Good morning and welcome to the NFL's (pre-) draft frenzy! We still have two weeks to go before the opening bell, and already we have one of the most dramatic draft trades in NFL history.
That's no exaggeration. The Los Angeles Rams acquired the No. 1 overall pick Thursday morning from the Tennessee Titans, moving more slots (15) than any team that has traded up for the top position since 1984. The Titans received a massive, franchise-changing haul that gives them six of the first 76 spots in this draft as well as additional first- and third-round choices in the 2017 draft.
While you're absorbing the impact of that bounty, let's try to place this deal in the context of league history. Here's one rendering of the (other) five biggest draft-related trades in NFL annals.
1. New Orleans Saints trade entire draft, and then some, to Washington Redskins
Year: 1999
Saints got: The No. 5 overall pick, which they used to draft running back Ricky Williams.
Redskins got: All seven of the Saints' 1999 picks, including No. 12 overall, along with first- and third-round picks in 2000.
Comment: After some additional maneuvering, the Redskins used this trade to draft cornerback Champ Bailey in 1999 and linebacker LaVar Arrington in 2000. They made the playoffs in 1999 but not again until 2005. The Saints got only three years -- and 3,129 yards -- from Williams but did salvage this deal somewhat by trading him to the Miami Dolphins in 2002 for what turned out to be a pair of first-round picks. Still, the Saints made the playoffs only once in seven years after the deal.
2. Dallas Cowboys' heist on Minnesota Vikings
Year: 1990
Cowboys got: Five players and eight draft choices. Those picks included three in the first round, three in the second round and two in the third round. Via those picks or further trades, the Cowboys drafted running back Emmitt Smith, safety Darren Woodson and receiver Alvin Harper, among others.
Vikings got: Running back Herschel Walker and four draft choices, the best of which netted receiver Jake Reed in 1991.
Comment: This trade didn't happen near the draft, but it will go down as one the most lopsided deals in league history. Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson constructed a complicated matrix that added or improved the draft choices he got based on the players initially included, and it largely built the Cowboys' 1990s dynasty. Walker, meanwhile, managed only one 1,000-yard season and was gone after three years.
3. Redskins seek franchise quarterback via Rams
Year: 2012
Redskins got: No. 2 overall pick, which they used to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III.
Rams got: Three first-round picks and a second-round pick between 2012 and 2014. Via those picks and other trades, the Rams drafted cornerback Janoris Jenkins, offensive lineman Greg Robinson and linebacker Alec Ogletree, among others.
Comment: The Rams haven't had so much as a winning season since making the deal, prompting Thursday's deal. Quantity of picks is nice, but if it's not accompanied by a franchise quarterback, the impact is limited. The Redskins, meanwhile, made the playoffs in Griffin's rookie year but were unable to supplement the roster around him, and a major knee injury changed the course of his career. He signed with the Cleveland Browns this spring.
4. New York Giants and San Diego Chargers swap quarterbacks
Year: 2004
Giants got: Eli Manning, whom the Chargers had selected at No. 1 overall
Chargers got: Philip Rivers, whom the Giants had drafted at No. 4. The Chargers also received a first-round pick in 2005 and two other picks that netted linebacker Shawne Merriman, place-kicker Nate Kaeding and offensive lineman Roman Oben.
Comment: Manning did not want to play in San Diego, and the Chargers did well given their limited leverage. Manning has led the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl victories, while Rivers and the Chargers have not made it to the big game. In the end, though, history might view Rivers as the better quarterback.
5. Chargers move up with help from Arizona Cardinals
Year: 1998
Chargers got: No. 2 overall pick, which they used to draft quarterback Ryan Leaf.
Cardinals got: Two first-round picks, a second-round pick and two players. The Cardinals used those picks to draft defensive end Andre Wadsworth, safety Corey Chavous and receiver David Boston.
Comment: Everyone knows the Chargers made a big mistake in selecting Leaf, but it's largely lost on history how much they gave up to move one spot to be in position to draft him in the first place. The Cardinals didn't maximize those picks in terms of long-lasting impact, but in exchange for moving down one spot, they acquired the No. 3 and No. 33 picks in the 1998 draft and the No. 8 pick in 1999. Yikes.
Runners-up: Two trades by the Atlanta Falcons. In 2001, the Falcons traded a first-, second- and third-round pick to the San Diego Chargers to move up from No. 5 to No. 1 and draft Michael Vick. The Chargers drafted running back LaDainian Tomlinson with the first-rounder. In 2011, the Falcons traded five selections to the Cleveland Browns -- including two first-round picks, to move up to No. 6 overall and draft receiver Julio Jones.