Clock Ticking as NFL Trade Deadline Approaches
As the November 5th NFL trade deadline draws near, teams are carefully assessing their options. Will contenders mortgage future assets to bolster their playoff chances? Will rebuilding franchises sell off veteran talent to stockpile draft picks? The next two weeks will be a high-stakes chess match as general managers negotiate deals with an eye on both the present and future.
To get a sense of which teams have the most flexibility to wheel and deal, we analyzed the salary cap space and draft capital of all 32 clubs. Some teams are flush with spending power and extra picks to dangle as trade bait. Others may need to get creative to pull off any moves.
49ers, Browns Lead League in Cap Space
Sitting atop the list are the San Francisco 49ers with a whopping $55.2 million in cap space, giving them the flexibility to take on salaries in any potential trade. The 49ers are likely to roll over much of that into next year as they gear up to pay QB Brock Purdy, but they have enough dry powder to make a move if the right opportunity arises.
The Cleveland Browns are next with $48.2 million available after some creative accounting moved money off this year’s cap. But the Browns are projected to be tight against the cap in 2025, so any additions now would likely be short-term rentals.
The Browns are expected to roll over most of their cap space to the 2025 season, and they might prefer to keep their picks to replenish an aging roster that has underperformed.
– According to a source close to the Browns’ front office
Contenders Like Bills, Chiefs Have Little Wiggle Room
On the other end of the spectrum, Super Bowl hopefuls like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs have less than $4 million to work with. The Bills already used some of their limited space to acquire WR Amari Cooper, while the Chiefs made a splash by trading for WR DeAndre Hopkins.
Both teams are unlikely to make further high-priced additions, but will get creative if an opportunity to improve their title odds presents itself. As one league executive noted:
Teams like the Chiefs and Bills are all-in trying to win a championship. If they identify a difference-maker who puts them over the top, they’ll figure out a way to get a deal done, cap space be damned.
– Unnamed NFL executive
Rebuilding Teams Could Be Sellers
Franchises in the midst of a youth movement could look to add more draft picks by auctioning off productive veterans. The New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears all have the cap flexibility to absorb bloated contracts as part of any deal.
- Patriots have already dealt LB Matthew Judon, indicating a focus on acquiring future assets
- Texans are dealing with injuries but like their young core, unlikely to make major additions
- Bears don’t have any glaring holes to fill and used significant draft capital in recent years to add WR Chase Claypool and DE Montez Sweat
Deadline Deals Provide Unique Opportunities
The lead-up to the trade deadline is a unique time on the NFL calendar. Teams on the fringe of contention must decide whether to push their chips in or fold their hand. Those at the top are looking for the one piece that could put them over the top. And those at the bottom have a chance to jumpstart their rebuilds.
While not every team will make a move, all 32 franchises are doing the same calculus: what’s the best use of their resources, now and in the future? The next two weeks will provide the answers as the NFL’s annual swap meet kicks into high gear.
