Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (15) makes a diving catch against the Chicago Bears during the third quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

NFL Trade Deadline: Cowboys acquire WR Jonathan Mingo from Panthers

Edge rusher Za’Darius Smith is back in the NFC North, acquired by the conference-leading Detroit Lions from the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday for a fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft and a sixth-round pick in 2026.

Pushing for a pass rusher since losing Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg, the Lions landed Smith and also receive a seventh-round pick in 2026.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Smith has five sacks this season playing opposite Myles Garrett in Cleveland.

He has 65 career sacks, 321 tackles and 10 forced fumbles in 132 career games (89 starts) with the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Browns.

–Bengals bolster RB room, trade for Bears’ Khalil Herbert
Displaced by the arrival of free agent D’Andre Swift at the start of the 2024 season, Khalil Herbert could step into an immediate role in the Bengals’ backfield after Cincinnati traded a seventh-round pick to acquire the 26-year-old.

Herbert provides depth in the Bengals’ backfield with Zack Moss dealing with a neck injury and deemed out indefinitely by head coach Zac Taylor on Monday.

Herbert had eight carries for 16 yards and a touchdown with the Bears this season. He has rushed for 1,791 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 45 catches for 291 yards and two scores in 48 career games (12 starts) with the Bears.

–Cowboys deal fourth-round pick for Panthers WR Jonathan Mingo
Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Adding Mingo, 23, gives backup quarterback Cooper Rush another big, talented target as he steps in for injured starter Dak Prescott. As part of the announced trade, Dallas also nets a seventh-round pick in 2025.

Mingo started 14 games as a rookie last season. The emergence of rookie first-round pick Xavier Legette and undrafted free agent Jalen Coker pushed Mingo down the depth chart in 2024.

Rebuilding Carolina traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson and a 2025 sixth-rounder to the Ravens last week in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2025.

Drafted 39th overall by the Panthers in the 2023 NFL Draft, Mingo caught 43 passes as a rookie and has 12 receptions this season. During the 2023 draft, Mingo was a receiver the Cowboys “really liked,” according to owner Jerry Jones. Dallas used its second-round pick, 19 spots after Mingo went off the board, to select Michigan tight end Luke Schoonmaker.

–Trades completed prior to Tuesday
Early action from the Kansas City Chiefs to bolster their injury-dinged offense and pass rush brought in Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick, and edge Josh Uche from the New England Patriots for a sixth-round pick 2026.

Hopkins caught two touchdown passes from Patrick Mahomes in Monday’s 30-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helping the Chiefs improve to 8-0.

–Field Level Media

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley talks to Lions legend Barry Sanders after the joint practice at Detroit Lions headquarters and training facility in Allen Park on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

Proposing 5 NFL deadline deals: RBs Henry, Barkley on the move

With six weeks in the books, most teams are more than one-third of their way through the 17-game regular season schedule with two weeks left to evaluate their direction before the Oct. 31 trade deadline.

The 2022 trade deadline was very active by NFL standards, and big names weren’t off limits.

Running back Christian McCaffrey was dealt to the San Francisco 49ers from the Carolina Panthers, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb landed with the Miami Dolphins from the Denver Broncos, and the Chicago Bears traded defensive end Robert Quinn (Philadelphia Eagles) and linebacker Roquan Smith (Baltimore Ravens).

There are a handful of teams distanced from playoff contention already, and the picture separating contenders from the pack should only be clearer after Week 8, which is the springboard in the schedule into the NFL deadline on Halloween.

Here are five trades contenders should consider before Oct. 31:

–Washington Commanders DE Chase Young to the Dolphins: It’s a contract year for Young, the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he’d be a perfect piece for Vic Fangio to pair with Chubb to hike up the heat on opposing quarterbacks already pressed to keep pace with the high-scoring Dolphins. Washington gets needed draft, and Young has a chance for a career relaunch after largely being unavailable to the Commanders.

–New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas to the Chiefs: Thomas has 31 receptions this season and would give Kansas City needed options beyond Travis Kelce and rising rookie Rashee Rice. The meat of his contract is gone this season, making it easier for the Chiefs to pay him — or move on — before his age 31 season in 2024. Only $3.74 million is guaranteed in a the form of a 2024 roster bonus.

–Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy to the Eagles: Jeudy has only the fifth-year option bonus season of 2024 remaining on his contract, a palatable deal for almost any team to absorb with some cap gymnastics. The Eagles are being stonewalled by teams challenging Jalen Hurts to make more plays with his arm. Jeudy and Hurts were teammates at Alabama.

–Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry to the Bills: Improved run-pass balance is evident in Buffalo, where James Cook is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and leading the Bills in rushing. But he has just 75 carries and has never been a featured back late in the season. There are no such concerns with Henry, a veritable plowhorse who could wreck the competition in the AFC down the stretch by forcing defenses to play a light box or take their chances one-on-one with WR Stefon Diggs.

–New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley to the Lions: David Montgomery (ribs) is hurt and out possibly until after the deadline, and rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring) is just returning from an injury with no real sign he’s ready to carry the load in Detroit. Barkley would bring a dynamic presence to the backfield, including skill as a receiver, while a timeshare role might be just what Barkley needs to fend off his own health history woes.

–Field Level Media