Gunzlingr
04-21-2003, 01:29 PM
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
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Over the past 20 years, there have been five occasions on which the top overall choice in the draft was dealt away, and the results have pretty much been a mixed bag for the teams involved.
Vick
But the most recent first-pick swap, the 2001 deal in which the Atlanta Falcons moved up to choose quarterback Michael Vick and the San Diego Chargers flipped from No. 1 to No. 5 and opted for running back LaDainian Tomlinson, still seems to be a winner for both franchises.
The Falcons obtained not only a star on the field but a also marquee player and an electrifying performer around whom owner Arthur Blank was able to market. And the Chargers, unable to strike a contract accord despite the long negotiations with agent Mike Sullivan over Vick, got a workhorse back, a starting wide receiver in Tim Dwight, and still were able to get quarterback Drew Brees at the top of the second round.
"It's a deal," said late Chargers general manager John Butler in the weeks following the swap, "that should make us stronger. You'd love to get a guy like (Vick). But this helped both teams get better."
Two years later the strength of the trade is that both teams, even provided the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, would make the deal again.
MORE (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/columnist?id=1541953)
ESPN.com
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Over the past 20 years, there have been five occasions on which the top overall choice in the draft was dealt away, and the results have pretty much been a mixed bag for the teams involved.
Vick
But the most recent first-pick swap, the 2001 deal in which the Atlanta Falcons moved up to choose quarterback Michael Vick and the San Diego Chargers flipped from No. 1 to No. 5 and opted for running back LaDainian Tomlinson, still seems to be a winner for both franchises.
The Falcons obtained not only a star on the field but a also marquee player and an electrifying performer around whom owner Arthur Blank was able to market. And the Chargers, unable to strike a contract accord despite the long negotiations with agent Mike Sullivan over Vick, got a workhorse back, a starting wide receiver in Tim Dwight, and still were able to get quarterback Drew Brees at the top of the second round.
"It's a deal," said late Chargers general manager John Butler in the weeks following the swap, "that should make us stronger. You'd love to get a guy like (Vick). But this helped both teams get better."
Two years later the strength of the trade is that both teams, even provided the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, would make the deal again.
MORE (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfldraft/columnist?id=1541953)