Please don't kill me for this one.
There have been a myriad of blockbuster trades and signings in the NFL's past. A lot of them start because of the same situation: a team is just one big move away from being a playoff contender, so they put all of their marbles in one jar and add a star-caliber player. Sometimes, these moves pay off. Other times, however, they do anything but.
The Chicago Bears were fresh off of a 9-7 season in 2008. They ended up finishing one game out of first in the NFC North, and only one-half of a game out of a wild card spot.