Why NFL trade deadline evolved from afterthought to hectic: In-season transaction boom is league’s new normal

Less than a decade ago, it was common for the NFL to feature single-digit trades during the course of the regular season. The trade deadline was generally a snoozer in comparison to that of the other major American professional sports leagues, and the number of moves made at the buzzer could often be counted on one hand. That could not be further from the case anymore.

Twenty-four hours out from the 2026 trade deadline, there were 10 in-season trades in the books. That number will balloon in the final hours before the clock strikes 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 10. Star players could be on the move as Super Bowl contenders gear up for the stretch run and teams falling out of contention seek to jumpstart their rebuilds with premium draft capital. Basketball and baseball fans are used to seeing this flurry of transactions, but it is still relatively new to football fans. Just like in the other leagues, though, this boom is becoming the NFL's new normal.

Last year, there were 22 trades from the first day of the regular season through the deadline. That was the most in any year since at least 1995, according to NFL Research.

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