By: Jason Willis
As the annual NFL trade deadline has finally passed, we are reminded of its perpetual disappointment. Starting with the C.J. Henderson-to-Carolina trade, the NFL had eleven total trades transpire before its 4pm deadline. Many of these trades, were relatively minor deals. So while fans dreamed of their teams acquiring players like Deshaun Watson, Brandin Cooks and Fletcher Cox, all of those players stayed with their respective teams. With rosters now mostly set going forward, here are three things we learned.
The Rams are the most well run organization in the NFL
From a fans perspective, you always want to see your team make a run at a championship. For fans of the Los Angeles Rams, this has been a reality in recent years. Even since the recent Super Bowl loss to the Patriots, the Rams have made trades to acquire Jalen Ramsey, Matthew Stafford, and, now, Von Miller. To acquire Von Miller, the Rams gave up a second and third round pick in next years NFL Draft. A hefty price? Certainly, but the Rams have now added a future Hall of Fame pass rusher to a group that already includes Leonard Floyd and Aaron Donald. Combined with the consistently elite play of Jalen Ramsey and the Rams will again feature one of the leagues most feared defenses.
While many have expressed doubt over the Rams ability to rebuild without ample draft picks, the team has shown little worry in this regard. This is how all fans expect their teams to be run. The Rams and general manager Les Snead know that they have a team capable of winning the Super Bowl this year an are going all in. Who cares about the draft when there’s a ring on the line?
The Chiefs are still all in
Sitting at 4-4, the Kansas City Chiefs have been routinely criticized for sub-par play. Despite the “Super Bowl hangover” the Chiefs still believe in their ability to win a championship in the 2021 season. The most recent assertion of this was the trade for Melvin Ingram. With one of the worst defensive units in the NFL, Kansas City was in desperate need of pass rushers and Ingram certainly gives them that. Alas, will it matter? Ingram alone won’t improve that defense and they have the NFL’s hardest schedule the rest of the way. Of course, the Chiefs are one of the most talented teams in the league. They have Hall of Fame caliber players in Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Their head coach is one of the best play callers in the league. While it may seem far fetched right now, the Chiefs are right to go all in with this core.
Deshaun Watson stays in Houston
The strangest story of the entire NFL season, and that’s saying something, has been the on-going Deshaun Watson saga. What once started as a trade request from one of the best quarterbacks in the league now includes over 20 claims of sexual assault. In a negligible move, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has refused to place him on the exempt list until the legal issues get sorted out. On the field, Watson is one of the best passers in the league. As such, he is still a highly coveted player. At the forefront of this chase was the Miami Dolphins. The only problem? Miami wanted Watson’s legal issues resolved before they pulled the trigger. Of course, this was never going to happen by Tuesdays deadline. So, Deshaun Watson remains on the Houston Texans where he has not played a single snap this season. This situation is awkward for all involved. The Texans are done with Watson, he is done with them, and Watson could be facing serious legal trouble. While it’s doubtful to happen, Roger Goodell needs to do the right thing and place him on the exempt list. Simply, this saga has been an embarrassment for all involved for far too long.
