NFL Trade Deadline: 7 Top Players That Didn’t Get Traded

With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Oct. 29, the belief was that there would be a flurry of moves leading up to 4:00 p.m. EST. After all, there had been some surprising transactions in recent weeks with defensive end Michael Bennett heading to the Dallas Cowboys, cornerback Jalen Ramsey going to the Los Angeles Rams, and wide receiver Mohamed Sanu joining the New England Patriots.

These players, along with a few others, formed a group of well-known veterans that could contribute on any roster. Having them moving to new teams seemingly opened the door for several other trades prior to the deadline.

However, that situation did not pan out. Despite many rumors hyping up potential swaps of talent, nothing actually happened. Yes, the Miami Dolphins did send a late-round pick to the Rams in exchange for Aqib Talib, but he is currently on Injured Reserve. Other than that fairly surprising swap, the NFL’s transaction wire was fairly absent of news.

The expected trades did not happen on Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be taking place once the new league year begins on March 18. With that in mind, it’s time to examine the biggest names that weren’t traded but who could be on the move in March.

(Photo Credit: Dustin Bradford/Getty)

Jamal Adams

Possibly the biggest name swirling around at the trade deadline is that of Jamal Adams. The Jets safety and former first-round pick has turned into a fan-favorite in the Big Apple while taking over as the leader of Gang Green’s defense. However, there were reports on Tuesday morning that he was on the trade block. 

Some reports listed Adams as having asked for a trade, but he shut down those rumors and actually clarified that he sat down with team leadership and expressed his desire to remain with the team. That ultimately happened and now Adams will continue striving to help this team recover from a 1-6 start to the season. 

Chris Harris Jr.

Since the end of the 2018 campaign, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. has been a player that has long been rumored to be on the move. He has dealt with contract disputes, which ultimately resulted in a one-year extension being handed down prior the 2019 season, but there was still a belief that he would be sent packing to a team such as the Eagles that is in need of defensive help.

However, Harris said leading up to the deadline that he didn’t expect to be moved due to the price being too high. The Detroit Lions did offer a third-round pick, per reports, but this was denied. 

Trent Williams

The Washington Redskins made major news on Monday when they revealed that they would be willing to trade perennial Pro Bowl tackle Trent William, who has been holding out all season. Team president Bruce Allen had previously shut down any and all attempts to obtain Williams, especially those from the Browns, but his change in stance appeared to make it clear that the tackle would be on the move. 

Surprisingly, neither the Browns or any of the other teams in need of offensive line help swung a trade to acquire Williams on Tuesday. Instead, he actually returned to the team. Although he did later clarify that the holdout hasn’t technically ended. 

AJ Green

Last week, first-year Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor seemingly shut down the rumors of an AJ Green trade when he said that the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver would not be going anywhere. However, he cracked that door back open by saying that he would listen to anything. This led to the belief that Green would soon be joining the New England Patriots or another receiver-needy team, which only increased once starting QB Andy Dalton was benched on Tuesday. 

Ultimately, the Bengals kept true to Taylor’s word and kept Green on the roster. He will now continue focusing on the rehab of his foot injury. The former first-round pick is expected back in the lineup following the bye week. 

Melvin Gordon

Entering the season, Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon was absent from the facility due to holding out for a contract. Unlike Ezekiel Elliott, however, he did not receive the money that he was hoping for, which led to the former first-round pick returning to his team. Gordon hasn’t been as productive as expected during his four-game stretch, only rushing for 112 yards and one touchdown. 

This lack of production, along with the continued emergence of Austin Ekeler, made it possible for Gordon to be sent to a running back-needy team such as the Detroit Lions. Parting ways with him would have opened the door for Ekeler to become the unquestioned starter and would have given Gordon the opportunity to earn a big contract. Ultimately that did not happen and the former Wisconsin back will play out the final season of his rookie deal. 

Le’Veon Bell

Tuesday morning, news broke that the New York Jets were willing to trade running back Le’Veon Bell despite him being in the first season with the team. One reason for this potential move is that head coach Adam Gase was opposed to the signing of Bell during free agency in March while GM Joe Douglas came to town after he was already on the roster. Moving the former Steelers running back to another roster would have provided extra cap space and brought some draft picks to town. 

Ultimately this move did not happen. Bell remains on the roster while Douglas started a press conference by saying that they weren’t “shopping” him. Although the GM did add that he was listening to all offers because that is what he has been taught. 

Vic Beasley

Throughout the early portion of the 2019 season, there were multiple reports that Atlanta Falcons defensive end Vic Beasley could be traded prior to the deadline. The team fell to 1-7 on the season and are no longer in playoff contention, which could open the doors for the rebuild to begin. Parting ways with Beasley in exchange for draft picks could be one way to get that process started. 

However, the expected move ultimately did not happen. The Falcons keep Beasley for the time being and will hope that he can regain his Pro Bowl form from the 2016 season in which he led the league with 15.5 sacks.