The Denver Broncos’ decision to bench Russell Wilson for the final two games of the regular season made many remember the infamous Herschel Walker trade.
The Minnesota Vikings acquiring the Dallas Cowboys’ star running back in 1989 is regarded by many as the worst trade in NFL history. But it now has competition from the Broncos and their disastrous deal for Wilson nearly two years ago. Denver probably regrets the decision, but it might not even be the worst trade of 2022.
The Cleveland Browns haven’t gotten much from Deshaun Watson, either. And let’s not overlook the San Francisco 49ers’ draft trade in 2021. They got very little from Trey Lance before shipping him to the Cowboys in September.
With these bad trades in mind, it’s a good time to rank the five worst trades in NFL history.
5. 49ers deal three first-round picks for Trey Lance
The trade: Dolphins received 2021 first-round pick (No. 12), ’22 first-round pick (No. 29), ’22 third-round pick (No. 101), ’23 first-round pick (No. 29); 49ers received ’21 first-round pick (No. 3).
Assessment: The 49ers are fine without Lance—unless you believe the sky is falling in San Francisco after Brock Purdy’s four interceptions against the Baltimore Ravens. The 49ers have one of the best rosters in the NFL, but they shouldn’t be left off the hook for getting very little return on Lance, who was sent to the Cowboys in September for a 2024 fourth-round pick. San Francisco traded up nine spots to select Lance after sending three first-round picks to the Miami Dolphins. It was a deal that benefited other teams besides the 49ers. Lance sat behind Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie in ’21 and only played in two games after being named the starter in ’22. The 49ers stumbled on Purdy, the last pick in the ’22 draft, made him their new starter and named Sam Darnold the backup this season. Lance went from third-stringer in San Francisco to playing behind Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush in Dallas. The 49ers badly missed on this trade, but no one will care if they win the Super Bowl in February.
