The 10 Most One-Sided Trades in Recent NFL History
Honorable Mention
The following exchanges possess an AV differential of 100 or more, but they come up just short of the top 10.
Let's start with the winners of each trade.
| AV Diff. | Year | Team | AV In | Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 112 | 1998 | Cardinals | 113 | 3rd overall in 1998 (Andre Wadsworth), 33rd overall in 1998 (Corey Chavous), 8th overall in 1999 (David Boston), Eric Metcalf, Patrick Sapp |
| 111 | 2004 | Bengals | 176 | 24th overall in 2004 (Steven Jackson), 117th overall in 2004 (Robert Geathers), Deltha O'Neal |
| 111 | 2001 | Colts | 166 | 30th overall in 2001 (Reggie Wayne), 91st overall in 2001 (Cory Bird), 193rd overall in 2001 (Jason Doering) |
| 109 | 1995 | Panthers | 122 | 5th overall in 1995 (Kerry Collins), 36th overall in 1995 (Shawn King) |
| 108 | 1996 | Chiefs | 109 | 98th overall in 1996 (Donnie Edwards), 214th overall in 1997 (Nathan Parks) |
| 108 | 1995 | Buccaneers | 166 | 12th overall in 1995 (Warren Sapp), 43rd overall in 1995 (Melvin Johnson), 63rd overall in 1995 (Shane Hannah) |
| 104 | 2000 | Seahawks | 155 | 19th overall in 2000 (Shaun Alexander), 7th overall in 2000 (Andre Carter) |
| 102 | 1998 | Buccaneers | 117 | 13th overall in 1998 (John Abraham) |
| 102 | 1996 | Patriots | 105 | 86th overall in 1996 (Tedy Bruschi), 119th overall in 1996) Chris Sullivan), 195th overall in 1996 (Marrio Grier) |
| 101 | 2005 | Titans | 131 | 41st overall in 2005 (Michael Roos), 113th overall in 2005 (David Stewart) |
Who are the losers of those same trades?
| AV Diff. | Year | Team | AV In | Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -112 | 1998 | Chargers | 1 | 2nd overall in 1998 (Ryan Leaf) |
| -111 | 2004 | Broncos | 65 | 17th overall in 2004 (D.J. Williams) |
| -111 | 2001 | Giants | 55 | 22nd overall in 2001 (Will Allen) |
| -109 | 1995 | Bengals | 13 | 1st overall in 1995 (Ki-Jana Carter) |
| -108 | 1996 | Dolphins | 1 | 113th overall in 1996 (Kirk Pointer), 125th overall in 1996 (LaCurtis Jones) |
| -108 | 1995 | Eagles | 58 | 7th overall in 1995 (Mike Mamula), 72nd overall in 1995 (Greg Jefferson) |
| -104 | 2000 | Cowboys | 51 | Joey Galloway |
| -102 | 1998 | Chargers | 15 | 59th overall in 1998 (Mikhael Ricks) |
| -102 | 1996 | Lions | 3 | 76th overall in 1996 (Ryan Stewart) |
| -101 | 2005 | Lions | 30 | 37th overall in 2005 (Shaun Cody) |
It isn't shocking to see the failed Ryan Leaf trade atop the honorable mentions. Leaf was a highly touted prospect coming out of college, but turned in just 21 starts over four years in the league. The Chargers still regret surrendering a total of five players in order to grab a young man they believed would be their franchise quarterback for years to come.
Among the other nine swaps, those for Pro Bowlers like Reggie Wayne, Warren Sapp, Shaun Alexander and Tedy Bruschi certainly became franchise-altering moves for those trade-winning teams. In fact, those four players have five -- count 'em, five -- Super Bowl rings and one MVP award (Alexander) between them.
