
The NFL trade deadline is long gone, but that doesn’t mean contending teams can’t add a few last-minute players to help their push for a Super Bowl. The Las Vegas Raiders recently released cornerback Marcus Peters, and several teams should be interested in adding the two-time All-Pro.
Peters may not be the player he once was, but he can still contribute in the right scheme. According to Pro Football Focus, Peters has a 68.8 overall grade, making him the 37th-best cornerback in the league by that metric. The Raiders only released him because he was on a one-year deal and was on pace to earn $1.5 million in additional incentives. Seeing as Las Vegas is out of the playoff picture, they didn’t want to pay up for a player who had no future with the franchise. Peters might lose a bit of coin in the short term, but now he gets a chance to compete for a Super Bowl.
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the best defenses in the game, but their biggest weakness is probably cornerback. The team has a small army of solid defensive backs, but they lack anyone with game-changing potential. Marcus Peters’ aggressive style of play might lead to a few big completions, but it also leads to a lot of turnovers. Peters obviously fits this scheme, so a reunion would make sense for both sides. With the Ravens currently in possession of the top seed in the AFC, they could use someone like Peters to maintain their grasp on the lone bye week the conference has to offer.
Don’t look now, but the Denver Broncos are in the thick of the playoff picture. Head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Russell Wilson have done a phenomenal job of turning this team around after a 1-5 start, but if they want to complete this improbable turnaround, they’ll need to improve the defense. Ja’Quan McMillan and Pat Surtain are a good duo, but this team could use a third cornerback. Marcus Peters is a perfect fit for the job and could be the final piece to ensure a Wild Card birth.
The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best defenses in the league, and second-year cornerback Trent McDuffie looks like a star in the making. The one problem is that the Chiefs don’t have a great option opposite their young superstar. Just like with the Ravens, Marcus Peters has a history with this team, so we know he’ll fit the defense. Additionally, opposing teams will be throwing early and often to keep up with Patrick Mahomes, so Peters’ ball-hawking tendencies make this pairing even better.
First-round pick Devon Witherspoon and the 2022 version of Tariq Woolen would be one of the best cornerback duos in the game. Unfortunately, Woolen took a major step back this year, going from one of the best defensive backs in the league to an active liability. The Seahawks are all-in on 2023, as evidenced by their trade for Leonard Williams, so they might as well sign Marcus Peters and upgrade their secondary.
The Miami Dolphins have perhaps the best offense in the league, but their underwhelming defense could prevent them from going on a deep playoff run. Jalen Ramsey has played well in his first year with the Dolphins, but the rest of the secondary is not holding up their end of the bargain. Marcus Peters might not have another All-Pro season in him, but he would easily be the second-best cornerback on this depth chart.
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The Green Bay Packers' decision to trade for Micah Parsons was undeniably a good one. They already had an up-and-coming defense and a stacked offense, and adding a superstar pass-rusher who had yet to reach his physical prime was a no-brainer. However, as great a player as Parsons is, he's also drawn some negative attention for running his mouth a little. It took him nine weeks, but he may have finally given the Packers a taste of that. Micah Parsons takes a subtle jab at the Packers Following the shocking 16-13 home loss to the Carolina Panthers, Parsons pointed out that the defense did a good job of limiting Dave Canales' team. "He threw for 100 yards," Parsons said in the locker room, per Packers beat writer Ryan Wood. “If we lose a game like that in the NFL, we just didn’t play good. Not too many quarterbacks are throwing for 100 yards and winning.” The underlying message there is that someone else didn't do a good job, whether it's head coach Matt LaFleur, who called an over-conservative game again, the offense, Jordan Love, or all of the above. Parsons and the Packers defense held the Panthers to 265 total yards. They picked Bryce Young off once and sacked him once for a loss of eight yards, so he does have a valid point. Then again, given his history of stirring the pot during his days with the Dallas Cowboys, it's hard not to be worried about the toll this might take on his relationship with the organization.
Trey Hendrickson is one of the top available pass rushers on the trade block and the Dallas Cowboys still need to find someone to lead their struggling defensive line. Dallas reportedly called about Hendrickson, but the Cincinnati Bengals weren’t willing to make a deal at the time. Following their loss in Week 9, however, their stance might have changed. What hasn’t changed is the steep price for Hendrickson. According to Dianna Russini, the Bengals are asking for a first-round pick as part of any deal for the star pass rusher. As the deadline approaches, it wouldn’t be surprising to see interest in Hendrickson heat up. The ninth-year pro had 17.5 sacks in 2023 and repeated that total in 2024. He currently has 81 career sacks and has proven to be a difference-maker in pass defense. Can the Dallas Cowboys afford to extend Trey Hendrickson? Hendrickson is in the final season of a four-year, $60 million deal signed in 2021 after spending his first four seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Cincinnati has been hesitant to work out an extension, which has led to persistent trade rumors. At team that lands Hendrickson needs to be prepared to work out a new deal. If the Cowboys were able to get Hendrickson, a potential extension becomes the main talking point. Dallas was reluctant to extend their own star, Micah Parsons, leading to the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Green Bay Packers. Despite their insistence that they couldn’t afford to extend everyone, the Cowboys have $31.5 million in cap space right now. That means they can easily afford to work out a deal with Hendrickson, and would potentially still have three Round 1 picks over the next two seasons. The real question is whether Jerry Jones wants to pull the trigger on the splashy addition. — Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI— 3 bold predictions for Dallas Cowboys-Cardinals on Monday Night Football Cowboys' final Week 9 injury report lists 6 players out, including 3 starters on D 3 keys to victory for Dallas Cowboys in pivotal Week 9 matchup vs. Cardinals NFL insider names Cowboys' potential trade deadline targets to bolster defense Cowboys-Cardinals MNF game gets streaming lifeline amid ESPN-YouTube TV dispute Meet Camille Sturdivant: Star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Netflix docuseries
As the NFL trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Rams have already made one strategic move, acquiring Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary to bolster their secondary. But according to The Ringer’s Diante Lee, another — potentially far more impactful — addition could be waiting in Dallas. Lee believes that Trevon Diggs and the Cowboys may be headed for a quiet breakup, and that Los Angeles is exactly the kind of team that could step in and offer him a restart. “Though the Rams already traded for a corner, the defense could still use one more possible starter—especially one with game-changing potential like Diggs,” Lee wrote. “Assuming Diggs will clear concussion protocol in the coming weeks, he could step in and give this defense a necessary boost on the perimeter.” Support Local and Independent Sports Writing – Subscribe To the LAFB Network Today! A Fractured Relationship in Dallas For Trevon Diggs This Puka-Flex T-Shirt Is Illegal In Philly Lee detailed that Diggs’s relationship with the Cowboys “is in a strange place.” The two-time Pro Bowler rehabbed a torn ACL away from the team this offseason, a move that reportedly frustrated team officials. Dallas responded by docking him $500,000 for missing workouts. Now, Diggs is on injured reserve again, recovering from a concussion suffered at home. Since signing a five-year, $97 million extension in 2023, Diggs has appeared in just 13 games and hasn’t quite returned to his 2021 All-Pro form — when he led the NFL with 11 interceptions. But his ceiling remains among the highest of any corner in football, and his contract structure makes him movable. The Cowboys would save roughly $9.6 million in cap space by trading him after June 1, per Over The Cap. That flexibility could entice Dallas to listen, especially as it looks ahead to major extensions. Why the Los Angeles Rams Fit the Bill The Rams, meanwhile, have both the cap room and the need. Their defense has quietly overachieved through eight weeks, but turnovers have been scarce. While they rank among the league’s best at limiting explosive plays, they’ve lacked the kind of ballhawk who can flip games in an instant — the exact skill set Diggs offers. Even after trading for McCreary, the Rams’ cornerback depth remains thin. Darious Williams was ruled out of Week 9 against the Saints with what Sean McVay described as a “weird, freak” shoulder and lat sprain. The team doesn’t expect him to hit injured reserve, but his absence underscored how fragile the position group has become. McCreary, 25, is expected to debut immediately, likely in the slot. But as Lee noted, that shouldn’t stop Los Angeles from targeting another perimeter playmaker — one capable of changing the math on defense. The Smart Swing A deal for Diggs wouldn’t need to be massive. Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski previously speculated that a 2026 sixth-round pick could get a conversation started, given Diggs’s health and contract situation. The Rams, with nearly $20 million in cap space, could easily absorb his $9 million base salary. “Both cornerback Trevon Diggs and the Dallas Cowboys may be better off without each other,” Sobleski wrote. For Los Angeles, the logic is clear. A healthy Diggs opposite Williams would give Chris Shula the most dynamic corner duo the team has fielded since its Super Bowl run. For Dallas, the move would clear money and reset a relationship that appears to have run its course. With one day remaining before the trade deadline, the Rams have already made a practical move in McCreary. But as Lee suggests, the bigger swing — and the one that could reshape their defense — might still be on the table.
After a Week 8 defined by blowouts, the pendulum swung in the other direction in Week 9, with nine of the 11 games in the 1 p.m. ET or 4 p.m. ET window decided by a touchdown or less. The razor-thin margin between losing and winning magnified the significance of this week's worst performances. Here are five that stood out most. Cincinnati Bengals defense The Bengals defense is the gift that keeps on giving to opposing offenses. On Sunday, the unit reached its nadir (things can't possibly get any worse, right? Right?) in a wild 47-42 home loss to the Chicago Bears (5-3). Cincinnati's miraculous comeback, which included a successful onside kick attempt with 1:43 remaining and quarterback Joe Flacco throwing for 470 yards, was undone by a 58-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams to rookie tight end Colston Loveland. At the season's midway point, the Bengals (3-6) have once again dug themselves into a hole that appears too steep to get out of. And just like last season, their horrid defense is why. Detroit Lions offensive line Lions quarterback Jared Goff was constantly harassed in a 27-24 upset home loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings (4-4). Detroit's line had arguably its worst game of the season, with Goff being sacked five times. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery averaged 3.3 yards per carry, combining for 65 yards on 20 carries. Injuries played a role as Detroit fell to 5-3, but that's also a concerning sign for the future. Starting left guard Christian Mahogany suffered a knee injury, and after the game, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters the 2024 sixth-rounder would be out "for a long time, probably." Starting tackles Taylor Decker (knee) and Penei Sewell (shoulder) also suffered injury scares that must be monitored, as did starting right guard Tate Ratledge (shoulder). Green Bay Packers red-zone offense The Packers (5-2-1) suffered the most unexpected loss of Week 9, falling at home, 16-13, to the Carolina Panthers (5-4). With better red-zone production, Green Bay might have easily walked away with a win. The offense sputtered numerous times inside Carolina's 20-yard line, scoring one touchdown in five opportunities. Green Bay settled for two field goals, had a turnover on downs and a fumble, and another possession that stalled at the Panthers' 25-yard line ended with a missed field goal. The Packers out-gained the Panthers, 369-265, including 265-102 through the air, but thanks to their inability to finish drives, the game was much tighter than it had any business being. It cost Green Bay a victory and control of the NFC's 1-seed. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones Did the clock strike midnight on Jones' incredible 2025 comeback? The former first-round pick looked more like the quarterback who was benched by the New York Giants last season than the one who guided the Colts to seven wins in their first eight games during a 27-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3). Jones ended 31-of-50 for 342 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. He also lost two fumbles and was sacked five times, losing 29 yards. ESPN NFL writer Benjamin Solak shared some troubling numbers after the game, revealing that Jones has seen an alarming uptick in pressure-to-sack rate over the past two weeks (33.3 percent, 27.8 percent) after managing pressure well through his first seven games. Sunday may have simply been a blip, but it could also be an ominous sign for the back-half of the season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes At least one quarterback showed in the hyped 2025 chapter of the Patrick Mahomes-Josh Allen rivalry. The Buffalo Bills quarterback and 2024 league MVP was nearly flawless, going 23-of-26 for 273 yards and three total touchdowns. Mahomes, meanwhile, had his worst NFL game, at least in terms of completion percentage. He was 15-of-34, completing fewer than 50 percent of his pass attempts for the first time in eight seasons as a starting quarterback, for 250 yards and an interception. Mahomes' 57.2 passer rating was the second-lowest of his career. We're used to seeing Mahomes play his best on the biggest stages, making his flop in the high-stakes AFC showdown especially jarring. He's still the best quarterback in football, but Sunday was a reminder that even the greats aren't always great.




