The Chicago Bears have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to a 3-14 record and a win over the Houston Texans in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
The Bears traded that pick for wide receiver DJ Moore and three additional picks in the next three drafts, as the Carolina Panthers traded Moore, their first-round pick (No. 9) and second-round pick (No. 61) this year, a first-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025 to Chicago. To climb to #1. The Panthers will be able to pick their quarterback of the future, and the Bears will have more talent to surround quarterback Justin Fields. markedly improved sophomore season.
So how rare is it for a No. 1 pick to be traded before the NFL Draft? Before Friday, that had happened 12 times since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967, including one selection made twice (1984). These next picks include notable players like Michael Vick, Earl Campbell, and Jeff George.
The last time that happened was in 2016, when the Tennessee Titans traded the first pick to the Los Angeles Rams two weeks before the draft, with the Rams moving up from No. 15 and surrendering several valuable picks. Those picks from Tennessee turned into Derrick Henry and Johnnu Smith, among others, and the Rams took quarterback Jared Goff at the top of the board.
Here’s a closer look at all 13 trades for the No. 1 pick since 1967, excluding trades made after the start of the draft, such as the Eli Manning/Philip Rivers trade in 2004, Bo Jackson in 1986 and John Elway in 1983.
2023
Player #1 has been selected: TBD
Bears got it: WR DJ Moore, 2023 first-round pick (No. 9), 2023 second-round pick (No. 61), 2024 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick.
The Panthers got it: 2023 first round pick (#1)
2016
Player #1 has been selected: QB Jared Goff
The Titans got it: 2016 first-round pick (No. 15; subsequently traded, WR Corey Coleman), 2016 second-round pick (No. 43, DT Austin Johnson), 2016 second-round pick (No. 45, RB Derrick Henry), 2016 third-round pick (No. 76 ; subsequently traded, OT Sean Coleman), 2017 first-round pick (No. 5, WR Corey Davis) and 2017 third-round pick (No. 100, TE Johnnu Smith)
The rams were taken: 2016 No. 1 pick (Goff), 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 113; subsequently traded, LB Nick Kwiatkoski) and 2016 sixth-round pick (No. 177, TE Temarrick Hemingway)
2001
#1 Picked Player: QB Michael Vick
Chargers taken: WR Tim Dwight, 2001 first-round pick (No. 5, RB LaDainian Tomlinson), 2021 third-round pick (No. 67, DB Tay Cody) and 2002 second-round pick (No. 48, WR Reche Caldwell) .
Falcons are accepted: 2001 No. 1 pick (Vic)
1997
#1 Picked Player: OT Orlando Pace
Received aircraft: 1997 first round pick (#6; later traded, OT Walter Jones), 1997 third round pick (#67; later traded, OL Dan Neal), 1997 fourth round pick (#102, DE Terry Day) and 1997 seventh round pick (#207; later traded, QB Koy Detmer)
Rams received: 1997 #1 overall pick (Tempe)
1995
#1 Picked Player: RB Ki-Jana Carter
The Panthers got: 1995 first-round pick (No. 5, CB Kerry Collins) and 1995 second-round pick (No. 36, DE Shaun King)
The Bengals got: 1995 #1 Pick (Carter)
1991 year
#1 Picked Player: DT Russell Maryland
The Patriots got it: 1991 first-round pick (No. 11, T Pat Harlow), 1991 second-round pick (No. 41, DB Jerome Henderson) and three players (CB Ron Francis, LB David Howard, LB Eugene Lockhart Jr.)
Dallas received: 1991 #1 pick (Maryland)
1990
#1 Picked Player: QB Jeff George
Falcons are accepted: OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Reason, 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 121, TE Reggie Redding) and 1991 first-round pick (No. 13, WR Mike Pritchard)
Foals got: 1990 No. 1 pick (George) and fourth-round pick (No. 83, WR Stacey Simmons)
1984 year
#1 Picked Player: WR Irving Fryar
Trade for June 1983: The Bengals received the 1984 No. 1 pick, the Buccaneers did QB Jack Thompson
Trade in April 1984: The Patriots received the 1984 No. 1 pick (Fryar); The Bengals received a 1984 first-round pick (No. 16, DE Pete Koch), a 1984 first-round pick (No. 28; OL Brian Blados), a 10th-round pick (No. 265, RB Brent Ziegler) and a 1985 fifth pick. – round pick (#129, DB Lee Davis)
1978
#1 Picked Player: RB Earl Campbell
Tampa Bay got: TE Jimmy Giles, 1978 first-round pick (#17, QB Doug Williams), 1978 second-round pick (#44, G Brett Moritz), 1979 third-round pick (#78, DE Reggie Lewis) and 1979 fifth round pick (#133, QB Chuck Fusina)
The oilmen took it: 1978 #1 pick (Campbell)
1975
#1 Picked Player: QB Steve Bartkowski
Foals got: 1975 first-round pick (No. 3, G Ken Huff) and OL George Kuntz
Falcons are accepted: 1975 Selection No. 1 (Bartkovsky)
1974
#1 Picked Player: DE Ed Jones
The oilmen took it: DE Toddy Smith and WR Billy Parks
The Cowboys got it: 1974 #1 pick (Jones) and 1974 third-round pick (#53, QB Danny White)
1968
#1 Picked Player: T Ron Yary
Giants got it: QB Fran Tarkenton
The Vikings got it: 1968 #1 pick (Yari), 1967 first round pick (#2, RB Clint Jones), 1967 second round pick (#28., WR Bob Grimm), and 1969 second round pick (#39). , OL Ed White)
1967
#1 Picked Player: DT Bubba Smith
Saints received: QB Gary Cuozzo
