As Weather Cools, The NFL Heats Up For Big Winter Ahead -

Trade deadlines, turf issues, buyer’s remorse, rebuilds, and the hot seats begin to take shape in the NFL.

In the NFL, nothing stays stagnant. to quote Ferris Bueller, life moves pretty fast. Recent news and headlines show this fact. Teams not only start jockeying for playoff positions, but others also attempt to gain draft capital and building blocks for the future. The good teams start to separate themselves from the inactive and struggling ones. As the weather gets cold, the league intrigue heats up.

Wheeling and Dealing

Before Tuesday’s trade deadline, buyers and sellers line up to exchange talent for potential. The Philadelphia, already knee-deep in going for it, traded for Robert Quinn. The 49ers acquired Christian McCaffrey. Yet, the smaller deals will pay off dividends immediately and down the road. The Giants shipped Kadarius Toney to Kansas City. The Chiefs received a 23-year-old player with upside and the ability to eventually grab a starting spot. Perhaps a lowkey, smart move saw the Dallas Cowboys bring in nose tackle Johnathan Hankins from the Raiders. Against the ball, Dallas ranks as a top-10 defense. However, that number falls to the lower middle of the NFL against the run. Hankins’ sole job is to beat up opposing interior offensive linemen, along with clogging running lanes. Somehow, the trade frenzy doesn’t appear to be simmering down. Instead, expect a big move before Tuesday.

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Leaving Turf

Last Sunday, Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf and Chargers CB J.C. Jackson suffered non-contact injuries at SoFi. Luckily for Metcalf, he looks to return to the lineup. Unfortunately for Jackson, his torn ACL signals an end to his first season in Los Angeles. As a result, calls for the NFL to mandate grass surfaces grew louder. With millions invested in players, the playing surface should never steal a player’s season. If anyone remembers watching the Eagles play on that painted green concrete at Veterans. Former Chicago Bears wideout Wendell Davis, a former first-round draft pick, saw his career end on that raggedy Philly turf. A non-contact injury saw Davis fall to the turf, both of his patella tendons completely severed. At twenty-seven years old, Davis’ career dissipated that day in 1993. Yes, 1993. This contentious debate has raged in the NFL for over thirty years. Yet, the NFL ownership will not mandate a grass-only policy. If the players’ union maintained any semblance of worth, they would’ve used this as a negotiating point in the last CBA.

Seattle Emerges

When the Seattle Seahawks sent Russell Wilson to cook up Rocky Mountain awfulness, many wrote the eulogy for Seattle. Instead of listening to the naysayers, General Manager John Schneider went to work. The Seahawks enjoyed a draft that continues to pay early dividends. Tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas anchor a line that clears the way for an offense that sits among the upper half of the NFL in both rushing and passing. Kenneth Walker III averages 6.1 yards a carry. Meanwhile, rookie corners Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant solidified the back end of the Seattle secondary. Woolen’s four interceptions lead the league, as does Bryant’s four forced fumbles. More importantly, Geno Smith brought a sense of calm to the quarterback position. Yes, Geno Smith, completes 73.5 percent of passes. The offense scores twenty-six points per game. Furthermore, the Seahawks own Denver’s first, second, and third-round selections in the 2023 NFL Draft. Under those circumstances, Denver’s ineptitude will benefit them in the immediate future.

Don’t Buy That House

If you buy into speculation, the thought of Denver Broncos Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett receiving his pink slip before the end of the season feels rather on point. Despite employing talent all over the field, the Broncos enter this week dead last in offense and defense. Russell Wilson declined rapidly, completing just 58 percent of his throws. When Denver signed Russell Wilson, they should use the same pen to let Hackett go. However, the fault for that albatross of a contract rests with management. Until after the 2026 season, Denver cannot move Wilson, without incurring a minimum of a thirty-million-dollar dead cap hit. The team looks lifeless and uninspired.