Can NFL Coaches Be Traded for Draft Picks?

As the current football season reaches its climax, the Chiefs and the 49ers are gearing up for a showdown on February 11 at 6:30 ET, vying for the coveted Lombardy trophy. While the attention is on the two Super Bowl-bound teams, the other 30 teams have already initiated preparations for the upcoming season. Many teams are in the process of securing new coaches, a crucial step in shaping their future performances.

Interestingly, not widely known among fans, is the fact that coaches can also be traded for draft picks, mirroring the common practice of player trades. The league’s rules, as stipulated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, permit the trading of coaches.

Distinguishing player trades from the coach’s trades is essential. When a player is traded for draft picks, the acquiring team inherits the player’s existing contract. But for the coach, things are a bit different.

In the case of coaches, the dynamics differ. When a team agrees to trade their coach for picks, they are essentially granting the interested team the opportunity to negotiate a new contract with the coach. The coach’s existing contract doesn’t accompany them in the trade. The transfer of picks occurs only upon a successful negotiation and agreement of the contract. If the negotiation fails, the team is not obligated to give up their draft picks.

This unique aspect of coach trading involves legendary coaches changing hands for valuable draft picks. Before Andy Reid brought success to the underachieving franchise, they underwent a series of coaching changes. Notably, Herm Edwards was traded to the Chiefs by the Jets for their 4th-round pick. Despite the investment, Edwards spent three unimpressive seasons before retiring from the NFL.

In another case, Mike Holmgren guided the Packers to two Super Bowl appearances, winning once. His stock was at an all-time high when he was traded to the Seahawks for a 2nd round pick by Green Bay. Seattle offered him an 8-year, $32 million deal and also named him their general manager and executive vice president. He would go on to coach them for 10 seasons, guiding them to their first SB appearance.

The two-time SB-winning coach, Bill Parcells, managed the Patriots for four seasons, guiding them to a Super Bowl appearance before being traded to the divisional rivals, the Jets. New England was adamant not to trade but eventually agreed to four 4 draft picks, each in the first four rounds.

Furthermore, John Gruden served as the coach for the Raiders at the turn of the 21st century. After guiding Oakland to 2 consecutive playoff appearances, Gruden was traded to Tampa Bay, where he led the team to their first SB victory. However, this profile trade came at a steep cost for the Bucs, involving the exchange of two first-round and second-round picks, along with payment of $8m. Despite the compensation, the Raiders faced a significant setback in SB 37, losing to their former coach by a score of 48-21.

One of the most notable coaching trades came in the fall of 1999, when Bill Belichick was reluctantly traded to the Patriots. Initially brought to the Jets alongside Parcells, Belichick was promised full control of the team upon Parcells’s departure. However, when this promise went unfulfilled, Bill resigned and was promptly appointed the HC of New England.

This move sparked controversy and frustration from the Jets as the 8-time SB-winning coach was still under contract. In response, the Jets took the Patriots to court and ended up getting their 1st, 4th, and 7th round draft picks. However, they also had to give New England their 5th and 7th-round picks. Belichick went on to achieve unprecedented success, winning 6 Super Bowl trophies. The Jets, on the other hand, are barely managing to this day with the longest playoff drought to their name.

Recently, the Saints traded their SB-winning coach Sean Payton in 2023 to the Broncos for a first-round pick and a second-round pick after Peyton decided to step down from his position on his own accord, as per Sporting News.

The coaches being traded for picks have become a part of the NFL landscape, but a fan on a Reddit thread wondered if coaches and players are the only positions you can trade for picks or whether other positions can also become part of the trade.

Can NFL Teams Trade Nutritionists Or Athletic Trainers For Draft Picks?

While trading draft picks for the coach has become acceptable, fans have often wondered what other things and positions besides the coach and players can be traded for picks.

Theoretically, teams can trade for an OC, DC, or any assistant coach. Anyone under contract with the team can be traded. That means teams can trade nutritionists and rehab specialists. In fact, teams can trade anyone they want. In baseball, players/coaches have been traded for bats, balls, or other equipment in the past. Team announcers have even been traded. However, it won’t make any sense to trade positions that aren’t scarce.

So far, eight teams have hired new head coaches and plenty of others have hired offensive and defensive coordinators. However, we have yet to see a trade for a coach. There was a belief that Belichick might get the Patriots a first-round pick if he were to be traded. But that didn’t happen. The Lions OC Ben Johnson was in high demand and even interviewed with certain teams, which could have resulted in Detroit getting some draft capital, but his asking salary deterred the franchises.