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ESPN staff
The Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, thanks to a 3-14 record and the Houston Texans winning in Week 18 of the 2022 season.
The Bears are in position to take the best prospect available, or trade the top pick and add draft capital or players to complement quarterback Justin Fields, who had a much-improved sophomore season.
So how rare is it for the No. 1 pick to be traded before the NFL draft? It has happened 12 times since the NFL/AFL merger in 1967, including one pick that was dealt twice (1984). Those subsequent selections include notable players such as Michael Vick, Earl Campbell and Jeff George.
It last happened 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 all the way from No. 15 and surrendering several valuable picks. Those Tennessee choices turned into running back Derrick Henry and tight end Jonnu Smith, among others, while the Rams drafted quarterback Jared Goff at the top of the board.
Here’s a closer look at all 12 trades for the No. 1 pick since 1967, excluding deals that happened after the draft had already started, such as the Eli Manning/Philip Rivers trade in 2004, Bo Jackson in 1986 and John Elway in 1983.
2016
Player picked at No. 1: QB Jared Goff
Titans received: 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 Shon Coleman), 2017 first-round pick (No. 5, WR Corey Davis) and 2017 third-round pick (No. 100, TE Jonnu Smith)
Rams received: 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
Player picked at No. 1: QB Michael Vick
Chargers received: WR Tim Dwight, 2001 first-round pick (No. 5, RB LaDainian Tomlinson), 2021 third-round pick (No. 67, DB Tay Cody) and a 2002 second-round pick (No. 48, WR Reche Caldwell).
Falcons received: 2001 No. 1 pick (Vick)
1997
Player picked at No. 1: OT Orlando Pace
Jets received: 1997 first-round pick (No. 6; subsequently traded, OT Walter Jones), 1997 third-round pick (No. 67; subsequently traded, OL Dan Neil), 1997 fourth-round pick (No. 102, DE Terry Day) and 1997 seventh-round pick (No. 207; subsequently traded, QB Koy Detmer)
Rams received: 1997 No. 1 overall pick (Pace)
1995
Player picked at No. 1: RB Ki-Jana Carter
Panthers received: 1995 first-round pick (No. 5, QB Kerry Collins) and 1995 second-round pick (No. 36, DE Shawn King)
Bengals received: 1995 No. 1 pick (Carter)
1991
Player picked at No. 1: DT Russell Maryland
Patriots received: 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 No. 1 pick (Maryland)
1990
Player picked at No. 1: QB Jeff George
Falcons received: OT Chris Hinton, WR Andre Rison, 1990 fifth-round pick (No. 121, TE Reggie Redding) and 1991 first round pick (No. 13, WR Mike Pritchard)
Colts received: 1990 No. 1 pick (George) and a fourth-round pick (No. 83, WR Stacey Simmons)
1984
Player picked at No. 1: WR Irving Fryar
June 1983 trade: Bengals received 1984 No. 1 pick, Buccaneers received QB Jack Thompson
April 1984 trade: Patriots received 1984 No. 1 pick (Fryar); Bengals received 1984 first-round pick (No. 16, DE Pete Koch), 1984 first-round pick (No. 28; OL Brian Blados), a 10th-round pick (No. 265, RB Brent Ziegler) and a 1985 fifth-round pick (No. 129, DB Lee Davis)
1978
Player picked at No. 1: RB Earl Campbell
Tampa Bay received: TE Jimmie Giles, 1978 first-round pick (No. 17, QB Doug Williams), 1978 second-round pick (No. 44, G Brett Moritz), 1979 third-round pick (No. 78, DE Reggie Lewis) and 1979 fifth-round pick (No. 133, QB Chuck Fusina)
Oilers received: 1978 No. 1 pick (Campbell)
1975
Player picked at No. 1: QB Steve Bartkowski
Colts received: 1975 first-round pick (No. 3, G Ken Huff) and OL George Kunz
Falcons received: 1975 No. 1 pick (Bartkowski)
1974
Player picked at No. 1: DE Ed Jones
Oilers received: DE Tody Smith and WR Billy Parks
Cowboys received: 1974 No. 1 pick (Jones) and 1974 third-round pick (No. 53, QB Danny White)
1968
Player picked at No. 1: T Ron Yary
Giants received: QB Fran Tarkenton
Vikings received: 1968 No. 1 pick (Yary), 1967 first-round pick (No. 2, RB Clint Jones), 1967 second-round pick (No. 28., WR Bob Grim) and 1969 second-round pick (No. 39, OL Ed White)
1967
Player picked at No. 1: DT Bubba Smith
Saints received: QB Gary Cuozzo
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