National Football League

Want to trade for a star WR? How 11 recent trades worked out for NFL teams

Updated Aug. 6, 2024 3:30 p.m. ET

There have been a plethora of blockbuster trades in the NFL of late involving star wide receivers. Furthermore, there might be another premier wideout on the move, as Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers is reportedly discussing potential extensions with other teams in the scenario that he's traded.

On that note, how have trades for Pro Bowl-caliber wideouts panned out? Here's a look at notable wide receiver trades over the past five years, in reverse chronological order.

2024

Texans acquire Stefon Diggs from Bills

Texans receive: WR Stefon Diggs, 2024 sixth-round draft pick, 2025 fifth-round draft pick
Bills receive: 2025 second-round draft pick

Houston acquired the four-time Pro Bowler Diggs, who has totaled 100-plus receptions and 1,100-plus receiving yards in each of the past four seasons, to provide a proven No. 1 receiver for second-year quarterback and 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award recipient C.J. Stroud. The Texans are coming off an AFC South division title and an appearance in the AFC divisional round. Diggs, 30, joins a receiving core that includes the budding Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Buffalo presumably made the move to clear cap space.

2022

Jaguars acquire Calvin Ridley from Falcons

Jaguars receive: WR Calvin Ridley
Falcons receive: 2023 fifth-round draft pick, 2024 third-round draft pick

What happened? Jacksonville acquired Ridley during the 2022 season when he was serving a suspension for betting on NFL games, which was part of the reason why it attained him at a low rate. In his first season with the Jaguars (2023), Ridley totaled 76 receptions for a team-high 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns. That said, Ridley departed for the AFC South-rival Tennessee Titans in free agency.

Cardinals acquire Marquise Brown from Ravens

Cardinals receive: WR Marquise Brown, 2022 third-round draft pick
Ravens receive: 2022 first-round draft pick

What happened? Arizona acquired Brown, who was coming off a career year that saw him total 91 receptions for 1,008 yards, to form a dynamite 1-2 receiver punch with DeAndre Hopkins. That said, Brown played in no more than 12 games in each of the ensuing two seasons due to injury and left Arizona in free agency. Furthermore, Baltimore used the first-rounder it acquired to move back two slots and take its now-Pro Bowl center, Tyler Linderbaum.

Eagles acquire A.J. Brown from Titans

Eagles receive: WR A.J. Brown
Titans receive: 2022 first- and third-round draft picks

What happened? Philadelphia made a seismic move for Brown, giving it a dynamic one-two punch with him and DeVonta Smith on the outside. Brown has been tremendous for the Eagles, earning a Pro Bowl nod in each of his two seasons with the team and registering 1,450-plus receiving yards in both seasons. As for Tennessee, receiver Treylon Burks, who was selected with the first-rounder acquired from Philadelphia, has just one career touchdown.

Dolphins acquire Tyreek Hill from Chiefs

Dolphins receive: WR Tyreek Hill
Chiefs receive: 2022 first, second and fourth-round draft picks, 2023 fourth- and sixth-round draft picks

What happened? The Dolphins swung big to acquire arguably the most difficult cover in the NFL. To date, Hill has been all Miami could've asked for, posting new career highs in receptions and receiving yards, while leading the NFL with 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023. That said, the Dolphins still haven't broken their 24-season drought without a playoff win, and the Chiefs haven't skipped a beat, winning back-to-back Super Bowls since trading Hill.

Raiders acquire Davante Adams from Packers

Raiders receive: WR Davante Adams
Packers receive: 2022 first- and second-round draft picks

What happened? In what was the first swing of the Dave Ziegler-Josh McDaniels era, the Raiders traded for Adams to be their No. 1 receiver. Statistically, the six-time Pro Bowler has continued to perform at an elite level in Las Vegas despite five different starting quarterbacks, averaging 101.5 receptions for 1,330 yards and 11 touchdowns per season. At the same time, the Raiders haven't finished with a winning record since acquiring Adams, and the Packers used their combination of Round 1 and 2 picks in 2022 to select a pair of reputable defensive players (linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt), as well as Christian Watson, who, when healthy, has been their No. 1 wide receiver.

Right that Tyreek Hill ranked 1st on NFL’s Top 100 players?

Browns acquire Amari Cooper from Cowboys

Browns receive: Amari Cooper, 2022 sixth-round draft pick
Cowboys receive: 2022 fifth- and sixth-round draft picks

What happened? A now-five-time Pro Bowler, Dallas moved Cooper for a cheap price to clear cap space, and Cleveland has reaped the benefits. Over his two seasons playing on the coast of Lake Erie, Cooper has averaged 75 receptions for 1,205 yards and seven touchdowns per season, while posting a career-high 1,250 receiving yards in 2023 for the Browns.

2021

Titans acquire Julio Jones from Falcons

Titans receive: WR Julio Jones, 2023 sixth-round draft pick
Falcons receive: 2022 second-round draft pick, 2023 fourth-round draft pick

What happened? The Titans made a late-offseason move for the seven-time Pro Bowler to put their team over the top. Unfortunately for the Tennessee faithful, Jones was limited to 10 regular-season games in 2021 due to injury and totaled a then-career-low 31 receptions. He was cut after the season.

2020

Bills acquire Stefon Diggs from Vikings

Bills receive: WR Stefon Diggs, 2020 seventh-round draft pick
Vikings receive: 2020 first, fifth and sixth-round draft picks, 2021 fourth-round draft pick

What happened? Hey, we just talked about Diggs! Indeed, the star receiver has been involved in two substantial trades over the last five years, this one giving Buffalo the No. 1 receiver it craved for quarterback Josh Allen. Diggs was precisely what the Bills needed. Simultaneously, the first-rounder that Buffalo traded to acquire Diggs became superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who signed a four-year, $140 million extension with Minnesota this offseason, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the sport.

Cardinals acquire DeAndre Hopkins from Texans

Cardinals receive: WR DeAndre Hopkins, 2020 fourth-round draft pick
Texans receive: RB David Johnson, 2020 second-round draft pick, 2021 fourth-round draft pick

What happened? Houston shocked the NFL world on the opening day of 2020 free agency, as it moved Hopkins to Arizona, which was looking to take the next step in its rebuild around quarterback Kyler Murray. Hopkins was superb in his first season with the Cardinals, tying a career-high 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns. That said, he missed extensive time due to injury over the next two seasons and was released after the 2022 season. On the other hand, Houston didn't get much bang for its buck, as Johnson failed to return to Pro Bowl form and neither draft pick it acquired became a full-time starter.

2019

Browns acquire Odell Beckham Jr. from Giants

Browns receive: WR Odell Beckham Jr., OLB Olivier Vernon
Giants receive: S Jabrill Peppers, G Kevin Zeitler, 2019 first- and third-round draft picks

What happened? Looking to go from the wild-card hunt to the best team in the AFC North, Cleveland acquired Beckham, pairing the three-time Pro Bowler with his old LSU teammate, Jarvis Landry. However, the Browns missed the playoffs in Beckham's first season, with him then suffering a torn ACL in 2020 and getting waived midway through the 2021 season. Furthermore, Vernon last played in the NFL in 2020. While Peppers and Zeitler never signed new deals with the Giants, the trade produced defensive tackle and eventual two-time Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence, who was selected with the first-rounder they acquired from the Browns.

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