Here we go, folks. Tuesday is about to get real interesting. It's the NFL trade deadline, but this year, things are a little different, as relayed by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
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Thanks to a proposal from the Cleveland Browns, the deadline's been pushed to 4:00 p.m. ET after Week 9, giving everyone that extra look in the mirror. In other words, it's last call — with an added dose of drama.
Here's the deal: With an 18-week season, teams get one more chance to figure out whether they're contenders or pretenders. You've got the Miami Dolphins, for example. They head into a critical matchup with Buffalo. If they fall to 2-6, suddenly names like Odell Beckham Jr. might start circulating. But if they pull the upset and move to 3-5? Maybe they hold tight, maybe they still believe.
Same story with the Cincinnati Bengals. If they lose to the Las Vegas Raiders and sit at 3-6, that could be the final straw — maybe even enough to spark a Tee Higgins deal. But a win? That changes the tone in Cincy.
Then there's always the X-factor — injuries. We've seen it before. NFL star player goes down, and a team's entire season is suddenly on the line. Back in 2011, the Raiders jumped at the chance to get Carson Palmer after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone right before the deadline. And just last season, a Kirk Cousins injury had the Minnesota Vikings scrambling, landing Josh Dobbs in a last-ditch deal.
So here's the reality: 14 games stand between now and the deadline. All it takes is one Sunday shocker, one Monday night meltdown, and teams could be forced to hit the phones. As always in this league, anything can happen. And this time, it'll all be settled by Tuesday at 4 p.m.
