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NFL Trade Deadline: Pittsburgh Steelers trade for LB Avery Williamson from New York Jets
Avery Williamson hit the jackpot going from the winless New York Jets to the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers before Tuesday’s NFL Trade Deadline. This is a win-win deal for both Williamson and the Steelers who had a hole at inside linebacker after Devin Bush suffered a torn ACL in a Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Williamson is in his sixth season in the NFL and has been a full-time starter since entering the league in 2014 with the Tennessee Titans. He signed a three-year, $22.5 million free-agent contract with the Jets prior to the 2018 season, but missed the entire 2019 season due to major knee surgery following an ACL tear.
The insider linebacker has filled up the stat sheet in tackles since entering the league, finishing three seasons with over 100 tackles. His most productive season came in 2018 with the Jets, totaling 120 tackles and 6 tackles for loss.
A rejuvenated Williamson will have an opportunity to prove himself as a difference maker for a Pittsburgh defense with Super Bowl aspirations.
NFL Trade Deadline: Seattle Seahawks add Carlos Dunlap to boost pass rush from the Bengals
The Seattle Seahawks defense has struggled mightily this season in defending the pass through seven games. The team has allowed the most passing yards in the NFL by far (2,511 yards), while also only generating 12 sacks and a 3.5 percent sack rate, fifth-worst in the league.
Enter in Carlos Dunlap, who was acquired from the Bengals for offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The veteran edge rusher gets a fresh start to showcase his combination of length and power for a Seattle defense desperately needing a playmaker along the defensive line.
Dunlap has totaled only one sack this season, but he’s managed 13 quarterback pressures in seven games, more than every other Seahawks player except Benson Mayowa (16 pressures).
This trade, along with All-Pro safety Jamal Adams returning from injury, will have an instant impact on improving the Seattle defense as we enter the second half of the NFL season.
NFL Trade Deadline: Baltimore Ravens acquire edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue from the Vikings
The Baltimore Ravens got a jump on the NFL Trade Deadline by dealing for pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick.
Ngakoue joins a Ravens defense that is already loaded with talent at all three levels. His high-level pass rush ability will prove to be an added bonus for a team that has already registered 24 sacks and 69 quarterback hits, the second-most in the NFL through Week 8.
In six games with the Vikings, Ngakoue totaled five sacks this season, and during his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the edge rusher tallied 37.5 sacks, 14 forced fumbles, and 42 tackles for loss in four seasons.
The future is bright for Ngakoue as he joins the Ravens, who are set for a deep run in the playoffs. The 25-year-old edge rusher is also still in line to cash in as a 2021 free agent.
