The NFL trade deadline is increasingly a harbinger of big-name activity. This year is no exception, with Pro Bowlers like Davante Adams, Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins all dealt to new teams well in advance of the Nov. 5 cutoff for veteran swaps. If we look to past years, both recent and distant, we can also see there's a precedent for these last-minute trades to have a major impact on the season at hand.
Here are some of the most impactful midseason deals of all time:
Mike Haynes to the Raiders (1983)
A six-time Pro Bowl cornerback and former Defensive Rookie of the Year with the New England Patriots from 1976-1982, Haynes was dealt to Los Angeles for a pair of early-round draft picks. He proceeded to pair with fellow future Hall of Famer Lester Hayes, giving the Raiders one of the NFL's most feared cover duos and helping the team win Super Bowl XVII. He spent seven total seasons in silver and black.
Eric Dickerson to the Colts (1987)
A three-time rushing champion with the Los Angeles Rams, the electric running back went to Indianapolis as part of a three-way trade and instantly vaulted the Colts' ground game into elite territory, eclipsing 1,000 yards in just nine games while helping lead Indy to its first winning playoff season in a decade. He then led the NFL with almost 1,700 rushing yards the following year, remaining an icon at the position.
Herschel Walker to the Vikings (1989)
Minnesota got itself an apparent superstar by acquiring the emergent running back from the Dallas Cowboys, but Walker's move in exchange for five players and six future draft picks is now regarded as arguably the most lopsided trade in NFL history. Two of those picks would become Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson, perennial Pro Bowlers for three different Super Bowl-winning Cowboys teams.
Marshawn Lynch to the Seahawks (2010)
Banged up and disgruntled with the Buffalo Bills, Lynch went to Seattle for two mid-round picks and quickly restored -- then exceeded -- his first-round reputation, most notably with an unforgettable tackle-shedding touchdown run in the postseason. He became the centerpiece of the Seahawks' physical attack, eclipsing 1,200 rushing yards in each of the four subsequent seasons, and helping the team win Super Bowl XLVIII.
Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers (2017)
Drafted as a potential successor to Tom Brady, Garoppolo was shipped to San Francisco for a second-rounder after three and a half years on the New England Patriots' bench. He quickly went 5-0 as Kyle Shanahan's starter, and then bounced back from an injury-shortened 2018 season to help guide the team to Super Bowl LIV in 2019. Imperfect but resilient, he reached another NFC title game in 2021.
Jay Ajayi to the Eagles (2017)
In the annals of Eagles superstars, Ajayi doesn't really hold up, playing just 14 games for the team over two and a half seasons. His arrival from the Miami Dolphins for a fourth-round pick, however, jump-started Philadelphia's ground game behind then-MVP candidate Carson Wentz, and his big-play juice paired perfectly with the rougher LeGarrette Blount en route to the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory that year.
Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers (2019)
Pittsburgh already boasted a top-shelf defense when it acquired Fitzpatrick, a former first-rounder, from the Dolphins for a package that included a Day 1 pick. The Alabama product has consistently been one of the NFL's top ballhawks since his relocation, however. He's up to 17 picks and 42 pass breakups in more than five seasons with the team, and is an integral piece of a perennially stingy unit.
Jalen Ramsey to the Rams (2019)
A dynamic but disgruntled Jacksonville Jaguars star, the former No. 5 overall pick was shipped to Los Angeles for three picks, including two first-rounders. It was a steep price for the Rams to pay, but Ramsey instilled much-needed swagger into the team's remade secondary, validating an eventual big-money contract with a Super Bowl ring in 2021. He logged three Pro Bowl nods before leaving in 2023.
Von Miller to the Rams (2021)
Two years after swinging big for Ramsey, Los Angeles doubled down on its win-now approach with Matthew Stafford now under center, sending two picks to the Denver Broncos for one of the most accomplished pass rushers of all time. The eight-time Pro Bowler only stayed through the end of the season, but went on an absolute tear -- nine sacks in 12 games, including playoffs -- to help L.A. win it all.
Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers (2022)
Long regarded as a super-skilled but injury-bitten centerpiece of the Carolina Panthers, McCaffrey finally joined a playoff-caliber lineup when San Francisco acquired him in exchange for four picks, giving Kyle Shanahan a versatile workhorse for an already-efficient offense. His multipurpose work helped ease young Brock Purdy into the starting quarterback gig, and powered the 49ers to back-to-back NFC title games.
