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The NFL trade deadline has come and gone and now is the time to take stock of where things stand. The NFC saw some big trades, none more so than Von Miller going to the Rams. Some players and teams came out of it looking good, whereas some other teams and players in the NFC might have wanted to look away. We take stock of the winners and losers in the NFC after the 2021 NFL trade deadline.
NFL trade deadline: NFC Winners
#1 - Von Miller
The biggest trade before the NFL trade deadline happened in the NFC, when the Los Angeles Rams got Von Miller from the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos are going nowhere and are mired in quicksand with a 4-4 record. It is astonishing to think that the player who was the MVP in Super Bowl 50 has not played another playoff game since. That will soon change as the Rams are in a good position to qualify for the postseason from the NFC. The NFL trade deadline in 2021 has a definite winner in Von Miller.
#2 - Los Angeles Rams of the present
The other winner, of course, has to be the team that got Von Miller. The Rams already had a scary defense, but now it is even better. Which other team can boast of Jaylen Ramsey, Aaron Donald and Von Miller in the same team?
No one can. They are not just the best defense in the NFC after the NFL trade deadline, they are the finest in the league. This is a team built to win now at the cost of the future. More on that later.
#3 - Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz left a middling situation with the Eagles and is now going to play with prospective MVP Kyler Murray. While it didn't come quite as late as the Von Miller trade, this will definitely shake up the NFC and make the Arizona Cardinals offense even scarier.
#4 - Mark Ingram
Mark Ingram made a homecoming for the New Orleans Saints and contributed to their win against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He leaves behind a Houston Texans team that had nothing to play for and can concentrate on doing his best for his new team as they try to qualify for the playoffs from the NFC.
#5 - New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints needed to add to their run game, even before Jameis Winston went down injured. The Saints have managed to reunite Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram before the NFL trade deadline and one can expect the duo to set the field on fire.
NFL trade deadline: NFC Losers
#1 - Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers already had all his premium wide receivers out for the game against the Arizona Cardinals. On top of that, they lost tight end Robert Tonyan to injury. The Packers' inaction at the trade deadline implies a huge opportunity missed to give Rodgers the weapons to win.
#2 - Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers were one of the biggest losers at the NFL trade deadline in 2021, as they did not improve their position in the NFC as others around them did. The Rams got Von Miller, the Panthers got Stephon Gilmore, the 49ers got Charles Omenihu, and the Saints got Mark Ingram. The Packers were the only ones who stood still.
#3 - Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson must be wondering what on earth he has to do to get a chance at playing with an established quarterback. His rapport with Justin Fields has been poor, yet he is still stuck with the Chicago Bears until the end of the season. He is in the prime of his career, and he deserved to be traded before the NFL trade deadline.
#4 - Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are moored to the bottom of the NFC West and did not take the chance to improve before the NFL trade deadline elapsed. With the Cardinals adding Zach Ertz, the 49ers adding Charles Omenihu and the Rams adding Von Miller, the Seattle Seahawks are in danger of getting left behind.
#5 - Los Angeles Rams of the future
Los Angeles Rams fans will undoubtedly be euphoric today. They have improved an already fearsome defense and Matthew Stafford is leading the offense well. But this elite unit has come together at a cost. The Rams do not have a first-round pick until 2024 and are going for a win-or-bust this season.
