The NFL trade deadline is one of the most interesting periods of the season, as teams get their chance to wheel and deal in order to bring assets to their team that will help them in the future, whether that future is short-term of long-term. But knowing how to react to the trades performed at the deadline is important, as bettors should have an idea what to expect from a given player when they are sent from one franchise to the next.
Perhaps the most important thing that a bettor can do is understand what kind of adjustments are required from players at each position in the event that they are traded. Some positions require more time to get brought into the swing of things than others, which can have a palpable impact on how long it takes for different players to go from on the roster to on the field, and an impact on you reaching your NFL betting goals as well.
Quarterbacks, obviously, would be the position that would require the most adjustment, as learning how to call an entirely new playbook and system would be extremely difficult for the new addition. That is why quarterbacks are often relegated to the bench shortly after a trade, at least until they can find the time to understand the offense that they are being brought in to run. Finding a quarterback who can get up to speed quickly is a sign of underrated quarterback play in the NFL.
To a lesser extent, running backs can go through the same thing. They are in many cases players who have to understand the entirety of the offensive playbook, including pass protections and everything else that running backs have to do to. For that reason, you will also see players at the running back position take some time to learn what is being asked of them, prompting them to sit out or work a reduced amount in their early times with a team.
Things are a little different for defenders, thanks to the fact that defenses in the NFL are somewhat less complex than their offensive counterparts. Depending on what position a newly-traded defensive player is, they could end up with a task like getting after the quarterback or defending a wide receiver. Because of that, defensive players at some positions are able to step in right away and make a potential impact on their teams.
With trades, it’s important to remember that there is no clear-cut idea as to how a team will function differently than they did before bringing on a new player. For that reason, it is important to sit back and be patient when evaluating the impact of these deals. In the meantime, you can use one of many NFL betting systems to keep your wagers rolling smoothly, while figuring out which teams are going to back after your trade evaluation is complete.
In the NFL, the 16-game regular season leads to teams making trades and transactions that reward them for wanting to play well, but gives them very little time to figure out how to get everyone on the same page afterward. For that reason, the best way to react to NFL trade deadline deals as a bettor is to simply wait and evaluate a team after their trade in some spots.
Jay is a sports writer who has been featured on Deadspin, BetAdvisor. In addition to penning wager previews and features, Jay has broadcasted for MAAC school as well as ESPN Radio’s Northeastern Affiliates.
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