I grade the 9 trades that have happened so far this PML cycle, all of these trades have been completed in game as well except for the last one which is expected to happen after Sunday night’s advance. These are my opinions in terms of team-building and value.
Trade 1
New Orleans Saints send RT Ryan Ramczyk (89 overall, 29 years old, star dev, 4 years left on contract)
New York Jets send DT John Franklin-Meyers (85 overall, 26 years old, star dev, 3 years left on contract) + 2024 3rd round pick (currently projected 77th overall)
The Jets upgraded their RT by 14 overall, downgraded their DT by 9 overall
The Saints upgraded their DT by 13 overall, downgraded their RT by 16 overall
Jets Grade: A, they upgraded a key position of need in RT to protect Aaron Rodgers while still having a strong defensive line as Quinnen Williams remains to hold down the defensive interior. They did take on a long contract for a 29 year old who may regress more heavily than expected because of PML’s new larger regression but a 3rd round pick and your DT2 for a franchise tackle still looks really good
Saints Grade: B-, The offense isn’t strong as is so shipping off their highest overall offensive player may look not great, but the offensive line is still rolling out all players in the range of 73-80 so it isn’t terrible and the defensive line buff is a big help as Cameron Jordan is nearing retirement and the other guys are unproven rookies. The 3rd round pick is a good get as well for a team with not a lot of draft capital but is it enough to make up the loss on the offensive line?
Trade 2
Denver Broncos send FS Justin Simmons (92 ovr, 29 years old, superstar dev, 2 years left on contract)
New York Giants send 2024 2nd round pick (currently projected 42nd)
The Broncos downgraded their FS by 21 overall
The Giants upgraded their FS by 12 overall
Broncos Grade: A-, Maybe it’s just me but I am afraid of this regression coming every season and I just don’t see these guys who are 29 as viable options, especially for a team like the Giants who aren’t looking like season 1 contenders to give up an early 2nd round pick seems like a great deal for the Broncos. My only knock is that I know DK wants to compete now and his secondary takes a big hit with this trade
Giants Grade: B, It’s a huge upgrade not only in overall but in speed in the secondary so I understand why it was done and that’s why although I think Simmons will regress, I don’t hate the trade. He’s keeping his first rounder and trusting that he can win some games this year. 2 years left on Simmons deal means he also can get him for the cycle for cheaper if he regresses and regressing from a 92 should still be viable for most of the cycle.
Trade 3
Detroit Lions send DT Alim McNeil (72 overall, 23 years old, normal dev, 2 years left on contract)
New York Giants send DT Leonard Williams (85 overall, 29 years old, star dev, 1 year left on contract)
The Lions upgraded their DT by 13 overall
The Giants downgraded their DT by 13 overall
Lions Grade: C+, Getting 13 overall points at an important position is nothing to knock but he’s on an expiring contract, he’s getting old, and the Lions are not competing this year. The NFC North is stacked and the Lions best offensive player, Jameson Williams, is out for half the season. I think Fallen can do something here but not this season and that’s why I don’t love this trade. On the other hand, a normal dev 72 overall DT despite him being young is a great price for Williams.
Giants Grade: B-, I like shipping off an aging DT on an expiring contract when you have a strong defensive line but theres two things that lower this trade’s grade. First, It contradicts the Simmons trade of building a team to compete this year instead of building for the future. Second, McNeil is good but the return could have definitely been better. He is a normal dev DT with only 2 years left on his contract, you could get a better player with a 3rd round pick that Williams could have brought in.
Trade 4
New York Jets send QB Zach Wilson (69 overall, 24 years old, normal dev, 2 years left on contract)
Pittsburgh Steelers send 2024 3rd round pick (currently projected 72nd overall)
The Jets downgraded their backup QB by 3 overall
The Steelers downgraded their QB by 6 overall or upgraded their backup QB by 2 overall
Jets Grade: A+, I mean does it get better than this for trades that would get approved. Shipping off a bad quarterback who you have no intention of starting ever for a early to mid 3rd rounder is absurdly good. These draft classes can be deep and with 4 seasons to develop whoevers taken, you can make a true superstar out of the pick that just caught your backup QB you wouldn’t re-sign anyway. The pick could miss horrendously and it would still turn into a depth piece for the cycle that would be worth more in value than Zach Wilson.
Steelers Grade: F-, Is the throw power really worth normal dev and a drop in overall? Gave up premium draft capital in a top 100 pick for a guy who won’t move the needle and I can almost guarantee he won’t be the Steeler’s starter at QB for more than a season and a half. There was no need for this trade unless you could have traded a 5th or less which I’d still say isn’t worth it. Wilson isn’t the guy and if you plan on re-signing him, I bet he still costs a decent price tag.
Trade 5
New England Patriots send DT Christian Barmore (76 overall, 24 years old, star dev, 2 years left on contract) + 2024 6th rounder (currently projected 177th overall)
Los Angeles Chargers send 2024 2nd rounder (currently projected 62nd overall)
The Patriots downgraded their DT by 1 overall
The Chargers upgraded their DT by 12 overall
Patriots Grade: C, They don’t have the strongest defensive interior so I don’t love shipping off Barmore but it isn’t leaving them weak at the starting spot. I dislike the lack of depth now at the DT position. On the other hand, I think a late second is fair and good compensation. This falls to a C because they shouldn’t have given up any capital in return and while a 6th rounder seems insignificant, every first draft pick is a free swing for the cycle.
Chargers Grade: A-, They’re one of the last undefeated teams left this season so a late second round pick is a good trade for a young star DT who’s already starter ready. He can boost this interior by a lot and for the rest of the cycle with some AR. In addition, I love getting a pick back. It may be a huge drop off, but these picks are important and you can find diamonds in the rough.
Trade 6
New Orleans Saints send SS Marcus Maye (83 overall, 30 years old, star dev, 2 years left on contract)
Denver Broncos send SS Caden Sterns (73 overall, 23 years old, normal dev, 2 years left on contract) + 2024 4th round pick (currently projected 109th overall)
The Saints downgraded their SS by 10 overall
The Broncos upgraded their SS by 10 overall
Saints Grade: B, They got 7 years younger at a position that would have probably regressed big time this offseason, and with not a lot of capital both in the draft and spending money, I now have a guy I can trust at that position for the rest of the cycle. A 4th round pick also helps and can be used in any way to help make this team younger and better for the cycle. But as a team competing this year, a 10 overall drop at a starting position isn’t great. Maye and Sterns will be up for extensions at the same time, that’s when you can really see who won.
Broncos Grade: B-, They wanted to boost their secondary and get a Sub linebacker so they went out and got one for a fair price. My biggest knock here is that Maye might die this offseason and even if he doesn’t, he definitely won’t last past season two. Sterns and the 4th round pick will last the whole cycle so even if they don’t develop into huge hits. That’s two 5 year pieces for one safety for two years at best. Could’ve been worse, but could’ve been better.
Trade 7
New England Patriots send LOLB Josh Uche (81 overall, 24 years old, star dev, 1 year left on contract)
Arizona Cardinals send 2024 3rd round pick (currently projected 66th overall) + 2024 3rd round pick (currently projected 70th overall)
The Patriots downgraded their backup OLB by 4 overall
The Cardinals upgraded their LOLB by 5 overall
Patriots Grade: A+, Depth is always great but Uche is on an expiring contract and the Patriots cash in on all that value getting two quality top-100 picks in the early to mid third round. This doesn’t affect their starting lineup and they save the money from not re-signing Uche as well as those picks that should be good players that can develop well and they’ll be on rookie deals for the whole cycle. An excellent move that makes this team better for the future without sacrificing current play.
Cardinals Grade: C+, This is being written pre dev game but I see why Uche looks good and the thought behind this trade but two early-mid third round picks is just so valuable in my opinion, especially in the first offseason’s draft. Edge rusher is a big need so Uche should be able to come help and he’ll last the whole cycle and develop well, but he should demand a big extension this season and the Cardinals have big contracts so it’ll make the cap situation tight.
Trade 8
New England Patriots send CB Marcus Jones (76 overall, 24 years old, star dev, 3 years left on contract)
Houston Texans send 2024 2nd round pick (currently projected 64th overall)
The Patriots downgraded their CB3 by 2 overall
The Texans had downgraded their CB3 by 2 overall or upgraded their CB4 by 4 overall
Patriots Grade: B+, The Patriots have a deep CB room with tons of speed and youth so I like sending Jones here despite him being a young star on a rookie contract. My only slight problem is that they are competing this year so I would have liked for them to develop the other guys they’d keep before trading off Jones. The return is great though even if the Texans win the super bowl. Whatever position they draft at that spot can be a day 1 starter and although he may never pass Jones in overall since Ke is great at upgrading people, he probably will surpass Jones in value if the pick is used well.
Texans Grade: C-, Defensive back depth is very important so my knock isn’t on getting a young and fast solid corner. My knock is him being 5’8 as even in a Madden where the jump ball isn’t great he will get out muscled by bigger receivers on every route he isn’t a step ahead on. But the biggest reason I have it graded as a C- is giving up a 2nd rounder. I don’t care that it’s a very late second rounder, you can find superstars there with just as much speed or more. The Texans DB room would have been good enough to get through this season and then build in the draft.
Trade 9
Los Angeles Chargers send MLB Kenneth Murray Jr (74 overall, 24 years old, star dev, 1 year left on contract)
Jacksonville Jaguars send 2024 3rd round pick (currently projected 72nd) + 2024 7th round pick (currently projected 200th)
The Chargers downgraded their MLB2 by 3 overall
The Jaguars upgraded their MLB2 by 7 overall
Chargers Grade: B+, They had no intention of re-signing Murray from the beginning as they consistently shopped him so any trade is a positive and I like what they got back. I do think that the 3rd round pick will be closer to the middle than early which it currently is but adding a 7th makes up for that. The theme through all my grades is that these picks are players that will last for the cycle so I like picking up any of them. Murray’s replacement is 23 and just as fast and normal dev isn’t that much of a knock as I’m sure he’ll get AR. In a perfect world, you get a 2nd but this is a good trade for the Chargers.
Jaguars Grade: B+, A true win win as although I value the picks they gave up a lot and I don’t like giving up two picks for a player that still needs to develop, Murray is star dev and the second pick was just a 7th. I think they’ll start winning more games but that 3rd will stay a good pick but Murray will be re-signed and last the whole cycle as a good user and in general inside linebacker as Foye ages out.
