Buy, sell or hold: What should each NFL team do at the 2024 trade deadline?

2Y46DEF Detroit Lions huddle up on defense against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

• Jets start early by trading for Davante Adams: New York, sitting at 2-4, has work to do on offense, and Adams' reunification with Aaron Rodgers is a good start.

• The Lions should be buyers: Following Aidan Hutchinson's season-ending injury, Detroit needs pass-rush help.

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Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes


The 2024 NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, with the window closing on Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. ET. Here is how each team should handle things based on current roster state, future outlook and more.


JUMP TO A TEAM:

ARZ | ATL | BLT | BUF | CAR | CIN | CHI | CLE | DEN | DAL | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LVR | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH


Arizona Cardinals: HOLD

The Cardinals remain a dangerous team, but they don’t seem like a team that should be going all-in this season. A pass-rusher could help — potentially Emmanuel Ogbah, Deatrich Wise Jr. or Jamin Davis — but this feels like a ramp-up year.


Atlanta Falcons: BUY

Wanting to buy and being able to are very different things. Atlanta has the third-worst team pressure rate (28.7%) in the NFL and is in desperate need of a player who can consistently make life harder for opposing quarterbacks. In hindsight, they may have traded for the wrong Patriots edge rusher, as impending free agent Josh Uche could have been had for something reasonable before his strong start to the 2024 campaign. Uche has an 18.5% pressure rate this season, ranking 12th among edge defenders.


Baltimore Ravens: HOLD

Is any team looking as good as the Ravens right now? This roster is good enough to compete for it all and doesn't need to make any significant moves.


Buffalo Bills: BUY

The Bills live and die by Josh Allen. So make things easier for him and go get a wide receiver. Davante Adams would have been a solid target, but the Jets came out on top in that sweepstakes. DeAndre Hopkins could be an option at wide receiver.


Carolina Panthers: SELL

The Panthers are struggling, and the price they paid for Bryce Young has hurt their ability to rebuild. Up against the cap, they likely won't do much buying at the deadline, but it would be a win if they should ship off some veterans.


Chicago Bears: HOLD

Whisper it quietly, but the Bears have a solid roster. This year was about taking a step forward but is quickly developing into something more.

Highest-Graded Bears Defenders in 2024
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Cincinnati Bengals: HOLD

A big win on Sunday Night Football in Week 6 rekindled playoff hopes for a team that has no problem scoring. They could be players to acquire defensive help, but that may be too much of a gamble for a team with a losing record.


Cleveland Browns: SELL

Editor's Note: Amari Cooper has since been traded to the Bills

It’s not going well for the Browns. Enough has been written about the deal they handed to Deshaun Watson, but they suddenly have a lot of players closer to the end than the beginning of their careers. Amari Cooper, Za’Darius Smith and Shelby Harris are among the team's potential trade candidates.


Dallas Cowboys: SELL

The Cowboys look so far from being a contender that they need to start planning for a post-Mike McCarthy future. Before injury, edge defender DeMarcus Lawrence seemed like a player who could help a challenger and net a decent trade return for Dallas.


Denver Broncos: BUY

Denver doesn't have the most exciting tight end room, but the trade options aren’t great on that front. Maybe a low-cost move for Jordan Akins, who has caught 12 of his 13 targets this season, would suit all parties.


Detroit Lions: BUY

The devastating injury to edge defender Aidan Hutchinson leaves the Lions in desperate need of a pass-rusher. This is potentially the biggest decision the team will make all year, and while it seems the price for a Trey Hendrickson or a Maxx Crosby will be too high, Haason Reddick is an intriguing option.


Green Bay Packers: BUY

Could the Packers be in the market for a wide receiver? Stranger things have happened, and DeAndre Hopkins has to be someone the Titans would consider moving on from for a late Day 2 or early Day 3 draft pick. Hopkins has seen only 20 targets and caught 14 passes through six weeks, but his career work is unquestionable.


Houston Texans: BUY

The Texans are contenders, and contenders should be aggressive. Finding an interior presence to provide quarterback pressure could make a difference, but options there are limited. While the Browns' Maurice Hurst hasn’t started the season strong, he has consistently generated pressure over his career.


Indianapolis Colts: HOLD

At 3-3, the Colts are in the trade-deadline mix. That could just be an illusion, though. They look set on offense, except at quarterback, and when there are questions at quarterback, it's always risky to go all-in.


Jacksonville Jaguars: SELL

This is a team surely with an eye on 2025 and rebuilding its roster for Trevor Lawrence and, likely, the new head coach. Moving one of Cam Robinson, Andre Cisco or Brandon Scherff would help that rebuild.

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Kansas City Chiefs: BUY

Editor's Note: Amari Cooper has since been traded to the Bills

Go get Amari Cooper. It just makes too much sense.


Las Vegas Raiders: SELL

The vibes surrounding the Raiders are not good, and that normally means the team is poised to unload assets. Maxx Crosby feels too important to trade away, but Davante Adams was just dealt to the Jets, so more moves could be on the way.


Los Angeles Chargers: HOLD

It feels like there isn’t too much chatter about the Chargers, and it’s hard to see that changing around trade deadline time.


Los Angeles Rams: SELL

When injuries decimate a team as talented as the Rams, your mind turns to the future quickly. Cornerback Tre’Davious White is the most obvious trade candidate, but if they could ship off offensive tackle Joe Noteboom a pending free agent — they’d take that, too.


Miami Dolphins: HOLD

The Dolphins' season could go in any direction with Tua Tagovailoa set to return, so going all-in or giving up would feel rash.


Minnesota Vikings: HOLD

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Vikings are getting it done at 5-0, and bringing an unknown element into the mix might not help.


New England Patriots: SELL

The Patriots have several players set to hit free agency in 2025, one of which is edge defender Deatrich Wise Jr. A change of scenery could be good for him, as well as net New England something before the offseason arrives.


New Orleans Saints: HOLD

The Saints are up against the cap and are competitive enough that they shouldn't want to lose talent. They should be thinking about the long-term.


New York Giants: SELL

The Giants likely won't be competing for a playoff spot, so they should see what can they get for Darius Slayton or Azeez Ojulari. Slayton ranks tied for eighth in receiving yards over the past three weeks, while Ojulari racked up a season-high six quarterback pressures in Week 6 against the Bengals.

Most Receiving Yards Among WRs | Weeks 4-6
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New York Jets: BUY

The offense just isn’t working the way it should be. The Jets already addressed that by acquiring wide receiver Davante Adams for Aaron Rodgers, but are there more moves to be made?


Philadelphia Eagles: BUY

The Eagles may have a third receiver on their radar, and linebacker is another need. The Titans' Ernest Jones would improve the unit, although he was just acquired by Tennessee in a deal this offseason.


Pittsburgh Steelers: BUY

The Steelers tried to get Brandon Aiyuk in the summer. so you have to expect they’ll be in the mix for wide receivers now, especially given how much more competitive they’ve been than expected. Could former divisional rival Tyler Boyd add something to this offense? He has only 13 catches on 20 targets in 2024 and could be a trade target despite the Titans just signing him this offseason.


San Francisco 49ers: BUY

Nick Bosa and Fred Warner can mask a lot of things, but there are some noticeable issues in the 49ers' secondary. A solid veteran like Panthers safety Xavier Woods — who has a 61.9 PFF overall grade through six weeks — could be a fix.

Xavier Woods' Career Numbers
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Seattle Seahawks: BUY

Tackle Charles Cross has started the year well, but outside of him, the Seahawks' offensive line is concerning. Seattle could make a big move by taking advantage of the Jaguars' struggles and trading for soon-to-be free agent Cam Robinson.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers: BUY

The Buccaneers are very much in contention to win the NFC South but have struggled a bit along their defensive line. Trading for the Titans' Sebastian Joseph-Day, whose 11 stops this season rank fifth among interior defenders, could help.


Tennessee Titans: SELL

This season doesn't seem to be heading anywhere for the Titans, so they might start preparing for 2025. Players like DeAndre Hopkins, Ernest Jones and Tyler Boyd could all be moved.


Washington Commanders: BUY

Secondary help is much needed in Washington, and the top candidate is the Rams' Tre’Davious White. Injuries have ravaged Los Angeles' roster, so the team may look to the future.

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