The Chicago Bears are #1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to a 3-14 win by the Houston Texans in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
The Bears can choose the best available player or trade the top pick and add draft capital or players in addition to quarterback Justin Fields, who had a significantly better sophomore season.
So how rare is it for the No. 1 pick to be traded before the NFL Draft? This has happened 12 times since the NFL-AFL merger in 1967, including one pick that was turned in twice (1984). These subsequent picks include notable players such as Michael Vick, Earl Campbell and Geoff George.
The last time this happened was in 2016, when the Tennessee Titans traded the first pick to the Los Angeles Rams two weeks before the draft, and the Rams moved up from 15th overall and lost several valuable picks. That Tennessee pick turned into running back Derrick Henry and tight end Jonna Smith, among others, while the Rams picked quarterback Jared Goff at the top of the board.
Here’s a closer look at all 12 No. 1 trades since 1967, with the exception of trades that occurred after the draft had already begun, such as the trade of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers in 2004, Bo Jackson in 1986, and John Elway in 1983.
2016
Tennessee Titans to Los Angeles Rams
Player selected at number 1: QB Jared Goff
titans got: 2016 first round pick (#15; subsequently traded, WR Corey Coleman), 2016 second round pick (#43, DT Austin Johnson), 2016 second round pick (#45, RB Derrick Henry) ), 2016 third round pick (#76; subsequently traded, OT Sean Coleman), 2017 first round pick (#5, WR Corey Davis) and 2017 third round pick (#100, TE to Jonna Smith)
Rams received: 2016 no.
2001
San Diego Chargers – Atlanta Falcons.
Player selected at number 1: QB Michael Vick
Chargers received: WR Tim Dwight, 2001 first round pick (#5, RB LaDaneian Tomlinson), 2021 third round pick (#67, DB Tay Cody) and 2002 second round pick (#48, WR Resh) Caldwell).
Falcons received: 1st Pick 2001 (Vic)
1997
New York Jets – St. Louis Rams
Player selected at number 1: OT Orlando Pace
Aircraft received: 1997 first round pick (#6; subsequently traded, OT Walter Jones), 1997 third round pick (#67; subsequently traded, OL Dan Neal), 1997 fourth round pick (#102, DE Terry Day) and 1997 seventh round pick (#207; subsequently traded, QB Coy Detmer)
Rams received: 1997 No. 1 overall (Pace)
1995
Carolina Panthers at Cincinnati Bengals
Player selected at number 1: RB Ki-Yana Carter
Panthers received: 1995 first round pick (#5, QB Kerry Collins) and 1995 second round pick (#36, DE Sean King)
Bengals received: 1995 No. 1 Pick (Carter)
1991
New England Patriots – Dallas Cowboys
Player selected at number 1: DT Russell Maryland
Patriots got: 1991 first round pick (#11, T. Pat Harlow), 1991 second round pick (#41, DB Jerome Henderson) and three players (CB Ron Francis, LB David Howard, LB Eugene Lockhart Jr.)
Dallas received: 1991 No. 1 Pick (Maryland)
1990
Atlanta Falcons – Indianapolis Colts.
Player selected at number 1: QB Jeff George
Falcons received: OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, 1990 fifth round pick (#121, TE Reggie Redding) and 1991 first round pick (#13, WR Mike Pritchard)
Colts got: 1990 1st pick (George) and fourth round pick (83rd pick, WR Stacey Simmons)
1984
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Cincinnati Bengals to New England Patriots
Player selected at number 1: WR Irving Friar
June 1983 trading: Bengals got 1984 first pick, Buccaneers got QB Jack Thompson
April 1984 Trading: The Patriots received the 1984 No. 1 pick (Fryar); The Bengals received a 1984 first round pick (#16, DE Pete Koch), a 1984 first round pick (#28; PR Brian Blados), a 10th round pick (#265, RB Brent Ziegler) and a 1985 fifth pick of the year. -round pick (No. 129, DB Lee Davis)
1978
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Houston Oilers
Player selected at number 1: RB Earl Campbell
Tampa Bay received: TE Jimmy Giles, 1978 first round pick (#17, QB Doug Williams), 1978 second round pick (#44, G Brett Moritz), 1979 third round pick (#78, DE Reggie Lewis) and 1979 year. 5th round pick (#133, QB Chuck Fucina)
The oilmen received: 1st Pick 1978 (Campbell)
1975
Baltimore Colts – Atlanta Falcons.
Player selected at number 1: QB Steve Bartkowski
Colts got: 1975 First Round Pick (#3, G Ken Huff) and OL George Kunz
Falcons received: 1st pick 1975 (Bartkowski)
1974
Houston Oilers move to Dallas Cowboys
Player selected at number 1: DE Ed Jones
The oilmen received: DE Tody Smith & WR Billy Parks
cowboys got: 1974 1st pick (Jones) & 1974 3rd round pick (53rd pick, QB Danny White)
1968
New York Giants – Minnesota Vikings.
Player selected at number 1: T Ron Yari
Giants got: QB Fran Tarkenton
Vikings got: 1968 #1 pick (Ardent), 1967 first round pick (#2, RB Clint Jones), 1967 second round pick (#28, WR Bob Grim) and 1969 second round pick (#39) ). , PR Ed White)
1967
New Orleans Saints – Baltimore Colts.
Player selected at number 1: D. T. Bubba Smith
Saints received: QB Gary Cuozzo
Source: www.espn.com
