5 biggest takeaways from 2024 NFL trade deadline

The NFL trade deadline ended with multiple high-profile players finding themselves in new teams for various reasons, like playoff pushes and rebuilding phases.

Wide receiver was the busiest position, with dominators Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins headlining the cast. But there have been other lessons to learn from the frantic period as well.

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#5 Steelers, Ravens defenses get more intimidating

Tre'Davious White and Preston Smith are joining the AFC North

When Tre'Davious White joined the Los Angeles Rams in the offseason, he was expected to be the undisputed star of a rather weak secondary. Instead, he continued his collapse from his Pro Bowl form as the team went 1-4 before their bye week. They have since won three straight, but it hasn't stopped this purge.

Cornerback White was one of the Baltimore Ravens' two premier midseason additions, the other being Diontae Johnson. Meanwhile, their divisional rivals Pittsburgh Streelers also upgraded defensively, adding Preston Smith as well as another pass rusher to an already monstrous duo of TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith.

As a result, both of them may rank among the top defensive teams come playoff time.

#4 Commanders get their secondary star

Marshom Lattimore is the Commanders' first elite defensive back in years - Source: Getty

The Washington Commanders have almost all of it:

• A rookie quarterback who's already playing as if he were an elite veteran
• A "thunder and lightning" running back duo
• A pair of strong receiving threats
• One of the most improved offensive lines this season
• A dominant front six bannered by two Pro Bowl defensive tackles and the most cerebral play-stopping linebacker in the league

The keyword is "almost" because they were lacking in one department until now: the secondary. But that changed with the arrival of Marshon Lattimore. Now they are a complete team - one that may well be in the conference title game come January.

#3 Lions make most obvious move of 2024 midseason

Za'Darius Smith returns to the NFC North to replace Aidan Hutchinson at Lions - Source: Getty

Heading into the trade deadline, the Detroit Lions were in a quandary. They no longer had Aidan Hutchinson yet were in the midst of a title push. They badly needed an elite pass-rusher to sustain this run, but fortunately one team was willing to listen.

The Cleveland Browns have been collapsing hard. Deshaun Watson playing poorly? Amari Cooper being offloaded to the Buffalo Bills? It's as if they cannot wait for a new era to come, so they took the bait. Za'Darius Smith gets to contribute immediately, and Andrew Berry has some new assets with which to restock.

#2 Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson may go down as draft busts

Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson will remain benchwarmers in the foreseeable future

Unusually for a quarterback, Bryce Young was the subject of trade rumors heading into Tuesday.

After all, the Carolina Panthers seemed to have lost faith in him; and there were a good number of interested suitors. But no, Dan Morgan instead chose to keep him, so he will continue sitting behind Andy Dalton - not the ideal scenario for a first-overall pick.

The same scenario also played out with the Indianapolis Colts' Anthony Richardson, who had been benched for Joe Flacco and will remain stuck behind him.

#1 WR volatility

Mike Williams has been traded out of the Jets - Source: Getty

As said before, WR was the busiest position during the trade period. But Davante Adams and Co. were not the only ones involved.

Mike Williams finally got his highly anticipated exodus from the Jets, becoming George Pickens' new cohort in Ptttsburgh. The aforementioned Diontae Johnson is now a Raven, and his former Carolina Panthers teammate Jonathan Mingo is a Cowboy.

It speaks of the teams' so called "arms race" to dominate the passing game with a pair of monstrously prolific and productive long-ball threats.