The 7 Worst NFL Trades Ever MadeJason Alsher 
Justin Edmonds/Getty ImagesThere’s alway a bit of risk involved whenever an NFL organization chooses to make a trade. But in that moment, the front office has to be convinced that it is making a decision for the betterment of the franchise as a whole. Whether there’s a player in the draft that the team likes, or it’s just time to shake things up, wheeling and dealing is all part of the game. But that doesn’t mean it always goes as planned.It would be nice if every team managed to benefit equally when they opted to make a deal, but that is completely unrealistic. Although there are occasions when trades work out for everyone, oftentimes, like the game itself, there are winners and there are losers. With that in mind, here are the 7 worst NFL trades ever.
Jim Rogash/Getty Images7. The Raiders give up Randy Moss for a fourth-round pickIn 2007, for some reason that still makes no sense today, the Oakland Raiders decided to trade wide receiver Randy Moss to the New England Patriots in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. The Patriots robbed the Raiders blind on this deal, and Moss proved that he was far more valuable than a mid-round pick. In his first season in New England, Moss went on have 98 receptions, 1,493 receiving yards, and 23 touchdown catches. He was selected to his sixth Pro Bowl, made First-Team All-Pro for the fourth time, helped lead the Pats to a perfect 16-0 regular season, and played in his first Super Bowl.
Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images6. Washington trades up to get Robert Griffin IIIThe Washington Redskins were able to grab quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, but they paid a steep price in the process. In order to move up from No. 6 to No. 2, the Redskins sent the St. Louis Rams three first-round picks and a second-rounder. But the Skins needed a franchise quarterback and RG3 looked like he could be the guy. In his first season under center, the former Baylor QB proved to be well worth it, throwing for 20 touchdowns, leading the Redskins to an NFC East title, making the Pro Bowl, and winning the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Since that point, Griffin has struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL, suffered multiple injuries, and doesn’t appear to have the full support of coach Jay Gruden. There is a good chance that RG3 has worn out his welcome in Washington.
Ronald Martinez/Allsport/Getty Images5. Mike Ditka loves Ricky Williams way too muchNew Orleans Saints coach Mike Ditka loved running back Ricky Williams. He loved the former Heisman Trophy winner out of Texas so much so that he gave the Washington Redskins eight draft picks for the chance to get him in the 1999 draft. That didn’t exactly work out for Ditka and the Saints. They finished the season in last place in the NFC South with a 3-13 record. Ditka was canned at the end of the year, and Williams was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2002. This just goes to show that trading that many picks for one player is usually not good for business. Unless, of course, you work for ESPN Magazine.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images4. The Chargers strike out on Ryan LeafThe San Diego Chargers gave the Arizona Cardinals two first-round picks, a second-round pick, Eric Metcalf, and Patrick Sapp, in order to move up to the second pick in the 1998 draft. The Chargers were perfectly content to select whichever quarterback the Indianapolis Colts passed on. Indy took Peyton Manning and San Diego was more than happy land Ryan Leaf. Unfortunately, one of these two passers went on to have a Hall of Fame-worthy career, and the other turned out to be a major bust. We bet the Chargers wish they could take a mulligan on that one.
MONICA M. DAVEY/AFP/Getty Images3. Tampa Bay trades Steve Young to the 49ersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers had no time to wait for Steve Young to develop as a quarterback, so in 1997 they shipped him off to San Francisco for second- and fourth-round draft picks. Big mistake. We guess the Bucs learned a valuable lesson: Patience is a virtue. Young eventually replaced legend Joe Montana under center and leader the Niners to a Super Bowl in 1994. If you’re looking for any more proof that this deal didn’t work out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, you can find it in in Canton, Ohio, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Young has had a bust there since 2005.
Doug Collier/AFP/Getty Images2. The Colts trade John Elway to the Denver BroncosJohn Elway made it perfectly clear that he had no intention of playing quarterback for the Baltimore Colts. Yet they still selected him with the first overall pick in the 1983 draft anyway. Elway was not messing around. In the end, the Colts were forced to deal him to the Denver Broncos for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann, and a first-round pick. Elway spent his entire 16-year career with the Broncos and led them to back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. The Hall of Fame quarterback has certainly left a lasting mark on the city of Denver.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images 1. The Vikings give Dallas a dynasty for Herschel WalkerWhen Jimmy Johnson took over the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, he set out to build a team in his image. Of course, to do so required sacrifice. In this case, that meant trading away superstar running back Herschel Walker, who had just rushed for 1,514 yards the season before. The Cowboys traded Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for a king’s ransom of five players in eight draft picks. Dallas turned one of those draft picks into Emmitt Smith and wound up using another on Darren Woodson. And just like that, the Cowboys were well on their way toward crafting a football dynasty that would win them three Super Bowls in the 1990s.All statistics are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.link
