In the wake of the NFL trade deadline, we're getting a clear sense of which teams are in playoff contention, which teams aren't, and who is rebuilding for the future by selling off players and hoping for losses that will become better draft positioning.
Welcome to draft season.
Week 9 is the turning point in the NFL calendar. By now, most teams are already preparing for January—whether that's a playoff run or scouting trips to the Senior Bowl with an eye on the upcoming free-agency and draft periods.
It's also when draft season officially kicks off for many fanbases.