3 notable NFL in-season trades
In-season trades are a rare thing in the NFL. In-season trades involving a big name are even rarer, which is why the Seattle Seahawks turned heads Friday when they shipped Percy Harvin off to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick.
Here's a look at three other notable in-season trades in recent history, and how they panned out for both teams.
2013: Trent Richardson traded to Colts
Following their Week 2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, the Cleveland Browns traded running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick in the 2014 draft.
The Colts envisioned Richardson as their bell cow back, but things haven't quite worked out the way they'd hoped. Richardson rushed for 458 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games for Indianapolis last season, averaging a disastrous 2.9 yards per carry.
Richardson has rushed for 358 yards on 101 attempts, for an average of 3.5 yards per carry, in seven games this season.
On draft day, the Browns traded the Colts' first-round pick (No. 26 overall) along with their own third-round pick (No. 88 overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 22nd overall pick, which they used to select quarterback Johnny Manziel.
Winner: Browns
2010: Marshawn Lynch traded to Seahawks
The Bills traded former first-round pick Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks for a pair of draft picks in October 2010, ending months of speculation about the running back's future in Buffalo.
Lynch was suspended for three games in 2009 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge, and had made it clear during the offseason that he would welcome an opportunity to start fresh somewhere else.
In his first four seasons with the Seahawks, Lynch amassed 4,624 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns, and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. He also helped the team win its first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Buffalo drafted offensive tackle Chris Hairston with the first of two picks received in the Lynch deal, and used the second on linebacker Tank Carder. Hairston has appeared in 32 games for the Bills over the past four seasons, while Carder was released by the team in September 2012.
Winner: Seahawks
2010: Randy Moss traded to Vikings
In a blockbuster move, the New England Patriots sent Pro Bowl wide receiver Randy Moss back to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2011 third-round draft pick.
Reports surfaced afterwards that Moss was involved in a heated exchange with quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien at halftime of the Patriots' 41-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins, prompting the trade.
The reunion was short-lived, as Moss was waived by the Vikings a month later. His release came one day after he criticized Vikings head coach Brad Childress during a bizarre press conference.
With the third-round pick received in exchange for Moss, the Patriots drafted quarterback Ryan Mallett, who served as Tom Brady's primary backup in 2012 and 2013. Mallett was traded to the Houston Texans in August for a conditional sixth- or seventh-round pick in 2016.
Winner: Tie
Honorable Mention: Brett Favre traded to Jets in 2008
This trade took place during the preseason, but is worth mentioning because of the big ramifications it had on the teams involved.
On Aug. 7, 2008, the Green Bay Packers traded quarterback Brett Favre to the New York Jets for a conditional pick in 2009.
Favre announced his retirement from the NFL five months earlier, prompting the Packers to promote Aaron Rodgers to the starting quarterback role. When Favre changed his mind about calling it a career, the Packers elected to stick with Rodgers.
Favre pulled the same move a year later, informing the Jets of his intention to retire after 18 seasons. After being released from the Jets' reserve/retired list, Favre came out of retirement for a second time, signing with the Minnesota Vikings.
Following Favre's departure, Jets head coach Rex Ryan named rookie Mark Sanchez the team's new starting quarterback.
As for the draft pick the Packers received from the Jets, they used it in a package deal to trade up to the bottom of the first round and select linebacker Clay Matthews.
Winner: Packers