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Bucs weigh risk vs. reward in dealing No. 1 draft pick

 
Mike Ditka destroyed the Saints by swapping his entire draft with the Redskins for Ricky Williams. [AP photo]
Mike Ditka destroyed the Saints by swapping his entire draft with the Redskins for Ricky Williams. [AP photo]
Published April 24, 2015

TAMPA

NFL draft-day trades — particularly those involving high picks — are rare and risky.

For every sage, there's a sucker.

Jimmy Johnson made the Cowboys a dynasty by shipping running back Herschel Walker to the Vikings for what he turned into a collection of eventual Pro Bowl players. Mike Ditka destroyed the Saints by swapping his entire draft with the Redskins to select running back Ricky Williams.

That brings us to whether the Bucs would actually part with the golden ticket, the No. 1 selection Thursday, for the promise of more picks or players?

"It's fair to assume someone is going to have to make a really good offer, yeah," Bucs general manager Jason Licht said. "And this time of year you get a lot of calls every day. Not making offers but just throwing, gauging your interest of if you would be open to it or not. And that will continue. But it would have to be an offer that makes this franchise, that sets this franchise even further ahead than what you thought you were going to with the decision you made."

The decision is between two potential franchise quarterbacks — Florida State's Jameis Winston or Oregon's Marcus Mariota. History be damned, Bucs coach Lovie Smith believes both will be successful pros.

Put it this way: Tampa Bay hasn't had the No. 1 overall pick since 1987, when it took Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde. Of the signal-callers the Bucs acquired with a first-round choice — Doug Williams, Steve Young, Jack Thompson, Testaverde, Chris Chandler and Trent Dilfer — none made it to a second contract in Tampa Bay.

But, as reported this week by Newsday, the Bucs are at least willing to entertain the idea of a trade. Why? Because you never know if somebody gives you the Vito Corleone.

Already, there has been much buzz about the Chargers trading quarterback Philip Rivers to the Titans for the second overall pick. The theory goes that Rivers, who at 33 is in the final year of his contract, does not want to play in Los Angeles, where the Chargers are expected to relocate. He would be reunited with Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Chargers' offensive coordinator two years ago.

If the Chargers are willing to move up to No. 2, why not No. 1?

"What do you have to give up to get a veteran quarterback, I believe, that's 33 years old?" former Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "How much of your future?"

. A look at some of the top NFL draft deals

Herschel Walker

The running back was in the prime of his career in 1989 when the Cowboys shipped him to the Vikings for six draft picks and five players. If the players weren't on the Cowboys roster by February 1990, each had a corresponding draft value. Dallas turned that deal into several big contributors to its Super Bowl teams of the '90s: running back Emmitt Smith, defensive tackle Russell Maryland, cornerbacks Clayton Holmes and Kevin Smith, and safety Darren Woodson. Walker played only two years for the Vikings, rushing for 770 and 825 yards.

Ricky Williams

In 1999, Saints coach Mike Ditka sold the house for the running back from Texas. To move from No. 12 to No. 5, New Orleans gave the Redskins all five of its selections in 1999 and first- and third-round picks in 2000. Washington parlayed that haul into players such as cornerback Champ Bailey and linebackers Derek Smith and LaVar Arrington.

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Eli Manning

In 2004, the Mississippi quarterback made it known he did not want to play for the Chargers, who had the No. 1 overall pick. San Diego played that to its advantage, trading Manning to the Giants for Philip Rivers, the North Carolina State quarterback who had been taken three spots later, as well as a 2004 third-rounder and 2005 first- and fifth-rounders. Two of those picks ended up being linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding. The deal worked for both teams. Manning has won two Super Bowls. Rivers, Merriman and Kaeding have made multiple Pro Bowls.

Robert Griffin III

The Redskins traded three first-round picks — for 2012-14 — and one 2012 second-round pick to the Rams to move from sixth to second overall to take the Baylor quarterback. Although RGIII got Washington to the playoffs as a rookie, St. Louis netted former Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins, defensive tackle Michael Brockers, running back Zac Stacy, receiver Stedman Bailey, guard Greg Robinson and linebacker Alec Ogletree.