Sometimes, I wonder whether NFL executives prefer trading their best players to those they used to work with because they might return the favor in the near future.
Seahawks GM John Schneider might owe Colts interim GM Ed Dodds a favor because he seems to be the clear winner in the Quenton Nelson trade. In case you missed this fun fact, NFL insiders quickly shared after Tuesday’s notable trade: Dodds used to work for Schneider in Seattle.
We’ll take a closer look at this uneven trade, but we’ll also get to what Aaron Rodgers shared after the Steelers beat the Saints in Paris.
Rodgers revealed that during CBA negotiations in 2011, the NFL was considering an international week. It’s still unknown how much truth there is to that, but the league or Rodgers should be running to take credit for this grand idea.
According to Rodgers, who’s not really known for fact-checking, the league discussed having 16 international games in the same week, with every team getting an extra bye week after going abroad. Rodgers seemed to have loved the idea, but also took shots at the owners for not going through with it, hinting that they were more concerned with money rather than player safety.
Having everyone take a week off at midseason likely would never fly with billionaire owners, but having an international week would certainly grow the game.
Let’s take a closer look at Rodgers’s comments, the Nelson trade and break down three NFC North–related topics for this week’s NFL Fact or Fiction.
Colts should have gotten more for Quenton Nelson
Oddly, NFL executives seem to prefer doing deals with those they’re familiar with rather than prioritizing the best compensation package.
These uneven deals happen way too often. Another observation: The GM that ends up getting the raw end of the deal usually gets a temporary pass because NFL insiders sent off countless tweets saying how much the trade made sense because the two decision-makers once worked together. Bad trades shouldn’t be excused because two former coworkers were once coffee buddies.
In this latest situation, Dodds got the raw end of the deal. He reportedly had plenty of suitors for Nelson, but decided now was the right time to trade the three-time first-team All-Pro to his former boss. Dodds worked under Schneider from 2010 to ’16.
Look, maybe getting a 2027 third-round pick and a ’28 fifth-rounder from Seattle was the best Indianapolis could do for a 30-year-old guard on an expiring deal. However, Indianapolis needed to wait longer and try to create demand for Nelson, especially with its first-round pick belonging to the Jets. The Colts also didn't wait on trading DeForest Buckner to the 49ers, his former team, on Tuesday.
A lot could happen between now until the Nov. 10 trade deadline. Just last year, the 3-5-1 Cowboys coughed up a first-rounder for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. The league moved back the trade deadline primarily to get more teams to do deals. But no, the Colts didn’t want to wait for a team to get desperate because Dodds and Schneider once worked together.
Indianapolis’s first draft pick in April isn’t until No. 38. Dodds should have stood firm on at least getting a second-rounder in return for Nelson. Maybe he’ll get it for running back Jonathan Taylor.
But the Colts shouldn’t be excused for starting their fire sale too soon. At least Dodds got an “I owe you” card from his former boss.
Manzano’s view: Fact
Rodgers’s international week idea makes sense
After the Steelers defeated the Saints in Paris, Rodgers strongly suggested the NFL should revisit the idea of having 16 regular-season games in various locations played outside the United States in the same week.
Rodgers is known for having outlandish thoughts, but I’m all for the league having an international week. The league scheduled a record nine international games this season, and talks about expanding to 10 in the near future are already underway. Additionally, commissioner Roger Goodell hinted last week that Japan could soon host a regular-season game.
Clearly, the NFL wants more international games and cares little about distance or how many time zones are skipped over. The Rams and the 49ers played each other in Australia in Week 1. The league also scheduled games in Brazil, Mexico, Germany, England and Spain this year, and was in Ireland last season.
The league is asking a lot of players with these grueling international trips, but it might be less of a burden if they were all played in the same week with extra recovery time. Rodgers said the league considered having two bye weeks before expanding to the 17-game schedule instead.
This seems like a beneficial scenario for NFL owners, with more international games and more countries added to the mix. This would still be a tough ask for players and their teams, but at least it would be an even playing field with everyone leaving the country around the same time. This seems better than having the 49ers play two international games (Australia and Mexico) and travel more than 38,000 miles in one season.
Manzano’s view: Fact
Dan Campbell shouldn’t be criticized for failed fourth-down decisions
Campbell’s failed fourth-down calls became afterthoughts after Packers rookie Trey Smack missed multiple kicks, helping the Lions hold on to a 20–17 win on Sunday. Detroit also benefited from a few questionable penalties against Green Bay that Tom Brady didn’t like.
Still, it shouldn’t be overlooked that the Lions have struggled to convert fourth downs for quite some time. Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim did a deep dive on how Detroit went from one of the best teams on fourth down to among the worst in 2026.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Lions’ aggressive tactics haven’t worked as well since Ben Johnson left his post as offensive coordinator to become the coach of the Bears before the 2025 season. I’m all for believing in your team, but it’s time that Campbell accepted that his offense might not be as potent as it was when Johnson was calling the plays.
But maybe Campbell should get a pass for his failed fourth-and-1 decision, which was from his own 24-yard line with the game tied and 4:53 remaining in regulation. After all, new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has delivered strong results from Detroit’s offense, which is second in total yards (397.3) and points scored per game (30.7).
Still, it’s too soon to trust Petzing’s operation after only six games. Living and dying on frequent fourth-down calls in the NFC title game against the 49ers made some sense because that was the Lions’ identity back in 2023. The ’26 Lions are still figuring out who they are, and Campbell shouldn’t rush that process by going for it deep in his own territory during a pivotal divisional game.
Manzano’s view: Fiction
Vikings should trade for former QB amid Kyler Murray’s struggles
Cousins’s days as the Raiders’ starting quarterback appear to be numbered after a four-game losing streak.
If Las Vegas turns to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, the organization should put Cousins on the trade block. And maybe one interested team is the Vikings, who had Cousins as their starter from 2018 to ’23.
However, the Vikings know better than anyone else how much of a roller coaster Cousins can be. He’s currently on a downward trend with the Raiders after a strong 3–0 start to the season. The Raiders are giving Cousins another chance to trend back up after naming him the starter for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
Starting erratic Cousins for the undefeated Vikings probably isn’t the best idea. Kyler Murray has struggled in his first season in Minnesota, but he’s at least protecting the football and not screwing it up for Brian Flores’s dominant defense. If Murray can excel at being a game manager, that might be enough for Minnesota to go on a deep playoff run with a special defense.
Sure, it must be frustrating for coach Kevin O’Connell and star receiver Justin Jefferson to have a sluggish offense—they’re 30th in total offense with 281.7 yards per game. But the QB options are limited on the trade market. If only they had a recent ascending first-round quarterback selection they could turn to.
It looks bad for O’Connell that J.J. McCarthy is doing well with the Giants after the Vikings quickly gave up on the 2024 first-rounder and traded him last month. But the Vikings already made their bed and need to stick with a quarterback. Since moving on from Cousins three seasons ago, all they’ve done is play musical chairs at the position.
Manzano’s view: Fiction
Luther Burden III is WR1 in Chicago
There’s been plenty of chatter about who is truly the Bears’ No. 1 wide receiver after the team traded DJ Moore to the Bills in the offseason.
Based on draft status, Rome Odunze, the 2024 first-round pick, seemed like the obvious replacement for Moore, but he has struggled with consistency. Meanwhile, Burden, last year’s second-round pick, has shown vast improvement this season and had a strong 130-yard performance against the Patriots in prime time.
It’s safe to say the explosive Burden deserves more targets and should be considered Caleb Williams’s best wide receiver option. But this race is far from over. Yes, Odunze hasn’t gotten more involved in the offense and has had a few costly drops, but he might have turned a corner in the final minutes against New England. Odunze made multiple clutch plays, including a jaw-dropping catch on a laser throw from Williams on third-and-9 to extend the drive with less than five minutes left in regulation.
It may also be difficult for Johnson and Williams to fully trust Burden. He’s a yards-after-catch dynamo, but he’s called the “Problem Child” for a few reasons. Williams got in Burden’s face last week because he celebrated too long on a 58-yard gain and didn’t rush back to the line of scrimmage for the next play.
But then again, maybe we shouldn’t get too caught up on who is WR1 in Chicago. For now, it seems to be Burden, but the Bears have plenty of talented receiving options, including second-year tight end Colston Loveland, who has Williams’s trust. Loveland has picked up the pace after a slow start to the season, catching seven of 12 targets for 69 yards and one touchdown against the Patriots.
Williams having multiple options for WR1 seems like a good problem for the Bears.
Manzano’s view: Fact
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