Barnwell Urges 14 of 18 .500-Plus NFL Teams to Pursue Trade Deadline Moves
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Nov 5
Barnwell Urges 14 of 18 .500-Plus NFL Teams to Pursue Trade Deadline Moves
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Nov 5
Summary
Fourteen of the 18 teams at .500 or better entering Week 9 should explore trades before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline, while only four contenders should largely stand pat, Bill Barnwell argued.
Buffalo, Detroit, Jacksonville and the Rams top his most-aggressive tier, driven by injuries, defensive holes or roster imbalance; Barnwell highlighted needs from Bills safety and linebacker help to Lions defensive reinforcements and Rams receiver depth.
A middle tier of selective buyers includes Chicago, Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, the Giants and San Francisco, with each contender facing narrower needs after recent injuries, prior trades or uneven roster spots.
Green Bay, Las Vegas and Seattle should target only specific long-term fits, while Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver and Pittsburgh were the four teams Barnwell said should avoid sacrificing meaningful draft capital.
The analysis expands on broader buyer-seller deadline sorting by focusing on 18 winning or break-even teams and pairing each with luxury and bargain trade targets.