BREAKING NEWS: 2024 NFL Trade Grades Show Lamar Jackson and the Ravens Benefit from Diontae Johnson’s Arrival, Strengthening Their Offense for the Upcoming Season .giang

We’re entering the final full week before the 2024 NFL trade deadline, and another wide receiver has been moved. A week after the Kansas City Chiefs acquired wideout DeAndre Hopkins, the Baltimore Ravens have acquired Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Hopkins deal came roughly a week after the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills jump-started the trade market by acquiring Davante Adams and Amari Cooper, respectively.

Receivers haven’t been the only players on the move, either. The Chiefs acquired pass-rusher Josh Uche on Monday, while the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks engaged in a linebacker swap last week.

What’s the short-term impact of these trades, and who may be on the move in the coming weeks?

Let’s break down the transactions and highlight players to monitor leading up to the NFL’s November 5 trade deadline.

In a vacuum, Baltimore’s trade for Johnson is a bit curious. The Ravens’ biggest weakness has been their 32nd-ranked pass defense, not their offense. Even after its 29-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 8, Baltimore ranks first in total offense and second in scoring.

Of course, the Ravens may have determined that there is no quick fix for their leaky secondary. In a game where scoring more points than the opposition is the end goal, adding another playmaker can’t hurt.

Johnson has been a serviceable No. 1 receiver in a bad Carolina offense, catching 30 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. He’ll be a capable complementary target next to Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.

It’s hard to argue with the value of the trade, too. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens will send a fifth-round draft pick to Carolina for Johnson and a sixth-round selection.

The Panthers had little choice but to trade Johnson, who will be a free agent in the spring. However, a Day 3 pick swap is a dismal return for a starting receiver. That won’t do much for Carolina’s ongoing rebuild.

Ravens Grade: A-

Panthers Grade: D-

Written by: Kris Knox

The Minnesota Vikings lost starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a season-ending knee injury last Thursday night. A few days later, they added his replacement by acquiring offensive tackle Cam Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings will receive Robinson and a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick for a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder.

It’s a smart move for Minnesota, which is firmly in contention at 5-2. While Robinson has never been an elite left tackle, he has 91 starts on his resume and has started every single game in which he has appeared.

Of course, Robinson didn’t see the field in Week 8, as Jacksonville turned to fourth-year Pro Walker Little instead. This is likely why Robinson was available—he and Little will both be free agents in 2025—and why this is a fairly strong deal for both teams.

The Vikings get immediate help on Sam Darnold’s blind side, while Jacksonville gets a reasonable return for a player it likely wouldn’t have kept beyond this season.

While Robinson was in the concussion protocol last week, he was cleared in time to play. The Jaguars made the move to Little anyway, suggesting the Jags were auditioning the 25-year-old for the future.

“Walker’s a pro,” head coach Doug Pederson said, per Zach Goodall of Jaguars Wire. “That’s what I like about him.”

The left tackle job in Jacksonville should be Little’s for the rest of the season. If Robinson can solidify the left tackle spot in Minnesota and help spark a deep run, a fourth-round pick will be a relatively small price to pay.

Vikings Grade: B

Jaguars Grade: B+

Written by: Kris Knox

Adding Hopkins makes plenty of sense for Kansas City. The Chiefs have already lost both Marquise Brown (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (knee) for at least the rest of the regular season, although Brown will have a chance to return in the playoffs. Meanwhile, JuJu Smith-Schuster is dealing with a hamstring injury.

Hopkins, who has only 15 catches for 173 yards and one touchdown this season, isn’t likely to have the same impact as Adams and Cooper will for their respective teams. He’s no longer a true No. 1 target at this stage in his career.

However, Hopkins can have a positive effect on a Chiefs offense that doesn’t necessarily rely on any one go-to target. Head coach Andy Reid adjusts better than anyone, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is more than willing to take advantage of what defenses give him.

Adding another big (6’1″, 212 lbs), dependable pass-catcher on the perimeter will help open up Kansas City’s offensive options. Better still, Hopkins comes at a bargain price relative to the top remaining option on the receiver market, Los Angeles Rams wideout Cooper Kupp.

According to Dianna Russini, Mike Silver, and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic, the Rams are hoping to get a second-round pick in exchange for Kupp. The Chiefs were reportedly interested in Kupp, but they got a more budget-conscious deal by trading for Hopkins.

While the Titans might have hoped for stronger trade compensation for Hopkins, this is still a good deal for them, even if it doesn’t seem so at first blush.

In the short term, trading away one of their top pass-catchers won’t help the Titans or second-year quarterback Will Levis. However, the deal reflects the fact that Tennessee is thinking long-term.

Levis, who is dealing with a shoulder injury, hasn’t looked like the Titans’ long-term quarterback solution when healthy. The Titans may have to target their next quarterback of the future in the 2025 draft. Trading Hopkins now both increases their odds of securing a top first-round pick and adds more draft capital that they could use to make a draft-day trade.

The compensation isn’t overwhelming, but the Titans did well to get something of value for a 32-year-old receiver who was likely to depart in 2025 free agency anyway.

Chiefs Grade: A

Titans Grade: B

Written by: Kris Knox

The Hopkins trade wasn’t the only move the undefeated Chiefs made as they fine-tune their roster.

On October 28, Kansas City added depth to the defensive front, acquiring edge-rusher Joshua Uche from the New England Patriots for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

For the Chiefs, it was a no-brainer deal. The team has a rising young pass-rusher in third-year pro George Karlaftis. But with Mike Danna injured there wasn’t a lot on the edge behind Karlaftis. Uche has logged two sacks this season in 162 snaps, but back in 2022 he racked up 11.5 sacks despite being on the field for just 38 percent of New England’s snaps.

Uche’s sack numbers dropped to three in 2023, but former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hailed the move while appearing on The Pat McAfee Show.

“(The Chiefs) didn’t give up anything in my mind,” Belichick said, per Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston. “Look, Josh Uche’s a really good rusher. He hasn’t had a chance to rush much this year for the Patriots because they’ve been behind a lot. The situation hasn’t been good.”

“He had a big year two years ago,” Belichick continued. “Now, he had (Matthew) Judon on the other side of him, so it was two good pass-rushers. But he’ll have a lot of opportunities to rush in Kansas City. I think that he’ll really help them. He’s got surprising power for his size. He’s got excellent quickness and a good get-off. And he has some flexibility in coverage. So, I think it’s a good addition for a team that needs another pass-rusher, which everybody does. Josh can do that. He’ll definitely help them.”

For the Patriots, it’s simply a matter of a bad team getting what they perceive they can for a player who isn’t in the franchise’s long-term plans. The argument can be made that Uche’s 2022 numbers and age (he just turned 26) could have landed more than a sixth-rounder in 2026, but that’s about as critical as you can reasonably be on their end.

If you’re wondering how Andy Reid and Chiefs general manager Brett Veach have built the NFL’s newest dynasty, this is it—getting a talented young player at a premium position for a bag of Fritos.

The rich got richer—and the rest of the AFC wept.

Chiefs Grade: A

Patriots Grade: B-

Written by: Gary Davenport

Hopkins wasn’t the only player Tennessee decided to unload on Wednesday. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Tennessee agreed to send linebacker Ernest Jones IV to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for linebacker Jerome Baker and a fourth-round draft pick.

In a vacuum, this might not seem like a puzzling trade. Baker and Jones both play inside linebacker and are set to be free agents in 2025. However, it’s a very logical deal for both teams.

Tennessee acquired Jones from the Rams for a late 2026 pick swap (fifth and sixth rounds). Trading him a few months later for a higher pick and a replacement player is a savvy move by the rebuilding Titans.

The trade nets Tennessee extra capital for next year’s draft, possibly to be used in their quarterback pursuit.

Seattle, meanwhile, gets a linebacker who is roughly three years younger than Baker and can potentially become a long-term piece of the defensive puzzle. In 53 career games, Jones has accumulated 364 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 14 passes defended and three interceptions. He won’t even turn 25 until the end of next month.

Presumably, the NFC West-leading Seahawks also view Jones as a better fit for their defense—a unit head coach Mike Macdonald has been hoping to elevate.

“There’s creating lanes where guys can run through your defense unimpeded, which there’s just too many of those right now. So, that’s something that we’re going to attack,” Macdonald said earlier this month, per The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar.

It remains to be seen if Jones will indeed be an upgrade over Baker in Seattle. Acquiring him now, though, gives the Seahawks the inside track toward signing him in the spring.

Seahawks Grade: B

Titans Grade: A+

Written by: Kris Knox

Once Davante Adams provided an uncertain response to his future with the Las Vegas Raiders while on Up and Adams (h/t ProFootballTalk’s Myles Simmons), it seemed a matter of when, not if, the team would trade him.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Adams preferred to play elsewhere. The Raiders granted his wish and recouped a Day 2 pick in return, which is adequate for a receiver in his age-32 term.

Bleacher Report’s Kris Knox gave the Raiders a B-plus for getting decent value in the deal:

“This is about as good a deal as the Raiders could have hoped for, and the timing of the trade makes sense. Barring an injury to another star receiver, Adams’ price point was unlikely to rise ahead of the November 5 trade deadline—and it certainly wouldn’t be higher in the spring.”

While the New York Jets stand in front of an open window of playoff contention, they threw a Hail Mary pass, hoping to upgrade their 16th-ranked aerial attack.

Gang Green reunited quarterback Aaron Rodgers with his former Green Bay Packers teammate, which should spark the team’s mediocre passing offense.

Knox gave the Jets a C-plus for this trade. He views the move as desperate and one that won’t address all of their offensive issues, but he also sees the potential short-term gain:

“Of course, the Jets are desperate to win this season, as evidenced by the team’s firing of former head coach Robert Saleh roughly a week ago. While adding Adams won’t fix all of New York’s issues, it should boost the play of Rodgers and the offense overall.

“If Adams’ tenure with the Jets only runs through the rest of this season, New York will have overpaid. If the move helps spark a deep playoff run, no one in the organization will care.”

Raiders grade: B+

Jets grade: C+

Written by: Maurice Moton

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Buffalo Bills “monitored” Davante Adams’ situation with the Las Vegas Raiders. However, NFL insiders didn’t discuss them as aggressive suitors for the three-time All-Pro.

Hours after the New York Jets made their move for Adams, the Bills landed Amari Cooper.

Cooper is averaging a career-low 41.7 receiving yards per game. He played in a disjointed offense led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, who’s thrown for five touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 61.3 percent of his passes.

Cooper’s six-week stretch this year closely resembles his final season with the then-Oakland Raiders before they traded him to the Dallas Cowboys. He’s still a quality receiver with a poor supporting cast.

Like his move to Dallas, the 30-year-old should shine again in Buffalo with a Pro Bowl-level quarterback.

Unlike the Jets, the Bills didn’t give up a potential second-rounder, and they took on a less expensive contract compared to Adams’ deal, making a significant upgrade to their wide receiver corps, which makes sense with Khalil Shakir (ankle) banged up and rookie second-rounder Keon Coleman’s modest receiving production.

The Browns likely realized they won’t make the playoffs this season. So, general manager Andrew Berry moved a valuable asset for a Day 2 pick and swapped late-round selections between 2025 and 2026.

However, Cleveland could have avoided this situation if the coaching staff had benched Watson in hopes of unlocking the offense’s potential.

Yes, the Browns signed the 29-year-old to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal in 2022, but he’s a big part of the problem in Cleveland right now. Because head coach Kevin Stefanski is unwilling to at least give Jameis Winston a shot to uplift the passing attack, the team has to sell its playmakers in a 1-5 start to the season.

Watson will likely continue to throw inaccurate passes behind a shaky offensive line as the Browns remain at the bottom of the standings. Running back Nick Chubb’s imminent return won’t salvage their offense.

Cleveland received decent draft capital for Cooper, but it created this problem with a questionable extension for Watson and unwavering faith in him to turn his season around.

Bills grade: A

Browns grade: D

Written by: Maurice Moton

A pair of wide receiver trades officially kicked off the 2024 market, and the Minnesota Vikings went after a running back not long after Adams and Cooper were dealt.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings acquired Cam Akers from the Texans in exchange for what essentially is a late-round 2026 pick swap. Houston dealt the 25-year-old and a conditional seventh-round pick for a conditional sixth-round pick.

In a vacuum, the move makes a lot of sense for both teams. Minnesota could use backfield depth because of Aaron Jones’ hip injury. The 29-year-old former Green Bay Packer suffered the injury against the Jets in Week 5 and is considered “week to week.”

“It looks like we’ve avoided a long-term injury, but I would classify him as really week to week at this point,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said on October 8.

Jones hasn’t been placed on injured reserve, so Akers figures to serve as a short-term insurance policy and valuable depth. It’s worth noting that Jones was limited to 11 games last season by knee and hamstring issues.

Minnesota acquired Akers from the Los Angeles Rams last September, and he appeared in six games before landing on injured reserve with an Achilles injury.

Akers’ experience in O’Connell’s offense should allow him to contribute immediately, which makes this a savvy trade for the Vikings.

This is a less-valuable move for the Texans, though not altogether puzzling.

Houston saw the return of Joe Mixon (ankle) and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) in Week 6, and both played extremely well—each topped 75 rushing yards and found the end zone. The Texans also have a capable. The Texans also have a capable third back in Dare Ogunbowale.

While a team with Super Bowl aspirations can rarely afford to dump experienced depth—Akers appeared in five games with two starts this season—keeping him on the active roster for the next 11 weeks might not have been feasible.

Viewing the trade through that lens, the Texans did well enough to get something for a player they might not have been able to retain.

Vikings Grade: B

Texans Grade: C

Written by: Kris Knox

Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints

Saints fans are probably tired of hearing about Lattimore trade buzz, but the team has dropped four consecutive games, and quarterback Derek Carr might miss a few more outings.

The Saints should be sellers before the deadline because their playoff hopes are quickly fading after a 2-0 start.

By the way, New Orleans has Lattimore’s potential replacement in rookie second-rounder Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Between 2022 and 2023, Lattimore missed 17 games due to injuries. The Saints should consider trading him while he’s healthy as they drop in the standings.

Haason Reddick, Edge, New York Jets

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Jets have granted Reddick permission to seek a trade.

Since the offseason, he has held out to get a new contract. The Jets haven’t budged, and Reddick hired super-agent Drew Rosenhaus after his former agency reportedly parted ways with him.

While general manager Joe Douglas has said the Jets won’t trade Reddick, he may backtrack on that statement. New York can use the draft capital in an offer for a cheaper starting-caliber edge-rusher if one becomes available before the trade deadline.

Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers could go through the season with a three-man backfield that features White, rookie fourth-rounder Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker.

Tampa Bay can also dangle White on the trade block and move forward with a tandem.

In Week 6, Irving and Tucker combined for 297 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in a 51-27 win over the Saints.

After Week 3, head coach Todd Bowles told reporters that Irving earned more snaps. This week, he said, “It’s definitely worthy of him making it a three-headed monster,” when speaking about Tucker’s Week 6 performance.

White, who’s in the third year of his rookie deal, could draw interest from suitors looking for a running back with extensive starting experience.

Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

The Panthers benched Young before Week 3, and Andy Dalton has provided an offensive spark.

Since Carolina inserted the journeyman quarterback into the starting lineup, Young has only played late in a blowout Week 5 loss to the Chicago Bears.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s sources believe Carolina will trade the 2023 No. 1 overall pick in the offseason.

But if the Panthers are eyeing a top pick in the 2025 draft and receive a good offer for Young, general manager Dan Morgan may pull off a deal during the season to set the stage for the arrival of a new young quarterback.

Written by: Maurice Moton