Turbulence in the NFL transfer market: player changes heat up competition | Eulerpool News

The Detroit Lions have pulled off a remarkable coup: Za’Darius Smith, a proven edge rusher, is returning to the NFC North. The Lions, currently the top seed in the conference, acquired Smith from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2026. With the loss of Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg, the need for a strong pass rusher was urgent, making the transfer all the more valuable. A three-time Pro Bowl player, Smith has already recorded five sacks alongside Myles Garrett this season. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals are strengthening their backfield with Khalil Herbert from the Chicago Bears. The 26-year-old lost ground with the Bears following the signing of D’Andre Swift and now provides a deeper option for the Bengals, especially given Zack Moss’ loss due to injury. Herbert will be integrated quickly after Cincinnati only gave up a seventh-round pick for his services. At the same time, the Dallas Cowboys acquired the talented wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from the Carolina Panthers. In exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Mingo added to Cooper Rush’s arsenal, replacing the injured Dak Prescott. Mingo, who started 14 games in his rookie year, will assume a significant role in Dallas’ offense as the Panthers pave the way for their rebuild. In an early transfer move that same week, the Kansas City Chiefs made future-oriented acquisitions by bringing Tennessee Titans’ DeAndre Hopkins and New England Patriots’ Josh Uche into the team. Hopkins was at his best with two touchdowns in Monday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, giving the Chiefs their eighth win of the season.