The NFL is currently locked in its annual seven-month close season, and it is front-office dealings that are in the headlines at the moment, rather than gridiron heroics. The Washington Commanders are looking to build on their impressive run to the NFC Championship game last term by bringing in powerhouse receiver Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers, trading away just a paltry fifth-round pick in return. Over in Cincinnati, meanwhile, the Bengals have managed to tie down two wide receiving superstars of their own, namely Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, as they look to make a return to the playoffs after back-to-back disappointments.
New signings can completely transform a franchise, but by the same token, they can also nuke a team’s hopes should something go wrong. Here are four of the biggest deals in recent memory, and how each team fared following the blockbuster deals.
Chiefs Trade Up for Patrick Mahomes
No recap of monumental trades is complete without starting with the Kansas City Chiefs’ game-changing decision to trade up for Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 Draft. The Arrowhead outfit was way down at 37th on the board, but they sent that pick – as well as a third-rounder and a future first-round pick – to Buffalo in exchange for the No. 10 overall slot. The Bills had just gone 7-9 with Tyrod Taylor under center and were in dire need of a new franchise QB themselves, but they thought that the Chiefs’ offer was simply too good to refuse.
Then, when KC selected Mahomes, even more eyebrows were raised. At the time, the former Texas Tech standout was considered a risky gamble and seen by some scouts as more reckless than refined. Analysts were slating the selection left right and center, but they had to eat their words and then some.
Fast forward to now, and the Chiefs’ gamble has paid off in historic fashion. Mahomes has redefined greatness at the quarterback position with his arm strength, mobility, and creativity. In each of his seven campaigns as a starter, he has reached at least the conference championships, winning five of those and converting three of those Super Bowl appearances into Lombardi trophies. He is already in the GOAT conversation at the age of just 29, and next season, football odds makers think that yet another championship could be on the horizon.
They’re certainly excited by Mahomes’ ongoing potential! The latest online football odds currently make KC the +700 second favorites for glory next term, narrowly behind the Philadelphia Eagles – the team that utterly ransacked the Chiefs at the most recent Big Game back in February. But while Mahomes has turned the Chiefs into the NFL’s latest dynasty, it’s not all doom and gloom for the Bills – the team that traded that pick away.
They used the compensation they received for their troubles to build much of their current core, including landing a quarterback ace of their own in Josh Allen the following year. He won the MVP award last season, but Mahomes still lingers like a haunting ghost. He has eliminated Buffalo from the playoffs four times in the last five years – including last term – and until that jinx is vanquished, a maiden Lombardi will continue to remain elusive.
Matthew Stafford’s Move to the Rams
After years of carrying the Detroit Lions with little playoff success to show for it, Matthew Stafford wanted out. Enter the Los Angeles Rams, ready to bet the farm on a veteran quarterback. The Rams sent their 2016 first-overall pick Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and a third-rounder to Detroit, confident that Stafford was the missing piece for a title run. Ultimately, they were right.
Stafford delivered immediately, leading the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in his first season with the team and claiming the trophy on home turf, the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium. His veteran leadership and precision passing turned his side’s offensive engine into a finely-tuned machine, providing the perfect ammunition for wide receiver Cooper Kupp to do some serious damage. While injuries have since hampered Stafford and the Rams have taken a step back, the trade fulfilled its purpose.
On the other side, Detroit rejuvenated Goff’s career and used the draft picks to build a promising young core, including players like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams. They have since gone from an NFL basement dweller to a genuine contender, and they were the favorites to win the Lombardi last season. Those hopes and dreams were famously destroyed by the underdog Washington Commanders, but at least the Lions finally have some postseason wins under their belt after over three decades of hurt.
Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos
Few trades in recent memory generated as much buzz as the Broncos acquiring Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. Denver sent two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and several players, including tight end Noah Fant. The idea was simple—Wilson would bolster Denver’s quarterback position, finally solving a years-long problem and making the team a contender in a loaded AFC West.
The reality, however, was far less rosy. Wilson struggled to adapt to a new system, posting career-low numbers and failing to mesh with the Broncos’ offense. While his 2023 performance showed improvement, the late-season benching and Denver’s eventual decision to cut ties with him in 2024 solidified the trade as a colossal misstep.
The Mile High outfit actually paid him to depart Colorado, but now they finally look to have a face of the franchise in the form of sophomore Bo Nix. Meanwhile, the Seahawks thrived with Geno Smith, who led the team to the playoffs in 2022 and posted the best numbers of his career last season.