As the dust settles on another whirlwind NFL trade deadline, several teams reshaped their rosters in pursuit of postseason success — or long-term stability. The 2025 NFL trade deadline delivered fireworks across the league, and we’re ranking every major deal that reshaped the playoff picture.
PFSN’s 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Rankings Highlight the Best and Worst Team Decisions
From blockbuster swaps to under-the-radar moves, front offices across the league made decisions that could define their seasons.
1) Bears Acquire DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
The Chicago Bears added some defensive line help in a deal by acquiring DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who has 15 sacks in his career, and a seventh-round draft choice in the 2026 NFL Draft from the Browns in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This trade is a minor move considering some of the names that were moved, but Tryon-Shoyinka could flourish with the Bears.
2) Eagles Acquire CB Jaire Alexander
Jaire Alexander is on the move again, as he is brought into Philadelphia, as it seems that GM Howie Roseman is trying to catch lightning in a bottle with players who are in down years but have shown elite potential in the past.
3) Chargers Acquire OL Trevor Penning
Former first-round pick OL Trevor Penning has had an injury-filled and tumultuous tenure in New Orleans, but he has shown flashes of the potential that got him drafted that high in the first place. For the Saints to get a sixth-round pick for him makes this a win-win for both sides, as the Chargers have been crushed with injuries on the offensive line, and Penning can play both guard and tackle.
4) Jaguars Acquire WR Jakobi Meyers
The Raiders finally granted Jakobi Meyers his wish and traded him to a team that currently has a fascinating situation. He could be in for an immediate uptick in work as WR/CB Travis Hunter is on Injured Reserve, and Pro Bowl WR Brian Thomas is also nursing an ankle injury.
Last thing, I’ll add about Jakobi Meyers being traded. He could have made a stink about his contract/trade demand but he practiced, played in every game he could, and helped the young WRs. Class act
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) November 4, 2025
If you have seen my recent posts, I have given Meyers a ton of credit for the amount of class he has handled in this whole situation, and I think he will fit right in in this offense. The Raiders and Jaguars played last week, and now Meyers is switching locker rooms.
5) Seahawks Acquire WR Rashid Shaheed
Given the team’s current state, it’s good that WR Rashid Shaheed will have the opportunity to play in meaningful games and showcase his talent on a larger stage.
From undrafted rookie to All-Pro on the field and in the community, thank you for everything @RashidShaheed ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uORlXg9ikt
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 4, 2025
From being beloved by the fans to working his way to being an All-Pro after going undrafted, Shaheed has never lacked motivation. Still, now he gets to play next to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, in what is a much-needed deep threat to complete this offense.
6) Colts Acquire CB Sauce Gardner
In a move that shocked the world, the Indianapolis Colts traded wide receiver AD Mitchell and two first-round draft picks in the 2026 and 2027 NFL Drafts. Acquiring Gardner is a significant move, as the Colts showed the first cracks in their armor last week and made a concerted effort to fill that hole.
Sources: The #Jets are trading Sauce Gardner to the #Colts. Blockbuster.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 4, 2025
An additional note on Gardner from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter: “The Jets signed Sauce Gardner to a 4-year, $120.4M extension this offseason. He gets traded just a few months later to the 7-2 Colts.”
7) Eagles Acquire EDGE Rushers Jalen Phillips and Dre’Mont Jones
The loss of Za’Darius Smith was a massive shock to the Eagles, and they had to fill that gap. They did so in a way that can pay huge dividends at a marginal cost, considering. While ranked 40th, per our PFSN EDGEi Rankings, he was the top EDGE rusher in the NFL in Week 8, when the Dolphins took on the Atlanta Falcons, and led them to just their second win of the year. He was the ninth-best player in the entire league in his last full season, and he looks healthy as ever and will make a massive difference in Philadelphia.
Adding a player like EDGE Dre’Mont Jones as well gives them some security at the position at the cost of just a conditional fifth-round pick. In 99 NFL games, Jones has 35 career sacks. For the Titans this season, Jones has 4.5 sacks. His best overall seasons sack-wise were in 2020 and 2022 with the Lions, when he finished with 6.5 sacks.
8) Cowboys Acquire MLB Logan Wilson
The Cowboys desperately needed help at the linebacker position. According to the PFSN NFL Defense Impact metrics, the Cowboys have a Defense Impact Score of 59.3 and grades out at an F, which is second-worst in the entire NFL.
NFL Insider Adam Schefter wrote that Wilson “was the Bengals’ leading tackler from 2021-2023 before missing the last six games of 2024, and still finished with 104 tackles in 11 games. His 11 interceptions over the past 5.5 seasons are tops amongst MLBs.
MORE: 2025 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker
Another critical note from Schefter: “Wilson signed four-year $36 million extension in July 2023 that still has two years remaining on it after this season.” So, he has a real chance to find a home there and make a long-lasting impact
9) Cowboys Acquire DT Quinnen Williams
The New York Jets continued their dealing on Tuesday as the NFL Trade Deadline gets closer. The Jets have traded defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, reportedly in exchange for a 2026 NFL Draft second-round pick and a 2027 NFL Draft first-round pick. The Jets are getting the higher of the Cowboys’ two No. 1s (Dallas’ or GB) in 2027.
Here’s how Quinnen Williams has graded this season, per our DT Impact Metric ⤵ pic.twitter.com/qcRkZi3qKC
— PFSN (@PFSN365) November 4, 2025
Williams has sparked the Dallas fan base, and for good reason; he is a three-time Pro Bowler who has consistently put up numbers on a team that has failed to build much around him. The move makes a ton of sense for both sides, but this move, combined with the high-octane offense in Dallas, makes them a serious threat to go on a run after their bye.