The 1999 Ricky Williams Trade: New Orleans Sent an Entire Draft for One Running Back
Mike Ditka's Saints sent eight selections to Washington to move from No. 12 to No. 5 for Ricky Williams. The scale of the package made the trade nearly impossible to justify.
New Orleans Saints Received
- pick 1999 1st round pick (5th overall, Ricky Williams )
Washington Commanders Received
- 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 )
Trade Summary
Washington turned the No. 5 pick in the 1999 draft into the Saints' remaining 1999 draft class plus first- and third-round selections in 2000. The future first landed at No. 2 overall and became LaVar Arrington, while the rest of the package created extraordinary flexibility across two drafts. Washington did not maximize every individual piece, but controlling eight incoming selections for one move down created a massive roster-building advantage.
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
New Orleans moved from No. 12 to No. 5 in the 1999 draft and selected Texas running back Ricky Williams. Washington received every Saints selection remaining in the 1999 draft plus New Orleans' first- and third-round picks in 2000. In total, eight selections changed hands for the move up.
Why Mike Ditka Made the Bet
Ditka viewed Williams as a franchise-changing runner and was willing to concentrate nearly the entire draft into one player. Williams was a Heisman Trophy winner with rare college production, and New Orleans believed a true offensive centerpiece could be more valuable than spreading resources across a weak roster.
Williams was a legitimate NFL player, which makes the trade more instructive than a simple bust story. He rushed for more than 3,000 yards in three Saints seasons and later became an even more productive runner in Miami. The player evaluation was not the central failure.
The Price Was the Problem
No running back could reasonably be expected to carry the opportunity cost of an entire draft plus future premium picks. Washington received a 2000 first-round selection that landed at No. 2 overall and became LaVar Arrington, along with a long list of additional selections that could be used directly or traded again.
Washington did not convert every piece perfectly, either. Some picks were moved, and not every player became a major contributor. But the organization held extraordinary flexibility across two drafts while New Orleans had almost no ability to add cheap young talent around Williams.
Why Position Value Matters
Running backs were valued differently in 1999 than they are today, but even in that context the package was extreme. New Orleans needed Williams to become both an elite player and the engine of a winning roster.
Final Verdict
Washington wins decisively. Williams had a good career, but the Saints surrendered far too many roster-building opportunities to acquire him. Washington controlled eight incoming selections, including the future No. 2 pick, while New Orleans concentrated nearly all of its draft capital into one position.