Teams have no choice but to decide who they are and who they want to be at the NFL trade deadline. Some see an opportunity to go all-in, while others choose to sit the event out entirely.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were in the latter group, opting not to make any moves despite having a few needs left on the roster.
As other AFC contenders made major improvements, the Steelers are quickly slipping away from the top of the conference. Let's take a look at the state of the post-deadline AFC and who is positioned to take hold of the No. 1 seed.
Pittsburgh Steelers' quiet deadline has them behind other AFC powerhouses
6. Cincinnati Bengals’ Arnold Ebiketie mishap highlights disastrous deadline
The only thing that Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin did at the deadline was *allegedly* misunderstand the NFL’s compensatory pick formula, leading to an embarrassing non-trade for Arnold Ebiketie. After backing out of that deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, Tobin sat on his hands for the remainder of deadline day.
Like the Steelers, the Bengals still have enough strength to fuel a playoff run. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins have been unstoppable this season and could put on a show against any defense in the conference.
The only issue is that Cincinnati’s defense, despite its improvements, may not be good enough for Burrow’s MVP-level season to matter.
5. Denver Broncos' Daiyan Henley move failed to address their biggest problem
The Denver Broncos made a rare in-division trade at the deadline, adding former Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley. Henley should help complete what was already a dominant defense.
But it's hard to see how a linebacker is going to fix Denver's offense. To Bo Nix's credit, he has consistently managed to win close games. But the Broncos don't have much of a rushing attack, and their late-game luck has to run out at some point.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers’ quiet deadline leaves no room for error
The Steelers’ desire to add a receiver was almost as well-known as that of the Chiefs. But on deadline day, it was radio silence.
Pittsburgh chose not to make any moves, and while we’ll never know what calls were made leading up to the deadline, it’s clear that Omar Khan wasn’t willing to sacrifice his flexibility in the future for the sake of short-term gains. While it was the more boring option, sitting out this year’s deadline will probably pay off in the long run.
At 6-2, the Steelers are still positioned to make a playoff run. If they can continue their dominance in the trenches, they’ll force the rest of the AFC to take them seriously. The margins are thin after doing nothing at the deadline, but this team could still make waves in the playoffs.
3. Kansas City Chiefs finally address WR issue with Josh Downs move
The Kansas City Chiefs’ need for a capable wide receiver was the worst-kept secret of the trade deadline. Josh Downs seemed like the obvious fit all along, and Kansas City finally made a move for him with just hours to spare. He gives Andy Reid’s offense a legitimate option against man coverage, which should be a major boost come playoff time.
He’s still not the true “X” receiver that the Chiefs need, though. Reid will have to get creative with his deployment of his receivers, as none of them thrive against press coverage.
Even after a down year in 2025, the Chiefs have to be considered among the most threatening teams in the conference.
2. Buffalo Bills solve major need with Amani Hooker deal
The rest of the AFC was much less chaotic, but the Buffalo Bills did swing a trade for safety Amani Hooker. Hooker currently leads the NFL in interceptions and should finally solve the safety problem that the Bills have been dealing with for years. He helps legitimize a defense that threatened to waste a brilliant season from Josh Allen.
Jim Leonhard’s defense still has its issues, though. Without a true Mike linebacker on the roster, Buffalo will be vulnerable to downhill-running teams, especially in the playoffs.
The Bills are firmly in the chase for the No. 1 seed. While the Jaguars and others are sure to make a strong push, home-field advantage belongs to Buffalo until further notice.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars go all-in with chaotic deadline push
Few teams in recent NFL history have pushed their chips to the center of the table to the degree that the Jacksonville Jaguars did at the deadline. The closest comparison may be Les Snead’s 2021 Los Angeles Rams, who made splash deals for stars like Von Miller. That Rams team won the Super Bowl, and coincidentally, current Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was part of that front office.
He’s doing his best to recreate Snead’s deadline-day chaos. The Jaguars started with a couple of relatively measured deals, adding Jessie Bates and Davon Godchaux to bolster their defense. Then, they made the biggest move of the deadline by sending a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for defensive tackle Jordan Davis.
Jacksonville clearly sees itself as a true Super Bowl contender, and it’s willing to do whatever it takes to get over the finish line.
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