Trade History: Rams are known for moves involving backs Dickerson, Bettis and Faulk
In 2016, the Rams moved back to Los Angeles after 20 years in St. Louis. The team reached its pinnacle with a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. One of the stars of that team, which is known as the “Greatest Show on Turf” is running back Marshall Faulk, who was acquired nearly a year before at the NFL Draft. Faulk is one of several star backs that have been a part of Rams trades along with Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis, and Steven Jackson.
One deal that did not make this list involved an ownership “trade” on July 13, 1972. Before that time, the Rams were run by Dan Reeves (no relation to the former Giants, Broncos and Falcons coach), whose family owned the Safeway supermarket chain. Reeves bought the Rams in 1941 when they were located in Cleveland and moved the team to Los Angeles after winning the NFL Championship in 1945. Reeves died from cancer in April 1971 and the team was run by his estate for more than a year until it was purchased by Robert Irsay, who owned his own heating company. Irsay immediately turned around and swapped franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom, who had owned the Baltimore Colts since their inception in 1953.
Here are the 10 most influential player and draft pick trades in the history of the Rams franchise.
1. June 12, 1952:
Rams acquired: LB Les Richter
Dallas Texans acquired: RB Dave Anderson, RB Billy Baggett, FB Lester (Dick) Hoerner, WR/End Dick Wilkins, T Jack Halliday, C Aubrey Phillips, LB/C Joe Reid, LB Vic Vasicek, CB Tom Keane, CB George Sims, and DB Dick McKissack
The list starts with the largest haul a team has received for one player in NFL history. Richter was a two-time All-American and, as a guard, was named the United Press International Lineman of the Year at Cal in 1950. The New York Yanks selected him second overall in 1952, but the team folded soon after and his rights went to the Dallas Texans. After the trade, Richter spent two years in the U.S. Army serving in the Korean War. When he returned, he played mostly linebacker and kicker at the professional level, earning eight Pro Bowl selections and appearing in every game during his nine NFL seasons. Richter played in the 1955 NFL Championship Game loss to the Browns and was named an All-Pro for the only time the following season. After retiring in 1962, he focused on the world of auto racing, eventually becoming NASCAR’s senior vice president of operations. Richter died from a brain aneurysm in 2010. He was selected to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
Richter turned out to be a fantastic player, but trading one player for 11 is an unheard of decision, especially in the NFL. Baggett was a running back and safety at Louisiana State. He played just one pro season, amassing 567 yards on kick returns, 102 on punt returns, 65 rushing, as well as 41 yards and a score receiving. Hoerner was one of the top rushing fullbacks of his era, posting 2,010 yards and 29 touchdowns in five seasons with the Rams, including a Pro Bowl selection in 1950. He also ran for a touchdown in Los Angeles’ win over Cleveland in the 1951 NFL Championship Game. After the trade, he combined for 334 yards (172 receiving, 162 rushing) and two scores in his only year with the Texans. Wilkins was a former Oregon receiver who was drafted by the Giants in 1948, but instead chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference. After the AAFC folded, he was chosen by the Texans in the dispersal draft. Wilkins returned after two years in the Marines and rushed for 416 yards and three touchdowns with Dallas. He took the 1953 season off to focus on his lumber business, then was traded back to the Giants. Wilkins ran for 45 yards and a score in his lone year with New York before retiring in 1954.
Anderson and Phillips never played in the NFL. Halliday was a former tackle at Southern Methodist. He started in the Rams’ 24-17 victory over the Browns in the 1951 NFL title game, but did not play after the trade. Reid played in college at LSU. He spent his rookie season with the Rams, started eight games with the Texans in 1952 and retired after the season. Vasicek was a linebacker and a guard at Texas. He played with the AAFC’s Buffalo Bills in 1949 and appeared in 12 games with the Rams the following season. Vasicek did not play after the trade. Keane was a former West Virginia cornerback and member of the U. S. Navy. He spent four years as a reserve with the Rams and played in three NFL Championship Games, including the 1951 title victory over the Browns. Keane had 10 interceptions in 10 games with the Texans in 1952 and earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors the following year with the Colts after posting 11 interceptions. Keane spent one more season in Baltimore and another with the Chicago Cardinals before he retired in 1955. He embarked on a nearly 30-year coaching career, 20 of which were spent as defensive backs and special teams coach with the Dolphins under Don Shula. McKissack was a Southern Methodist product who played just one game in his NFL career (in 1952 with the Texans). After his playing days were over, McKissack was elected to the Texas House of Representatives four times. Sims was a Baylor cornerback who had 10 interceptions in two seasons with the Rams and did not play after the trade.
Assessment: You would think an 11-for-1 trade would come out lopsided in favor of the team getting the 11, but in this case, the opposite is true. Keane, Hoerner and Wilkins are the only players to have any sort of meaningful playing time after the trade, and Keane was the only one to make the Pro Bowl (after the Texans folded and were reborn as the Colts). Richter became a star in Los Angeles, earning eight Pro Bowl selections and playing in an NFL Championship Game. RAMS
2. January 28, 1971:
Rams acquired: LB Marlin McKeever, first- and third-round picks in the 1971 NFL Draft as well as a third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-rounders in 1972
Redskins acquired: RB Jeff Jordan, G John Wilbur, DT Diron Talbert, LB Maxie Baughan, LB Jack Pardee, LB Myron Pottios and a fifth-round pick in 1971
The second spot on the list details another massive trade, this one involving 14 players, although split much more evenly (7-for-7) than the first deal. McKeever was a USC product who was drafted fourth overall by the Rams in 1961. He spent his first six years with Los Angeles and made the Pro Bowl as a tight end in 1966. After one year with the Vikings, he signed with the Redskins in 1968 and became a full-time middle linebacker. McKeever returned to the Rams in this trade and started all 28 games over the next two seasons. He ended his career with Philadelphia in 1973. After retiring, he made an unsuccessful bid for a spot in California’s state assembly in the 72nd District. McKeever died in 2006 due to blood clots after falling at his home. The first of six picks the Rams acquired was Isiah Robertson, a linebacker from Southern University in Louisiana. Robertson had four interceptions in 1971, which earned him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, as well as a Pro Bowl selection. During his eight years in Los Angeles, he was named to the Pro Bowl six times and was an All-Pro twice. Robertson was traded to the Bills and started every game over the next four years before he retired in 1983. He died in a limousine accident in 2018.
The third-round pick was Dave Elmendorf, an All-American safety in 1970 at Texas A&M who chose the Rams despite being drafted by the Yankees in the Major League Baseball Draft. While he did not earn any individual accolades, Elmendorf started all 130 games in his nine-year career while amassing 27 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries. He also played in 13 postseason games, posting four tackles and an interception of Terry Bradshaw in a loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV, which turned out to be the final game of his career. After he retired in 1980, Elmendorf became a broadcaster and operated golf courses. The 1972 third-round pick was one of two sent to the Patriots for Phil Olsen, a 1969 All-American lineman at Utah State who missed his rookie season after suffering a knee injury at the preseason College All-Star Game. Phil joined his brother, Merlin, on the Rams’ defensive line, and played 52 games in four seasons. He was traded to the Broncos in 1975 and spent two seasons in Denver. Olsen signed with the Bills in 1978, but retired after suffering another knee injury in the preseason.
Los Angeles traded the 1972 fourth-rounder to the Eagles for Joe Carollo. The former Notre Dame tackle started his career with the Rams, playing in 97 games in seven seasons and making the Pro Bowl in 1968. After two seasons in Philadelphia, he was sent back across the country to L.A., where he was a reserve. Carollo played two seasons with the Browns and two with the World Football League’s Southern California Sun before retiring in 1975. The Rams also sent the seventh-round pick to the Giants for Tommy Joe Crutcher, a former linebacker at Texas Christian. Crutcher was a reserve with the Packers for most of his career. After winning three NFL titles and two Super Bowls in four years with Green Bay, he was sent to the Giants and posted his only two starting seasons. Crutcher never played with the Rams and instead was traded back to the Packers. He played two more seasons before retiring in 1972. The other two picks became Bob Christiansen and Ed Hebert. Christiansen was a defensive tackle from UCLA who was cut by the Rams in training camp. He played four games with the Bills in 1972, his only pro season. Hebert was a former Texas Southern defensive tackle who never played in the NFL.
While the Rams looked to the future with this trade, the Redskins acquired more established players. Jordan, a former University of Washington product, ran for just 50 yards in his NFL career, all with Los Angeles as a rookie in 1970. Jordan played just two games in two seasons with Washington before retiring in 1972. Wilbur was a guard with Stanford who spent his first four years with the Cowboys. He was traded to the 4-9-1 Cardinals, but threatened to retire unless he was moved to another team. St. Louis relented and sent him to Los Angeles. Wilbur was a reserve with the Rams for one season before the trade to Washington. He played four years in the Nation’s Capital and started at right guard for the Redskins in Super Bowl VII, which the Dolphins won to cement their perfect season. Wilbur played two seasons in the WFL with The Hawaiians and returned to the NFL for one campaign with the Eagles before retiring in 1976. Wilbur died in 2013 and research showed he, like many other former players, suffered from brain injuries related to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Talbert was a former Texas defensive tackle who spent his first four seasons with the Rams. After the trade, he played 10 seasons with the Redskins. While with Washington, Talbert had a sack in Super Bowl VII and made the Pro Bowl in 1974. He retired after the 1980 season and became involved in an investment business. Baughan was an All-American linebacker in 1959 at Georgia Tech. He spent his first six seasons with Philadelphia, earning five Pro Bowl selections, helping the Eagles win the NFL Championship in 1960, and being named an All-Pro in 1964. Baughan was traded to the Rams in 1966 and continued his solid play. He was selected to the Pro Bowl his first four years with Los Angeles and also was named to the All-Pro team in 1969. Baughan retired in 1970 and was the defensive coordinator at his alma mater for two years. He returned and played two games with the Redskins in 1974 before retiring for good. Baughan spent the next 23 years as a coach in the NFL, except for a six-year stint as head coach at Cornell from 1983-88.
Pardee might be the most recognizable name in this trade, thanks to his coaching career. The former Texas A&M linebacker spent 13 seasons with the Rams, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 1963. He played 169 games with Los Angeles but missed the 1965 season after being diagnosed with cancer in his left arm. After the trade, he played two years with the Redskins before retiring in 1973. Pardee spent the next 20-plus years coaching in the World Football League, United States Football League, Canadian Football League, college, and the NFL. The 1979 Coach of the Year led his teams to an 87-77 record in 11 NFL seasons with the Bears (1975-77), Redskins (’78-’80), and Oilers (’90-’94). Pardee’s melanoma returned later in life and he died from the condition in 2013. Pottios was a linebacker from Notre Dame who spent his first five seasons with the Steelers, earning three Pro Bowl selections. He signed with the Rams in 1966 and played in 56 games over five seasons. After the trade, he played three years with the Redskins and started in Super Bowl VII along with Wilbur, Talbert, and Pardee. After 12 seasons and 129 games, Pottios retired in 1973. Washington traded the fifth-round pick to the Packers for wide receiver Boyd Dowler, a former Colorado receiver who won five NFL titles and two Super Bowls with the Packers. Dowler was the 1959 Offensive Rookie of the Year and ranks in the top 10 in Green Bay history with 6,918 yards (sixth) and 448 receptions (seventh). The two-time Pro Bowler also had 71 yards and a touchdown in a 33-14 victory over the Raiders in Super Bowl II. With the Redskins, Dowler had just seven catches in the 1971 season before retiring. He is now a scout for the Falcons.
Assessment: Most of the players were at the end of their careers when they were traded to Washington, but those players led the “Over the Hill Gang” in their Super Bowl VII loss to the Dolphins. While Los Angeles did not have the same team success, Robertson and Elmendorf had the best individual careers after the trade. RAMS
3. January 29, 1972:
Rams acquired: LB Jeff Staggs, a second-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, plus second- and third-rounders in 1973
Chargers acquired: DE Deacon Jones, DT Greg Wojcik, and RB Lee White
Staggs didn’t have to move too far from college at San Diego State to his pro home with the Chargers. He played 58 games in five seasons with San Diego, but did not appear with Los Angeles after the trade. The Rams moved him to the Cardinals, where he spent two years before signing back with the Chargers for one final season in 1974. Another potential sufferer of CTE, Staggs died in 2014 and his wife has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NCAA. The Rams used the 1972 second-round pick on Jim Bertelsen, a former Texas running back. Bertelsen was a 1973 Pro Bowler who ran for 2,466 yards and 16 touchdowns in five seasons with the Rams before retiring in 1976. The picks in 1973 became Cullen Bryant and Tim Stokes. Bryant was a former Colorado running back who spent 11 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Rams. Although Bryant never hit the 1,000-yard mark in any season, he ran for 3,119 yards and 20 touchdowns with the Rams. He also scored a touchdown in the Rams’ 31-19 loss to the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV. Bryant spent two years with the Seahawks, but returned for one more year with Los Angeles in 1987 before retiring. He is best known for his successful challenge to the “Rozelle Rule.” In 1975, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle took Bryant off the Rams and gave him to the Lions after Los Angeles signed former Detroit wide receiver Ron Jessie as a free agent (at that time, the commissioner could award either a player or a draft pick as compensation for a lost free agent). After the court issued a restraining order against the league, Rozelle instead gave the Lions a first-round draft pick in 1976. Bryant died in 2009 at age 58. Stokes was a former Oregon tackle who played six games with the Rams as a rookie in 1974. After the trade, he spent three seasons with the Redskins, starting 33 games. Stokes appeared in 63 contests with the Packers and three with the Giants before retiring in 1982.
Arguably the greatest defensive end in NFL history, Jones earned seven Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections in 11 seasons with the Rams. He allegedly coined the term “sack” but he was never credited with one, since the league did not recognize it as an official statistic until 1982, eight years after Jones’s career ended. He unofficially posted 22 sacks twice (1964 and ’68), had 21½ in 1967, and his career total of 173½ would have been the most in NFL history. After the trade, Jones made the Pro Bowl in 1972, his first of two seasons with the Chargers. He spent one final year with the Redskins and retired in 1974. Jones was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, and he is a member of the NFL’s 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. He died in 2013 from lung cancer and heart disease. Wojcik was a former USC defensive tackle who was a reserve for one year with the Rams and three with the Chargers, starting just two of 33 games before his retirement in 1974. White was a running back from Weber State who was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 1968 Draft. He combined for 303 yards in three seasons with New York and was part of the Super Bowl III championship team. White was used sparingly in one season each with the Rams and Chargers before he retired in 1973.
Assessment: Jones is the biggest name in the trade and he has the only individual accolade among the players involved. However, Bryant had the better overall career, plus he scored in Super Bowl XIV, so this trade is a …PUSH
4. August 1, 1984:
Rams acquired: A fifth-round pick in the 1985 NFL Draft
Bills acquired: WR Preston Dennard
The fifth-rounder turned into one of those “diamond in the rough” players for the Rams. Former Auburn linebacker Kevin Greene began his illustrious career with eight seasons in Los Angeles. He had back-to-back 16½-sack seasons in 1988 and ’89, and his 72½ overall rank second in Rams history. The 1989 Pro Bowler took advantage of the first official year of free agency in 1993 to sign with the Steelers. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors after leading the league with 14 sacks in 1994, and after another Pro Bowl berth the following year, he signed with the Panthers. Greene helped Carolina reach the NFC Championship Game in its second year of existence in 1996, posting an NFL-best 14½ sacks while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. He signed with the 49ers in 1997 and helped them reach the NFC title game, then returned to the Panthers for two more years (and a fifth Pro Bowl selection) before retiring in 1999. The 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee won his only championship in Super Bowl XLV when he was an outside linebackers coach when the Packers defeated the Steelers.
Dennard was a former New Mexico wide receiver who was a part of the Rams’ run to Super Bowl XIV. He had 3,066 yards and 21 touchdowns in six years with Los Angeles. Dennard had a career-best seven touchdowns in his only season with the Bills and he retired after one year with the Packers in 1985. He has been involved with several charities and youth leadership programs since his playing career ended.
Assessment: Dennard was a productive player but spent just one season with Buffalo. Greene was stellar throughout his 15-year career, and he was one of the NFL’s best defensive players in the 1980s. RAMS
5. October 31, 1987:
Rams acquired: RB Owen Gill (from Colts), RB Greg Bell (from Bills), two first-round picks in 1988 (one each from the Colts and Bills), a 1988 second-rounder (from Colts) a first-round pick in 1989 (from Bills) and a two 1989 second-rounders (one each from the Colts and Bills)
Colts acquired: RB Eric Dickerson (from Rams)
Bills acquired: LB Cornelius Bennett (from Colts)
Since the Rams were parting with one of the NFL’s elite running backs in Dickerson, they received two running backs and plenty of picks in this three-team deal. Gill had 490 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons with the Colts, but only played one game with the Rams. Bell made the Pro Bowl with the Bills after running for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns in his 1984 rookie season, and he added 883 yards and eight scores the following year. After the trade, Bell ran for more than 1,000 yards and led the NFL in touchdowns in back-to-back seasons (1988-89). He signed with the Raiders for one final season in 1990.
As far as the picks go, the first, UCLA running back Gaston Green, totaled just 451 yards in three seasons with the Rams. He was a Pro Bowler after rushing for 1,037 yards with the Broncos in 1991 but after one more year in Denver, he retired in 1993. Former Arizona State wide receiver Aaron Cox started for the Rams as a rookie and totaled 98 catches, 1,673 yards, and eight touchdowns in five seasons with Los Angeles. He signed with the Colts and retired after the 1993 season. The 1988 second-rounder was Buffalo-born linebacker Fred Strickland. The Purdue product spent five years in Los Angeles, posting seven sacks and two interceptions in 63 games. Strickland played with four other teams over the final seven years of his career, ending his career as a reserve with the Redskins in 1999.
The Rams tried again with a running back in 1989, taking Cleveland Gary from the University of Miami in the first round. Gary ran for 808 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns in 1990 and totaled 1,125 yards and seven scores two years later. After spending five seasons with the Rams, Gary had just 11 yards with the Dolphins in his final season in 1994. Los Angeles took Notre Dame linebacker Frank Stams with the first of the second-round picks. Stams played three seasons with the Rams and 3½ with the Browns before signing with the Chiefs for one game in 1995. The final pick also came in the second round in 1989, which the Rams used on Darryl Henley, a cornerback from UCLA. Henley spent his entire six-year career with the Rams, posting 12 interceptions in 76 games. Henley is now serving a 31-year sentence in California for trafficking cocaine and hiring hitmen to try and kill both the judge and a witness in the case.
The Colts picked up Dickerson, who ran for at least 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first four seasons, led the NFL in rushing three times and set a league record with 2,105 yards in 1984. He earned three Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro nod with Los Angeles, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1983 and Offensive Player of the Year in 1986. After joining the Colts, Dickerson went to three more Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro twice, and led the league with 1,659 yards in 1988. However, injuries wore him down and he was traded to the Raiders in 1992. Dickerson retired after playing with the Falcons the following year, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
The Colts were unable to come to an agreement with Bennett, the second overall pick in the 1987 Draft, so Indianapolis traded the three-time All-American at Alabama to the Bills. Bennett became a leader on Buffalo’s defense for the next nine years, totaling 793 tackles (third in team history), 52½ sacks (fourth), 22 forced fumbles (second), and 19 fumble recoveries (most among defensive players). He was a Pro Bowler in each of the Buffalo’s four straight Super Bowl seasons and also earned All-Pro honors in 1988. Bennett signed with Atlanta in 1996 and went to a fifth Super Bowl with the Falcons two years later. He spent two years with the Colts before retiring in 2000.
Assessment: Bell and Gary were by far the best players Los Angeles received in this deal, but they got little production from the others. Dickerson was still a solid player for Indianapolis before he was affected by injuries, while Bennett was a defensive leader on a Buffalo team that went to four straight Super Bowls. BILLS
6. (Part One) April 8, 1996:
Rams acquired: A first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft
Redskins acquired: DT Sean Gilbert
(Part Two) Apil 20, 1996:
Rams acquired: A second-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft and a fourth-rounder in 1997
Steelers acquired: RB Jerome Bettis and a third-rounder in 1996
The Rams have consistently made trades involving the running back position, and these deals are no exception. With the sixth pick in 1996, St. Louis selected Lawrence Phillips, who had been a star on Nebraska’s back-to-back National Championship teams in 1994-95. The highly-touted prospect totaled just 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns with the Rams before he was abruptly cut in late November 1997. He finished the year with Miami, but took the following season off. After a strong showing with NFL Europe in 1998, Phillips signed with the 49ers, but soon clashed with management and was released. He ended his career with two seasons in Canada (2002 with the Montreal Alouettes and 2003 with the Calgary Stampeders). Phillips’ problems with conduct started in college, when he was charged with assaulting an ex-girlfriend and dragging her down a flight of stairs while at Nebraska. Ten years after that incident, he was wanted for two other domestic violence charges when he hit three teenagers with his car, which earned him a 31-year prison term. While he was in jail, he was a cellmate of Damion Soward, the cousin of former Jaguars wide receiver, R. Jay Soward. Damion Soward was found dead in his cell in April 2015 and Phillips was charged with first-degree murder. While awaiting sentencing, Phillips was found unresponsive in his cell and died on January 12, 2016.
The Rams were so confident in Phillips’ talent that they traded away starter Jerome Bettis for two picks. The first of those picks was former University of Washington tight end Ernie Conwell, who appeared in two Super Bowls with the Rams (a 23-16 win over the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and a 20-17 loss to the Patriots two years later). In seven years with St. Louis, Conwell totaled 1,574 yards and 10 touchdowns. He signed with the Saints in 2003 and spent his final four seasons with New Orleans before retiring in 2006. The Rams sent the 1997 pick, along with two others, to the Dolphins to move up and draft Ryan Tucker, a two-time All-Southwest Conference tackle from Texas Christian. Tucker spent his first five seasons with St. Louis and was a reserve in the Super Bowl win against the Titans. He signed with the Browns in 2002 and started 71 games in seven seasons with Cleveland before retiring in 2008.
Washington acquired Gilbert, a Pitt product who was also a high school All-American. Gilbert started his career with the Rams, earning his lone Pro Bowl selection after posting a career-high 10½ sacks in 1993. He had a solid first season with Washington in 1996, but after the Redskins used the franchise tag on him the following year, he held out the entire season. When Washington tried to franchise Gilbert again in 1998, he asked for an arbitration hearing. Gilbert signed with the Panthers, a move that gave the Redskins two first-round picks after they didn’t match the offer. He had 15½ sacks in five seasons with Carolina and ended his career with Oakland in 2003. Gilbert was named head coach of Livingstone College in North Carolina early in 2020.
Bettis was a Notre Dame product who was taken in the first round in 1993. He earned Pro Bowl, All-Pro, and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 1,428 yards and seven touchdowns in 1993, and he added another Pro Bowl selection and 1,000-yard campaign the following year. After three years with the Rams, Bettis was traded to the Steelers, who needed a back after Bam Morris pleaded guilty to marijuana possession charges. Bettis was a four-time Pro Bowler, earned All-Pro and Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1996, and hit the 1,000-yard mark six times in 10 seasons. He also did well in the playoffs, putting up three 100-yard games and scoring nine touchdowns in 14 postseason contests. Bettis went out on top, running for 43 yards in Pittsburgh’s 21-10 win over Seattle in Super Bowl XL, then retiring. Since his playing career ended in 2006, “Bus” has kept busy as a radio host, television analyst, restaurant owner, and commercial star. After a stellar career that included 13,662 yards and 91 scores, Bettis was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015. The Steelers used the pick on former Arkansas linebacker Steve Conley, who had four sacks in three seasons with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. He also played with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and the original XFL’s Chicago Enforcers before retiring in 2001.
Assessment: St. Louis took a chance on Phillips and it did not pan out due to off-field issues. Gilbert was a strong player when he wasn’t letting money get in the way. Bettis showed flashes with the Rams and fulfilled his potential in Pittsburgh, running for more than 10,000 yards and helping the team win a Super Bowl. STEELERS
7. April 15, 1999: Rams acquired: RB Marshall Faulk
Colts acquired: Second- and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft
Faulk was a three-time All-American at San Jose State and the runner-up for the 1992 Heisman Trophy. He played his first five seasons with Indianapolis, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1994, rushing for 1,000 or more yards four times, and being selected to three Pro Bowls. After threatening to hold out, Faulk was traded and signed a seven-year deal with the Rams. He started his tenure in St. Louis with three straight 1,000-yard seasons, earning Offensive Player of the Year, Pro Bowl, and All-Pro selections each year. Faulk was named league MVP after rushing for 1,359 yards and an NFL-high 18 touchdowns in 2000. He was also dangerous as a receiver, averaging nearly 70 catches and 600 yards a year with St. Louis. The Titans held Faulk to just 17 yards rushing, but he had five catches for 90 yards as the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams won 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV. Two years later, he totaled 130 yards (76 rushing and 54 receiving) in a Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. Faulk missed the 2006 season due to reconstructive knee surgery and he retired early the following year. His 58 rushing scores are tied for the most in team history and his 6,959 yards rank fourth. Faulk also sits in fourth place on the Rams’ all-time list with 470 receptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Colts used the second-round pick on Mike Peterson, a linebacker who was a member of Florida’s National Championship team in 1997 and was an All-American the following year. He spent his first four years with Indianapolis, making the All-Rookie Team in 1999 and leading the league with 160 tackles the following season. Peterson also spent six years with the Jaguars and four with the Panthers. He posted at least 100 tackles seven times and had 1,220 overall in his 14-year career before retiring in 2013. Peterson is currently the outside linebackers coach at South Carolina. In the fifth round, the Colts selected Brad Scioli, a defensive lineman from Penn State. Scioli had 15 sacks in 80 games, including the first Tom Brady would take in his illustrious career. Scioli retired due to a shoulder injury in 2004 and has since become a high school physical education teacher and assistant football coach in Pennsylvania.
Assessment: Both teams got solid running backs in this deal, with St. Louis getting Faulk and Indianapolis taking Edgerrin James in the draft. Faulk turned into an MVP winner and a major contributor to a pair of St. Louis Super Bowl appearances. RAMS
8. April 24, 2004:
Rams acquired: A first-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft
Bengals acquired: First- and fourth-round picks in 2004
The Rams selected Oregon State running back Steven Jackson, who earned three Pro Bowl selections in nine seasons with St. Louis. Jackson also posted eight straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2005-12. He is the team’s all-time leader with 10,138 yards and is tied for third with 56 touchdowns, including a career-high 13 in 2006. Jackson played two seasons with Atlanta and one with New England, helping the Patriots reach the AFC Championship Game in 2015. After three years out of football, he officially retired in 2019.
Cincinnati used its two picks to select Chris Perry and Stacy Andrews. Perry was a Michigan running back who was an All-American and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2003. He suffered hamstring and hernia injuries as a rookie, then a dislocated ankle cost him the final month of the 2006 season, as well as all of 2007. Perry scored his only two rushing touchdowns the following year, but was cut due to inconsistent play and retired in 2009. Andrews was an offensive lineman from Mississippi who spent five seasons with Cincinnati, starting the final two at right tackle. He played one season each with the Eagles (2009), Seahawks (2010), and Giants (2011). Andrews missed the final month of the season, as well as New York’s run to the title in Super Bowl XLVI, due to blood clots in his lungs, and he retired after the season.
Assessment: Andrews was a part-time starter and Perry faced more than his share of injuries. Jackson became St. Louis’ all-leading rusher and totaled more than 11,000 career yards. RAMS
9. March 13, 2012:
Rams acquired: First- and second-round picks in 2012, plus first-rounders in 2013 and ’14
Redskins acquired: The second overall pick in 2012
This trade was reminiscent of the one in 1999 when the Saints sent their entire draft plus a couple other picks to the Redskins for the right to draft Texas running back Ricky Williams. Washington was involved in this deal as well, but this time most of the selections were leaving the Nation’s Capital in exchange for the second overall pick in 2012.
The Rams received the sixth pick, but sent it to Dallas (who used it on former LSU All-American cornerback Morris Claiborne). The first pick from the Cowboys was at 14, and the Rams selected Michael Brockers, a defensive lineman who was Claiborne’s teammate at LSU. Brockers has spent his entire eight-year career with the Rams, amassing 23 sacks, and 344 tackles in 123 games. He also started in Super Bowl LIII and made seven tackles in the 13-3 loss to the Patriots. Brockers resigned with Los Angeles in March 2020 after a deal with the Ravens fell through. The second-round pick from Dallas was later traded to the Bears (who used it to select South Carolina wide receiver, Alshon Jeffery). The two acquired picks were used on Isaiah Pead and Rokevious Watkins. Pead was a running back from the University of Cincinnati who never got on track in the NFL. He lost one game in 2013 after a substance abuse policy violation and missed the entire 2014 season after suffering a torn ACL. Pead played five underwhelming seasons with the Rams, Steelers, and Dolphins, totaling 613 yards (413 on kickoff returns and exactly 100 each rushing and receiving). His career was cut short after a November 2016 car accident that resulted in the loss of part of his left leg. Watkins was an offensive lineman at South Carolina, but played just four games in two seasons with the Rams and Chiefs due to weight issues. Watkins signed with the Arizona Rattlers in 2016 but retired without playing a game for the AFL team.
The Rams used Washington’s second-round pick on cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who was a member of Florida’s National Championship team in 2008 and transferred to North Alabama as a senior. Jenkins made the All-Rookie Team and had 10 interceptions, with five returned for touchdowns, in four years with the Rams. He signed with the Giants and made his only Pro Bowl in 2016. “Jackrabbit” played 53 games in New York, but was waived late in the 2019 season after making insensitive comments on Twitter. He was claimed off waivers by the Saints and resigned with New Orleans in March. St. Louis traded the 2013 first-round pick to Atlanta for three selections that turned into Alec Ogletree, Stedman Bailey, and Zac Stacy. Ogletree was a former Georgia linebacker and high school All-American who spent his first five seasons with the Rams. Despite missing most of the 2015 season with a broken fibula, he made at least 100 tackles three times with St. Louis and Los Angeles. Ogletree continued his solid play the past two seasons with the Giants, making 173 stops and returning two interceptions for scores. New York released him in February 2020. Bailey was a 2012 All-American wide receiver at West Virginia, but he had just 59 receptions in three seasons with the Rams. While on a substance-abuse suspension in November 2015, Bailey and three relatives were shot in a drive-by incident in Florida. He survived two gunshot wounds to the head, but never played in the NFL again. Stacy had a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Vanderbilt but never reached that mark during his three-year NFL career. He had 973 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2013, but after the Rams drafted Todd Gurley, he was traded to the Jets, where he played just eight games before retiring. Stacy had a failed tryout with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and spent time with the Memphis Express in the Alliance of American Football. Stacy became the first player to rush for 100 yards in a game with the short-lived league, but he hasn’t played since the AAF folded in April 2019.
The Rams’ first-round pick in 2014 turned out to be the second overall selection, which was used on former Auburn tackle Greg Robinson. The highly-touted prospect has been ineffective at the pro level, playing 83 games over six seasons with the Rams, Lions, and Browns. In February, Robinson and former Colts wide receiver Quan Bray were arrested in Texas trying to transport more than 150 pounds of marijuana from Los Angeles to Louisiana. If convicted, those charges could bring both a 20-year prison sentence.
Although the Colts selected Andrew Luck first overall in 2012, no one had a higher upside than Robert Griffin III, whose 2011 season included a Heisman Trophy, Associated Press and Sporting News Player of the Year selections, Manning and Davey O’Brien awards (for best quarterbacks) and All-American honors. The Redskins gave up quite a haul to move up and draft Griffin, and he didn’t disappoint early in his career. He was voted Offensive Rookie of the Year and also earned a Pro Bowl selection after a 2012 season that included 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns passing, as well as 815 yards and seven scores rushing. Griffin had a slow start in his second year, but put together a solid season overall. In 2014, he suffered a dislocated left ankle and ended up splitting the starting spot in Washington with Colt McCoy. Griffin suffered a concussion during a 2015 preseason game and lost his starting spot to Kirk Cousins. Griffin spent 2015 with the Browns and is entering his third season with the Ravens, where he has backed up Joe Flacco and 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Assessment: The picks St. Louis received in this trade were a mixed bag. Brockers, Ogletree, and Jenkins have developed into solid NFL players. Bailey, Stacy and Watkins were unable to produce in limited playing time, Pead suffered a career-ending accident and Robinson was a draft bust. Griffin was solid at the start of his career, but injuries and inconsistent play forced him to the bench. RAMS
10. April 14, 2016:
Rams acquired: First overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, plus fourth- and sixth-rounders
Titans acquired: A first-, two seconds, and a third-round pick in 2016, plus first- and third-rounders in 2017
The Rams list started with a massive deal, so why not end with one as well? This trade with their Super Bowl XXXIV opponent, the Titans, centered around the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Tennessee had drafted quarterback Marcus Mariota the previous year, and with Jared Goff the consensus top selection, they made a nine-player deal with Los Angeles. The Rams assembled a high-powered offense around Goff that included running back Todd Gurley and wide receivers Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp. The former Cal quarterback has been selected to a pair of Pro Bowls and led Los Angeles to Super Bowl LIII. Goff is entering his fifth season and has 14,219 yards (sixth in team history) and 87 touchdowns (seventh). Los Angeles traded the fourth-rounder, giving the Rams an extra pick, which resulted in the selection of Pharoh Cooper, Mike Thomas and Temarrick Hemingway. Cooper was a South Carolina wide receiver who has been primarily a return man in the NFL. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro status after amassing 932 kick and 399 punt return yards in 2017. Cooper spent 2½ years with the Rams, one year with the Cardinals, and one game with the Bengals. He signed with the Panthers in March 2020. Thomas was an All-Conference USA wide receiver at Southern Miss, but made very little impact in Los Angeles. He had just 10 receptions in his four-year stint with the Rams, while also suffering a groin injury and receiving a four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2017. Thomas signed with the Bengals in March. Hemingway was a former South Carolina State tight end who has been primarily a special teams player in 13 games with the Rams and Broncos. He is currently with the Panthers, where he spent all of 2019 on the practice squad.
The Titans dropped from first to 15th overall, but traded the 2016 first- and third-round picks to the Browns to move up to the eight spot, where they drafted Jack Conklin, a tackle from Michigan State. Conklin was an All-Pro and was selected to the All-Rookie Team in 2016. He missed seven games in 2018 due to offseason surgery to fix a torn ACL, as well as a concussion he suffered in Week 9. Despite starting 57 games over four seasons, Conklin was released by the Titans and signed with the Browns in March 2020. The other picks in the deal with Cleveland turned into Leshaun Sims and Kalan Reed. Sims was a Southern Utah cornerback who had two interceptions and 115 tackles in four seasons with the Titans before signing with the Bengals in 2020. Reed was a Southern Miss cornerback who was “Mr. Irrelevant” after being taken with the 253rd and final pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has appeared in just seven games and may never play again after suffering a neck injury during a 2019 preseason game as a member of the Seahawks.
Tennessee turned the two second-round picks into Austin Johnson and Derrick Henry. Johnson was a former Penn State defensive tackle who started just 13 games in four seasons with the Titans. He signed with the Giants in March 2020. Meanwhile, Henry has become one of the best running backs in the NFL. A former high school and college All-American, Henry won the Heisman Trophy, as well as the Walter Camp (best player, as voted on by coaches and sports information directors), Maxwell (best all-around player) and Doak Walker (top running back) awards in 2015. He has exceeded expectations in the NFL, rushing for 3,833 yards and 38 touchdowns in four seasons and scoring on an electrifying 99-yard touchdown run against the Jaguars in 2017. Henry seems to be getting better with each season. He led the NFL with 1,540 yards and 16 scores in 2019, and had 896 yards over the final six games. Henry also ran for 446 yards in three playoff games, and he was a big part of the Titans reaching the AFC Championship Game. Tennessee rewarded him with a four-year, $50 million contract in July.
The Titans selected Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith with the 2017 picks. In the first round, the Titans took Davis, a three-time All-MAC selection and 2016 All-American at Western Michigan. With Henry in the backfield, Tennessee has placed a heavy focus on the running game, but David is arguably the team’s best receiver. He set career highs with 65 catches, 891 yards and four touchdowns in 2018 and has 142 receptions in three years. Smith, a tight end from Florida International, was selected in the third round. His numbers have improved every year, and he posted a career-best 35 catches and 439 yards in 2019.
Assessment: Most of the players from this trade are no longer with the teams that drafted them. While Davis and Smith still have time to become productive players in the NFL, this deal boils down to the two stars, Henry and Goff. Henry is a bruiser who has the ability to take over games (see Tennessee’s run through the AFC playoffs). Like Henry, Goff is also a leader who has improved every season and led his team to postseason success. PUSH
All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
Next: Miami Dolphins
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