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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 /
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10 Sep 2000: Ricky Williams #34 of the New Orleans Saints races to make a touchdown during the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Saints defeated the Chargers 28-27.Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport
10 Sep 2000: Ricky Williams #34 of the New Orleans Saints races to make a touchdown during the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Saints defeated the Chargers 28-27.Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport /

New Orleans Saints

Ricky Williams . 22. player. 15. . RB. New Orleans Saints

Trading an entire draft for one player is never advisable. The NFL is a team sport and it takes a team to win. Trading an entire draft for a running back? That screams PR move more than true desire to win. The New Orleans Saints were desperate for a spark after some tough years in the 1990s. They decided to close out the decade in 1999 with a bang.

Head coach Mike Ditka felt the team needed a bell-cow running back similar to Walter Payton like he had in Chicago. Williams was a superstar at Texas and seemed to fit the description, but the Saints weren’t picking high enough. So they made it known to the rest of the NFL that they wanted a top 5 pick and would give up their entire draft if necessary for it.

The Washington Redskins came calling with the #5 pick. Not only did they get the entire ’99 crop of picks (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th) but they also secured a 1st and 3rd in 2000 as well. It was an astronomical price to pay and instantly put way too much pressure on Williams. Pressure nobody could ever hope to survive. He tried. He played three good years with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage each season.

It just wasn’t anywhere near worth what New Orleans gave up to get him. By 2002, he was gone.

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