Draft day maneuvers in the NFL are often characterized by high stakes and bold decisions, none more so than when teams trade up in the first round to secure their franchise quarterback. Over the last several years, several NFL franchises have opted to make such moves, banking on the potential of their chosen QB to lead them to success on the field.
This article explores some profound quarterback trade-ups in recent NFL drafts (some with ideal outcomes… others not so much), and how these decisions impacted the future of those franchises. Next week will reveal which teams will take the plunge to trade up in the 2024 NFL Draft in an attempt to secure an all-star quarterback to change the fate of their franchise.
2017
Chicago Bears: Traded up to select Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick.
Yikes.
There were high hopes that Trubisky would become the Bears’ standout quarterback. However, his tenure with the Bears was marked by inconsistency and underperformance. He gave a glimmer of hope by making the Pro Bowl and taking Chicago to the playoffs in 2018 but was benched by 2020. Because of his inconsistent performance, the Bears chose not to extend his contract when it expired in 2021.
Kansas City Chiefs: Traded up to select Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick.
Success.
Ironic that the Bears traded a single spot up to get Trubisky while Mahomes was still on the board. In 2017, the Chiefs traded with the Bills to acquire the 10th overall pick in the draft, sending the 27th overall pick, a 2017 third-round pick, and a 2018 first-round pick to Buffalo. With three Super Bowl victories, three Super Bowl MVP awards, and two NFL MVP trophies under his belt, I would say this swap turned out to be one of the best of all time, as Mahomes has solidified his place among the NFL elite and made a more than a lasting impact on the Chiefs franchise already.
Houston Texans: Traded up to select Deshaun Watson with the 12th overall pick.
Good start, ended in conflict.
Deshaun Watson’s rookie season was cut short by injury, although certainly promising. He then steered the Texans to division titles in 2018 and 2019, and received Pro Bowl accolades in all three seasons as Houston’s primary starter. In 2021, Watson faced legal action from more than two dozen cases, alleging sexual harassment and assault. While refuting any wrongdoing, Watson settled 20 claims of sexual misconduct, but contentions with management and the onslaught of sexual misconduct lawsuits sidelined Watson for the entire 2021 season and ended in a trade to the Browns in 2022.
2018
New York Jets: Traded up to select Sam Darnold with the 3rd overall pick.
Short-lived.
There were five first-round quarterbacks drafted in 2018, and Darnold went to the Jets at No. 3 overall. He held the starting position for the Jets between 2018 and 2020. However, after inconsistent performance and injuries, he was traded to the Panthers in 2021, where he spent two seasons, and then spent one season as a backup with the 49ers.
Arizona Cardinals: Traded up to select Josh Rosen with the 10th overall pick.
High hopes, low performance.
Rosen was drafted 10th overall by the Cardinals, where he assumed the starting quarterback role in his rookie year. However, Arizona only won three of Rosen’s 10 starts on its way to a 3-13 record. The Cardinals drafted Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the following draft.
Buffalo Bills: Traded up to select Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick.
A decision that paid off.
In 2018, the Bills traded their No. 12 pick and two second-round picks to the Buccaneers in exchange for moving up to No. 7, where they acquired Josh Allen. Since joining the Bills, Allen has proven himself as a dynamic and resilient leader on the field, has guided the team to five playoff wins, and established himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens: Traded up to select Lamar Jackson with the 32nd overall pick.
Another solid move.
The Ravens traded up with the Eagles from the 52nd overall pick to the 32nd overall pick, the final of the first round. Jackson assumed the role of the Ravens’ starting quarterback during his rookie season after QB1 Joe Flacco suffered an injury. Jackson led the team to a division title, securing his place in NFL history as the youngest quarterback to start a playoff game at just 21 years old.
2020
Green Bay Packers: Traded up to select Jordan Love with the 26th overall pick.
Packers’ QB dominance continues.
For three years, Love operated as Aaron Rodgers’ backup quarterback until earning the starting role for the 2023 NFL season with the Packers. In his first season as the starter, Love accumulated over 4,000 passing yards and threw 32 touchdowns, steering the Packers to the playoffs.
2021
San Francisco 49ers: Traded up to select Trey Lance with the third overall pick.
Oof.
The 49ers traded up to the No. 3 overall spot in the 2021 draft to seek a long-term solution at quarterback and ultimately selected Trey Lance. Lance, who had only one full season as a starter at North Dakota State and attempted just 318 passes during his entire collegiate career, was tasked with learning behind Jimmy Garoppolo during his rookie year. He made two starts due to Garoppolo’s injuries before taking over as the starter in 2022. However, Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the second game, and San Francisco traded Lance to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round draft pick the following year.
Chicago Bears: Traded up to select Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick.
Another short-lived reign, but did the job.
The Bears traded up nine spots to draft Ohio State’s Justin Fields with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Fields was highly admired by Chicago fans and displayed flashes of brilliance, but struggled with consistency, accuracy, and decision-making, ultimately leading to his trade to the Steelers after three seasons. However, thanks to a shrewd move in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in 2023, the Bears now possess the top overall pick in the upcoming draft, aiming to lock in projected all-star QB Caleb Williams.
2023
Carolina Panthers: Traded up to select Bryce Young with the first overall pick.
Potential, but at a great cost.
The Panthers held the No. 9 pick in the draft last year, but determined to secure a spot in the talented quarterback pool, Carolina traded with the Bears to obtain the No. 1 overall pick. They selected Bryce Young, but this bold move required the Panthers to relinquish the No. 9 pick, a first-round selection in 2024 (which later became the No. 1 overall pick), as well as second-round picks in 2023 and 2025, and even standout wide receiver D.J. Moore. Young’s rookie season had some significant struggles, but it’s probably premature to dismiss his potential. Time will only tell if this investment pays off for the Panthers.
With picks No. 11, No. 12, and No. 13, and the Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders all in need of a quarterback, it’s possible that any of these teams could execute substantial trades to prevent other quarterback-needy teams from moving ahead of them in the draft order. We’ve witnessed the triumphs of franchise success through QB trade-ups, yet it’s also entirely possible for pitfalls to arise.