The NFC North’s trade deadline story ended up split four different ways, and only one of those teams walked away with a new quarterback.
The Green Bay Packers, despite sitting at 6-3 and riding some real momentum after Sunday’s 45-27 win over the New England Patriots, chose not to make a move before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
That leaves Green Bay with the roster it has now, even though there were obvious places to look if the front office wanted to add help. Running back and the interior offensive line both stood out as possible areas to address, but the Packers stayed put.
That decision doesn’t mean the outlook is bleak. Jordan Love has been playing at an NFL MVP level lately, and he’s doing it without a dominant rushing attack or a fully healthy offensive line.
Green Bay also expects superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons back in the coming weeks, with Thanksgiving Eve against the Los Angeles Rams circled as the target date. Still, for fans hoping for a deadline splash, nothing materialized.
Minnesota, meanwhile, was forced into action after its quarterback situation unraveled fast. Carson Wentz struggled Monday against the Buffalo Bills while filling in for an injured Kyler Murray, and the Vikings had less than a day to find a solution. Their answer was a familiar one: they traded for former starter Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders, sending their 2027 third-round pick the other way.
It’s a costly move, but one that speaks to how badly Minnesota needed stability under center. The Vikings have seen quarterback choices go sideways before, with former passers like Sam Darnold and J.J.
McCarthy finding success elsewhere. Now they’ve paid significant draft capital to bring Cousins back for the rest of the season.
If he’s on the field Sunday afternoon, the Packers may be the first team to greet him. After what Green Bay just did to Drake Maye, that matchup could get uncomfortable in a hurry.
Chicago made the loudest move in the division before the deadline even arrived. Earlier this month, the Bears sent their 2027 and 2028 first-round picks, plus a 2027 fourth-rounder, to the Tennessee Titans for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
Through two games, the results have already been obvious: 10 combined tackles, including six solo stops, three tackles for loss, two sacks, two quarterback hits, and two passes defended. Simmons has looked like the disruptive force Chicago expected, and the Packers haven’t faced him yet since the trade.
Detroit’s move came in quieter fashion, but it addressed a real need. The Lions landed safety Andre Cisco from the New York Jets on Monday, giving up only a 2028 sixth-round pick.
Cisco played nine games for New York this season and posted 23 combined tackles, two quarterback hits, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. In coverage, he allowed six catches for 57 yards on 12 targets, according to Pro Football Reference.
The Lions needed help in the secondary, and they got it. Their pass defense has been allowing a league-high 260.9 passing yards per game, so Cisco isn’t a cure-all, but Detroit clearly felt it had to do something to shore up the back end as the season moves into its second half.
In Other News...
Packers Still Hunting For O-Line Help As Deadline Intrigue Builds
As the trade deadline approached, the Packers kept doing their homework on offensive line help, checking in with the Colts about Matt Goncalves on Nov. 9. Green Bays interest makes sense for a team still looking at ways to shore up the front, and Goncalves ability to work at both guard and tackle is the kind of flexibility that tends to draw attention this time of year.
Indianapolis, though, does not appear inclined to part with him. League sources do not expect the Colts to move Goncalves, which leaves Green Bay still scanning the market as the deadline clock keeps ticking and the search for protection help continues. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Face Their Biggest NFC North Test Yet Against Minnesota
The next step in the Packers push in the NFC North comes with a familiar kind of pressure, a divisional game against Minnesota that carries real weight in the standings. Green Bay has leaned on Jordan Love and a team that has looked better on both sides of the ball, and now gets another chance to measure itself against a rival with the same goals in mind: the division lead and a playoff berth.
Minnesotas quarterback situation adds another layer to the matchup, with Kirk Cousins back in the fold and operating as the steady center of the Vikings offense. For Green Bay, the challenge is less about the calendar and more about proving the first meeting was not the final word on this rivalry, because this one could shape the race in the NFC North for weeks to come. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Face A Much Tougher Vikings Test At Worst Time
The Vikings have suddenly made their next NFC North matchup a lot more complicated by bringing Kirk Cousins back into the picture. Minnesotas offense now has a quarterback who knows the system and the key players around him, which changes the feel of a division race that was already tight enough without another proven veteran entering the mix.
For Green Bay, the timing could hardly be worse. A trip to face a familiar rival is one thing, but preparing for a quarterback with that level of comfort in the offense adds a different kind of pressure, especially with the standings still so unsettled. The Packers will spend the week adjusting to a version of Minnesota that looks far less predictable than it did just a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]