November 5th is an important day in Washington because – of course – it’s the NFL trade deadline! This year it’s very important for teams to get out and trade, especially in Washington where there’s a new Commander in Chief assuming office. Of course, I’m talking about rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Daniels’ Commanders are one of many teams expected to be active at the deadline. Ironically, the Commanders have been looking for a commander at quarterback for some time now, and they finally have one in Daniels.
The 23-year-old is arguably a better fit to command his team than any other commander in Washington – be it on the field or away – perhaps even at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Daniels has produced MVP-caliber numbers through eight weeks, and he’s quickly developed into an elite dual-threat quarterback. His late-game execution has been nothing short of spectacular, just see the last pass he threw on Sunday afternoon.
Down 15-12 with just seconds remaining in the game, Daniels dropped back in the pocket, ran to his right, spun back to his left, evaded the pass rush, and heaved the pigskin 52 yards downfield. The ball descended like a mortar toward the front of the end zone, where a crowd of Bears defenders and Commanders receivers leaped together, creating a scene reminiscent of a high-stakes "3 Flags Up" game.
Bears defender Tyrique Stevenson, who was seen taunting Commanders fans during the actual play (see image below) and thus arrived at the ball late, ironically was the one who tipped the ball over the crowd of players, into the end zone, and safely into the hands of Commanders receiver Noah Brown. The Commanders won the game 15-18 on an impossible completion from Daniels to Brown, with an unexpected assist from Stevenson.
Daniels seems to possess a magic touch that Washington fans have rarely, if ever, had the chance to cheer for. He has led the Commanders to a 6-2 record through eight weeks, which already surpasses their 4-13 record just one year ago. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year and, possibly, the league MVP.
November 5th is not only important in Washington, though; when other parts of the country like Pennsylvania and Michigan are active during this time of year, they make a real difference.
Of course, I’m talking about the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Detroit Lions, who will all be active on November 5th's NFL trade deadline.
Historically dormant at the trade deadline, the Steelers may break tradition this year. Fans who proudly wave the Terrible Towel have long awaited their team to make a splash this time of year, especially after the Steelers pursued 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk all offseason just for him to re-sign with San Francisco.
A few weeks ago, Pittsburgh expressed interest in Rams wideout Cooper Kupp, but Los Angeles has since said that Kupp is off the trading block. In recent weeks, several high-profile trade targets have already been dealt, with names like Amari Cooper (Browns → Bills), Davante Adams (Raiders → Jets), Diontae Johnson (Panthers → Ravens), and DeAndre Hopkins (Titans → Chiefs) finding new teams, leaving the wide receiver market increasingly scarce. Pittsburgh should have pushed harder for Cooper, Adams, and Hopkins while they were available, considering the Steelers were ineligible to trade for Johnson, per NFL trade regulations (see note below).
*Writer’s Note: The NFL has a trade-specific rule to protect against collusion and salary cap manipulation. The rule prevents teams from trading back for a player whom they traded away within the same season. Therefore, if a team trades a player, they cannot reacquire that player (via trade) until the start of the next season in March. Since Pittsburgh dealt Johnson to Carolina at the beginning of this season, they were not eligible to reacquire him (via trade) before the deadline. By enforcing a one-year restriction, the rule maintains the integrity of trades as legitimate transactions, rather than methods of strategic roster and salary cap manipulation.
Pittsburgh could trade for Jets wideout Mike Williams or Bengals wideout Tee Higgins, but Cincinnati is unlikely to move Higgins if they win this weekend against Las Vegas.
In the NFC, the Eagles and Lions are expected to be among the most active teams. Detroit will be in the market for a pass rusher after losing DE Aidan Hutchinson for the year, while Philadelphia is looking for a pass rusher after low production from their offseason acquisitions. Some trade candidates include Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) and Za’Darius Smith (Browns), with Smith being the most likely player to get moved before the deadline.
Ultimately, November 5th could change the course of history in this country. It’s important to note that while some teams will be crowned winners and others losers on November 5th, we will only know for sure come January – say, maybe, January 20th or something – which teams truly won on November 5th. Of course, January 20th is significant because by then we will know the teams playing in the NFC and AFC Championship games.
A message to all on November 5th:
Get out and trade!
Comments