The NFL has a long history of setting immense records and always increasing the standard for players to reach. Ever since the beginning, professional athletes were traded to other teams in exchange for specific members of their team. This has been a useful way of carrying out contract negotiations, meeting terms for managers, and getting each player the chance to shine that they deserve. These are some of the top five NFL player trades to have ever happened.
To find out more about how each trade can impact the predictions for a particular team, check out the latest NFL betting odds.
5 Massive NFL Player Trades
Green Bay Packers – Brett Favre
Firstly, 1992 was an important year for the Packers. Brett Favre was introduced after a relatively unimpressive first few seasons as a professional athlete. It turned out that Favre needed a change in scenery, and he began to achieve great things as a Packers player.
Having won the Super Bowl XXXI, Favre won three consecutive NFL MVP awards. Not only that, but he started every game for many years. Favre is known for his interceptions, but he also holds records for yards, touchdowns, and passing.
He played for sixteen seasons with the Packers, and it is known as one of the top trades of all time by many. Favre certainly helped restore the glory of the Packers.
Today in 2008: Packers trade Brett Favre to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional draft pick (eventually a third-rounder). A “poison pill” clause in the trade required NY to send three first round draft picks to GB in the event the Jets shipped Favre to Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/J42huZ0iY1
— Packers History (@HistoricPackers) August 6, 2018
Denver Broncos – John Elway
Another big trade that impacted the success of a key team was John Elway, who joined the Denver Broncos in 1983. He was traded by the Colts for two Broncos players and a first-round selection in the following season’s drafts.
This was an incredibly successful addition for the Broncos, who were led to five Super Bowl games and two wins. Despite denying himself a baseball career with the Yankees organization, Elway became an essential part of the Broncos.
The quarterback went on to have a Hall of Fame career, and it is partially thanks to the 1983 Broncos trade. The Broncos went to the Super Bowl three times, and won back-to-back finals thanks to Elway’s massive efforts.
Embed from Getty Images
San Francisco 49ers – Steve Young
In 1987, Steve Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He may have struggled as a quarterback for the Buccaneers, but Young proved his worth in 1991.
When he stepped in for injured Joe Montana, Young finished the season with the league’s highest passer rating. This led to his first Pro Bowl selection and MVP recognition.
Although he was mainly Montana’s backup, Young was a highly valuable player with a great deal of passing ability. It is this that gained the interest of the Los Angeles Raiders, who almost drafted Young during the peak of his career.
New England Patriots – Randy Moss
Before the 2007 draft, Moss was traded to the Patriots from the Oakland Raiders. This allowed him to change his luck and become a 23-touchdown receiver in New England. Having set new NFL records, Moss helped the Patriots get to 16-0 in a regular season.
Many have regarded this as one of the most critical player trades to happen within the NFL, because Moss was able to bounce back from a bout of serious bad luck under the Raiders. Moss even flipped his number from 18 to 81, and accepted a pay cut in order to move to the Patriots.
Whatever he did, Moss certainly changed the record books for the better during this trade. He saw a huge change in his luck, and the Patriots definitely saw the benefits of it.
Seattle Seahawks – Marshawn Lynch
Having led the Buffalo Bills during his first two seasons as a 1,000 yard rusher, it was believed that Marshawn Lynch was of less use to the Bills. Lynch was traded to the Seahawks mid-season in 2010, and he gained the nickname ‘Beast Mode’.
This is due to Lynch making four Pro Bowls, leading the NFL in rushing for two years, and helping the Seahawks win the Super Bowl following the 2013 season. In spite of a relatively rocky start with the Bills, Lynch was a huge steal for the Seahawks. He achieved enormous things following this trade, and the team certainly benefitted from it.
Summary
There have been a range of successful player trades within the NFL for many years. Some have become known as the most pivotal moments in certain players’ careers. The NFL demonstrates a huge amount of talent, athleticism, and key strength.
Each player possesses a great deal of physical and mental strength, and it is worth giving them a fresh start when it is possible. Trading players is a great way of keeping key members of the NFL involved, and encouraging teams to co-ordinate their players and negotiate certain equivalents in terms of exchanges.
It could be that a particular player has a great deal of physical ability and knowledge of the game, but that they do not get on well with other members of their team. Problems such as this are common, and they can be resolved by trading certain players to other teams or changing their position.
