The NFL trade deadline has officially come and gone, and with it came a handful of major moves that will shape both the remainder of the 2026 season and the league’s foreseeable future. 

Perhaps the most substantial move was made by the Bears, who sent a package that included two first-round picks to the Titans in exchange for star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. The Jaguars followed that up on Monday by sending a 2027 first- and a ’29 second-rounder for DT Jordan Davis. Jacksonville also dealt for safety Jessie Bates III and DT Davon Godchaux this week, a seemingly conscious effort to shore up the club’s defense for what they expect to be a Super Bowl run.

Still, for all the action that did go down, there were a handful of players who weren’t dealt that could have been moved. Here are five trades that should have happened, but didn’t, at the deadline.

QB Justin Herbert to the Vikings

While the Vikings did ultimately swing a trade for Kirk Cousins—a 38-year-old veteran with familiarity in their system who should ultimately give them a chance at a Super Bowl—there remains uncertainty at the quarterback position in Minnesota for the long term.

That’s where Justin Herbert would have come in.

While Herbert is experiencing his worst professional season, tied for the league lead in interceptions (11) as his Chargers sit at an abysmal 0–8, he’s also just 28 years old and has built up quite the résumé over his six-plus NFL seasons. 

Not only is Herbert a two-time Pro Bowler who’s thrown for over 25,000 passing yards and accounted for 183 total touchdowns throughout his career, but he’s also equipped with a cannon of an arm and enough mobility to make defenses have to account for his running ability. 

Herbert is in the midst of a five-year, $262.5 million extension he signed with the Chargers in 2023, putting him under team control through the ’29 season. A trade for the quarterback would have given the Vikings an answer under center both now and in the future.

ED Khalil Mack to the Bills

While the Chargers did make one move at the deadline amid their 0–7 start, sending linebacker Daiyan Henley to the Broncos in exchange for fourth- and fifth-round picks, they otherwise stood pat despite having multiple players on expiring deals. 

Their most enticing trade chip was Khalil Mack, who is on just a one-year deal and is still producing at a high level in his age-35 season—as evidenced by his 22 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks to begin the year. 

An intriguing landing spot for Mack would have been the Bills. Through nine weeks, Buffalo’s defense has logged the 11th-lowest pressure rate at 34.1% and the 11th-fewest sacks with 17. Adding Mack to a room alongside the lines of Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb would only help the Bills improve upon those numbers in their quest for the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.

Another fun wrinkle: Mack attended the University of Buffalo from 2009 to ’13, meaning a trade to the Bills would have set up quite a homecoming in Western New York.

RB Tony Pollard to the Patriots

The Patriots’ running back situation went from bad to worse in their loss to the Packers. After already being without TreVeyon Henderson due to “unexplained neurological symptoms” that left him hospitalized for a period of time, New England saw starter Rhamondre Stevenson leave the game late in the third quarter with a knee injury. 

Stevenson is dealing with a knee tendon issue that, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, won’t require surgery but will leave him sidelined for a period of time. As such, the Patriots are left with just Corey Kiner and Lan Larison on their active roster and Terrell Jennings on the practice squad. 

An answer at the position would have been a trade for Titans running back Tony Pollard. The 29-year-old has rushed for 246 yards on 46 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt while scoring five touchdowns in his past two games. Pollard is also in the final year of his deal, and with Tennessee sitting at 1–7, the club could have benefited from selling off an expiring contract. For the Patriots, the cost likely wouldn’t have approached what teams like the Colts and Eagles were seeking for the likes of Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley, respectively.

RB Jonathan Taylor to the Bengals  

While the Colts received offers from multiple teams that included a second-round pick plus more for running back Jonathan Taylor, the club reportedly “wanted a blockbuster offer to even consider it.” They didn’t get one, and he’s staying in Indianapolis.

As our own Gilberto Manzano argued last week, one team that should have extended itself for Taylor’s services is the Bengals. While Cincinnati’s offense is second in points per game (30.0) thanks in part to quarterback Joe Burrow’s league-leading 23 touchdown passes and 114.8 passer rating, its running game has been a different story. Through nine weeks, the Bengals are averaging just 85.6 yards per game, the third-fewest in the league, and have scored only five rushing touchdowns, tied for the fifth-fewest.

Adding Taylor, who’s eighth in the NFL in rushing yards and has scored eight rushing touchdowns, to an offense equipped with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins would have set the Bengals up with one of the more elite offenses the NFL has seen in decades.

WR Brian Thomas Jr. to the Rams

After trading for three players on Monday in an effort to beef up their defense, the Jaguars reportedly informed teams early on Tuesday that their plan was to keep wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in the fold. They stayed true to their word, and the pass catcher is sticking in Jacksonville.

Had the Jaguars been open to trading the 2024 first-round pick—who’s off to a slower-than-expected start to his career—the Rams would have been an obvious partner. Not only is Los Angeles without Davante Adams as he deals with a hamstring injury, but the team is “likely” to place Puka Nacua on injured reserve due to both MCL and PCL sprains.

Winners of their past three games, the Rams have rebounded from their 2–4 start and now sit 5–4 and just outside the NFC playoff picture. Still, Los Angeles needs help on offense, and Thomas Jr. could have brought just that as the club looks to make a midseason push to the postseason.