Cover 32: What every team should do at NFL trade deadline, plus game balls and gaffes from Week 9

There was an elephant in the room during Week 9: the 2026 NFL trade deadline.

Was it just me, or did Tuesday's deadline loom over everything? With each development, it felt as if it crystallized whether or not a team should buy, sell, or hold at the deadline. Moreover, it was hard not to watch these games through the lens of which players could be dealt and playing on a new squad by this time next week. That's what makes this weekend — the week before the trade deadline — so fascinating.

There's an odd finality that takes over as there are no more games to further analyze a team for what they need or should sell off. Now, it's all in the hands of the front office to either improve themselves for the stretch run or potentially move an expendable piece to help themselves down the line.

As we wrap up Week 9 and barrel towards the deadline, now is as good a time as ever to give some snap impressions on every team in the NFL and how I think they should operate before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

How Game Balls work: Six are awarded to standout…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/