Tuesday was the NFL trade deadline and many thought there would be plenty of moves in the league, especially in the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots were expected to be buyers, trying to solidify their roster for a push into the postseason. Meanwhile, the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins had a chance to be sellers—the feeling being that the teams are looking ahead to next season. At the end of the day, there was some chatter but nothing really happened in the division.
The Bills didn’t make a peep after being linked to Melvin Gordon, but by all indications talks never even started. Some fans are unhappy because they wanted the team to go after a guy like A.J. Green or just someone in general, but it should be of no surprise that general manager Brandon Beane decided to keep his draft picks in his pocket.
New England was also quiet but perhaps only because they made their move before Tuesday in acquiring receiver Mohamed Sanu. Sanu should improve a beat-up receiver core for the Patriots but it may take some time for him to get acclimated. In his debut against the Cleveland Browns, he caught two passes for 23 yards. As the only undefeated team left in the AFC, the Patriots didn’t need to make a move but many still expected a flashy move to be made. They were also said to be interested in adding a tight end.
Down in New Jersey, the Jets had an interesting day when there were reports that almost everyone on the team was eligible to be traded. That even meant Le’Veon Bell and Jamal Adams—widely considered the two best players on the team. At the end of the day nothing gained steam but it may cause unrest in the locker room. Adams took to Twitter later in the day to say he told the team last week he wanted to stay but then the GM went behind his back and took trade calls. Good luck to the Jets.
Lastly, there was Miami who was looking to acquire some assets for next season. They acquired Aqib Talib and a draft pick in a move that the Los Angles Rams made to relieve some cap space. The Dolphins can now look forward to the bulk of draft picks they possess going forward.