NFL

Art of The Trade: The Best and Worst NFL Trades of the Past Decade

Darren - May 4, 2023

NFL

Art of The Trade: The Best and Worst NFL Trades of the Past Decade

Darren - May 4, 2023

Jay Ajayi

It may come as a surprise to some, but this was one of the biggest trades of the 2017 season. The Dolphins sent their running back to Philadelphia in a shocking move. The London-born star earned a Pro Bowl selection for his efforts during the previous season. That’s why it was a surprise when Miami traded the British Ajayi to the Eagles.

Ajayi won a Super Bowl ring with Philadelphia so he’ll be happy with his overall legacy. However, injuries soon took their toll and he prematurely retired from the sport. It’s a shame that he couldn’t keep playing but his body let him down. Unfortunately, that happens to many NFL athletes because football is such a brutal sport (via Bleacher Report).

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Matthew Stafford

The Rams decided to buy the Super Bowl in 2021 by assembling one of the strongest rosters in recent memory. They had Pro Bowl talent all over the field but they were missing the most important piece. They decided Stafford was the man to lead them to the promised land because Sean McVey didn’t trust Jared Goff (via CBS Sports).

Stafford had been consistent for a decade as he tried his best to propel the downtrodden Detroit Lions to postseason success. Finally, the Rams rewarded his patience and plucked him from the barren wilderness. The Lions received a pair of first-round picks and Goff for their star. Yes, he threw a few bad interceptions throughout the season but in the end, they lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

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Carson Palmer

The Raiders went all-in on JaMarcus Russell in 2007 and he became arguably the worst draft bust in NFL history. This left them treading water for a couple of seasons as they tried to find another franchise quarterback. Finally, they pursued Carson Palmer as they lured him from the Bengals. They swapped first and second-round picks for the signal-caller (via Bleacher Report).

It made sense on paper because Palmer worked with Raiders Head Coach Hue Jackson at USC. They also knew each other from Cincinnati when Jackson was their wideouts coach. In the end, it didn’t matter because Jackson received his pink slip after a season. Palmer only lasted one more before he had an Indian summer in Arizona.

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Mitchell Trubisky

A wise man once said that Chicago is where quarterbacks go to die. Ask Trubisky because he knows all about this. The 49ers and the Bears swapped first-round picks along with a clutch of others to secure the former North Carolina star. It’s easy to forget that things started well for Trubisky but it all came crashing down.

The 2018 Pro Bowl selection suffered a serious decline after they signed Nick Foles. He had an awful 2020 season and everybody was calling him a bust. Finally, Chicago decided not to offer him an extension and now he’s bouncing around the NFL as a backup. Unfortunately, that’s usually the way it goes and Trubisky will forever be known as the player who was picked before Patrick Mahomes (via NBC Sports).

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Christian McCaffrey

The Panthers made McCaffrey the highest-paid running back ever in 2018. But then he had a couple of injury-riddled seasons and the franchise regressed without him. It was an unfortunate series of events because the Panthers couldn’t find a quarterback. Finally, McCaffrey sustained enough fitness to force a trade.

In 2022, the 49ers decided that he was their man. San Francisco gave the Panthers 2023 second-round, third-round, and fourth-round picks and a 2024 fifth-rounder for the star running back. McCaffrey immediately settled in the Bay Area and showed why he’s one of the best in the world. In the end, it suited all parties to make this trade happen (via PFF).

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Jared Goff

The Rams bet the house on Goff in 2016 when they made him the first overall pick. But he didn’t fall into their hands because they traded six draft picks for the former Cal Golden Bears star. The Rams identified him as their franchise quarterback but it didn’t work out that way for the future Pro Bowl selection (via The Athletic).

Goff rebounded after a rough rookie season as he suddenly burst into life. He had two decent seasons with the franchise as he helped them to a Super Bowl appearance. But he threw a crucial interception in that game and immediately went on the decline. In the end, Ras head coach Sean McVay lost faith and traded him to Detroit where he revived his career in 2022.

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Trent Richardson

Mostly everybody thought that Richardson was going to become an NFL superstar. However, he went down as one of the worst busts in NFL history. The Browns drafted him in 2012 and they made him the third overall pick. But they traded him two games into his sophomore year in one of the biggest deals of the past decade (via Fansided).

The Colts gave Cleveland a first-round pick in exchange for the running back. Unfortunately, this was a terrible decision because he didn’t do anything productive for them. Richardson ran for a combined total of 316 yards in two seasons before he flamed out of the NFL. He had a brief foray into Canadian football but never did anything special.

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Odell Beckham Jr.

Some trades are more shocking than others but this one rocked the NFL. Nobody expected Beckham to join the Cleveland Browns in 2019. This came after the Giants extended the wideout’s contract as they denied that they wanted to trade him. Beckham became a major star in New York but he had his problems (via Sporting News).

The Browns gave New York a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers for their troubles. In the end, this was one of the worst trades of the past decade because Beckham spent most of his time on the bench injured. He also had a tense relationship with QB Baker Mayfield. Beckham abruptly quit the Browns for the Rams and immediately picked up a Super Bowl ring.

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Antonio Brown

Here is one of the wackiest stories on this list because it was one of the worst trades of the past decade. Everybody knows that Brown is a volatile character but a brilliant footballer. He signaled that he wanted to leave Pittsburgh and this was enough for Jon Gruden to pursue him. The Raiders gave up third and fifth-round draft picks in exchange for the wideout.

But he never played a down for the team because of a bunch of off-the-field problems. Brown notoriously froze his feet in a cryogenic chamber; of course, he did. He also missed practices and went head-to-head with GM Mike Mayock. The Raiders released him before the first snap of the season (via Wall Street Journal).

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Russell Wilson

This was one of the worst NFL trades of the past decade and it could ultimately end up being the worst. Wilson represent the Seahawks with pride as he won a Super Bowl. But things became stale in Seattle before they traded him to Denver. Some analysts thought that they should fire Pete Carroll instead of shifting their MVP contender quarterback (via SBNation).

But they traded him to the Broncos after Aaron Rodgers rejected Denver’s advances. Denver gave up two first-round picks, a pair of second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, and multiple players for the star. They expected to become immediate contenders but he played atrociously for them. Meanwhile, Carroll put his faith in Geno Smith who won the Comeback Player of the Year.

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Aaron Rodgers

There’s no doubt that the recent Aaron Rodgers to New York Jets trade is one of the biggest in modern NFL history. The former Packers quarterback joined the Jets as he followed in Brett Favre’s path. Many people thought that he would retire but he opted to join the AFC East. It’s a shame that Tom Brady isn’t there because it would have been perfect (via The Guardian).

Some people think that it’s one of the worst deals of the past decade. The Jets gave up the 13th overall pick in 2023, as well as a second-rounder, a six-rounder, and the second becomes a potential first-rounder in 2024 if Rodgers plays just 65 percent of the snaps in 2023. It’s a lot but if Rodgers transforms them into contenders they won’t complain. Meanwhile, Jordan Love has the unenviable task of becoming the next Green Bay icon.

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