Good news:2023 NFL trade deadline winners and losers: Chase Young, 49ers win big while Jets, Broncos eat bad deals

The 2023 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, as teams pulled off last-minute deals to improve for now or in the future. Despite good or poor performances in the last week of October, most franchises prepare to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline weeks in advance.

Some teams were proactive in making their rosters better, while others were just looking to get rid of bad or expiring contracts. Others did nothing, which is the nature of the business.

With the trade deadline now complete, here are this year’s winners and losers:

Winner: Chase Young, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers made another huge trade an hour before the deadline, sending a 2024 third-round pick to the Washington Commanders for Young. The 49ers struck gold when they acquired Christian McCaffrey last year, although they gave up significantly more assets for him and his contract than Young, who is a free agent at the end of the

The 49ers’ pass rush becomes significantly better with Young joining Nick Bosa on the edge and Javon Hargrave on the interior. They also acquired Randy Gregory earlier in the month and still have Arik Armstead on the defensive front, so there are still big names on that line.

The combination of Bosa and Young is scary, and the 49ers have a bye week to get Young acclimated. Bosa and Young also played together at Ohio State, so the duo is already familiar with one another. Young should work out, but will the run game be better with him there? That’s the 49ers biggest concern going forward.

Loser: Bears GM Ryan Poles

Didn’t the Bears learn their lesson by trading a second-round pick last year? Montez Sweat is a much better player than Chase Claypool, but the Commanders had to be jumping at the deal to get a 2024 second-round pick (currently projected at No. 35 overall) for a player that’s going to be a free agent at season’s end.