When is the 2024 NFL trade deadline? Date, time, players, rules, rumors, eligibility, etc.

As we approach the end of October, thoughts turn to Halloween... and the NFL trade deadline. We’re into Week 9 of the 2024/25 campaign and fans across the United States and far beyond will be assessing how their team is doing so far - whether that be an actual city franchise or a motley Fantasy Football mash-up - and it also means that the trade deadline is here.

We’ve seen a fair amount of movement already - today, wide receiver Diontae Johnson swapped Carolina for Baltimore with a 2025 sixth-round draft pick heading in the opposite direction, and the Chiefs picked up Josh Uche and DeAndre Hopkins. Time is running out though for teams to bring in the final pieces of the jigsaw.

When is the 2024 NFL trade deadline, and how does it work?

The trade deadline is Tuesday November 5, at 4 p.m. ET, following the Week 9 games - a week later than last year’s deadline. Back in March, team owners voted to extend the deadline to follow Week 9 games to accommodate a 17-game regular season. Previously, the trade deadline was Tuesday after Week 8.

Just like in the game, there are several rules the NFL has regarding trades. The rules are between the NFLPA and the franchise owners and are governed by a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). There are five categories to a player’s rights: trade eligibility, trade procedure, trade limitations, waivers, and transfer.

Trade eligibility

Any player can have his contract given to another team via trade at any point. This rule stands unless the player’s agent has put a no-trade clause in his contract under the special provisions. If a team wants to trade with a player with a no-trace provision, the player himself will have to agree to it. A recent example was quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo who switched from the 49ers to the Raiders on a three-year deal in March 2023. He was released after 12 months and is now on the books with the Rams.

Trade procedure

If two teams agree to trade a player with a no-trade provision, then that player’s team must have the player’s and agent’s written permission. The player can choose to forego his no-trade clause and accept or deny the trade based on the provision.

Trade limitations

There was a rule in place until 2020 that encouraged competitive balance and kept the best teams from continuing to get the best players. That rule was removed. Now, the two teams participating in a trade must understand how a salary-cap issue affects teams.

Waivers

A player may be waived by his team if he is not performing well. If he is waived between February 1 and the trade deadline, the player is a free agent and can negotiate a contract with any other team. On the other hand, if the team waives the player after the trade deadline, then that player is subject to the waiver claim process, which grants them additional rights based on whether they have a no-trade clause or not. The waivers go in reverse order of NFL standings.

If the player has a no-trade provision, he can become an unrestricted free agent immediately following that season. If he does not have a no-trade provision, he can become a free agent following the subsequent season. If that player is signed only through the current season, he can declare for free agency immediately following the season.

Transfers

If a player is traded to another team, his salaries, rights, obligations, and special provisions must transfer to the new team as well. That means any compensation paid to the player on their current contract must continue to be paid by the new team.