FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Week 9’s early Sunday window was an overreaction manufacturing facility. The Steelers can play protection now? Has the outdated Daniel Jones resurfaced? Are the Packers unhealthy once more? J.J. McCarthy goes to be simply superb? The Falcons will not cease Falconing? The Bengals will not cease Bengaling?
With the NFL commerce deadline solely a few days away — 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday — it appeared like a number of groups had been ready to see what occurred Sunday to resolve whether or not to attempt to add or deal away gamers. The deadline might be too early, as a result of issues change a lot week to week on this league, but it surely’s there and it’ll occupy a variety of our consideration over the following couple days.
So, we determined to make the Week 9 Overreactions column all in regards to the commerce deadline. How had been groups’ deadline plans impacted by what occurred Sunday, and the way a lot ought to they’ve been? In some methods, these subsequent couple of days are crucial time of the 12 months to not overreact.
So whereas we type by way of the weekly overreactions to determine which of them would possibly maintain up and which of them are mirages, we’re right here to assist groups assess themselves at this crucial juncture. I am positive they admire it.
Bounce to:Dolphins ought to be open to buying and selling anybody?Patriots have to commerce for a working again?Ought to Bears attempt to commerce for Hendrickson?Vikings do not want Cousins, one other veteran QB?Saints ought to be open to buying and selling Olave?5 fantasy-related overreactions
The Dolphins ought to be taking calls on everybody they’ve
Miami misplaced to the Ravens on Thursday evening in a sport that showcased its big selection of points. The Dolphins fired common supervisor Chris Grier the following morning, a attainable indication that possession is enthusiastic about buying and selling away gamers and providing interim GM Champ Kelly a mandate to take action.
Miami has a number of gamers of curiosity to different groups forward of the deadline, together with edge rushers Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Matthew Judon together with working again Jaylen Wright, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and even broad receiver Jaylen Waddle. With the Thursday evening sport providing Miami further pre-deadline days to work, by Tuesday they need to have a very good sense of the place issues stand and what they may have the ability to get for the gamers on their roster.
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Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
This appears like a group headed for a whole overhaul, maybe together with at quarterback (though Tua Tagovailoa has $54 million in assured cash coming subsequent 12 months). If the Dolphins can get first rate draft picks in return for anybody they don’t seem to be positive might be a part of their future, they’ve to contemplate all attainable offers.
Head coach Mike McDaniel stored his job, and a part of the reason being possession’s hope that the group will play laborious for him down the stretch. Buying and selling away gamers is not essentially going to assist with that, which might make it more durable for McDaniel to remain on for 2026. However the Dolphins have not received a playoff sport since 2000 (the longest streak within the NFL) and want to consider main adjustments to all the pieces they do. A 2-7 begin is license to contemplate all the pieces, and they need to.
The Patriots want so as to add a working again on the commerce deadline
With beginning working again Rhamondre Stevenson out due to a toe damage, the Patriots turned the backfield over to rookie TreVeyon Henderson and second-year man Terrell Jennings. They did superb. Jennings had 35 yards and his first profession landing on 11 carries and caught one 9-yard go. Henderson had 55 speeding yards on 14 carries and caught 4 passes for 32 yards. The Patriots escaped an uncharacteristically sloppy sport by which they misplaced the turnover battle 2-0 when the Falcons missed an additional level that will have tied the sport within the closing minutes. They’ve now received six video games in a row to maneuver to 7-2, tied with the Colts and Broncos for the very best report within the AFC.
If Stevenson is out for extra than simply this sport, you possibly can make the case that the Patriots want greater than these two younger guys within the backfield, and so they have been making calls in current weeks to gauge the supply of veteran backs. Those that might be out there for numerous causes embody Cleveland’s Jerome Ford, Tennessee’s Tony Pollard and the Jets’ Breece Corridor. The Patriots have 10 picks within the 2026 draft and a ton of cap area, in order that they’re positioned to make strikes.
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Terrell Jennings scores his first NFL TD
Terrell Jennings forces his approach into the top zone and provides the Patriots a lead.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
It would not be a mistake so as to add to the working again room if the value is correct. You’ll be able to’t be too deep at that place, given how typically accidents strike. However I do not suppose that is one thing the Patriots have to do. I’ve lined three of their video games this season, together with the previous two, and I can let you know it is a group that feels actually, actually good about itself. Even after Sunday’s sport, coach Mike Vrabel talked in regards to the significance of pleasure within the postgame information convention and stated, “We’ve to be taught from successful so we do not have to be taught from shedding.”
The vibes round this group are excellent, and there was by no means a degree once they thought they could not cowl Stevenson’s absence sufficient to beat Atlanta. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye is piloting a high-level offense with a medium-level receiving corps, and if the Pats are going so as to add somebody on offense, it could in all probability be higher to make it a game-breaking broad receiver. However you can too make the case that it is going too effectively in New England proper now to threat messing with issues.
The Bears ought to ask the Bengals if they are going to let Trey Hendrickson get on the airplane again to Chicago with them
Chicago beat Cincinnati within the wildest sport of the week, as a result of they apparently handed a rule on the final house owners’ conferences by which Cincinnati is required to play within the wildest sport of each week. Down 14 factors within the closing two minutes, the Bengals scored a landing and a two-point conversion with 1:43 left, recovered an onside kick and scored one other landing and a go-ahead PAT with 54 seconds left.
Sadly, the Bengals’ protection (which was taking part in with out Hendrickson, its finest participant, due to damage) can’t cease anybody, and 54 seconds was greater than sufficient time for Caleb Williams to hit rookie tight finish Colston Loveland for the go-ahead landing — a 58-yard, tackling-optional, catch-and-run that gave the Bears the lead and handed the Bengals a second brutal last-minute loss in as many weeks. Cincinnati might be achieved, however the Bears are 5-3, tied with the Lions for second place within the NFC North, only a half-game behind the first-place Packers. Because the 47-42 closing rating signifies, the Bengals weren’t the one group on this sport that would use defensive assist.
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Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
It is in all probability moot, as a result of the Bengals have been telling everybody who has requested because the offseason that they don’t seem to be enthusiastic about buying and selling Hendrickson. But when he does develop into out there, Chicago ought to not less than ask. It is a two-month acquisition, as a result of Hendrickson will not be signed past this season, and the Bears might need the texture of a rebuilding group long run with Williams in his second season and coach Ben Johnson in his first.
However the standings say what they are saying, and Johnson has stated he has no real interest in making this a sluggish construct. Bears GM Ryan Poles is often lively on the commerce deadline, and it could be no shock (nor a nasty concept) if he made an aggressive transfer to enhance his go rush for the stretch run.
The Vikings needn’t commerce picks for Kirk Cousins or every other veteran QB
McCarthy made his third begin of the season (and his profession) Sunday and seemed … fairly good? He was 14-for-25 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and an interception and likewise ran for a landing. McCarthy made a incredible throw to ice the sport on the ultimate drive, and the Vikings received 27-24 in Detroit.
It has been a rocky season for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and his QB state of affairs. McCarthy seemed horrible for 3 quarters, then good within the fourth in a season-opening victory over Chicago, then he and the offense did completely nothing in a Week 2 loss to the Falcons. McCarthy obtained damage in that sport, so Carson Wentz began the following 5, however then Wentz obtained damage and McCarthy obtained wholesome, so it was the teen once more Sunday in a significant division sport. He won’t have dazzled, however he seemed as much as the duty.
With Wentz on injured reserve, McCarthy and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer are the one two quarterbacks on the Vikings’ lively roster. (They signed John Wolford to the follow squad final week.) So, there was some chatter about bringing again Cousins, who’s a backup in Atlanta, or not less than including a veteran.
Verdict: OVERREACTION
I might nonetheless do it. Whether or not it is Cousins or another person, McCarthy and the Vikings would profit from having a veteran within the QB room. Even when McCarthy goes to be simply superb and begin the remainder of the best way — which we actually cannot know for positive, even when Sunday was an encouraging signal — having a veteran round can solely assist as he navigates the ups and downs of his first lively NFL season.
The Vikings are spending more cash on their roster this 12 months than every other group within the league, and it is fairly loaded. They’re in final place within the NFC North, however Minnesota is 4-4 and solely a sport and a half out of first. The Vikings received 14 video games final season and have to do no matter they’ll to maximise their possibilities of getting again to the playoffs. Go get the vet.
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J.J. McCarthy retains it for a 9-yard speeding TD
J.J. McCarthy rolls to his proper and turns up area for a 9-yard speeding landing.
The Saints ought to be extra open to buying and selling Chris Olave
Groups have known as the Saints about their broad receivers — Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks — and been advised that New Orleans does not need to commerce Olave. The Saints’ first-round choose within the 2022 draft, Olave is signed by way of 2026 and scheduled to earn $15.493 million subsequent 12 months on his fifth-year rookie contract choice. He has handled concussion points throughout his profession however has been wholesome this season, and the Saints have stated they’re extra enthusiastic about signing him to a long-term contract than buying and selling him. They nonetheless have not signed him, which is why groups preserve asking. Properly, that and since he is a fantastic participant.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
Of New Orleans’ receivers, Olave would carry again the very best return in a commerce. And the Saints appear to be a group that ought to be buying and selling gamers for draft picks and pondering rebuild. If you are going to signal him long run, then signal him so individuals will cease calling. There is no rule prohibiting the Saints from extending Olave’s contract tomorrow.
However for a group equivalent to New Orleans, the commerce deadline is not about ditching good gamers, it is about maximizing the worth of your property. And Olave is a participant for whom groups would surrender loads in a commerce. The Saints are doing their franchise a disservice if they are not even open to having the dialog. Once more, I am not saying to commerce him. I am saying that so long as he is signed for just one extra 12 months, there must be some return that will make it value contemplating.
Fast-hitter fantasy overreactions
Falcons working again Bijan Robinson is not going to hold you to the playoffs: OVERREACTION. Positive, the previous couple of weeks have been underwhelming. However the entire offense underwhelmed in Week 8 with out Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London, and Sunday they performed the Patriots, who have not allowed a working again to hurry for 50 yards in a sport but this season. Do not do something rash. Until you need to commerce him to me.
Bears working again Kyle Monangai will proceed to be fantasy related even as soon as D’Andre Swift is again wholesome: NOT AN OVERREACTION. No, he isn’t going to hurry for 176 yards each week, however the seventh-round rookie out of Rutgers carved out a task even earlier than Swift missed Sunday’s sport due to an damage. Monangai will nonetheless be a part of the plan. And here is the place everybody says one thing about Ben Johnson and the way he made each Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery fantasy related in Detroit.
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You’ll be able to belief Lions broad receiver Jameson Williams in your lineup transferring ahead: OVERREACTION. Hey, you knew what you had been stepping into when drafting Williams. He can get you 16.6 factors like he did Sunday, however he can even get you zero like he did in Week 7, or two like he did in Week 5. If another person needs to purchase in, commerce him. In any other case, you are driving the curler coaster. There are too many mouths to feed in Detroit to count on week-to-week consistency from a participant whose manufacturing is that this risky.
Decide up Jerome Ford now: NOT AN OVERREACTION. In case your league permits you to choose up gamers on bye weeks, take a shot right here. Ford might be on a brand new group by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and relying on which group that’s, he might have a serious fantasy position. Think about him on the Chiefs? The Patriots? No hurt in taking a shot you probably have the roster spot to spare.
The 49ers’ George Kittle is not a top-five fantasy tight finish anymore: OVERREACTION. Kittle’s game-by-game level totals in his three video games since getting back from damage: 0.0, 14.3, 6.9. Yucko. I am nonetheless holding, although. Quarterback Brock Purdy coming again will assist, as will the Niners getting more healthy at broad receiver and never needing to lean on Kittle as a run blocker fairly a lot. Purchase low!
