewed vigor at the deadline and shorter-term IR rules.

With that said, we at Daily Norseman would like to invite you to our running thread/discussion as we’ve reached Deadline Day 2024.

Let’s talk to it (updated in reverse order to push older stories down):

No final moves for the Minnesota Vikings

It’s not as though the Vikings went down without a swing by landing Cam Robinson, but they did not make any other additions on Tuesday as the deadline came and passed.

The San Francisco 49ers added some defensive line depth from the Houston Texans

Just before the deadline expired, the Niners picked up an extra defensive tackle from the Texans.

Davis has played 172 snaps this season, with a PFF grade of 53.5 overall — 55.6 in pass rushing and 51.6 in run defense. Davis, who turned 28 in August, was a sixth-round pick by the Bucs out of Nebraska in 2020.

The Los Angeles Rams are shipping Tre’Davious White and a pick to the Baltimore Ravens

This one is pretty quiet, as it’s White and a 2027 seventh to the Ravens for a 2026 seventh.

White has played 252 snaps this season with a 50.2 PFF overall grade — including just a 49.3 mark in coverage (175th among 205 corners).

The Green Bay Packers are on the board with a Preston Smith trade

Edge rusher Preston Smith is heading out of Green Bay to Pittsburgh. After spending six of his 10 NFL seasons with the Packers, he’ll suit up for the Steelers and look to add to his career totals of 68.5 sacks (44.0 with Green Bay), 71 tackles for loss and 10 forced fumbles.

A former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver is very available

It may not be who you think — it’s KJ Osborn, whom the New England Patriots would be more than happy to move just a half-season into his tenure with the team.

That’s not the only Minnesota connection in this post, as Chad Graff was the former Minnesota Wild reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and also did some Vikings work for The Athletic.

Osborn and fellow wide receiver comrade Tyquan Thornton were healthy scratches for the Patriots this last weekend. After catching 48 passes for 540 yards and three touchdowns as the Vikings’ No. 3 option last season, he’s caught just seven balls this season for 57 yards and a touchdown.

The Dallas Cowboys have released Andrew Booth Jr.

This isn’t even a trade, just a pertinent move on trade deadline day in our little Vikings circle. Among 200 cornerbacks who’ve played at least one snap this season, Booth’s 29.1 PFF grade is dead. last.

Sheesh.

The New York Jets are trading wide receiver Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have found their wide receiver bookend to George Pickens, as they’ve traded for Jets veteran Mike Williams.

It’s a fifth-round pick going back to the Jets, according to Jordan Schultz.

The Chargers took Williams sixth overall in 2017, but the last two years have been fairly quiet as he’s totaled just 47 receptions for 415 yards and one touchdown between his final year with Los Angeles (2023) and first with the Jets (2024).

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore is on the move — to the Washington Commanders

The Saints’ tear-down continues as four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore has been traded to the Commanders for a package of three picks (a third, fourth and a sixth, with a fifth going to Washington in the deal).

A curious part of trading Lattimore is that he reworked his deal with the Saints this year to create cap space. Thus, he’s making the minimum base salary, and it is easy for the acquiring team to absorb his “salary.”

So apparently, there’s one time that kicking the can down the road salary-wise works out for the Saints — and this is it.

Lattimore has a 71.6 coverage grade on PFF this season, 16th among 78 corners who’ve played at least 200 coverage snaps.

Some Tennessee Titans defenders are drawing interest

Jeremy Fowler is reporting that a handful of Titans defensive linemen are drawing trade interest, including Arden Key and Sebastian Joseph-Day.

The Titans are 2-6 and buried in the AFC South behind a strong Houston squad and an Indianapolis team that still lacks an identity. Only four teams have worse records in the AFC than the Titans, and they’re all 2-7: New England, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Las Vegas.

Joseph-Day has a 63.2 PFF grade this season in 225 snaps (tied for 40th among 90 interior defensive linemen with at least 200 snaps), while Key is 35th among 86 edge defenders with at least 200 snaps (71.5). Joseph-Day is a free agent this offseason, while Key has an opt-out after this season — or a cap hit of $9.3 million in 2025 if he opts in ($6.9 million cap hit if cut).

A Carolina Panthers wideout is on the move (no, not that one, at least not yet) to the Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are acquiring Jonathan Mingo from the Panthers and a seventh-round pick next spring for a fourth-round pick.

Mingo, a second-round pick in 2023 out of Ole Miss, was apparently a player Jerry Jones was high on coming out of college.

The 23-year-old wide receiver has caught just 12 of 26 targets this season for 121 yards, and has just 55 receptions and 539 yards with zero career receiving touchdowns.

If someone wants New York Giants edge defender Azeez Ojulari, they may have to pay up

It doesn’t appear the Giants will be willing to give up 24-year-old edge unless teams are willing to pay more than what was exchanged for Baron Browning and Za’Darius Smith.

If I’m honest, I don’t see the upside of trading a 24-year-old defender with 6.0 sacks — even if he’s going to be a free agent at the end of the season. But on the contract he signed as a second-round pick, he’s got a very favorable salary to be dealt.

The Cincinnati Bengals might not be done

Dianna Russini noted that Cincinnati is also sniffing around for defensive upgrades as we’re now just over seven hours shy of the deadline.

The Bengals are 15th in the NFL in PFF grade on overall defense (68.3), but that’s primarily propped up by a good run defense (70.3) and shaky tackling (54.8).

Keep an eye on the Carolina Panthers

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com said that Miles Sanders could be another back on the move, which is worth noting in the vein of the Bengals needing running back help after Zack Moss was injured.

The Cincinnati Bengals have acquired running back Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears

The Bengals needed help in the backfield after Zack Moss suffered a neck injury in practice, and had been buried on the depth chart in Chicago behind D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer.

Pelissero notes that it’s a seventh-round pick coming back in exchange for Herbert, who is 26, an impending free agent and has carried the ball just eight times for 16 yards and a touchdown this season.

UPDATE: Looks like Herbert is, uh, relieved to be out of Chicago.

The Detroit Lions have acquired former Minnesota Vikings edge defender Za’Darius Smith

In a deal that includes picks going both ways, Smith is headed to his third NFC North team with only the Chicago Bears left to fill out his bingo card.

The Lions are tied for 14th in the NFL with 2.50 sacks per game and ninth in defensive pressure percentage (25.8 percent), while Pro Football Focus gives their pass-rush unit an 80.7 grade (third in the NFL). It’s a case of the rich getting richer, but also the Lions adding an excellent replacement for the injured Aidan Hutchinson.

UPDATE: Adam Schefter has a little more info on the trade.

Stay tuned for results, er, trades and rumors as we see them reported, and hang out in the comments.

You may also find me on Twitter @Brandon_Warne if that suits you.