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With the NFL season well underway and the trade deadline approaching, many football fans have wondered if their teams will trade to improve their rosters going into the final stretch of the season. Late changes can effect not only a team’s performance, but also betting odds and outcomes.
That’s why according to OddsChecker, NFL betting odds offer a peek into each team’s potential and this kind of comparison platforms have previews and tips to see how your favorite teams stack up to the competition. Whether or not a team will upgrade ahead of the deadline is something of a wildcard. Although late additions have become rare in today’s NFL, there have been some blockbuster trades over the years.
Keep reading to learn about some of the biggest trades in NFL history.
Herschel Walker—1989
One of the greatest dynasties in football history began when the Dallas Cowboys agreed to send Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings for an incredible haul. There were 18 players involved in the largest trade in NFL history, and the Vikings believed they were setting themselves up to win the Super Bowl by acquiring Walker.
The Vikings had every reason to believe this. The superstar had 2,000 all-purpose yards in 1988, stunning the league with his athletic prowess. However, Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson was playing the long game and knew that Walker wasn’t enough to carry his team alone.
Dallas used the picks it received from the draft to assemble an incredible team that included Emmit Smith, Russell Maryland, and Darren Woodson. The Coybows went on to win three Super Bowls in four seasons. As for the Vikings, they only made the playoffs once with Walker, who left for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1992.
John Elway—1983
John Elway openly stated he didn’t want to play for the Baltimore Colts in the lead-up to the NFL draft in 1983. However, that didn’t stop the Colts from selecting him as their number one overall pick. Needless to say, Elway wasn’t happy, and he punished his new team by refusing to play, setting the scene for his blockbuster trade to the Denver Broncos.
The Colts didn’t walk away from the trade empty-handed. Instead, they acquired quarterback Mark Hermann, offensive lineman Chris Hinton, and a first-round pick in the 1984 draft. Still, drafting Elway backfired for the Colts, and the team ended up leaving Baltimore and moving to Indianapolis in 1984.
In contrast, the Denver Broncos prospered, and Elway proved his worth, leading the team to five Super Bowl appearances and taking home two titles in 1997 and 1998. Ultimately Elway’s injuries from the sport caught up with him, and he said a teary goodbye to football after the 1998 season.
Elway has gone down as one of the top five quarterbacks in NFL history. He continues to be an essential part of the team today as an outside consultant to the Broncos’ general manager.
Brett Favre—1992
The Atlanta Falcons selected Brett Favre as a second-round draft pick in 1992 and, after a disappointing rookie season, they were ready to send him packing. They found a home for Favre with the Green Bay Packers, receiving a first-round pick in the 1992 draft in exchange. It looked like the Falcons had made a wise decision until Favre proved them wrong.
Favre would spend 16 seasons with the Packers, where he’d have an outstanding career and help the side return to its former glory. Favre set several career passing records over the years and led the team to two Super Bowls. The Packers won XXXI, with Favre throwing for two touchdowns and running for a third as the Packers beat the New England Patriots 35-21, winning their first Super Bowl in 29 years.
Marshall Faulk—1999
If you watched the NFL in the late 90s and early 2000s, you know all about “the greatest show on turf.” When the Colts decided to send Marshall Faulk to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for a second-round and fifth-round draft pick, he became part of that show, which would go down as the best offense in NFL history.
Faulk had a few good years with the Colts and was beginning to show signs of becoming a star. However, the Colts sent him packing when he decided to hold out for a new contract in 1999. The running back had an immediate impact after joining the Rams, earning the Offensive Player of the Year award and helping the Rams make it to the Super Bowl during his first season with the team.
He didn’t stop there. Faulk was selected as MVP during his second season with the team and during his third season he again won the Offensive Player of the Year Award. The Colts didn’t do too bad with the trade, drafting Edgerrin James with one of their picks. James helped the Colts make the playoffs during several seasons and is remembered as one of the best tailbacks in the franchise’s history.
Steve Largent—1976
When the Houston Oilers traded newly drafted Steve Largent to the Seattle Seahawks for an eighth-round pick in the following year’s draft, they gave up someone who’d become one of the best wide receivers in NFL history. The Oilers traded Largent before the 1976 season began, so they never had a chance to witness his potential.
Largent had an incredible career, being selected for seven Pro Bowls teams. When he retired, he held the records for receiving touchdowns, receiving yards, and the most catches. He also holds the distinction of being the first player in Seahawks’ history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Russell Wilson—2022
With one Super Bowl under his belt, Russell Wilson has his sights on winning another with the Denver Broncos. Wilson’s move is the biggest NFL trade in recent years, and it had a lot of moving pieces, with the Seahawks picking up two first-round and second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, plus Drew Lock, Shelby Harris, and Noah Fant in exchange for the superstar.
On the other hand, the Denver Broncos received Wilson and a fourth-round pick. It’s too soon to know how the trade will play out and who will benefit more, so we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever happens, this massive trade will go down in NFL history.
