The NFL trade deadline in recent years has become more intriguing, as more teams are taking aggressive approaches to integrate players in the middle of the season while others are turning more to the future.
Here is how the teams that acquired players at the deadline fared based on ratings in "Madden NFL 19."
Philadelphia Eagles: traded third-round pick for WR Golden Tate
By picking up the 89 Overall-rated Tate, the Eagles now have a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands to pair with a more traditional No. 1 receiver in Alshon Jeffery (rated 90) who is skilled at contested, down-field catches. That duo will make the Eagles' offense much more difficult to slow down.
Tate excels with 96 Agility, 95 Elusiveness and 89 Break Tackle ratings. GRADE: A
Washington Redskins: traded fourth-round pick for S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
At 87 Overall, Clinton-Dix ranks as the NFL's seventh-best free safety. He is among the top players at the position in Awareness and Hit Power.
Most important is the upgrade of 12 points in Overall Rating he represents over the player he will be supplanting in Washington's starting lineup. GRADE: A-
MORE: 3 trades that will affect 2018 playoffs
Houston Texans: traded fourth-round pick for WR Demaryius Thomas
Similar to the move made by the Eagles, the Texans found themselves adding a complimentary piece to their own No. 1 receiver, DeAndre Hopkins. With a rating of 96 Overall, Hopkins is tied for the third best at the position in the game.
Thomas is just an 86 Overall, which puts him in the mix with other good-but-not-elite receivers. He is best in rating categories that represent his physicality, such as Jumping, Spectacular Catch and Stiff Arm. GRADE: B
MORE: Broncos barely win Thomas trade
Los Angeles Rams: traded third- and fifth-round picks for DE/OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
The third pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Fowler was never able to reach his potential in Jacksonville, where this season he has been a backup and has just two sacks and eight tackles. At 82 Overall, though, he will be an upgrade of seven points off the edge for the Rams and become their second highest-rated outside pass-rusher.
With the attention Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh draw, maybe Fowler will become more productive. GRADE: B-
Baltimore Ravens: traded seventh-round pick for Ty Montgomery
If judging the move only on the compensation, Montgomery basically was obtained for free, considering the seventh-rounder is for the 2020 draft.
The Ravens could find some use for Montgomery as a third-down back given his skills as a receiver, plus and his pass-blocking is decent. But his potential usage seems to be limited. GRADE: C+
WEEK 9 NFL PICKS:
Against the spread | Straight up
Big deals prior to deadline day: Damon Harrison to Lions; Amari Cooper to Cowboys
Harrison is the top-rated defensive tackle in the NFL in the game with a 95 Overall rating. (J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald are considered defensive ends.) The Lions acquired him for just a fifth-round pick. His 96 Block Shedding is by far the highest at the position and reflects his value as a run-stopper. GRADE: B
The Cowboys trading a first-round pick for Cooper looks even worse now given the compensation it took to get Tate and Thomas. Cooper is just an 85 Overall, but he is now the highest-rated receiver in Dallas. Surprisingly, this is a deal the virtual Jerry Jones in "Madden" Franchise Mode also accepts when proposed, even though that first-rounder is a valuable asset. GRADE: D
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the "Press Row Podcast" and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.