ClutchPoints
There are plenty of ways to add talent to an NFL roster during the offseason. This includes the NFL Draft and free-agent acquisitions. The other way to add talent during the offseason is through trades, and the 2025 offseason saw tons of big-name stars move from one team to another. Most notably, Micah Parsons was just traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Green Bay Packers.
So which trades occurred from the start of the offseason, during the draft, in the midst of training camp, or after 53-man roster cut-down day will have the biggest impact on the upcoming season?
Jordan Mason was a little-known backup running back on the San Francisco 49ers heading into last season. He ended up playing a huge role because Christian McCaffrey was limited to just four games because of injuries. Mason dealt with his own injury problems, but when he was on the field, he was dominant.
For example, Mason surpassed 100 yards in three of the first four games last season. Mason was traded in the offseason to the Minnesota Vikings for fifth- and sixth-round picks, and he will once again be one of the premier backup ball-carriers to start the season. With a now 30-year-old Aaron Jones in front of him on the depth chart, don’t be surprised if Mason again plays a bigger-than-expected role.
The Vikings are deploying first-year starter J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Young signal-callers need all of the help they can get, so a play-calling genius like Kevin O’Connell will almost certainly prioritize the rushing attack this season to set up the Vikings’ vaunted play-action passing game.
Speaking of McCaffrey, the 49ers landed his new backup in the form of Brian Robinson. The former Washington Commanders running back was productive during his time with his old team, but they became infatuated with Jacory Croskey-Merritt, so they decided to trade Robinson for just a sixth-round pick.
Now, the 49ers have arguably the best one-two backfield punch in football with the Detroit Lions being the only team giving them any competition in that regard. McCaffrey has multiple 2,000-scrimmage yards seasons to his name, and Robinson has ran for more than 700 yards in all three of his professional seasons.
After an offseason in which the 49ers lost tons of talent and set the record for offseason spending deficit, San Francisco will need players to step up. McCaffrey has to once again play like one of the best running backs in football, and Robinson has to be ready to step up in case the starter ahead of him goes down to injury once again. Rotating in an elite backup frequently in order to keep McCaffrey fresh seems like a smart strategy, too, and Robinson perfectly fits the bill.
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