NFL trade grades: 2023 deadline report cards for big deals - ESPN

Let's grade every NFL trade of the 2023 deadline, which passed on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. We saw 15 trades, including moves for edge rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat, quarterback Joshua Dobbs, defensive lineman Leonard Williams, safety Kevin Byard, cornerback J.C. Jackson and running back Cam Akers.

I'm a big believer in judging decisions based on information available at the time. The saying «Let's see how it plays out» isn't an option for general managers making deals for their teams, so why should be it for us evaluating those transactions?

When I'm grading trades, I evaluate them for each team based on on-field impact, cap implications, draft compensation and effects within the context of a team's overall short- and long-term outlook. I like to think about decisions on two axes:

How confident are we in knowing if this is a good or bad decision?

How big is the impact of this decision?

They'll both play a role in the grades, though a low-impact decision can still receive a strong or poor grade. Low-stakes, clear-cut wins or losses still matter. The latest deals are at the top:

Jump to a trade grade:
Akers | Byard | Dobbs | Gregory
Jackson | Sweat | Williams | Young

Bills get: CB Rasul Douglas, 2024 fifth-round pick
Packers get: 2024 third-round pick
Trade date: Oct. 31

Grade for the Bills: B+

After injuries to cornerback Tre'Davious White and linebacker Matt Milano hit Buffalo, the Bills defense needed help. From Week 6 on — when they were without both players — the Bills ranked just 18th in EPA per play on defense despite playing the Giants, Patriots and Buccaneers in that span.

With White out, the Bills were starting Dane Jackson and Christian Benford. Last year's first-round pick, Kaiir Elam, hasn't panned out, making