The NFL trade deadline is right around the corner on Nov. 10, which puts every front office on the clock. We are at the season's one-third mark, which means contenders are starting to separate from the pack. This could be the last opportunity for teams on the wrong side of that separation to change their fate.
That applies especially to teams like the Dallas Cowboys, who entered the season with visions of a Super Bowl run, only to come out of the gate slow. On the opposite side of the coin, teams like the Indianapolis Colts — with their dreams already crushed — should probably focus on stockpiling as much draft capital and future flexibility as possible. That leads us to the latest round of NFL rumors.
Cardinals defensive end Josh Sweat named 'perfect' Cowboys target
The Cowboys' defense is chock full of holes. Until Dallas can consistently generate stops, it won't really matter how explosive the offense is. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, in a recent appearance on SportsCenter, mentioned Arizona Cardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat as a "perfect profile fit," based on league intel.
"The problem with the Cowboys is they don't have a lot of draft picks but they're looking always for help, and there are pass-rushers," Fowler said (h/t Bleacher Report). "I'll start with Josh Sweat in Arizona. I checked with a few league execs with other teams who believe that Dallas and Josh Sweat would be a perfect profile fit. Arizona, sitting at 2-4, could try to acquire more draft capital. Edge rusher is a position to watch over the next few weeks leading up to that Nov. 10 deadline. We will see if Sweat is involved in that, there's been some trade rumors around him for a while."
Sweat carries a $16.3 million cap hit in 2026, the potential final year of his deal. A Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl champ in Philadelphia, the 29-year-old would go a long way toward filling the void left by Micah Parsons' departure. Dallas' pass rush has dramatically underperformed all season; Sweat has four QB hits and two sacks in six starts for Arizona.
The Cardinals are 2-4. Their season is not over, but stuck in football's toughest division, there's a good chance Arizona comes to accept its fate before the deadline. Dallas should hammer their phone line in the meantime.
There's a Colts fire sale on the horizon
The Colts are flirting with a fire sale ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline after firing GM Chris Ballard, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero. If Indianapolis decides to sell, "no player is expected to be off-limits." That includes star running back Jonathan Taylor, who only recently inked an extension.
The Colts are 2-4 and the signs aren't great. Ballard's departure was long overdue; head coach Shane Steichen will probably finish out the regular season, but barring a miraculous turnaround, his days are also numbered. The Colts defense has not lived up to the hype post-Sauce Gardner trade. The offense, which really hummed early last season, has completely lost the plot. Daniel Jones looks more like Giants Daniel Jones than early 2025 Daniel Jones, which is a major problem.
Taylor is probably Indianapolis' juiciest trade chip. He's a legitimate three-down workhorse who led the NFL with 20 touchdowns last season, putting up 1,973 scrimmage yards in the process. The Colts are off to a slower start this go-around, but Taylor is still dominant. He has 655 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns across six starts, averaging a healthy 4.0 yards per rush attempt despite the dysfunction around him.
Pelissero also notes significant interest in guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Colts owner Carlie Isray-Gordon "wants to see how the team responds" to the Ballard firing before giving the thumbs-up on more seismic changes, but it's clear which direction the arrow is pointing for Indianapolis.
49ers-Jauan Jennings reunion deemed unlikely
The San Francisco 49ers are red-hot, but there's a clear need at wide receiver. One rumored target: Jauan Jennings, who left S.F. to sign a one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason. Minnesota is also undefeated and therefore has little incentive to sell, but Jennings is completely uninvolved in the offense. He has two catches on five targets this season, for a grand total of nine yards.
Jennings' scheme fit and familiarity are easy selling points for the Niners, but there's one issue. NBC Sports insider Matt Maiocco does not believe Minnesota would "throw [the Niners] a lifeline."
"I don't get it," he said (h/t Niners Wire). "Why would Minnesota throw them a lifeline when they've already paid Jauan Jennings, you know, probably three-quarters of his scheduled salary?"
It's a fair point. If Minnesota does trade Jennings as a pure value proposition, it might make sense to direct him to a less immediate threat. The Vikings are thinking Super Bowl at this point; San Francisco is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of such aspirations. The last thing the Vikings want is for Jennings to exact his revenge in the NFC Championship Game.
We can't rule out a Jennings trade, but for the Niners specifically, a wide receiver upgrade may involve a less proven entity.
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