A couple of weeks ago, the _Sunday Splash!_ reports went something like this: “There have been some trades. There could be more.”
Thanks, Mr. Wizard.
The annual period for NFL trades, which opened in March, closes in only nine days. Two weekends of games will be played before the window slams shut. That gives most teams two more chances to win, lose, or tie games.
Those outcomes could have a massive impact on whether a potential buyer decides to stand pat, whether a potential seller decides to stay the course, or whether a team that is currently neither buyer nor seller skews in either direction.
Look at the Thursday night game, for example. With the Chargers re-establishing themselves in a 37-10 rout of the Vikings, L.A. could be looking for help at areas of need, especially if/when they beat the Titans next weekend and run their record to 6-3. The Vikings, in turn, are far more likely to be doing nothing — or perhaps to even consider moving contracts that otherwise are expiring after the season or likely to be terminated, especially if/when they lose badly to the Lions next Sunday.
That same dynamic will apply to plenty of teams. Win two, and maybe they look for someone to acquire. Lose two, and maybe they scour the roster for someone to parlay into future picks.
Some would say the post-Week 9 deadline arrives too early. Some would say there should be no deadline at all, that teams should be able to make trades as late into the regular season as they choose.
Regardless, all teams have to make their decisions based on nine weeks of action, and either eight or nine total games played. That makes the next two weekends critical to the final decisions that wil made as the clock approaches midnight at 4:00 p.m. ET on November 4.
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