Did the Buccaneers make any moves at the NFL trade deadline?
It was a massive NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, with mutiple big pieces changing hands across the league. The New York Jets went on a fire sale by dealing cornerback Sauce Gardner and tackle Quinnen Williams to the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys, respectively, and the NFC South got in on the action by trading wideout Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks.
It was a very busy day, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had some needs to address to — so did they make any moves before the 4 p,m. deadline on Tuesday?
Buccaneers stay put at the deadline
No, they did not. And if you know general manager Jason Licht, that should come as no surprise.
Licht has only ever made one in-season trade as general manager of the Bucs, and it came in 2020 when the team won the Super Bowl — he traded with the Jets to acquire defensive tackle Steve McLendon in October of that year for a sixth-round pick. The Bucs won the Super Bowl that year, but McLendon was largely signed to help replace the then-injured Vita Vea, so he wasn't an impact player as much as he was a depth player.
As such, Licht doesn't tend to make moves at the deadline, and he didn't this year, either. Head coach Todd Bowles spoke to media last Monday before the team's bye week, and he echoed a similar sentiment that Licht has always had — trades simply cost too much value when it comes to picks, which Licht thinks of very highly.
"I think the discussion is more of how much do you have to give up to get somebody that you really want? That will be the discussion more or less going forward," Bowles said. "We feel like hopefully guys can come back, but at the same time, if there is something out there that is available…Depending on whether you have to rob Peter to pay Paul, we [have] to weigh those options."
The Buccaneers had some holes at inside and outside linebacker heading into this deadline, but as it stands, they're set to stick with the players they have. They'll put them all to the test on Sunday when they face off against an excellent 7-2 Patriots team at 1 p.m.
Broncos QB Bo Nix Gives Strong Reaction After Trade Deadline Decision
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Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos reacts against the Houston Texans.
The Denver Broncos let the 2025 trade deadline come and go without getting anything done. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix offered strong thoughts about why that was. He also spoke about what it means for the team this season.
It was not as if the Broncos did not try. However, their desire fell short of what was required to make something happen.
For Nix, the decision came as little to no surprise.
Bo Nix: ‘Great’ Broncos Confident Enough to Stand Pat at Trade Deadline
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos reacts after defeating the New York Giants.
Nix fielded a question about what is says to the team that the Broncos did not go all out to add a piece. Particularly, he was asked what it says about head coach Sean Payton’s faith in the group.
Nix called it “great.”
“Obviously, if there’s a need, you want to get it,” Nix told reporters on November 4. “But we feel like we got all the pieces. And so, sometimes when something like that happens, it shakes things up. And we got something good going, and we just want to keep riding this wave and finding ways to win.”
Much of the conversation around the Broncos’ trade plans stemmed from seeking help for Nix, be it another target or protection amid injuries to their offensive line.
The Broncos attempted to bring in tight ends and explored wide receiver trades.
Their biggest addition was veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, who will have a bit role on the field and provide a locker room presence. Other than that, it is up to Nix and his current crop of pass catchers to take the necessary next steps.
Broncos WR Reacts to Trade Deadline
GettyTroy Franklin #11 of the Denver Broncos reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts.
One of Nix’s top targets, current Broncos wideout and former Oregon Ducks teammate Troy Franklin, spoke candidly about the Broncos’ lack of action at the deadline.
According to Franklin, it was not surprising based on what they had been told.
“Sean (Payton has) been telling us all year he loves our team, loves the receiver group and we don’t really need anything, so he’s kept his word,” Franklin said, per The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson in a post on X on November 4.
Payton said leading up to the deadline that the Broncos would be open to a deal. However, that was only if it provided actual value, and not just to make something happen.
Franklin “especially” did not expect a WR move, per Tomasson, but Denver explored its options.
“The Broncos did NOT make a trade before the trade deadline,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens reported on X on November 4. “From my understanding, they looked into making moves, but didn’t force anything.”
Bo Nix: Broncos Looking to ‘Improve Faster’ Than Competition
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos on the field after defeating the Houston Texans.
Nix acknowledged the Broncos’ fourth-quarter prowess has belied the difficulty of scoring. He joked that not facing a top defense like the Houston Texans in Week 9 would help. He also noted that the Broncos are far from satisfied with so much of the season left.
At 7-2, tied for the best record in the NFL, and riding a six-game winning streak is nice, but hardly their end goal.
Their main focus is continuing to improve.
“We have so many things that we want to correct. And we feel like we haven’t even played a complete game offensively, much less, as a team. And so, I think once we start doing that, then we got to be careful about being too lax. But until then, we’re all in a growth mindset, and we’re worried about the things that we can fix,” Nix told reporters on Tuesday.
“Because there’s several of them from each position that we’re trying to focus on. And until we’re hitting all the ones that we need to hit, I don’t think we’re going to be able to be relaxed. Because we have a lot of guys that are competitive. We don’t have a bunch of frontrunners. We just got a locker room full of guys that are trying to race to improve, and improve faster than everybody else in the league.”
