SI:AM | The NFL Trade Deadline Is Here

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. Just a quick note that there will be no SI:AM tomorrow in observance of Veterans Day.

In today’s SI:AM:
🏈 Jags ready for playoff push
😬 Carson Wentz’s ugly night
🥊 50 years of Rocky

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Hours to go before the deadline

The NFL trade market has been pretty quiet so far. Except in Jacksonville. The Jaguars made three deals yesterday to solidify their defense ahead of today’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. Which other teams might join the Jags as buyers at the deadline? Here’s what to know about the deals that have been executed and the ones that could be on the horizon.

Jags load up on D

The Jaguars are betting big that this could be the year they finally reach their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

All three players they acquired yesterday line up on defense: Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis, Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and Falcons safety Jessie Bates III. Jacksonville gave up a 2027 first-round pick, second-rounders in ’27 and ’29 and its fifth- and sixth-round picks in ’28. (The sixth-round pick can become a ’27 sixth-rounder if certain conditions are met.)

The Davis trade was the most notable of the three. He’s been an excellent and reliable part of the Eagles’ defense since he was drafted with the 13th pick in 2022. He’s started 60 straight games dating back to the start of the 2023 season. Harrison Phillips and Kenny Clark are the only other defensive linemen in the league who have done that.

Trading for Davis fills a need for the Jags after defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton went down with a season-ending injury in Week 8. Jacksonville allowed a season-worst 5.1 yards per rush in its Week 9 win over the Ravens.

The Eagles are now loaded with draft picks after trading Davis, A.J. Brown and Cam Jurgens. Philadelphia has two first-round picks in next year’s draft, two firsts and two seconds in 2028 and two seconds in ’29.

Where will Jonathan Taylor go?

Jonathan Taylor leaves the field — Jonathan Taylor has likely played his final game for the Colts. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor knows he won’t be a Colt for long.

Taylor has been the subject of more trade rumors than any other player at this year’s deadline and delivered a farewell message to Colts fans while speaking with reporters in the locker room after Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that Indianapolis is expected to trade Taylor and “will take the best offer that’s on the table” rather than hold out for some Goldilocks offer.

Taylor, 27, led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns last year and played all 17 games for the first time since 2021. The Giants, Broncos and Vikings are among the teams that have been linked to Taylor. Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Giants offered second- and fifth-round picks for Taylor, but New York coach John Harbaugh said Sunday that the offer was no longer on the table.

Will the Vikings add a QB?

Monday night’s loss to the Bills was a painful reminder of how horrendous Minnesota’s quarterback situation is.

Kyler Murray missed the game with a hamstring injury, and his short-term status is highly questionable. Hamstring injuries are tricky, and there’s a possibility that even after Murray is cleared to return, he could aggravate the injury and be sidelined again.

No matter how many more games Murray misses, Minnesota can’t afford to have Carson Wentz starting in his place. Wentz was horrific last night. He completed eight of his 25 pass attempts for 81 yards and also threw two picks. It’s worth mentioning that the Bills have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, and Wentz still couldn’t move the ball.

The Vikings don’t need an All-Pro at quarterback to win the Super Bowl. They have the best defense in the NFL. They just need to maintain possession long enough to let their defense get a breather and score enough points to grind out a win. But that’s not going to happen with Wentz under center.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, there’s no slam-dunk option on the quarterback trade market. The Colts might want to deal Daniel Jones as part of their fire sale. The winless Chargers could be persuaded to part with Justin Herbert. The Raiders might be ready to hand the keys to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza and facilitate a Minnesota reunion with Kirk Cousins. The Commanders may let backup Marcus Mariota go now that Jayden Daniels is healthy. All those options have drawbacks, but they’re better than allowing Wentz to tank a promising season.

The best of Sports Illustrated

Why Rocky Matters 50 Years Later SI Cover — Photo illustration by SI Imaging; SIPA USA/AP (left); Moviestore/Shutterstock (right)

Chris Nashawaty: Fifty Years of Fight: How the Making of ‘Rocky’ Was the Ultimate Underdog Story
Conor Orr: In a World of NFL Scaredy-Cats, Be a Jaguar
Matt Verderame: Carson Wentz Was So Bad Monday, It Might Actually Be Good for the Vikings
Conor Orr: Week 10 NFL Power Rankings: Bears Proving They're the NFC's Best
Tom Verducci: Why Slugging Disappeared in the MLB Playoffs
Pat Forde: Heisman Trophy Voters Could Make a Familiar Mistake
Pat Forde: Six College Football Playoff Scenarios for the Stretch Run
Pat Forde: Four Big Ten Coordinators Have Been Fired. But Are They to Blame?
Ryan Phillips: Kevin McGonigle’s Historic Rookie Season Is Just the Beginning
Karl Rasmussen: Sal Stewart Is the Runaway Favorite to Win NL Rookie of the Year. But He Shouldn’t Be.

The top five…

Minnesota's Bobby Durkin celebrates — Minnesota’s Bobby Durkin hit a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Golden Gophers a win over Cincinnati. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

… things I saw last night:
5. Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov’s sliding save in overtime. San Jose went on to beat the Islanders in a shootout.
4. Victor Wembanyama’s finger roll from beyond the free throw line.
3. Byron Murphy’s wheels to pick off a Josh Allen pass in the end zone.
2. NAIA Georgia Gwinnett College’s defensive stand to close out a win over Division I Alabama State. GGC opened in 2006 and only started playing basketball last season.
1. Bobby Durkin’s buzzer beater to lift Minnesota over Cincinnati.

📺 What we’re watching today …

NBA

Celtics at 76ers, 8 p.m. ET, NBC
It’s the first meeting between former teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum since Brown was traded from Boston to Philadelphia.
Thunder at Trail Blazers, 11 p.m. ET, NBC
Oklahoma City went 3–1 against Portland last season and has won 19 of the past 20 meetings.

Men’s college basketball

No. 1 Florida at Florida State, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 2 Duke in Chicago, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
No. 3 Illinois at No. 16 Texas Tech, 8 p.m. ET, Peacock
No. 15 Kansas vs. No. 24 Kentucky in Chicago, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

NHL

Red Wings at Blues, 8 p.m. ET, TNT

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