NFL Trade Deadline: Tuesday Was a Huge Day for Two Super Bowl Contenders
Via Cooper Neill/Getty Images. Pictured: Chase Young #99 of the Washington Commanders runs out of the tunnel prior to an NFL game against the Chicago Bears at FedEx Field on October 5, 2023 in Landover, Maryland.
The NFL Trade Deadline came and went Tuesday without any huge blockbuster trades, with the NBA's James Harden trade instead stealing the headlines.
None of the marquee names were moved. Davante Adams, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, DeAndre Hopkins, Jerry Jeudy, Patrick Surtain II, Brian Burns and other big names kept the same jerseys.
But two teams did make moves that could shape the title landscape, even if they were not the splashiest names on the market: the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills.
The 49ers were one of two teams to trade for a star Washington edge rusher as they traded a third-round pick for former No. 2 overall pick, Chase Young. The Bills made a smaller move by adding veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas by trading a draft pick that could be as high as the third round or as low as the fifth round.
The Bills and 49ers entered the season among the top-five Super Bowl favorites and looked the part early, but both have been sliding since. On the morning of the Trade Deadline, I published our Week 9 Power Rankings and had the 49ers and Bills 10th and 11th, respectively.
Both teams have lost three games already and are faltering badly as the season hits its midpoint.
However, these trades are exactly what each team needed to get the season on the right track.
Rasul Douglas Restabilizes Buffalo's Cornerback Room
The Bills defense has cratered with major injuries to linebacker Matt Milano, cornerback Tre'Davious White and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. As a result, Buffalo dropped from sixth to 14th in Defensive DVOA this week alone.
Douglas doesn't solve all of those problems, but he's a perennial top-25 corner and effectively replaces the injured White as a starting outside corner. That enables the rest of Buffalo's cornerback room to move down a slot in the pecking order and play in a more comfortable role.
Christian Benford has been outstanding and will play opposite Douglas, Taron Johnson has been fantastic in the slot, and Dane Jackson and Kaiir Elam are better in smaller roles. Add in veterans Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer at safety, and Buffalo may once again have the best secondary in the league.
Throw in A.J. Epenesa, Greg Rousseau and Von Miller rushing the passer, and the Bills should once again have one of the best passing defenses in the league.
Milano is still a significant schematic loss, and the run defense needs work, but Buffalo has built its roster to maximize passing both on offense and defense because that's what wins at the highest level.
The Bills will have to face names like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence and Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. Adding Douglas restabilizes the secondary and bumps this defense from fringe top 10 to sliding back to top-five status, keeping Buffalo in the Super Bowl mix.
Chase Young: Playmaker Capable of Putting the 49ers Defense Over the Top
The 49ers can't blame their recent defensive collapse on injuries, and that might be even more concerning. San Francisco got lit up by Kirk Cousins and Joe Burrow in back-to-back games as each quarterback had his best game of the season against what was supposed to be an elite defense.
The 49ers defense is unconventional. Its stars are up the middle at linebacker and safety, positions other teams eschew, and the roster is weak at cornerback. It also has one superstar edge rusher in Nick Bosa but little help on outside other than him.
That's where Chase Young comes in.
Young can be inconsistent as a run defender, but he's an electric pass rusher, and he'll see a lot of one-on-one matchups in San Francisco. When he doesn't, that will likely mean better opportunities for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Bosa, on the other side.
Look no further than the Browns' defense exploding after adding Za'Darius Smith opposite Myles Garrett. That's what having two elite edge rushers can mean, especially with Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead wreaking havoc up the middle.
Young could also get the Kris Kocurek bump. The long-time San Francisco defensive line coach has long been known to bring out the best in reclamation projects, and he could do wonders to unlock Young's talent opposite Bosa.
Young doesn't fix the weak cornerback room, but he does help. It's far easier for corners to defend when they don't have to do so as long because the opposing quarterback is scrambling around or getting hit.
For a 49ers defense that was starting to get exposed against the pass, Young might be the perfect magic elixir. He has the potential to put this defense over the top, a la Von Miller in the Rams' Super Bowl season.
As a secondary edge rusher, Young doesn't have to be great on every down — he just has to have the talent to make a couple transformative plays a game. He can do that.
When Tuesday began, I was selling 49ers and Bills stock with defenses trending in the wrong direction.
Rasul Douglas and Chase Young are exactly what Buffalo and San Francisco needed to get their defenses back on track. Their additions take both defenses from fringe top 10 back to top-five potential and keep both teams firmly in the mix among the Super Bowl favorites.
The 49ers and Bills aren't going anywhere.
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