The 2026 NFL trade deadline arrives at 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, and this year’s market has already been one of the busiest in recent memory. A former first-round quarterback, a star young receiver, two Pro Bowl interior linemen and a disruptive defensive tackle have all changed uniforms since Week 1. This page is your running tracker: every confirmed deal of the 2026 season, what each side gave up, and the dates that matter. We update it live as moves are reported, so bookmark it and check back through deadline day.
How the 2026 NFL trade deadline works
The deadline is set for 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the Tuesday after Week 9. Every trade has to be filed with and approved by the league office before that clock hits zero. Deals that are agreed in principle but not formally submitted in time do not count, which is why the final hour each year tends to be a flurry of paperwork.
Once the deadline passes, teams can no longer trade players for the rest of the season. The only ways to add outside help after that are the waiver wire, signing free agents who are not on a roster, and promoting players from the practice squad. The acquiring team takes on the remaining salary of any player it trades for, so the salary cap, not just the price in draft picks, shapes what is realistic. Draft capital is the usual currency, and this year contenders have been willing to spend it.
2026 NFL trade tracker: every confirmed deal
Here are the headline trades of the 2026 season so far, newest first. Compensation is listed from the point of view of the team acquiring the player.
| Date | Player | Trade | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6 | QB Jacoby Brissett | Cardinals to Ravens | Baltimore sent a 2027 fourth-round and a 2028 seventh-round pick; Brissett came with a 2027 fifth-rounder. |
| Oct 29 | DT Jeffery Simmons | Titans to Bears | Chicago sent a 2027 first, a 2027 fourth and a 2028 first; Simmons came with a 2028 fifth-rounder. |
| Oct 27 | DL DeForest Buckner | Colts to 49ers | San Francisco sent a 2027 fourth-round pick. |
| Oct 27 | G Quenton Nelson | Colts to Seahawks | Seattle sent a 2027 third-round and a 2028 fifth-round pick. |
| Oct 12 | WR Marvin Harrison Jr. | Cardinals to Texans | Houston sent a 2027 second-round pick plus a late-round pick swap; Harrison came with a 2027 sixth-rounder. |
| Oct 7 | C Cam Jurgens | Eagles to Ravens | Baltimore sent a 2027 fifth-round and a 2028 second-round pick; Jurgens came with a 2027 seventh-rounder. |
| Oct 1 | CB Joey Porter Jr. | Steelers to Cowboys | Dallas sent a 2027 sixth-round and a 2028 second-round pick. |
| Sep 28 | QB J.J. McCarthy | Vikings to Giants | New York sent a 2027 fifth-round pick. |
Draft-pick details on the smaller throw-ins can vary slightly from report to report until the league confirms the paperwork, but the headline compensation above is settled. We refresh this table the moment a new trade is reported and again after the deadline passes.
Key dates for the rest of the 2026 season
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET: Trade deadline. The last moment teams can swap players this season.
- After November 10: No more player trades. Rosters change only through the waiver wire, free-agent signings, practice-squad promotions and injury moves.
- Each Tuesday through the season: Waiver claims process, so a released player’s new home is often settled on a Tuesday afternoon.
- Early January 2027: Week 18 closes the regular season and sets the playoff field and the 2027 draft order for non-playoff teams.
- Mid-March 2027: The new league year opens, with the franchise-tag window just before it and free agency immediately after. That is the next time rosters move at scale.
Frequently asked questions
What time is the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
It is 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Any trade must be submitted to and approved by the league office before that time to count.
Can NFL teams trade players after the deadline?
No. Once the deadline passes, players cannot be traded for the rest of the season. Teams can still add help through the waiver wire, by signing free agents who are not on a roster, and by elevating practice-squad players on game day.
What has been the biggest trade of the 2026 season?
By draft capital, the Bears’ move for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was the largest, costing Chicago two first-round picks and a fourth. By star power at a skill position, Marvin Harrison Jr. landing in Houston and J.J. McCarthy being dealt to the Giants drew the loudest reaction.
Do a traded player’s contract and salary move with him?
Yes. The team acquiring a player takes on the remaining salary and contract terms, which is why a team’s salary-cap room often decides what it can realistically do at the deadline, not just the draft picks it is willing to spend.
Why do teams trade draft picks for veterans?
Contenders trade future picks to win now, adding a proven starter for a playoff push. Rebuilding teams do the opposite, moving veterans on expiring or expensive deals to stockpile picks and get younger. Most deadline deals are some version of that trade-off.
More from Sports Brackets
Keep up with the rest of the 2026 season: NFL standings, the NFL playoff picture, our 2027 NFL Draft order tracker, and the latest NFL power rankings.
