Random Worst NFL Trades (15 items)

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  (#1) Brett Favre

  • Quarterback

  in 1992, the Atlanta Falcons traded Brett Favre to the Green Bay Packers for a first-round pick. The Falcons felt the need to get rid of Favre because ex-Falcons coach Jerry Glanville worried about Favre's drinking at the time. Unfortunetely for Falcons fans, Favre spent 16 miraculaous seaons in Green Bay and became one of the all-time great quarterbacks in NFL history. 
  
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  (#2) Steve Young

  • Quarterback

  In 1987, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded Steve Young to the 49ers for second- and fourth-round draft picks. Young was on the Bucs for only two seasons before they determined he wasn't the franchise quarterback for them. After joining the 49ers, Young led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 1994 and became a Hall of Fame quarterback.  
  
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  (#3) Jerry Rice

  • Wide receiver

  In 1985, the Patriots received three picks to move down in the draft, while the Niners moved up to draft Jerry Rice. This goes without saying, but the Patriots probably should've kept their pick and drafted the greatest receiver of all time. Rice went on to help lead the Niners to three Lombardi trophies and break almost every receiving record in the books. 
  
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  (#4) Marshall Faulk

  • Running back

  In 1999, the Indianapolis Colts traded Marshall Faulk to the St. Louis Rams for a second- and fifth-round pick. Faulk was a key member of the "greatest show on turf" and helped the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV. The Colts got a lot of production out of Faulk in his first five years in Indianapolis, but gave up on the running back a little too soon. 
  
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  (#5) Ryan Leaf

  • Quarterback

  In 1998, the San Diego Chargers traded two first-round picks, a second-round pick, Eric Metcalf, and Patrick Sapp to the Arizona Cardinals for the second overall pick in the draft. With the second pick, the Chargers drafted Ryan Leaf and immediately regretted it. Leaf struggled on and off the field and to say he didn't live up to expectations would be a huge understatement. Leaf lasted only two years in San Diego and was out of the NFL entirely after three years.
  
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  (#6) Herschel Walker

  • Running back, Return specialist

  In the middle of the 1989 season, the Dallas Cowboys traded star running back Herschel Walker and four draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings for five players and eight draft picks. While Dallas didn't know what they would be getting, they knew they had the potential to hit on a lot of talent, and did they ever. From all the picks, the Cowboys ended up with future Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith and safety Darren Woodson. This led to Dallas winning multiple Super Bowls.

  On the other side of things, Walker ended up only playing two full seasons in Minnesota and never rushing for more than 850 yards. The Vikings gave up potentially their own dynasty for a star running back that never worked out.     
  
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  (#7) Jerome Bettis

  • Running back

  In 1996, the St. Louis Rams traded Jerome Bettis and a third-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for second- and fourth-round picks. The Rams wanted to move Bettis to fullback to make room for running back Lawrence Phillips. Bettis wanted to stay at running back so they shipped him off to Pittsburgh. Bettis ran for more than 10,000 yards in Pittsburgh, won a Super Bowl and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2015. 
  
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  (#8) Randy Moss

  • Wide receiver

  In 2007, the Oakland Raiders traded Randy Moss to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round pick. The Raiders ended up with University of Cincinnati cornerback John Bowie while the Patriots gained one of the best wide receivers in the league. In his first season in New England, Moss caught 98 passes for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns and helped lead the Patriots to an undefeated regular season and an AFC Championship.    
  
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  (#9) Steve Largent

  • Wide receiver

  In 1976, the Houston Oilers traded Steve Largent to the Seattle Seahawks for an eighth-round pick. The Oilers drafted Largent in the fourth-round and were planning on releasing the wide receiver, so when the Seahawks were willing to trade with them, they figured something was better than nothing. Largent then went on to have a Hall of Fame career with Seattle. He produced over 13,000 receiving yards and caught 100 touchdowns in his 14 years with the Seahawks. 
  
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  (#10) John Elway

  • Quarterback

  In 1983, the Baltimore Colts traded John Elway to the Denver Broncos for Chris Hinton, Mark Herrmann, and a first-round pick. Elway made it clear he never wanted to play for the Colts, but they drafted him first overall anyways. The Colts were forced to trade him and ended up missing out on one of the all-time great quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Elway won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. 
  
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  (#11) Wes Welker

  • Wide receiver

  In 2007, the Miami Dolphins traded Wes Welker to the New England Patriots for second- and seventh-round draft picks. In Miami's defense, Welker under-performed as a member of the Dolphins and never caught more than 67 passes. However, Welker thrived on the Patriots becoming Tom Brady's favorite target. In five of his six seasons in New England, Welker had at least 111 receptions.
  
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  (#12) Ricky Williams

  • Running back

  In 1999, the New Orleans Saints traded eight draft picks to the Washington Redskins to move up from the 12th spot in the draft to the number five spot in order to draft Ricky Williams. Head coach Mike Ditka thought so highly of Williams he was willing to sacrifice all of his picks in order to grab one player. The Saints ultimately got Williams, and while he put up decent numbers in New Orleans, the team struggled mightily and Ditka was fired at the end of the year. By 2002, Williams was traded to the Miami Dolphins and the Saints gave up a whole years worth of draft picks for one player that ultimately did not work out. 
  
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  (#13) Robert Griffin III

  • Quarterback

  in 2012, the Washington Redskins traded three first-round picks and a second-rounder to the St. Louis Rams to move up to the No.2 selection to draft Robert Griffin III. Griffin had a solid rookie campaign and it looked like giving up all those draft picks was going to be worth it. Unfortunately since his rookie year, he has struggled with injuries and has had inconsistencies throwing the ball. Griffin sat on the bench during the entire 2015 season and is now no longer on the Redskins roster.
  
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  (#14) Trent Richardson

  • Running back

  In 2013, the Cleveland Browns traded Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round draft pick. Richardson was the third overall pick in the 2012 Draft. The Colts desperately needed a running back and thought Richardson would live up to his potential in Indianapolis. The Colts ended up releasing Richardson after the 2014 season.
  
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  (#15) Roy Williams

  • Wide receiver

  In 2008, the Detroit Lions traded Roy Williams and a seventh-round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys for a first-, third-, and sixth-round pick. Williams ended up being a total bust for the Cowboys. Williams caught only 19 passes in 2008, and followed that up with 38-and 37-catch years. Detroit didn't do much with their picks, but did select Brandon Pettigrew who has produced for them at tight end.  
  

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