2 NFL Trade Deadline deals that will work wonders, 2 that won't

The NFL trade deadline has passed. All the rumors and speculation leading up to today can now cease, as each of the 32 NFL teams is now basically locked in with its roster for the rest of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs once again appear to be the favorite to take home the Lombardi Trophy, so today's deadline was basically the "how can we catch the Chiefs" deadline.

A few big names were dealt on Tuesday as contenders attempted to bolster their roster for a potential Super Bowl run. While a few of those teams will immediately feel the positive impacts of adding a high-level player, a few others will come to regret the move they made today. Here are two teams that made a deal they'll feel great about in a few months, and two other teams who will regret their move quickly.

2 trade deadline deals that will work wonders

1. Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders

The biggest trade of the day also might be the best, as the 7-2 Washington Commanders acquired longtime New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore in exchange for multiple draft picks. Though Lattimore has been hit with the injury bug a bit in recent years, he's still a very high-level cornerback and will fill in immediately in Washington, a team which is starting to look like a real contender in the NFC.

Washington gave up a third, fourth, and fifth-round pick in next year's draft, which isn't nothing, but it's a perfectly reasonable price tag for a player of Lattimore's caliber. New Orleans did a fine job getting back some usable assets for Lattimore, who has been a fan favorite in NOLA for years. This is a win for Washington though, and it will be obvious as early as next weekend.

2. Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions

Everyone's favorite "player plus destination" prediction came true on Tuesday as the Detroit Lions picked up Za'Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns as a replacement for injured superstar Aidan Hutchinson. Although Smith isn't quite the dominant disruptor that Hutchinson is — granted, few players in the league are — he's still been a force for Cleveland and is as good a replacement the Lions could find on short notice.

Not only did the Lions add Smith, they added him for peanuts! Detroit sent a fifth-round pick and a sixth-round pick in 2026 to the Browns for Smith, who was one of the hottest names on the trade market in the days leading up to the deadline. Cleveland is in full-on rebuild mode now and just wanted to get something back for Smith. All the better for Detroit!

2 trade deadline deals that end in regret

1. Jonathan Mingo to the Dallas Cowboys

This is not the trade that Cowboys fans thought their team would be making today. Jonathan Mingo was a second-round pick in last year's draft and has never panned out how Carolina hoped he would. The wide receiver has just 12 catches so far this season and while he will have better quarterback play in Dallas once Dak Prescott returns, giving up a fourth-round pick to acquire him is a massive overpay.

A fourth-round pick isn't a blue chip asset by any means, but it's a lot more than other players were being traded for today, and Mingo hasn't done much to show that he'll live up to that. Maybe a change of scenery is what Mingo needs to thrive, but Dallas shouldn't bank on that right now. This is a confusing trade for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys.

2. Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers

It was a day of confounding wide receiver trades, apparently. The New York Jets made it clear they were listening to trade offers for Mike Williams, and the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired his services in the end. Williams has had a wonderful career but after an injury cut his 2023 season short, he doesn't have quite the same burst or separation ability that made him so valuable in Los Angeles for so many years.

Will he catch the occasional deep ball from Russell Wilson? Perhaps. But he won't move the needle for this offense and isn't exactly the type of receiver Russ needs flanking him in Pittsburgh.