The NFL trade deadline will be moved to the Tuesday after Week 9 starting in the 2024 season, following approval during the NFL’s annual meetings. This was a result of a proposal by Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, who argued that teams need more flexibility as they head into the second half of the regular season. The proposal was supported by Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes, New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas, and Washington Commanders general manager Ron Rivera.
One of the reasons behind Berry’s initial proposal was to maintain the competitive integrity of the season and provide teams with more time before deciding to sell off their roster. He highlighted that since 2012, when the NFL trade deadline has been set for the Tuesday after Week 8, teams have been eliminated from postseason contention as early as Week 11. By moving it back two weeks after Week 10, teams would have more time to decide on trades without sacrificing their competitiveness.
However, Colbert’s proposal to push it back only one week received three-fourths approval and passed. This change will give teams more flexibility as they approach the second half of the regular season but also means that some players may be traded earlier than expected if their team is struggling to compete at this stage in the season.
This upcoming season, teams will have until 4 p.m. ET on November 5 to finalize any trades before the start of the second half of
