Fansided
Fansided

The Worst Trade For Every NFL Team In History

By Erik Lambert

31 Dec 1995: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers avoid pressure during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game 37-20. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport
31 Dec 1995: Quarterback Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers avoid pressure during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game 37-20. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /Allsport /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
15 of 32
Next
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 28: Wide receiver Joey Galloway #84 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulls away from safety Reggie Nelson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. The Jaguars won 24 – 23. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 28: Wide receiver Joey Galloway #84 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulls away from safety Reggie Nelson #25 of the Jacksonville Jaguars at Raymond James Stadium on October 28, 2007 in Tampa, Florida. The Jaguars won 24 – 23. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars. Reggie Nelson . 15. player. 52. . S

The problem with a lot of front offices is they automatically think a player struggling means the player is the problem. They don’t stop to reason that maybe the coaching might be the issue. Reggie Nelson got off to a great start in Jacksonville. He had five interceptions his rookie season. Soon though his play started to regress and by Year 3 he had zero interceptions.

Rather than explore the root of the problem, the Jaguars gave up and shipped him off to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for defensive back David Jones and a 7th round pick. Jones lasted two years in Jacksonville and had one interception. Nelson? He started for the Bengals over the next six years, grabbing 23 interceptions and making the Pro Bowl in 2015.

Oh, but he wasn’t done. Next, he went to Oakland in 2016 and made another Pro Bowl while grabbing six interceptions the past two years. He’s been one of the more underappreciated safeties in the NFL. Maybe the Jaguars would’ve remembered that if they hadn’t kept switching defensive coordinators through his first three years, the undoubted reason for his struggles.

Home/NFL Hot Takes