Before delving into a notable trade that did happen, let’s examine why the NFL trade deadline has never created the same buzz and fan interest as the deadlines in baseball and basketball.
Game of Schemes
While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, the majority of players acquired in NFL trades do not produce, for the same reason that the majority of NFL free agents don’t: the schematic nature of the game (West Coast offense, 4-3 and 3-4 defenses, Cover 2, press coverage, two-gap, wide-nine, etc.). Football is 11 interdependent parts playing in concert, a sport in which even league MVPs play barely half the game.