Trade 1 of 1
New Orleans Saints and Washington Commanders
The Ricky Williams trade became the defining cautionary tale of Mike Ditka's Saints tenure. New Orleans sent an enormous draft package to Washington for the right to select Williams fifth overall. Williams was talented, but the cost was overwhelming. Washington turned one pick into a roster-building haul and won the value side decisively. This is a priority indexing page because the Ricky Williams-Mike Ditka trade is one of the most famous draft overpays in NFL history.
Assets Received
Washington Commanders
- Pick 1999 1st round pick (12th overall subsequently traded, Cade McNown), 1999 3rd round pick (71st overall subsequently traded, D'Wayne Bates), 1999 4th round pick (107th overall, Nate Stimson), 1999 5th round pick (144th overall subsequently traded, Khari Samuel), 1999 6th round pick (179th overall subsequently traded, Desmond Clark), 1999 7th round pick (218th overall subsequently traded, Billy Miller), 2000 1st round pick (2nd overall, LaVar Arrington) and 2000 3rd round pick (64th overall, Lloyd Harrison)
New Orleans Saints
- Pick 1999 1st round pick (5th overall, Ricky Williams)