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The NFL trade deadline is less than 24 hours away, so it's now or never for NFL teams to make drastic roster changes. It's also now or never for teams leading their respective divisions to patch holes that could prevent them from winning a Super Bowl.
With that being said, here's one trade every division leader entering Week 10 should make on deadline day, along with what it might take to get said deal done.
The Buffalo Bills have scored 30+ points in five of their seven games and 24+ points in every one of their games, yet five of their seven games have still been decided by one score. This goes to show just how bad their defense has been — and their pass defense, in particular, has been dreadful, as evidenced by the 254.7 passing yards per game they've allowed (third-most in the NFL). Budda Baker is the name most connected to the Bills, but not only would he cost more in terms of money and compensation, I'm not sure he'd fit Buffalo better than Amani Hooker.
Hooker isn't as big a name as Baker, but he's had an outstanding year for the Tennessee Titans, recording five interceptions in seven games, three of which came against Joe Burrow in Week 8. For reference, the Bills have just four interceptions as a team through seven games. Reports suggest the Tennessee Titans have no desire to trade Hooker, who is under contract through 2028, but if the Bills get aggressive, they may be able to pry him from Tennessee. The Titans did trade Jeffery Simmons, after all.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver depth chart is an issue once again, as it's been for too long now. Michael Pittman Jr. is on IR and Roman Wilson is also hurt, so the Steelers' options at receiver are the maddeningly inconsistent DK Metcalf and rookie Germie Bernard. Once Pittman were to return from injury, he'd slot in on the outside opposite of Metcalf, but there'd still be tons of room for a receiver like Josh Downs to make an impact from the slot.
Downs would offer the Steelers a different kind of skill set to plug into their receiver room, and at just 25 years of age, he could be a long-term fixture there. The Colts' asking price is clearly too high for anyone's liking as of now, but at the end of the day, they're 2-7, and Downs, who is on an expiring contract, has already requested a trade. If they want something for Downs, they're going to have to trade him now, and the Steelers should be as aggressive as any contender to get him.
The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired Jessie Bates III, Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis in separate deals on Monday, filling their most pressing needs in a flurry of moves. The Jags are now clear-cut Super Bowl contenders, and I honestly don't know what else they should do before deadline day to improve their roster. With that in mind, something they can do is recoup some of the draft capital lost in those trades by moving on from Brian Thomas Jr.
A contending team trading a good player in Thomas would be strange on the surface, but context matters. Thomas, a player who looked like a budding star after a 1,200-yard rookie year, had a down yseason in 2025 and has become a complete non-factor in 2026, with just one reception since Week 4. If Thomas won't impact games for Jacksonville, why hold onto him when, given what Marvin Harrison Jr. was traded for, he could help the Jags replenish at least some of what they've given up?
The Denver Broncos' defense has been elite, but their offense has been a major issue. Bo Nix has not played his best football, but let's not act like he has an amazing supporting cast around him. The Broncos have virtually no running game, which makes life much more difficult for Nix. Going from the likes of JK Dobbins, RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman to Jonathan Taylor, an undisputed top-three running back in the sport, would change things drastically.
Taylor's efficiency has been down this season, but some of that has to do with playing on a Colts team that's completely uncompetitive. There's reason to believe his play would perk up in Denver, and given how good the Broncos' defense is, why not make a big trade for a high-end skill-position player? The time for Denver to win is right now.
The New York Giants are another team that could certainly use Taylor, but given that they've reportedly pulled their offer for him, the odds of them actually landing him feel slim. But even assuming Taylor ends up elsewhere (or stays put), that doesn't mean the Giants shouldn't trade for a running back. Not only are Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. both out with injuries, but the position room as a whole has not been productive this season.
Even a back like Tony Pollard could drastically change things for the Giants. No, he isn't as talented as Taylor, and he's on an expiring contract. But Pollard has back-to-back 100+-yard and multiple-touchdown games on his ledger, and he's always been an efficient back despite not always being in the best situations. The Titans have said they have no desire to trade Pollard, but if the Giants were to pony up, a return to the NFC East would make a lot of sense.
Much like the Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings are a team carried by an elite defense with all kinds of offensive questions worth answering. Kyler Murray is far from perfect under center, but let's not act as if the skill position group he's working with is outstanding beyond Justin Jefferson. Adding another elite playmaker in Taylor would help this unit immensely.
And even with Murray under center, it feels like going all-in on a deal like this makes the most sense. The Vikings are allowing 13.3 points per game, the fewest in the NFL. This defense is so good that the offense doesn't have to be that special to win football games. Adding Taylor to the mix, making it more likely that the Vikings win the possession battle handily, would really boost their odds.
The Carolina Panthers are in a very weird spot: Despite losing three games in a row and entering the trade deadline with a 3-5 record, they still hold on to first place in the NFC South. Given their lackluster record, it's hard to make the argument that they should be making an all-in move like many others on this list, but a player like Riq Woolen would help their defense a ton.
Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson have been out for a while, and their defense, which has allowed 26 or more points in four of the last five weeks, has suffered as a result. Woolen, who has a strong track record and has had a decent year with the Philadelphia Eagles while on an expiring contract, would be a clear upgrade in the Panthers' secondary — and given his contract status, he likely wouldn't cost more than a mid-round pick.
Yes, the San Francisco 49ers could certainly use more wide receiver help, but it feels like the DeForest Buckner trade has resulted in their need for more help on their defensive line going rather unnoticed. Nick Bosa has played in just three games this season, and it's not as if Keion White and Mykel Williams provide much confidence as the next men up on the edge.
In fact, White is the only Niner with more than two sacks on the year. As a team, San Francisco has just 15 sacks this season, putting them in the bottom five of the NFL. A player like Khalil Mack would really help them. He might be 35 years old, but Mack has three sacks, six QB hits and a 71.1 PFF grade so far this season, good for 32nd out of 109 edge rushers. A Mack pairing alongside a healthy Bosa would be tough for any opposing offense to deal with, and given his age and his expiring contract status, he wouldn't cost much. The only thing that would get in the Niners' way is the Chargers' reported reluctance to move on from Mack, for reasons I cannot possibly understand.
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