Ranking the Players Traded at the NFL Trade Deadline

Just to clarify beforehand, this list is not ranking the actual trades themselves, but rather the talent of the players traded. This list is going all the way back to October 19 when the Cleveland Browns dealt Carlos Hyde to the Jacksonville Jaguars. I won’t be including any trades before that.

 1) Golden Tate WR

Traded from Detroit Lions to Philadelphia Eagles for third-round pick (2019)

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Tate is 30 years old but the former second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks has shown his ability and physicality as a possession receiver. Tate has quietly been one of the best receivers in the NFL over the last couple seasons, despite his only Pro Bowl bid coming in 2014. Through the last four seasons Tate has averaged over 1,000 receiving yards and over 90 receptions per season. Pairing that production with Alshon Jeffery gives the Eagles a pair of quasi-Pro Bowl talents that fit the offense extremely well. It should be a fun one-two punch to watch.

2) Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S

Traded from Green Bay Packers to Washington Redskins for fourth-round pick (2019)

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Clinton-Dix was selected in the first-round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Packers. He’s been a tackling machine for the team and has always boasted Pro Bowl potential, which he delivered on back in 2016. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to consistently play great and has failed to establish himself as a top safety in the league. He had a single-season high five interceptions in 2016 but already has three this season. Clinton-Dix is in his age 26 season.

3) Damon Harrison DT

Traded from New York Giants to Detroit Lions for fifth-round pick (2019)

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“Snacks” Harrison will now be playing for his third team. Harrison was an undrafted free agent from the 2012 draft class who signed with the New York Jets initially. He later switched New York teams and is now in Detroit. The big, run-stopping defensive tackle is in his age 30 season. He was a First Team All-Pro back in 2016 when he racked up over 80 combined tackles. He’s on pace to post over 70 combined tackles this year, just like he has for the previous three seasons. Harrison will be a huge boost to the poor Detroit line that has been torn apart at times this year by running games.

4) Amari Cooper WR

Traded from Oakland Raiders to Dallas Cowboys for first-round pick (2019)

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Cooper was a revolutionary playmaker. He was going to be the next great wide receiver and that’s what the Raiders thought when they drafted him in the first-round back in 2015. The number four overall pick turned in two impressive Pro Bowl seasons before completely falling off. Compared to 2016, he’s averaging 28 fewer receiving yards per game at just 46 and hasn’t been the great player he once was. The Cowboys are banking on him returning to form.

5) Demaryius Thomas WR

Traded from Denver Broncos to Houston Texans for fourth-round pick (2019) and swapping seventh-round picks (2019)

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Interestingly enough, Thomas will make his debut for the Texans on Sunday against his former team, the Broncos. Denver drafted Thomas in the first-round of the 2010 NFL Draft. It took him a little while to get going but Thomas was a Pro Bowler by his third season in the league and became the primary weapon in Denver’s Peyton Manning led offense. From 2012-2016 Thomas made four Pro Bowls and recorded 1,000 receiving yards each season. 2017 marked the first time since 2011 that he didn’t reach that mark, finishing with 949 yards. Thomas is in his age 31 season, but he still has a lot of talent, it has just been hampered by poor quarterback play. Now paired alongside DeAndre Hopkins, Thomas’ numbers should jump back up.

6) Dante Fowler Jr. EDGE

Traded from Jacksonville Jaguars to Los Angeles Rams for third-round pick (2019) and fifth-round pick (2020)

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Fowler has had an up and down career so far. The 2015 first-round pick missed his rookie season because of a torn ACL. He had four sacks in 2016 and a career high eight in 2017, but he’s seen far fewer snaps this season and only has two. A combination of off the field issues and the emergence of Yannick Ngakoue left Fowler as the odd man out in Jacksonville. Despite this he’s still young, only 24 years old, and has shown he can be a solid pass rusher. The issues is finding a team prepared to mold him into the successful pass rusher he can still be. Fowler should make the most of his fresh start with the Rams.

7) Carlos Hyde RB

Traded from Cleveland Browns to Jacksonville Jaguars for a fifth-round pick (2019)

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Hyde has had a solid career but has never been close to being a top tier running back. Despite being a starter in the last few seasons he has yet to produce a 1,000 yard rushing season. To be fair, he would’ve crossed that mark in 2016 if he played the entire season. 2016 was by far his best season but since then his numbers have only dropped. The browns shipped Hyde off in favor of rookie Nick Chubb. Now the former 2014 second-round pick will see playing time in Jacksonville until Leonard Fournette returns.

8) Eli Apple CB

Traded from New York Giants to New Orleans Saints for a fourth-round pick (2019) and a seventh-round pick (2020)

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Apple has been nothing but disappointing since joining the Giants. He was a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and has reportedly been nothing but trouble in the locker room since. Apple only has one career interception and was the weakest link in the Giants secondary. The team was all too happy to move on from their mistake and deal him to the Saints.

9) Ty Montgomery RB/WR

Traded from Green Bay Packers to Baltimore Ravens for seventh-round pick (2020)

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Montgomery’s unacceptable late game fumble against the Los Angeles Rams was the last straw. He completely fell out of favor with the Packers and ended up being traded away for basically nothing. He has less than 300 yards from scrimmage this season with 105 rushing yards and 170 receiving yards. Montgomery was a third-round pick in 2015 and had his best season in 2016 when he recorded 805 yards from scrimmage.