The NFL Trade Deadline was not too busy, but featured three main trades that improved playoff contending teams for this season. and that included the undefeated Los Angeles Rams adding to an impressive, yet hurt, defense. The Rams acquired defensive end Dante Fowler from the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars for two draft picks, one of which is a 2019 third-round selection and the other is a fifth-round selection in the 2020 draft.
Fowler joins a defensive line that already includes Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers, all of which have helped them lead the NFL with 10 sacks already. With the addition of Fowler, that puts four first-round draft picks on the line, with Fowler drafted in 2015, Donald in 2014, Suh in 2010, and Brockers in 2014. Fowler will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, as the 24-year-old has eight tackles and two sacks in seven games this season with the 3-5 Jaguars. In 39 career games, the defensive end has 14 sacks and 22 quarterback hits. He tweeted after the announcement of this trade "so thankful for the opportunity."
Elsewhere, in a trade that came as a bit of a shocker in the NFL, the Detroit Lions dealt wide receiver Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round draft pick. This trade comes as a surprise due to the Lions sitting just a game out of first place in the NFC north heading in to a game with the first-place Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Tate did not expect to be traded, shaking off any trade talks and even said on Tuesday morning in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that he would not be traded.
Tate signed with the Lions heading in to the 2014 season and had 90 catches each of his first four seasons with them. He also surpassed 1,000 yards in three of those four seasons, and is on pace to reach those numbers again this year with 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns. On social media, the wideout thanked Detroit for his time there, but then said to the 3-4 Eagles "let's get it." Philadelphia sits in third place of the NFC East, two games behind the Washington Redskins.
The Houston Texans have been on fire after an 0-3 start, rolling with five straight wins right to first place in the AFC South division. They added another weapon for Deshaun Watson on Tuesday, acquiring wide receiver Demaryius Thomas from the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round pick. The two teams also traded seventh-round picks in this deal, and will interestingly enough play each other in Denver on Sunday afternoon.
Broncos general manager John Elway claimed that "three or four teams" expressed interest in Thomas, and added that they "were not hell-bent on trading" the wideout. Thomas ranked second on the Broncos with 36 catches and 402 receiving yards, and was tied for the team lead with three touchdowns. He is in the final year of his contract, which is worth $17.533 million. The 30-year-old has the second-most receiving yards at 9,055 and touchdowns at 60 in franchise history. He may play a bigger role alongside Deandre Hopkins in Houston, as the Broncos have focused more on rookie receiver Courtland Sutton so far this season.
Fowler joins a defensive line that already includes Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers, all of which have helped them lead the NFL with 10 sacks already. With the addition of Fowler, that puts four first-round draft picks on the line, with Fowler drafted in 2015, Donald in 2014, Suh in 2010, and Brockers in 2014. Fowler will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end, as the 24-year-old has eight tackles and two sacks in seven games this season with the 3-5 Jaguars. In 39 career games, the defensive end has 14 sacks and 22 quarterback hits. He tweeted after the announcement of this trade "so thankful for the opportunity."
Elsewhere, in a trade that came as a bit of a shocker in the NFL, the Detroit Lions dealt wide receiver Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round draft pick. This trade comes as a surprise due to the Lions sitting just a game out of first place in the NFC north heading in to a game with the first-place Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Tate did not expect to be traded, shaking off any trade talks and even said on Tuesday morning in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that he would not be traded.
Tate signed with the Lions heading in to the 2014 season and had 90 catches each of his first four seasons with them. He also surpassed 1,000 yards in three of those four seasons, and is on pace to reach those numbers again this year with 44 catches for 517 yards and three touchdowns. On social media, the wideout thanked Detroit for his time there, but then said to the 3-4 Eagles "let's get it." Philadelphia sits in third place of the NFC East, two games behind the Washington Redskins.
The Houston Texans have been on fire after an 0-3 start, rolling with five straight wins right to first place in the AFC South division. They added another weapon for Deshaun Watson on Tuesday, acquiring wide receiver Demaryius Thomas from the Denver Broncos for a fourth-round pick. The two teams also traded seventh-round picks in this deal, and will interestingly enough play each other in Denver on Sunday afternoon.
Broncos general manager John Elway claimed that "three or four teams" expressed interest in Thomas, and added that they "were not hell-bent on trading" the wideout. Thomas ranked second on the Broncos with 36 catches and 402 receiving yards, and was tied for the team lead with three touchdowns. He is in the final year of his contract, which is worth $17.533 million. The 30-year-old has the second-most receiving yards at 9,055 and touchdowns at 60 in franchise history. He may play a bigger role alongside Deandre Hopkins in Houston, as the Broncos have focused more on rookie receiver Courtland Sutton so far this season.
