The NFL Trade deadline is over. Rumors are settled, with new players on some teams and others staying put. The AFC South also saw some surprising and expected trades. Here's a rundown of the trades and their impact on each team.
Jacksonville Jaguars acquire wide receiver Jakobi Meyers for a 2026 4th and 6th-round pick.
This trade gives the Jaguars a veteran target they need. Meyers has topped 800 receiving yards the last four years, averaging 77 catches. He excels in short and intermediate routes. Though not a speedster like Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr., or Dyami Brown, he consistently moves the chains.
Meyers’ addition will hopefully help the Jaguars' offense become more consistent and reduce those nasty drops that have plagued them throughout this season. And when or if Hunter comes back, his consistency could help open up the offense and maybe give them a better chance at making a playoff run. The reality is Brian Thomas Jr has not been consistent in his second season and Lawrence needs someone out there to provide that for him.
One more thing to watch with his move is what happens with the Meyers contract situation. Meyers asked for a trade in August 2025 when the Raiders could not meet his contract demands. Meyers is currently scheduled to be a free agent this upcoming offseason, so it will be interesting to see if he can stay a little longer in Jacksonville with a new deal in place.
Indianapolis Colts acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner for a 2026 1st-round pick, 2027 1st-round pick and wide receiver AD Mitchell
The Indianapolis Colts have one of the best records in the NFL and have been way better than some realized they could be. They have one of the best scoring offenses in the NFL, but on defense, they needed help in a few areas. One of those positions is cornerback.
The Colts have had injuries at the corner position and one of their big additions, cornerback Charvarius Ward, has to miss at least one more game after suffering a concussion that landed him on the short-term injured reserve list. With the addition of Gardner, the Colts now have a viable cornerback opposite Ward. And when Ward is at his best, he can be one of the best in the NFL.
Of course, he has not been at his best over the last year and change, so that is something Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and his staff will have to work on, particularly in positioning and technical aspects. But in a defense that values man-to-man corners, Sauce, who just signed a four-year mega-extension with the Jets this offseason, fits the bill for someone who can be feared. And for the Colts, this move signifies they are all-in on a run at the Super Bowl.
Tennessee Titans trade Dre’Mont Jones to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2026 5th-round draft pick
The Titans were sellers and not buyers in this year’s trade market. And after trading cornerback Roger McCreary to the Rams last week, the Titans were not done and sent Jones to the Titans. This offseason, he signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract with Tennessee to play outside linebacker in their 3-4 defense.
In the last four games, Jones has 4.5 sacks and had started to find his groove rushing the passer. With him joining the Ravens, they now have a veteran pass-rusher who was consistently getting to the quarterback. Adding another weapon on the edge to rush the quarterback can do nothing but help the Ravens' defense continue to get better after a very rough start.
But if Jones does well for the Ravens, it also helps the Titans. If Jones records two regular-season sacks and the Ravens make the playoffs, the 2026 5th-round pick turns into a 4th-round pick for Tennessee, giving them a total of nine picks with five of them in the first four rounds. And if anyone paid attention to last year’s draft, the Titans drafted three guys who are starting or contributing for them right now in the fourth round: wide receiver Chim Dike, tight end Gunnar Helm, and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor.