The WORST NFL Draft Day Trades, EVER! 

I don’t know what’s worst. The saints trading all those picks to Washington for Ricky Williams. Or Washington not being able to build a winning team from all those picks.

A man of his word. Dropped after GPS.

As a Packers fan trading down in the draft in 2017 to select Kevin King when we could've had TJ Watt is pretty painful to think about

You forgot the one where Adam Schefter traded his credibility to get A nonstory delivered before anyone else could

When the Rams traded up for Jared Goff, one of the picks they sent to Tennessee became Derrick Henry

I can confirm that everyone at the 2017 draft was stunned when that Trubisky deal was announced. I was prepared for him to head to the Jets & laugh hysterically.

Anyone remember Buffalo in 2014 trading their 2015 first to Cleveland to move up from 9 to 4 to draft Sammy Watkins? They could have stayed at 9 and drafted OBJ instead.

you forgot the Jets trading up for Sam Darnold while the Colts used the first and second round picks they got in exchange from the draft to get Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard

That tebow pass gets me every time.

Mike Ditka is one of the most carried individuals in American sports history

The Texans under Bill O'Brien would trade a future's worth of draft picks and star players for a half eaten ham sandwich and a bag of smashed chips.

Loving these Balls Deep episodes, you and Will are killing it. Keep up the great work!

Bradon "You know what wasn't a bad trade Russell Wilson to the Broncos" Perna Edit: This aged like milk

Just feels kind of dumb to call a trade bad because a player eventually got hurt. Washington traded a lot but rg3 was phenomenal and looked well worth it until bad luck.

As a vikings fan, I feel obligated to mention the hershel walker trade.

Go balls deep as to why, historically running backs have such a short lived and concentrated career - Bonus points for mentioning the NFL's departure from a teams full use of a fullback.

Brandon “ I need some of Jamarcus Russell’s lean to understand these trades” Perna

It's adorable Rosen tried to expand on Rodgers' "I'll make the Niners regret not drafting me" bit.

Ricky Williams was an historic talent and if he had his head on right and the right team he would probably have broken the single season rushing record.

Check out 8:14 where it shows that Elroy Hirsch and Bill Groman caught 17 TD's in one season in 1951 and 1961 respectively. Incredible since not only was the game so different back then, but the season was several games shorter (only 12 games I think).

The Jets trading up 3 spots for Sam Darnold from 6 with the Colts in 2018 is an all time fleece as well. The return for Indy included a Hall of Fame caliber OG (Nelson) and a very good RT (Braden Smith).

9:18 well...the falcons had already done that, in the 1999 draft sending a 1st round pick to the ravens for a 2nd so they could draft a blocking TE they really wanted but didn't pan out, the falcons crashed and burned that year making it a top 5 pick for baltimore...who would go on to use it for jamal lewis you know...one of the most underrated RBs of all time who'd go on to make the 2000 club and be a key factor in the raven's super bowl-winning year

You forgot Cowboys trading up to get Quincy Carter. Then his college coach revealed they were going to bench Carter the next season and encouraged him to enter the draft.

The Ryan Pace era for the Bears is a litany of bad draft day trades. Like when they traded up 2 spots to draft Leonard Floyd, then cut him 3 seasons later because reasons, so he goes to Los Angeles and helps them win a Super Bowl.

Yay I love these types of videos from you.

Brilliant video man. Your humor is underrated.

That Broncos trade for a 2nd is even worse because it was infamously done before by the Bucs back in the 80s. They traded a first rounder in the next draft to get a guy in the 2nd who unsurprisingly did not pan out. Meanwhile the Bears got an extra 1st rounder in the famously loaded 83 draft for their trouble. Now they used that pick to take Willie Gault but there were several future pro bowlers still on the board (and taken by other teams right after Gault) the Bucs could have had with that pick, even a couple HOF like Dan Marino.

During quarantine, I went through every NFL Draft since 2000 and tracked all the trades and their eventual outcomes. The Julio Jones/Trent Richardson one is actually pretty interesting because there was a 6th rounder that got passed around several teams, before it was finally traded to the Raiders by the Cardinals. The Cardinals got Carson Palmer in the deal. Who would have his career resurgance and make them one of the best teams for the next few years.

Honorable mention: the Rams acquiring the 1st overall pick in 2016 from the Titans. Hindsight is 20/20, since the Rams did win a Super Bowl ring thanks to Jared Goff trade, but it's the asset management of this trade that deserves a mention. The Rams gave up 6 draft picks over 2 years, 2 picks also in the first round, in exchange for the 1st overall pick (Jared Goff), a 4th and 6th round pick. Although the Rams recouped value by trading for Matt Stafford, the haul they gave to the Titans just to draft Goff was way too much. Goff has been a serviceable QB at best, and even took the Rams to the Super Bowl, only to fall to the freaking Patriots. Then, the massive contract extension came, and Goff's play began to decline. For Stafford's services, the Rams had to surrender Goff and 2 more 1st rounders (2022 and 2023) and a 3rd round pick, which became Ifeatu Melifonwu. Although the Rams won a ring with Stafford, time will tell if the Rams overpaid for that ring. The 4th and 6th round picks never amounted to anything. The 4th round pick was traded to the Bears for Nick Kwiatkoski, a forgettable LB, while the 6th round pick turned into TE Temmarick Hemingway, who is practice squad fodder for his career. With the benefit of hindsight, can you imagine if the Rams had Dak Prescott as their QB? (Prescott was taken 22 picks after Kwiatkoski) What did the Titans do with their picks? The Titans flipped the 1st round pick they got from the Rams to take Jack Conklin, a solid tackle which they erred by letting him sign with the Browns. Ironically, the pick they gave to the Browns from the Rams turned into Corey Coleman, who is known better as the last in a string of Browns draft busts in the early 2010s. The Rams had 2 second round picks, one from the Sam Bradford trade (43rd overall), which the Titans used to select Austin Jackson, a defensive lineman. However, the 45th overall pick, which originally belonged to the Rams, became Derrick Henry. Henry is the pivot of a resurging Titans offense, so this is one pick the Rams may want back. The 3rd round pick was traded to the Browns, who selected Shon Coleman, an offensive lineman now playing for the Colts as a rotation player. This is all from 2016. The Titans used the 2017 first round pick on Corey Davis, who is a serviceable wideout, but got overshadowed by AJ Brown and Adam Humphries once they joined the team. Davis is now a Jet. The third round pick from 2017 was used to select Jonnu Smith, a TE who played well enough on the Titans to earn a massive pay day from the Patriots, where he remains today. In exchange for Jared Goff, the Titans got serviceable careers from Jack Conklin, Austin Jackson, Derrick Henry, Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith. Although only Henry remains on the roster, the fact the Titans are still in Super Bowl contention says a lot about their asset management. Also on a side note, Goff is currently the latest player drafted in the first round by the Rams, and unless the Rams do not trade their pick, their next 1st round pick will be in 2024. EDIT: Typos.

Loving the Balls Deep episodes! Good shit Brandon

I'm loving these Perna I think it'd be awesome if you guys did a series on some of the major trade trees that have happened in the NFL.

First video I watched of yours. I subscribed and laughed so much .

The entire time you were talking about Ricky Williams and Mike Ditka I was thinking about the Bengals refusing to trade so they could get Akili Smith but WHAT DO YOU KNOW MY BOY PERNA ALREADY IS ALL OVER THIS STORY lmfao pain

Trading your entire draft for any player that doesn't turn out to be a hall of fame QB is massively stupid. Really wish history didn't remember that my Bengals were stupid enough NOT to take the Saints up on this trade. The less the world remember about how bad Akili Smith sucked, the better.

Never seen this dude but subbed immediately. I already know I found a good one

Ur hella funny bro I had to subscribe 💯

11:22 is such a sneaky joke. I love it

Best sports writing and presenting on RU-vid.

This was very interesting, you should make more videos like this

As a cards fan... like the flash of rozen... when talking about moving on from him a year later.. best move we ever did

Salivating over the thought of the Bengals getting an entire draft like that with the monstrous team building capabilities of Duke Tobin. If we took a trade like that today, oh man CIN would become a monster

You rock dude!

These videos are great! As Denver is getting new fans with Russell Wilson coming to the Broncos I think it would be cool for you to make a brief history of the franchise to catch up a brand new fan.

Awesome video

The cut in with the scouting video is funny as hell.

The worst part of the Ricky Williams trade was that the browns were an expansion team that year with the 1st overall pick. How much would Cleveland history changed had THEY traded for the saints draft class?

Love the Grigson call out. What about the Leaf/Manning debacle - or was that not the result of a trade?

Nice list and production! I wanted to add an observation, seems like that RG3 trade pick was just destined to be wasted because of all the ones it turned into just nothing. It is hard to question this pick though considering he looked to be the next Mike Vick and who wouldn't have traded that to have a second chance at Vick. A lot of these seems like pretty big gambles that might have paid off, but I often wonder is there a secret list of prospects that scouts get paid to inflate to eat up these kinds of picks? I wonder if Ditka was dealing with CTE? Also wondering if Williams was an emotional pick considering all the hell he had to endure with not letting Payton carry more in the super bowl? Ricky was hella good but he had to have known that the Saints roster was not the kind you can't usher in a healthy draft class. It is so weird because he knew that he won the super bowl without using a star running back!

I hated Brandon Weeden pick so much. I saw his age and said no way for a 1st round pick, and was hoping to see if they can develop Colt Mccoy

Cool glasses! Gee, where can I pay 125$ for Dollar store glasses? Right here? Yay! You're awesome Brandon!!! Glad your success is working out and your channel has cemented itself as a staple in so many of our lives as the "Go to" sports channel!!!👍😉♥️

Coming back from deployment knowing Brandon Perna has kept Colorado safe in my absence is a heartwarming thought

I can't blame anybody though for not taking Lamar Jackson.. like he's an athletic freak but that's all he had coming into the league, then a huge fumbling issue, no one could have foreseen a turn around like he had coming into his second season

When I seen the title for this video 😂 the Ricky Williams trade was first thing I thought of 😂 and you got it

"wasn't as expensive as they expected... they gave up their entire draft this year" I'm dead

You have to remember the Jets traded up for Sam Darnold as well... Still haunts me

Videos like these are my favorite

I love you, you brilliant man

I'd love to know what the Bengals thought process was in turning down Ditka's trade offer. QB might be the most important position, I don't believe there is a QB that is worth giving up 9 draft picks.

damn, glad i was off today never been this early. btw shoutout to eli for not wanting to play for the chargers.

Hahaha that quick dagger at Josh Rosen at 5:02 mark

I liked the subtle joke when you said Joe Flacco the “Elite” qb.

A teams entire draft of picks plus top picks from the next year all for a RB. The NFL has changed so much 🤣

The worst trade on draft day has got to be Mike Ditka HC for the N.O. saints in 1999. Mike traded all of his draft picks. To draft one player Ricky Williams.

Saw the thumbnail & new I had to watch lmaooo.

I keep forgetting about the Mike Ditka trade, and every time I hear about it I feel my brain boiling in my skull from how shitty it was

You should do the best NFL draft day trades ever too

That Tebow pass BLOWS my mind

If there is one thing I've learned is there is no guarantee that just because someone is good in college, its gonna automatically translate into being good in the NFL, how many 1st rounders have we seen just in the last decade, come in on a wave of hype only to fizzle out within 2 seasons?

I knew it was coming, but when trubisky was brought up I died.

The thing most people forget is that the Saints offer was to anybody picking before Ricky Williams was picked, and it took til pick 5 for someone to say, "All your this year picks for my First, plus a lot of your good picks next year as well, to say.....ok". How could The Browns pass on that instead of taking Tim Couch? They could have had double draft picks each round plus a extra 1st & 3nd the next season. The team that doesn't get the grief they should are the Colts. They just drafted Payton Manning a few years before and could have had double picks to help him. They, unlike most teams who said no at least hit a homerun taking the First running back off the board in Edgerrin James! Before I go, do you think a college player will ever have a team so in love this could happen again???

Balls deep: the history of international football leagues

Trading a first round pick for a second😂😅……I would’ve loved to have heard that GM phone call!

This was really interesting

Adams was top 5 for most TD Catches in a season. Adams 2020 season was fun to watch.

Can’t wait for an updated version of this 😂

5:02, Josh Rosen if you guys wanted to know.

This series is cursed. I love it.

I really wish RG3 never got hurt. I think he would have had a great career

I still can't belive the Bengals didn't take that trade with the Saints

Love ya Perna!!

There were teams wanting to trade with San Fran for that #2 pick. So San Fran called up Chicago and let them know what they were offered and Chicago made the move. Smart by San Fran, they got who they really wanted AND extra picks.

Balls Deep Suggestion: Which player injuries most damaged their team's seasons?

Great Pernagraphy

The worst pick I remember was Atlanta trading their first round pick next year for a blocking Tight End That ended up being Jamal Lewis a top five pick and one of the few back to rush for 2000 yards in a season

honestly you could do an entire video on the last decade + of broncos drafting. outside of von miller, DT and a handful of decent situational/rotational players, they've whiffed on just about every pick as far back as i can remember.

Nice Rosen frame shot

Have you done win-win trades? I'm thinking of two, Eli Manning & Philip Rivers, and Stefon Diggs to Buffalo for 1st round pick that the Vikings turned into Justin Jefferson.

14:14 Lol I remember watching a video that say people were apparently saying Colts were insane for drafting Edgerrin James over Ricky Williams

A big ol Vince Wilfork for the Patriots ❤️ lol

Brandon “This Balls Deep episode is on the clock” Perna

Paxton looks like a guy who owns a moderately successful tiki bar

Robert Griffin III was not a pick per se. He just got demolished by the Injury Train.

Can you do a best ever late round draft picks video?

I'd add also from 2016 nfl draft the 49ers trading up with the chiefs to get Joshua Garnett OL who didn't work out while the chiefs got chris jones

I just never understood how mike ditka thought trading his entire draft for one person, especially a rb of all things was a good idea.

I still remember the coming out game in 2012 for rg3 against my vikings, what a special talent, to bad his career ended early bc of injuries

The Alphonso Passion is god damn fantastic.

As a young Bengals fan, it killed me when they wouldn't take 9 picks for their spot(they were in the top 5 all the time) We suffer so we know when the good times are here. Who Dey!!

When Calgary Flames traded Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland and Adam Fox for Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm from the Carolina Huricanes!.. oh shit that was a hockey trade! Nvm!

The Hershal Walker trade was pretty bad too.