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The November 2nd trade deadline for the 2021 NFL season is fast approaching. Many surprising trades may go down, but all eyes will be fixated on Deshaun Watson's potential move away from the Houston Texans.
Trades in the NFL are part of the game. No player or team can genuinely foresee the future. A blockbuster trade could make or break an NFL team's immediate future. The league's history is replete with examples of massive trades helping a team achieve its goals or setting them back years.
Here's a look at five of the most surprising trades since 2015.
Which NFL trade in the past six seasons was the most shocking?
#1 - Raiders trade Khalil Mack to the Bears (2018)
In one of the most bizarre trades to ever take place in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders decided to trade Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears.
After hiring Jon Gruden as their head coach, everyone in Oakland was excited about the new season. However, the excitement fizzled out quickly when Gruden decided to trade Mack to the Bears after the Raiders failed to offer Mack a contract worth his skillset.
Mack would log 12.5 sacks in the 2018 season, whereas the Raiders managed only 13. Trading Mack was a move that made no sense at the time but may have worked out in the end for the Raiders. They are currently 5-2 and enjoying a tremendous year, despite off-field issues.
#2 - Steelers trade Antonio Brown to the Raiders (2019)
Another odd trade that involved the Raiders was when the Steelers had enough of Antonio Brown's off-field antics and traded him to Oakland. Had Brown's behavior not been too erratic for the Raiders to handle, the move would have paid huge dividends.
After burning his feet during cryotherapy, fighting with general manager Mike Mayock, and not playing due to a new helmet rule, Brown was unceremoniously cut by the Raiders, voiding the massive contract he had just been given. The Raiders had enough of Brown in the same way the Steelers did.
#3 - Dolphins trade Laramy Tunsil and Kenny Stills to the Texans (2019)
Another massive trade occurred when the Miami Dolphins shipped Laramy Tunsil and Kenny Stills to the Texans for two first-round picks. The deal doesn't seem to have worked out for either team as both are 1-6 this season.
Those first-round selections don't seem to have worked out for the Dolphins, and keeping a sound offensive lineman like Tunsil would have been the smarter choice in the grand scheme of things.
#4 - Giants trade Odell Beckham Jr to the Browns (2019)
The New York Giants decided that sending Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns would be their best course of action, even though he was one of the best wide receivers in the league.
Two seasons later, the Browns are now stuck in a spot where they must decide what to do with Beckham. Multiple reports suggest they may trade him before the deadline. The Giants may have seen the writing on the wall before anyone else did.
#5 - Rams and Lions swap quarterbacks (2021)
In one of the most shocking trades in recent history, the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions decided to swap quarterbacks and picks. Jared Goff was traded to the Lions, while Matthew Stafford joined the Rams.
Stafford and the Rams are 6-1 this season, while Goff and the Lions are 0-7. It seems that the Rams may have fleeced the Lions, but only time will tell who won this trade.
