NFL Trade Deadline 2018 Primer: Who’s Going to Make Moves?

The NFL trade deadline is at 4 p.m. today. Which teams are expected to be active—both selling and buying—and which players are on the trade block? Here’s what we can expect.

Did you stay up late trying to hurl an explicit toy onto New Era field last night during the Patriots’ 25–6 win against the Bills, or at least keep the television on hoping someone else did? Well, wake up and shake it off, because it’s NFL trade deadline day.

This has become an increasingly enjoyable—and chaotic—date on the NFL calendar thanks to a rising cap, better long-term financial planning and the advantages of loading up on the league’s forgotten middle class. Teams that are already good and in contention benefit from stockpiling talent in their athletic prime instead of hoarding draft picks.

So what can we expect? Here’s a quick primer on what’s expected to go down:

The Giants may have a firesale

Reports suggest Landon Collins could be on the move, which makes sense given that there’s little chance general manager Dave Gettleman spends at the top of the market to keep him. I also suggest keeping an eye out for Janoris Jenkins, who was part of the Giants’ lavish free-agency past. There are teams who could use a motivated shut-down corner.

The Patriots need a wide receiver

NFL Network reports that Golden Tate and Demaryius Thomas are on top of their list. Albert Breer knocked down the Tate report in Monday Afternoon Quarterback, and Tate seemed to on Twitter as well.

Either way, New England is not going to sit quietly. So long as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are married, this is going to be a win-now proposition. Draft picks are meaningless. Starting talent is at a premium.

The NFL’s 1% looks to break away

New Orleans: Has already made its move. Here’s a look at some top teams with additional draft capital:

Kansas City: Have an additional second-round pick after trading Marcus Peters to the Rams.

L.A. Rams: Only have picks 1,3,4,5 and 6, though they’re projected to load with compensatory selections.

New England: Have an additional second-round pick, and their original No. 1 and 2. They should also do well in the compensatory draw.

Houston: Have a spare second rounder to play with thanks to the Duane Brown trade.

Philadelphia: Worth mentioning here given how aggressive general manager Howie Roseman likes to be. They have an additional second-rounder via the Ravens they could deal.

Washington: Has their full, original complement of picks.

L.A. Chargers: Have their full, original slate of picks.

Expect a few of these teams to get busy.

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