CBS Sports has ranked the NFL's greatest in-season trades of all time, with the 2026 deal sending quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Minnesota Vikings placing ninth on the list. The trade, which included a third-round pick going to the Raiders, marked the beginning of the Fernando Mendoza era in Las Vegas and gave the 6-2 Vikings a quarterback boost for a potential playoff run.
Top 10 In-Season Trades
The ranking includes historic deals such as the 1989 Herschel Walker trade from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikings, which netted Dallas a bounty of draft picks used to build a dynasty that won three Super Bowls in four years. Other notable entries include the 1987 Eric Dickerson trade from the Los Angeles Rams to the Indianapolis Colts, the 2022 Christian McCaffrey deal from the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers, and the 2010 Marshawn Lynch trade from the Buffalo Bills to the Seattle Seahawks.
Rounding out the top ten are the 1983 Mike Haynes trade to the Raiders, the 1981 Fred Dean acquisition by the 49ers, the 1958 Bobby Layne trade to the Steelers, the 2019 Jalen Ramsey trade to the Rams, and the 1981 Chargers trades involving John Jefferson and Wes Chandler.
