NFL trade deadline Winners and Losers

In the case of a number of the transactions made at or near the NFL trade deadline, it will be a while before we know the end result. How the players perform, moving the needle in terms of getting teams to the postseason (or not) remains a mystery.

However, not all of them are going to see delayed results. Some will begin to pay immediate dividends. So, the winners and losers were . . . 

Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins
The Denver Broncos began 2022 thinking they were going to compete for the AFC title. Now, less than halfway through the season, they have traded away one of the cornerstones of their defense, pass rusher Bradley Chubb, to the Miami Dolphins.

They are getting a good deal in return, including the first-round pick the Dolphins acquired via the San Francisco 49ers when the Niners climbed the board to draft Trey Lance. Chubb never quite justified his lofty status of being drafted No. 5 overall (ahead of Josh Allen), but this is a good haul by the Broncos.

The Dolphins, who are now all-in in 2022, believe Chubb pushes them over the top.

Jeff Wilson to the Dolphins
With Christian McCaffrey now in San Francisco, the 49ers had a surplus in the backfield. That's not so anymore, as they have traded Jeff Wilson to the Dolphins, reuniting him with his offensive coordinator from last season, Mike McDaniel.

Paired with Raheem Mostert, McDaniel now has two former Niners in his run game.

Miami is at +900-that’s a distant second choice-to get past the Buffalo Bills and win the AFC East. That’s per NFL odds.

T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings
A rare intra-divisional trade sent tight end T.J. Hockenson Detroit-to-Minnesota, priced at a second-round pick (2023) and a third-round choice (2024). The Vikings also get a '23 fourth as well as a conditional '24 fourth.

It's a significant trade because as the Lions look to 2023 and beyond, Hockenson was seen as one of their weapons. He’s only 25, and Detroit invested a top-10 (2019) pick in Hockenson. With his cap hit increasing to $9.3 million next season, then he'll be an unrestricted free agent.

In Minnesota, this immediately covers the injury to Irv Smith, who is expected to miss weeks. Also, only having to swap picks makes it very economical, so a big win for the Vikings.

Sitting at 6-1 and now atop the NFC North by a robust 3½ games, the Vikings are priced at +1600 to win the title, according to Super Bowl odds.

Roquan Smith to the Ravens
There’s a lot to like about the Baltimore Ravens acquiring Roquan Smith. He's a playmaking linebacker who leads the NFL in tackles. At only 25, he thus makes the 'D' of the team better. 

What's not to like about the Smith deal is the cost, as in a second and fifth-round choice. Those picks are cost-controlled assets. Smith, on the other hand, is looking to reset the market at linebacker. He was very vocal this summer about signing a new contract, and that won't change.

Now, not only does Smith want to be paid a lot of money, there’s already a guy in Baltimore named Lamar Jackson, who is also due a big increase in salary. It's not that the Ravens can't afford both players, but if they do, they won't be able to afford anyone else.

Chase Claypool to the Bears
Initially, this seems odd, considering the Chicago Bears just traded away two of their best defensive players. This is more about the future. Claypool is only 24, a former Notre Dame star who is popular in the Chicagoland area. He will pair nicely with Justin Fields in years to come.

The Steelers get a second-round choice, although it’s questionable they can match what Claypool brought to an offense with that pick.

Calvin Ridley to the Jaguars
Atlanta's suspended wide receiver Calvin Ridley is heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and it's a sliding scale of compensation going to the Falcons. 

There's a fifth-rounder (2023) and a conditional sixth-rounder (2024), becoming a fifth-rounder if he is reinstated next season. That then becomes a fourth if Ridley makes the team, a third if he meets playing time milestones and a second if he and the Jags agree to an extension. Get all that!?