NFL trade grades: Who won Monday's blockbuster deals?
The first day of the NFL's free-agent negotiating window brought with it several jaw-dropping trades that shifted superstars' homes, and perhaps the balance of power in some divisions. Below, we grade Monday's most notable swaps.
Cardinals swap Johnson for Hopkins| Cardinals receive | Texans receive |
|---|---|
| WR DeAndre Hopkins | RB David Johnson |
| 4th-round pick | 2nd-round pick |
| 2021 4th-round pick |
Cardinals: A
Texans: F
We're not exactly sure what Bill O'Brien's offseason plan is.
The Texans' head coach and general manager dealt his top offensive weapon - arguably the NFL's premier wide receiver - and somehow didn't receive a first-round pick. Stefon Diggs, Odell Beckham Jr., and even Brandin Cooks were recently dealt for first-rounders. Why not Hopkins? The star pass-catcher eventually would have asked for more money, sure, but O'Brien displayed irresponsible team management by essentially throwing away Deshaun Watson's No. 1 target.
Houston's trade looks bad even before factoring in the return, but adding Johnson makes the move even more puzzling. He not only comes with an $11.2-million cap hit for 2020, but his level of play sharply declined over the last two years. He's averaged 3.7 yards per carry since 2018, battled various injuries, and doesn't appear to posses the explosiveness that made him successful early in his career. Any way you look at it, it's hard to like this deal for the Texans.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, pulled off highway robbery. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury prioritized adding an outside receiver this offseason, and his team secured one while somehow getting Johnson's contract off the books. Kudos to Arizona for choosing the correct running back, too. Kenyan Drake was excellent after he was acquired from the Miami Dolphins, and Kingsbury can now center his running game around the versatile back.
Kyler Murray is the biggest winner here. The second-year quarterback will have a 2020 supporting cast that features Hopkins, Drake, Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and Andy Isabella. The Cardinals are gunning for the NFC West crown, and this deal puts them in prime position.
Vikings trade Diggs to Bills
Hannah Foslien / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Bills receive | Vikings receive |
|---|---|
| WR Stefon Diggs | 1st-round pick (No. 22 overall) |
| 7th-round pick | 5th-round pick |
| 6th-round pick | |
| 2021 4th-round pick |
Vikings: B+
Bills: B+
Monday's final blockbuster, the deal between Minnesota and Buffalo, represents the rare instance where both teams can be viewed as winners.
The Bills and general manager Brandon Beane are in win-now mode and should be applauded for an aggressive move to improve their roster while Josh Allen remains on his rookie contract. The jury is still out on whether Allen can lead Buffalo to its first Lombardi Trophy, but he'll at least have a great supporting cast to try. No wideout available at No. 22 overall is likely to replicate Diggs' production over the next two years, anyway.
With Diggs in tow, the Bills' receiving corps is among the most fascinating and diverse in the NFL. John Brown and Cole Beasley both excelled in their first seasons in Buffalo, while Dawson Knox is an ascending talent at tight end. The 2020 draft features a deep class of pass-catchers, so the team could grab one on Day 2 if need be. Beane sees an opening atop the AFC East with Tom Brady moving on from the New England Patriots, and he's doing everything in his power to make the leap.
Meanwhile, the Vikings will lose their top wide receiver but the return is a strong one for Rick Spielman and Co. The team now owns two first-round picks - No. 22 and 25 overall - in 2020 and can fill the hole left by Diggs early in April's draft. Considering Hopkins didn't yield a first-rounder, Spielman adding four selections will certainly be viewed as a win.
This also helps Minnesota's already-tight salary cap situation. Diggs was set to count for $11.5 million against the cap, and the Vikings were able deal a disgruntled player intent to move on.
Colts send 1st-round pick for Buckner
Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Colts receive | 49ers receive |
|---|---|
| DT DeForest Buckner | 1st-round pick (No. 13 overall) |
Colts: C
49ers: B+
Colts general manager Chris Ballard finally made a splash move after years of hoarding cap space and trading down in the draft. In Buckner, Indy's found the perfect 3-technique for its scheme, a position that Ballard said was the key to the defense in January.
It's hard to criticize acquiring a 26-year-old All-Pro who's proven capable of double-digit sack seasons too harshly. Alongside the likes of Justin Houston, Darius Leonard, and Kemoko Turay, Buckner should continue to be one of the league's best interior pass-rushers and will greatly boost Indy's defense overall.
However, it's the enormous cost that hurts Indy's grade. The 13th overall pick is a premium asset to give up for a team that looked a lot further away from contention than most people thought following the shock retirement of Andrew Luck. Throw in the fact the Colts immediately reportedly rewarded Bucker with a $21-million per season contract, which only trails Aaron Donald among defensive tackles.
If the Colts secure a competent veteran quarterback - Philip Rivers appears to be the favorite - to boost their passing game from bad to even average, they could be a playoff contender in 2020.
On the flip side, the 49ers gain some much-needed draft assets to aid in their efforts to get back to the Super Bowl. Prior to this move, San Francisco owned its first-rounder (31st overall), two fifths, a sixth, and two sevenths. Look for the NFC champions to use one of two firsts to move down and acquire some more Day 2 selections.
The 49ers will greatly miss Buckner despite owning an embarrassment of talent on the defensive line. They essentially chose to keep Arik Armstead - who inked a five-year deal worth up to $85 million - over the towering interior rusher. It's a downgrade on the field but the 49ers dealt the player who commands more assets in return.
Falcons acquire Hurst to replace Hooper
Evan Habeeb / USA TODAY Sports| Falcons receive | Ravens receive |
|---|---|
| TE Hayden Hurst | 2nd-round pick |
| 4th-round pick | 5th-round pick |
Falcons: C+
Ravens: B+
After losing Austin Hooper to the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta appeared to be in a bit of a scramble to acquire his replacement. Hurst was a first-round pick in the 2018 draft based on the assumption that he would immediately contribute due to his age (24 at the time) and strong collegiate tape. However, the tight end struggled to fit into Baltimore's high-octane offense.
Turning 27 this summer, Hurst likely won't develop into a game-breaking offensive weapon. He'll likely see a bump in targets with Matt Ryan as his quarterback, but simply isn't worth a second-round pick.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, who already flipped a fifth-round pick for Calais Campbell on Sunday, continued his strong start to the offseason. Hurst played a relatively minor role in the Ravens' passing attack, so netting a second-round pick in return represents an excellent haul.
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