5 unexpected NFL trades that made no sense

There have been many head-scratching NFL trades over the years. Some were overly desperate moves that required far too much sacrifice, while others simply made no sense at all. Of all the worst NFL trades in history, these five stand out above the rest.

NFL Trades: Unexpected stars on the move

#5 - RB Trent Richardson traded from Cleveland Brown to Indianapolis Colts

Trent Richardson was excellent in his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns after being selected third overall in the NFL Draft. Solid production and high selection are what made this one of the most confusing NFL trades in history. Richardson was projected to be a building block for the Browns, but they traded him to the Colts early in his second year.

At the time, this move really made no sense at all. Looking back at how it played out makes the Browns look like they made the right move. Richardson went on to have a failed career and the Browns received a new first-round draft pick in return. Too bad they used it in the failed Johnny Manziel experiment. Still, as it happened, it was high on the list of strange NFL trades.

#4 - WR DeAndre Hopkins traded from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals for RB David Johnson

The swap the Houston Texans made to acquire David Johnson by sacrificing DeAndre Hopkins was one of the most baffling NFL trades in history. Hopkins was in the prime of his career and had already established himself as one of the very best wide receivers in the entire NFL. David Johnson was already far removed from his best days before the trade even happened.

The swap made little sense for the Texans. Hopkins had great chemistry with quarterback Deshaun Watson and was one of the best players on a contending team. That was the exclamation point on a disastrous run in Houston by Bill O'Brien.

NFL Trades: Extreme Overpays

#3 - Chicago Bears move up in the NFL Draft to select QB Mitchell Trubisky

Regretful NFL trades come in a variety of forms. The Chicago Bears' move up in the NFL Draft to select Mitchell Trubisky looked like a bad decision at the time but got even worse as it played out. The Bears surrendered a first, two-thirds, and a fourth-round draft pick to move up just one spot in the NFL Draft to select a quarterback that could have been taken much later.

To make things even worse, the Bears passed on two other quarterbacks who elevated themselves to superstar status while Trubisky was overall a bust. The two were Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. This is one of the most frustrating NFL trades ever, especially for the Bears faithful.

#2 - New Orleans Saints trade away their future for RB Ricky Williams

Ricky Williams is an elite college running back for the Texas Longhorns and a highly rated prospect. It was also an era in the NFL where running backs were valued much higher than they are today. The desire for Ricky Williams made sense but the Saints gave up way too much to get him.

NFL trades involving draft picks happen all the time, but rarely to the extent of this deal. The Saints surrendered eight total draft picks, including their entire set of picks in the 1999 Draft and two top picks the following year. Williams went on to be a solid back, but few players in NFL history could justify that price tag.

#1 - Dallas Cowboys trade Herschel Walker for a dynasty

Herschel Walker went down as one of the most infamous NFL trades of all time. It is credited as a move that sparked the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of 1990s when they won three Super Bowl rings. It's one of the most monumental NFL trades in history.

Jerry Jones made his mark on the Dallas Cowboys when he sent Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in a controversial and massive move. Walker was packaged with four draft picks to return five players and eight draft picks, including three first-rounders and three second-rounders. It helped the Cowboys build one of the best overall teams in NFL history.