Amid Jonathan Taylor Trade Talk, A Look Back at Recent Trades Involving NFL RBs

History has taught us that it is quite rare to see standout NFL running backs traded in their prime.

It’s rare to see standout NFL running backs traded in their primes.

Following the news that Jonathan Taylor has been granted permission to seek a trade, reports surfaced that the Colts will not simply give Taylor away without receiving sizable capital in return.

Let’s take a look back at some of the most notable trades in recent years involving backs who changed uniforms.

Last October, the 49ers landed Pro Bowl back Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers in exchange for a 2023 second, third and fourth round pick as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024. In 11 regular season games with San Francisco last season, McCaffrey made a major impact posting 1,210 total yards and 10 touchdowns.

In 2015, the Bills acquired LeSean McCoy from Philadelphia in exchange for linebacker Kiko Alonso. In four years with the Bills, McCoy enjoyed success posting 5,145 total yards and 29 touchdowns.

The Colts also made headlines back in 2013 when they traded landed Trent Richardson from the Browns in exchange for a 2014 first-round draft pick. After just two seasons the 2012 No. 3 overall pick, was a disappointment rushing for just 977 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in just 29 games with Indianapolis.

The biggest trade that led to a massive impact over the last several decades involved the 1999 trade of Hall of Fame back Marshall Faulk. This deal once again involved the Colts when they shipped Faulk to the Rams in exchange for second and fifth round picks.

The Rams reaped the benefits of this trade as Faulk was a major contributor of what would become known as the “Greatest Show on Turf.” The all-around talent helped the Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV in his first season, while also leading the club to another appearance on the big stage two years later when St. Louis came up short to Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Some other highlighted deals involved the Bengals trading veteran Corey Dillon to the Patriots in exchange for a second-round pick in 2004. In 2022, the Dolphins acquired Ricky Williams from the Saints in exchange for Miami’s first-round pick in 2002, a fourth-round pick in 2002, and a first-round pick in the 2003 NFL draft.

History proves that trades involving star running backs, while rare, often have mixed results for the teams landing the known commodity.