Worst Trade In Recent Memory: Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears' decision to trade up and draft quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in the 2017 NFL Draft still haunts the team to this day.

The Bears traded up to the No. 2 pick and passed on future stars Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, who were both drafted after Trubisky.

Mahomes has become one of the best quarterbacks in the league, leading the Kansas City Chiefs to two Super Bowl appearances, while Watson consistently put up impressive numbers for the Houston Texans, before his suspension.

Trubisky failed to live up to expectations in Chicago, and although he led the Bears to the playoffs in his second season, he never quite progressed as a quarterback under coach Matt Nagy.

Chicago ultimately decided to move on from Trubisky and replace him with veteran Andy Dalton and rookie Justin Fields. Trubisky is now serving as Josh Allen's backup with the Buffalo Bills.

In total, here's what Pace and the Bears gave up to acquire the pick to draft Trubisky:

No. 3 pick (which turned out to be DL Solomon Thomas)
No. 67 pick, Round 2 (which was later traded to the New Orleans Saints, who selected RB Alvin Kamara)
No. 111 pick, Round 4 (later traded to the Seattle Seahawks, who selected S Tedric Thompson)
No. 70 pick, Round 3 in 2018 (LB Fred Warner)

The Bears' decision to trade up for Trubisky has been widely regarded as one of the worst trades in recent NFL history, as they gave up valuable draft capital for a player who did not meet expectations. The missed opportunity to draft Mahomes or Watson has only compounded the mistake, and it will likely continue to haunt the Bears for years to come.

Overall, the Trubisky trade is a cautionary tale for NFL teams about the dangers of overvaluing a single player in the draft and giving up valuable draft capital to acquire him.

The Bears missed out on a chance to draft a franchise-changing player and set themselves back several years in their search for a quarterback.

Hindsight is 20/20, of course. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports