Kansas City moved from No. 8 to No. 6 in the 2002 draft to…

Kansas City paid a meaningful premium to climb two spots for North Carolina defensive tackle Ryan Sims. The Chiefs sent Dallas the eighth overall pick, the 75th selection and a 2003 sixth-rounder for No. 6. Sims became a regular immediately, but he never justified the move-up cost. He started 39 games in five seasons with Kansas City and was eventually traded to Tampa Bay, finishing his career as a rotational interior defender rather than the front-line difference-maker expected from the sixth pick.

Dallas turned the trade into a far more valuable centerpiece. At No. 8, the Cowboys selected Oklahoma safety Roy Williams. Williams started every game as a rookie, intercepted five passes and quickly became a tone-setting player in the secondary. He made five consecutive Pro Bowls from 2003 through 2007 and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2003. His physical style eventually became less suited to a changing passing league, but his Dallas peak still dwarfed Sims' impact. The Cowboys also received the 75th pick, used on cornerback Derek Ross, plus a 2003 sixth-rounder that became Zuriel Smith.

The trade is especially damaging for Kansas City because the Chiefs did not need to sacrifice much draft position to miss on the better player. They moved from eighth to sixth, surrendered two additional choices and watched Dallas select the superior long-term contributor two picks later. Sims was not a complete bust; he played nine NFL seasons and provided legitimate snaps. That keeps Kansas City's grade above the bottom. But premium picks are judged against both opportunity cost and acquired production. Dallas gained a five-time Pro Bowl safety without giving up access to the top tier of the draft and collected additional capital on top. That combination makes the Cowboys the clear winner in hindsight.