5 biggest blunders by GMs in NFL history

NFL general managers are always making moves in an attempt to improve their teams. It's important to be aggressive in their pursuit of building the best team possible and not missing out on potential opportunities.

Sometimes though, they swing and miss in an epic way. Here are five of the biggest blunders made by general managers in NFL history.

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#5 - Drafting Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert

Tua Tagovailoa during the 2020 NFL Draft

It's been reported that Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier thoroughly debated whether to take Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft.

While the Dolphins were officially on the clock on draft day, it was unclear whom he would select. But Grier ultimately decided to go with Tagovailoa out of Alabama despite his injury history.

While it's only been two seasons since then, early returns clearly indicate that Herbert would have been the better choice. He is off to a historic start to his career.

Herbert has recorded more completions, passing yards, and touchdowns in his first two seasons than any other quarterback in NFL history.

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#4 - 20 teams passed on the opportunity to draft Randy Moss

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss

Randy Moss recorded a massive 3,529 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns in just two years of college football. He was projected as a top-five pick in the 1998 Draft based on talent, but his off-the-field concerns scared 20 general managers away.

Moss eventually fell to the Minnesota Vikings as the 21st overall pick in the 1998 Draft and the rest is history. He put together one of the best careers by any wide receiver of all time on his way to the Hall of Fame.

#3 - JaMarcus Russell is selected as No. 1 overall pick by Raiders

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell had many red flags surrounding his character and work ethic prior to the 1999 NFL Draft. But that didn't stop Raiders owner and general manager Al Davis from selecting him as the No. 1 overall pick.

The concerns, however, turned out to be true as he became one of the biggest draft busts of all time.

Russell was infamously difficult to deal with as he clashed with coaches and even lied about watching game films.

He held out for a bigger contract before ever playing a game in his rookie season and ended the year with one start and four interceptions. His career ended after 25 starts, having thrown 23 interceptions and registering a 7-18 record.

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#2 - Trading DeAndre Hopkins for David Johnson

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins

Bill O'Brien served as both the head coach and general manager for the Houston Texans. While his coaching record is respectable, the moves he made as a GM are widely considered a disaster.

The biggest blunder among all he did was trade superstar DeAndre Hopkins in his prime for a compromised version of David Johnson, who appeared way past his prime.

The trade was highly criticized around the NFL at the time it happened, and rightfully so. Hopkins continued to be a stud with the Arizona Cardinals while Johnson failed to make any impact with the Texans.

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#1 - Trading up for Mitchell Trubisky while passing on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Mitchell Trubisky

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace made a move in the 2017 NFL Draft that may go down as the worst decision of all time by any GM ever.

He infamously traded up just one spot from second to third to make sure he was able to select the quarterback he wanted. With Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson both available, it was Mitchell Trubisky that Pace so desperately wanted to have.

While Mahomes and Watson are two of the best quarterbacks of their generation, Trubisky was unable to secure a long-term position with the Bears after four disappointing seasons. The entire situation, including trade and choice, makes it one of the worst decisions of all time.