In the spring of 1999, New Orleans Saints head coach Mike Ditka desperately wanted to draft Texas running back Ricky Williams. Ditka did not believe that Williams would fall to the Saints, who held the 12th pick. So he sought a trade partner. The Washington Redskins, owners of the fifth pick, proved willing to move down. Ditka then facilitated one of the most infamous trades in NFL draft history, trading away all six of his picks in the 1999 draft. To sweeten the pot, Ditka included the Saints' first- and third-round picks in 2000 as well. The chart below, put together using Chase Stuart's invaluable draft pick calculator, reveals the cost (according to Pro Football Reference's approximate value) of the trade.
The Saints, the Draft, and the Winner's Curse
