Ranking the 5 biggest deals of 2026 NFL trade deadline

1. QB Kirk Cousins | Las Vegas Raiders to Minnesota Vikings

Deal: Vikings send 2027 third-round pick to Raiders for Cousins 

The Vikings (6-2) may have finally found their QB. He's a familiar face. 

Cousins played for Minnesota from 2018-23. He may need a quick refresher, but he should remember fifth-year head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense.

Even at 38, Cousins is a much better option than QBs Kyler Murray (45.7 QBR in ESPN's metric, No. 27 in NFL) and Carson Wentz (24.5 QBR). Entering Week 10, the 15-year passer ranks second in the league in TD passes (20) and fifth in passing yards (2,340). He should continue to produce elite numbers after he catches up with seventh-year wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

The Raiders (4-5), meanwhile, can give rookie QB Fernando Mendoza needed playing time. The 2026 No. 1 overall pick has only appeared in one game this season, completing 6-of-8 passes for 48 yards in a 45-17 blowout loss to the New England Patriots in Week 5. 

2. Josh Downs | Indianapolis Colts to Kansas City Chiefs

Deal: Colts send Downs and 2027 seventh-round pick to Chiefs for 2027 fourth-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick 

Downs clearly can't wait to play with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. He posted this GIF on X shortly after the news broke. 

Mahomes should also be excited about Downs joining Kansas City. The WR should add more firepower to the Chiefs passing attack, making their offense less one-dimensional. 

Kansas City has leaned heavily on running back Kenneth Walker III (872 rushing yards, No. 2 in NFL) to open up the play-action pass. Per Pro Football Focus, 772 of Mahomes' 2,037 passing yards have come on play-action passes, the fourth-most in the NFL. When the Chiefs can't run, Mahomes is less dangerous. His PFF passing grade dips from 80.4 on play-action passes to a decent but not great 62.2 on non-play-action passes. 

Mahomes clearly needs more targets to operate more efficiently in non-play-action concepts. Tight end Travis Kelce leads the team in receiving yards (482), but no other Chief has more than 292. Adding Downs — who had 354 receiving yards in nine games for the Colts this season — should do the trick. 

3. Safety Amani Hooker | Tennessee Titans to Buffalo Bills

Deal: Titans send Hooker and 2027 fifth-round pick to Bills for 2027 second-round pick 

The Bills may have found their replacement for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, whom they recently released after he struggled immensely in pass coverage. Hooker should be an upgrade that solves a persistent problem for Buffalo. 

Secondary issues have regularly been the Bills' fatal flaw in past seasons and have put them at risk of folding in the playoffs again. Buffalo (7-1) ranks 29th in the league in passing yards allowed (238.8 YPG).

Eighth-year veteran Hooker has quietly had a career year, tying for the league lead in interceptions (five in seven games for the Titans). Three of those picks came in a 43-36 overtime loss against QB Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. 

4. WR Keenan Allen | Indianapolis Colts to San Francisco 49ers 

Deal: Colts send Allen to 49ers for 2027 sixth-round pick 

Who will QB Daniel Jones throw to after the Colts traded Downs and Allen? Indianapolis (2-7) better find that out before hosting the Miami Dolphins (1-7) in Week 10. 

San Francisco, meanwhile, will be glad it now has more WR depth. WR Mike Evans ranks second on the team in receiving yards (420) behind TE George Kittle (483) but has been battling a lingering Achilles issue. Aside from Evans, no other 49ers WR has more than 224 receiving yards.

Allen, 34, is exiting his prime, but he remains a solid contributor. In eight games for the Colts, the former Los Angeles Chargers standout had 351 receiving yards. 

5. LB Daiyan Henley | Los Angeles Chargers to Denver Broncos

Deal: Chargers send Henley to Broncos for 2027 fourth-round and 2028 fifth-round pick

In one of the more unexpected deals of the day, the 0-8 Chargers sent Henley to their AFC West rival. Divisional trades in the NFL are rare, making this trade even more surprising. 

Consider Henley — who's in the final year of his rookie contract — a luxury for a 7-2 Denver squad that already features an elite defense. The Broncos rank 10th in the NFL in points allowed (20.7).

Perhaps the team felt you can never have enough LBs. Henley — who recovered two fumbles and had one interception in eight games with the Chargers — could help the Broncos force more turnovers.