Swindled: Revisiting Bad Saints trades.
Saints have a lot of bad trades over their franchise history. Here's a few:
I was elated when the Saints resigned Jimmy Graham on Tuesday. I did not care that he was 37 years old or that he probably has one more game or so in him. I get to bust out that old jersey and wear it with proud. I was in perhaps the best mood I have been in sometime. As Jono Barnes would say, “Shit means more than a game.”
It also got me thinking about how terrible of a trade it was back in 2015. I was a freshman in ULL when I came back from class and popped open Twitter to see that Jimmy Graham had been traded. I immediately messaged my folks and perhaps one who was heartbroken the most was my sister who was in high school at the time. It looked like a bad trade, but that first round pick would be the deciding factor. Saints wasted it and it goes down as a top five worst trade in franchise history. I don’t care how well Max Unger played, it never justified sending a generational TE.
And now thinking about it, the Saints have had a lot of bad trades, especially during the John Mecom error. Here are just some of the most baffling, awful trades.
Saints Trade Away the 1st Overall Pick:
Background:
When an NFL team gets approved to be part of the league, the team can select unprotected players from already existing organizations in an expansion draft. They also have a chance to get the first overall pick, Saints were the beneficiary and were rewarded with the first overall pick.
The Trade:
Saints received QB Gary Cuozzo from the Baltimore Colts in exchange for the 1st overall pick and a 3rd round pick in the 1967 NFL/AFL Draft. In which it became DE Bubba Smith and OT Norman Smith.
Results:
Saints: Gary Cuozzo got beat out by Billy Kilmer for the starting job
Colts: Bubba Smith went on to a HOF career and was part of the Super Bowl III and V squads. Norman Smith played three years, including with the Saints in 1969.
Thoughts:
Even the Wikipedia article calls it an “absolute blunder”. This was the first time the Saints had the 1st overall pick, and they wasted it. Saints could have had both if they used one of their expansion picks to take him and keep the pick. Considering Bubba Smith went on to a hall of fame career and would star in the hit 1980s “Police Academy” series as Hightower. Cuozzo did play a few games with the Saints but was never the starter in favor of Kilmer. Saints moved off of him after one season.
Grade: Awful
Bum Trades Away Wes Four Games In:
Background:
Saints make a splash hire in the 1981 bringing in former Houston Oilers head coach, Bum Phillips to right a team that squandered a promising 1979 season by going 1-15 in 1980. Phillips moved off a bunch of players, trading away Henry Childs, Tony Galbreath, and eventually… Wes Chandler. Phillips was implementing his run first scheme and Chandler didn’t quite fit that. And San Diego was a team in desperate need for a big-time receiver.
The Trade:
Saints received: WR Aundra Thompson, 1982 First and Third Round, which became 13th overall WR Lindsey Scott and 76th overall DB John Krimm.
Chargers received: WR Wes Chandler
Result:
Saints: Thompson would be on his third team in 1981 in the Saints and would play one more year before being released. Lindsey Scott was a bust, never topping 300 receiving yards in a season and only one receiving touchdown. John Krimm played one season then quit.
Chargers: Wes Chandler recorded over 6000 receiving yards and formed a dynamite offense with QB Dan Fouts. Holds NFL record for most yards per reception in a season with 21.2.
Thoughts:
Saints fans were floored when this happened. This occurred after four games of the 1981 season, and it came as a shock. Chandler was a young dynamic receiver still getting ready to hit his peak and was traded just like that. This would be like Sean Payton deciding to trade Michael Thomas after four games into the 2019 season for some bum and a first and third. And they didn’t have two firsts in 1982 because they drafted Dave Wilson in the supplemental draft, to which he hit the parameters for the team to sacrifice that first round pick (it became the 3rd overall pick, in which could have been QB Jim McMahon.) So that pick they got from the Chargers had to hit, and it did not. Lindsey Scott was a bust. Wes Chandler went on to an almost hall-of-famer level career with the Chargers. Even got a Super Bowl appearance.
Grade: Dreadful
Saints get Bruce Clark and miss on Legend Draft Class
Background:
The Packers used their fourth overall pick to select defensive end Bruce Clark out of Penn State back in 1980. They did like him and what he could bring, but there was a massive problem: Bruce did not want to play for the Packers. For his first two years in the league, Clark did not play a single snap for them. Packers were beyond frustrated and traded him to the Saints in 1982.
The Trade:
Saints receive: DE Bruce Clark
Packers receive: 1983 1st Round pick, which became 11th overall pick, DB Tim Lewis
Results:
Saints: Bruce Clark had a projected 39.5 career sacks (the stat did not become official until 1984) including 10.5 in 1984, earning a pro bowl nod.
Packers: Tim Lewis had a promising career, with 16 interceptions in three years before a severe neck injury cut it short in 1986. He would get into coaching at Texas A&M in 1987.
Thoughts:
The trade is pretty even. The Packers were tired of Clark’s antics and got the best deal possible, and Bruce Clark did play well for the Saints. Steady DL for both Phillips and Mora. What convinced me to put on here is the legendary 1983 Draft Class. The pick became the 11th Overall Pick and what was great was the QB class. While they could not get the likes of John Elway or Todd Blackledge as both were gone… they could have gotten Jim Kelly, Ken O’Brien or Dan Marino. How the NFL could have been changed in so many ways had they kept that pick. Oh, what could have been.
Grade: What Could have been, but good, nonetheless.
Saints Trade Archie
Background:
As Bum Phillips was implementing his run first offense, he wanted his guys to run it. So in 1982, Phillips would bring in a man who wishes he was at the bar instead of the field, Ken “The Snake” Stabler, who by that point, looked like a grandfather and really wished he retired. By bringing in Stabler, Bum saw no need to keep the Saints only 1st Round Pick QB and traded him to the Oilers for a Pro Bowl Tackle.
The Trade:
Saints receive: OT Leon Gray
Oilers receive: QB Archie Manning
Results:
Saints: Leon Gray would play two more years then retire, a huge shell of his former self.
Oilers: Would ship Archie midway through the 1983 Season to Minnesota for mid round picks.
Thoughts:
Saints really thought they got a good trade. Leon Gray was coming off multiple pro bowls and all-pros as a LT for the Houston Oilers. He was disgruntled with the Oilers by refusing to sign a contract for the team so the franchise was ready to send him off. It didn’t work out. Oilers went 0-8 in 1982 with Archie as a starter, and it was by that point, Archie was cooked. All of the beatings and injuries from the 70s came like a hurricane, and he just wasn’t the same. Neither won.
Grade: Double Shit with Cheese
Saints trade for Richard Todd
Background:
Saints were in a QB spiral. After dealing Archie to Houston, Bum went through Ken Stabler, Guido Merkins and Dave Wilson with neither being suitable options. Saints blew an opportunity in 1982 when they could have gotten Jim McMahon or Art Schlichter had they not lost their 1st round pick by selecting Dave Wilson. And blew another opportunity by trading for Bruce Clark for a chance at a QB in the legendary 1983 NFL Draft. Bum and the front office must have taken a look at this QB class and came to the conclusion that this was not that exciting of a class and made the decision to make the move for another veteran. So, they called up the Jets who were looking to off-load a QB after they selected Ken O’Brien in the 1983 Draft.
The Trade:
Saints Receive: QB Richard Todd
Jets Receive: 1st Round Pick in the 1984 Draft, which would become DE Ron Faurot
Results:
Saints: Richard Todd in 1984 would go 6-8 as a starter throwing 11 TDs and 19 INTS and a 51.5% completion percentage and would be beaten out of the starting job by both Dave Wilson and Bobby Hebert in 1985.
Jets: Ron Faurot would play two seasons in the NFL and notch only a sack, adding on to the legacy of failure that is the New York Jets Drafting.
Thoughts:
Jets knew to let Ken start and in his first full season, he had a pro bowl year, throwing for over 3800 yards, 25 TDs to 8 INTs, 60.9% completion percentage, and a passer rating of 96.2. But I bet they wish they had hit on that first round pick they got. Although they had two first round picks, it still shows the Jets were still awful at drafting. The Saints probably had some buyer’s remorse after getting Todd as it just continued the spiral until they selected Bobby Hebert in the USFL Draft. There was Boomer Esiason who was taken in the second round had they decided to keep the pick, but the draft as a whole looked slim. Still a bad trade.
Grade: Bad
Saints Send 1st Round Pick for Earl Campbell
Background:
Bum Phillips had hit on his very first draft selection by getting George Rogers. Rogers ran for a franchise high 1697 yards in his rookie year along with 13 TDs. While he did well in his first couple of years, Bum was getting frustrated with Rogers and his drug addiction, including an incident where he paid $10,000 for cocaine using a personal check in 1981. By 1984, Bum wanted a suitable replacement for Rogers, and he decided to go to the running back that made his tenure in Houston exciting… Earl Campbell.
The Trade:
Saints receive: RB Earl Campbell
Oilers Receive: 1985 1st Round pick, which became 11th overall pick CB Richard Johnson
Results:
Saints: Earl Campbell would play the rest of 1984 and 1985 before retiring, never topping 3.5 yards per carry and only 5 total touchdowns.
Oilers: Richard Johnson would go to play 8 seasons in the NFL recording 15 interceptions
Thoughts:
No one was telling Bum “Don’t do it” when it came to trading for Campbell. His mind was made up the moment he picked up the phone. Campbell by 1984 was cooked. He was a physical and punishing runner and all that came to bite him by that point. After six games prior to the trade, he had averaged 2.6 yards per carry and 4 rushing touchdowns. And he did not do much better, Saints got a shell of a man that wore an Earl Campbell jersey. Just like when they got the drunk grandpa of a man that wore a Ken Stabler jersey. Three times Bum traded the first-round pick for a player, and twice in a row it ruined him.
Grade: Terrible
Saints trade for Cowboys Quarterback:
Background:
1990 was a weird year for the Saints. The quarterback at the time, Bobby Hebert, was holding out over a contract dispute. He would end up not playing the entire season as a result. Saints had some other quarterbacks on the roster like John Fourcade and Tommy Kramer. The Draft had already passed by that point, and they didn’t select a quarterback within the three rounds of that draft. Jim Finks called up Dallas and worked up a trade for one of their quarterbacks and paid a hefty price.
The Trade:
Saints receive: Quarterback Steve Walsh
Cowboys Receive: 1991 1st and 3rd round pick, which became the 14th Overall Pick and traded to New England, and also received a conditional 1992 2nd Round pick, which was trade to Cleveland.
Result:
Saints: Walsh became the FT starter in 1990 but lost the job after the franchise gave Hebert a two-year contract. He would play two more seasons with the Saints before they moved off of him after 1993.
Cowboys: Traded the pick they got from the Saints in a package to move up to the first overall pick in 1991. Also traded the second-round pick in 1992.
Thoughts:
Ask anyone who witnesses the early 90s Saints teams and they’ll swear trading for Steve Walsh was a mistake. Saints gave up more than they should have traded and got nothing back. Walsh was not the answer, and one could say he was the reason Finks gave Hebert that 2-year deal in 1991 instead of taking the LA Raiders offer, who were going to give the Saints RB Marcus Allen and a 1991 2nd Round pick in exchange for Hebert. How the Mora years really could have ended with Marcus Allen and perhaps a different QB rotation.
Grade: God Awful
Saints duped by Baltimore Colts Again
Background:
Saints in 1973 were trying to build around their hopefully franchise savior, Archie Manning, and stop being the losers that they were. Just needing players to build around, Saints were once again took a call from the Baltimore Colts for yet, another player that could help them.
The Trade:
Saints receive: DE Billy Newsome
Colts receive: 2nd Overall pick in 1973 Draft, which became Bert Jones
Results:
Saints: Billy Newsome plays two seasons with the Saints, recording 13.5 sacks
Colts: Selects Bert Jones who had an up-and-down career battling injuries and even wins MVP in 1976.
Thoughts:
Saints really didn’t learn their lesson. Billy Newsome on paper sounded like a good idea as the Colts had a stout defense in the 60s and early 70s. Newsome never reached the heights and was gone after 1974. And the 1973 Draft class was so damn good. Players taken after Jones were as followed: OL Jerry Sisemore, HOF OL John Hannah, DL David Butz, TE Charle Young, DE Wally Chambers, RB Otis Armstrong, DT John Ehramm, FB Sam Cunningham and RB Chuck Foreman. And all of the players listed have each made a pro bowl. And they could have used either one of those players.
Grade: Layers of Terrible
The Ricky Williams Trade:
Background:
The Saints from the mid 90s to late were some of the most putrid football imaginable. They weren’t just awful, they were unwatchable. Bad drafting and inability to get a quarterback plagued this team to no end. Mora quit after the 1996 season and Saints once again made a splash hire in luring Mike Ditka out of retirement to coach one last time. Things didn’t improve much in 1997 and 1998 with two straight double digit losing seasons. Ditka needed to jumpstart this offense as they could not produce any points to win. Ditka wanted to swing for the fences and get his version of Walter Payton, and he saw it in Ricky Williams. So he and GM/Puppet Bill Kuharich called and called until they found a buyer for one of the most baffling trades of all-time.
The Trade:
Saints received: 5th Overall Pick, which became RB Ricky Williams
Redskins received: 1999 First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Round picks as well as 2000 First and Third Round picks.
Results:
Saints: Ricky would have some solid seasons with the Saints but felt out of place, he would be traded after 2001 to Miami for two first round picks.
Redskins: Traded all but one of the 1999 picks received from the Saints to Chicago for corner Champ Bailey. Got Lavar Arrington and Dwayne Bates with the 2000 Picks.
Thoughts:
I’ll let UrinatingTree sum it up:
It was an awful trade and the Saints apparently were willing to offer WAY more than what the Redskins initially took!
Grade: All-time trash
Two Firsts for Sullivan
Background:
This was one of the first couple of years for Mickey Loomis and he had two drafts with two first round picks. In 2002, he got WR Donte Stallworth and DE Charles Grant both of which turned to be good draft picks. In 2003, Loomis wanted to get a superstar prospect and had eyes on the athletic big man from Georgia, and found the trade partner,
The Trade:
Saints received: 6th Overall Pick (Jonathan Sullivan), 37th Overall pick (Jon Stinchcomb) and 102nd Overall Pick (Montre Holland)
Cardinals received: 17th Overall Pick (Bryant Johnson), 18th Overall Pick (Calvin Pace) and 54 Overall Pick (Anquan Boldin)
Results:
Saints: Jonathan Sullivan played 3 seasons, notching 1.5 sacks before being traded in 2006 and out of the NFL a month later. Stinchcomb was a good RT until a career ending injury forced him to retire in 2011. Holland was a steady guard who had some success in Dallas.
Cardinals: Bryant Johnson had modest production but never rising above WR3. Calvin Pace developed into a steady pass rusher who found his best success with the Jets under Rex Ryan. Anquan Boldin became a stud receiver winning rookie of year in 2003 and eventually won a ring with the Ravens in 2012.
Thoughts:
Loomis really botched this one. Sullivan turned out to be a fat, lazy player that never showed the potential shown at Georgia. He lacked any drive and just took a roster spot and cap space. What saved the trade for the Saints was netting Stinchcomb. He became a pro-bowl RT and kept his quarterback clean, albeit it took him a couple of years to get the starting job. Cardinals really made the Saints pay by taking Boldin. The potential hall of fame player set a rookie record in receptions and was a mainstay for a decade in the NFL. Bryant Johnson and Calvin Pace were solid role players in their respective ways, but neither were 1st round material. What sucks for the Saints most were the players taken after Sullivan. The defensive players in particular. OT Jordan Gross, DT Kevin Williams, De Terrell Suggs, CB Marcus Trufant, and Safety Troy Polamalu were all drafted after Sullivan and before the Saints draft picks would have been. Players they could have drafted were ULL’s Charles Tillman, Nnamdi Asomugha, Dallas Clark, Willis McGhee, Nick Barnett, Eric Steinbach, and a few more.
Grade: Terrible
Saints trade for Tebucky Jones
Background:
Saints had let their playmaking safety Sammy Knight walk in free agency and needed another safety that could get some turnovers. Saints had already traded away their first-round picks to move up, so they found a potential player.
The Trade:
Saints received: Safety Tebucky Jones
Patriots received: 2003 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks.
Results:
Saints: Tebucky Jones lasted two seasons after signing a 7-year deal.
Patriots: Traded the picks.
Thoughts:
There is a reason why his nickname was “TeSUCKy Jones”. While trying to replace Sammy Knight is a tall task, Jones was a liability. He’d often get targeted and would be victimized repeatedly. It’s probably why they went to Dwight Smith and eventually drafted Josh Bullocks in 2005. What makes it worse was the contract given to him. Since Patriots put a tag on him, Saints had to give him a contract and he got 7-years/$29.25 million.
Grade: Bad
Saints Trade OT Willie Roaf
Background:
The Saints and Willie Roaf’s relationship started to really sour. With messy locker room and just nonstop losing, he threatened to retire if he wasn’t traded or released. Feeling the pressure, Saints were able to make a deal with the Chiefs.
The Trade:
Saints received: Conditional 4th round pick
Chiefs received: OT Willie Roaf
Results:
Saints: pick upgraded to a 3rd which was then traded to New England
Chiefs: Roaf continues to play at an all-pro level until his retirement in 2006.
Thoughts:
This feels like when the Saints would trade away Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in 2022 and got minimal return. Saints would do fine without Roaf, but it was clear things needed to happen. Had they kept the pick, I honestly would not have considered mentioning it, would be similar to when they traded Tony Galbreth.
Grade: Bad
Saints trade Jimmy Graham to Seattle
Background:
2014 Season was a disaster and there was tension and bad-blood forming. There were many players that pretty much quit and the locker room felt divided. Sean Payton decided to do a little house cleaning before it got worse. One of which was trading away Jimmy Graham who the Saints were in a contract dispute with last season and gave a four-year deal.
The Trade:
Saints received: Center Max Unger and 31st Overall pick
Seahawks received: TE Jimmy Graham and 2015 4th round pick.
Results:
Saints: Used the pick to take LB Stephone Anthony who last two years until traded four games into the 2017 season while Unger played four years until he retired after 2018.
Seahawks: Was a mismatch for Graham as Seattle was still a run first team but put up solid numbers before leaving in FA after 2017.
Thoughts:
Even to this day, this was a terrible trade. Saints sent away an absolute mismatch of a player for a good offensive lineman. What would have salvaged this trade was who the Saints taken at 31, and Stephone Anthony was the wrong choice. Saints were looking to upgrade their defense, especially the linebackers. The 2015 Draft had some nice selections with Eric Kendricks, Benardrick McKinney, and Denzel Perryman all available at pick 31, and the Saints went with Anthony because of a good pro day. Anthony was a diet version of Mark Fields: Athletic but could not diagnose plays to save his hide. It’s why in 2016, Saints opted for James Laurenitis and Craig Robertson over him.
Grade: Terrible
Saints Trade Stills for Linebacker and Pick
Background:
Sean Payton continuing his clean house protocol and needed picks. Miami was open to a deal and wanted some cheaper weapons.
The Trade:
Saints received: LB Dannell Ellerbe and 2015 3rd Round Pick
Dolphins received: WR Kenny Stills
Results:
Saints: Ellerbe would play 15 games in two years with the Saints, battling injuries before being released in 2017. That 3rd Round pick turned into DB PJ Williams.
Dolphins: Stills had solid production in four years with the Dolphins, recording 164 catches for over 2500 yards and 24 TDs.
Thoughts:
Saints had a big play threat when they drafted Cooks in 2014 and were open to ship Stills out. It also doesn’t help that Kenny Stills was developing a reputation with the Saints of taking plays off when he wasn’t the main target of a play. Ellerbe was the center of being the most polarizing player on the team. When healthy, he was good. Perhaps the best linebacker on the team. Except he’d get a splinter and would be out for weeks. PJ Williams turned out to be a solid role player after missing the first two years due to turf toe and a near career ending concussion.
Grade: Below Average
Saints send Hicks for a Reserve
Background:
2015 Season is under way and Saints have a Frankenstein’s monster of a defensive scheme, mashing Rob Ryan’s 34 with Dennis Allen’s 43 looks. One unfortunate consequence was Akiem Hicks. Hicks flourished under Ryan’s scheme where he can use his strength and quickness to disrupt the interior. Under Allen’s scheme, he was a poor scheme fit. In a week 3 loss to the Panthers, Hicks was benched in favor of an UDFA (probably Bobby Richardson) and this led to a fight with Payton. And Payton had no time for it so he was promptly traded a few days later.
The Trade:
Saints received: TE Michael Hoomanawanui
Patriots received: DL Akiem Hicks
Result:
Saints: Hoomanawanui never really rose above TE3 and was more of a FB/H-Back for the team. He’d last three years with the Saints.
Patriots: Hicks improved under the Patriots but really hit his stride when he signed with the Bears and had Vic Fangio as his DC and play under the 34 scheme.
Thoughts:
This was more of “Get him out of here” if anything. Payton was not putting up with Hicks and what tipped the scale was a phone call from Hicks where he wouldn’t drop it. Payton didn’t care what he got back in return, he wanted Hicks gone and that would be that.
Grade: Bad
Some Dishonorable Mentions:
Marcus Davenport Trade:
Saints sent two firsts for Davenport in the 2018 Draft. Davenport never really rose to the potential he had due to injuries. The picks turned into Rashaad Penny and DeAndre Baker. There were other players they could have gotten had they kept those picks, but it wasn’t that bad of a trade. They did miss out on the linty of WRs in 2019.
Tony Galbreath Trade:
Bum Phillps shed a lot of players from the 70s and Galbreath was one of them. He was sent to the Vikings for a third-round pick. And while Galbreath was quiet in Minnesota, he hit his stride when he played for the Giants, becoming more of a pass catcher and helped the Giants win Super Bowl XXII in 1987. Saints used that pick on wideout Eugene Goodlow who played four years with the Saints and was out of the league.
Two Firsts Trade:
Saints last year trade their 2022 First, 2023 First, 2024 2nd and 2022 3rd in exchange for Two 2022 Firsts and 2022 Sixth with the Eagles. Those picks became Chris Olave, Trevor Penning and DT Jordan Jackson, while the Eagles flipped that first for AJ Brown and got Jalen Carter this year. It is still early but the numbers don’t stack in the Saints favor early-on. Need to see what happens after a couple of years.
Any trades I forgot?