Trading players on draft day

[The Jokeman]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

We traded for Bryce Brown, running back from the Eagles, during the draft. 2014 maybe?

Yeah after we traded Stevie Johnson to the 49ers. 

[Rubes]

1 hour ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Josh Rosen was traded from the Cardinals to the Dolphins during the draft

This is true, but it’s another example of a player traded to another team in exchange for draft picks. It wasn’t part of a package for the Cardinals to move up in the draft per se.

 

1 hour ago, The Jokeman said:

Yeah after we traded Stevie Johnson to the 49ers. 

Again, another example of a player just traded for picks, not as part of a package to move up in the draft.

 

[BigAl2526]

4 hours ago, FireChans said:

I think it’s largely not possible because of passing physicals and stuff, right?

 

Like you trade Cook for a fifth and then we take a player. Maybe Cook doesn’t pass his physical and they don’t want that player.

Also, contracts make it difficult, at least for players with big contracts, and especially big contracts with several years left.  Those contracts can make dead cap dollars tough for the team losing the big name player.

[Doc Brown]

4 hours ago, Rubes said:

I keep seeing people interested in maybe packaging a player along with a draft pick to move up in the draft. Someone like Cook, or a player who hasn’t worked out well here (Elam was another example in previous years).

 

When was the last time this was done? I can’t find any recent examples of a player being part of a draft-day trade, though I’m no search expert on this. I can recall one involving Jerome Bettis, but that was decades ago, I believe.

 

Anybody know of any recent examples? Not that it can’t happen, but it seems like it’s become so extremely rare that I wouldn’t even bother to consider the possibility, especially on Day 1.

 

It wasn't a draft day trade but Beane traded Cordy Glenn to move up from 21st to 12th before the 2018 draft.  There were some late round picks involved too (I think we swapped 5th and 6th round picks). 

[Einstein's Dog]

Some possible trade scenarios could be contingency related and not done spontaneously. 

 

For instance Beane may be in discussions with Dallas.  This would be in case a team before Dallas picks A Jeanty.  The framework of a deal would be laid out prior to the draft.

[chris heff]

14 hours ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Josh Rosen was traded from the Cardinals to the Dolphins during the draft

Josh Rosen and Patrick Ramsey, two guys the Bills “missed out” on.

[MiracleAtRich1393]

1 hour ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Some possible trade scenarios could be contingency related and not done spontaneously. 

 

For instance Beane may be in discussions with Dallas.  This would be in case a team before Dallas picks A Jeanty.  The framework of a deal would be laid out prior to the draft.

Cook & Kincaid for 44 & 76 🤞🤞🤞

[frostbitmic]

Eli Manning was drafted by the Chargers then traded to the Giants a few picks later.

[SoonerBillsFan]

2 hours ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Some possible trade scenarios could be contingency related and not done spontaneously. 

 

For instance Beane may be in discussions with Dallas.  This would be in case a team before Dallas picks A Jeanty.  The framework of a deal would be laid out prior to the draft.

I think you brought up a good point. I think they want to see who is there.

[Htt2821]

Was Moss to the Pats a draft trade?

[warrior9]

21 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

We traded for Bryce Brown, running back from the Eagles, during the draft. 2014 maybe?

That was 2014? WOWWW 

[Chandler#81]

It’s pretty uncommon these days. Way back when, we traded our best RB and a couple 1st round picks in a 3 team swap where we landed Alabama rookie Cornelius Bennett.

[BillsFooteball]

Happens but draft day trades for players isn’t common and even more rare for difference makers.  Moss to pats and Bettis to Steelers likely are the two biggest ones. 

[Just Jack]

2014, David Putney from Seattle to Cleveland, as part of a package to move up from pick #7 (Seattle) to pick #6 (Cleveland, via trade from Jacksonville).

 

 

 

[chongli]

19 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

It’s pretty uncommon these days. Way back when, we traded our best RB and a couple 1st round picks in a 3 team swap where we landed Alabama rookie Cornelius Bennett.

 

I remember that trade! It dramatically changed the trajectory of the Bills, for the better. But it was Halloween in 1987, not on draft day. We also traded away a second-round pick too:

 

https://www.profootballhof.com/football-history/trick-or-trade/

[The Jokeman]

19 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

It’s pretty uncommon these days. Way back when, we traded our best RB and a couple 1st round picks in a 3 team swap where we landed Alabama rookie Cornelius Bennett.

Which opened the door to draft a future HOF RB in the 2nd Round in the next draft.

[chongli]

23 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

Eli Manning was drafted by the Chargers then traded to the Giants a few picks later.

 

True. The trade occurred during the draft after the Giants picked Phillip Rivers fourth. In return for Manning, the Chargers got River, plus a third in that draft (2004) and a first and fifth in 2005. I believe that third-round pick was on the same day (Saturday) back then as the first since the draft was over the weekend on two days.

 

The only difference between the above scenario and the one in the OP's post is that Rivers and Manning were both pre-vetted with physicals during the combine and maybe also at private workouts, whereas current NFL players traded on draft day wouldn't have had a physical with the new team before a trade for a current draft pick, unless the pick was for a later day in the draft possibly.

Edited April 7 by chongli

[DrDawkinstein]

On 4/5/2025 at 6:09 PM, FireChans said:

I think it’s largely not possible because of passing physicals and stuff, right?

 

Like you trade Cook for a fifth and then we take a player. Maybe Cook doesn’t pass his physical and they don’t want that player.

 

Exactly. And in a case like Cook's, an extension would be part of the deal, which would have to be worked out well before the trade.

 

Doesnt happen often. Definitely isnt happening with Cook.

[Einstein's Dog]

15 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Exactly. And in a case like Cook's, an extension would be part of the deal, which would have to be worked out well before the trade.

 

Doesnt happen often. Definitely isnt happening with Cook.

Cook may prefer an extension but it doesn't have to be part of the deal.  A Cooper didn't have an extension nor did R Douglas.

 

True, it doesn't happen often.  But the particulars of Cook's situation don't occur often.  They have two plus weeks to shop him.  The physical is a mere formality in this case.

[DrDawkinstein]

3 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Cook may prefer an extension but it doesn't have to be part of the deal.  A Cooper didn't have an extension nor did R Douglas.

 

True, it doesn't happen often.  But the particulars of Cook's situation don't occur often.  They have two plus weeks to shop him.  The physical is a mere formality in this case.

 

Neither Cooper nor Douglas's situations were really anything like Cook's. They were already both on their 2nd contracts and had gotten their paydays a couple times over.

 

Cook's camp would almost certainly use the trade to leverage a new deal immediately. If there is a chance he holds out on the Bills, it's almost guaranteed he'd do that to whatever new team is trading for him.