Famous Washington trade is the best player-for-player swap this centure

Player-for-player trades are rare in the NFL. We saw it this week when the Pittsburgh Steelers sent All-Pro safety to the Miami Dolphins for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The Steelers also received tight end Jonnu Smith, who made the Pro Bowl last season. Regardless of one's current opinion of these players, it's always a significant event when teams trade players.

The fallout from that trade led Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports to look back at the eight best player-for-player swaps this century. The Ramsey-Fitzpatrick swap ranked No. 3. What was No. 1?

Clinton Portis for Champ Bailey (2004)

One of the most surprising trades in NFL history happened during the 2004 offseason, as Washington moved on from Bailey and received Portis and a 2004 second-round pick from the  Denver Broncos. Both players combined for five Pro Bowls at the time of the trade (Bailey four and Portis one) and were amongst the best in the league at their respective positions. 

Washington put the franchise tag on Bailey while Portis sought a new contract. The stars aligned for both to be dealt.

Bailey added to his Hall of Fame resume with the Broncos, making eight Pro Bowls and five All-Pro teams. He corralled 34 interceptions in his 10 seasons with the Broncos. Portis was good in Washington as well, recording four 1,000-yard seasons and two double-digit touchdown campaigns. He received All-Pro honors in 2008. 

This shouldn't come as a surprise. Portis was entering his third NFL season and had rushed for over 3,000 yards in his first two seasons, breaking numerous Denver records. Bailey, meanwhile, was already a four-time Pro Bowl selection in his first five NFL seasons for the Redskins.

Looking back at how things played out, this worked out well for both teams; however, Bailey is a Hall of Famer, while Portis had a really good career. Remember, Washington also sent a second-round pick to Denver as part of the deal. Bailey played 10 seasons for the Broncos, while Portis played seven seasons for Washington. Bailey wanted out of Washington due to a contract squabble with former owner Dan Snyder. Legendary head coach Joe Gibbs, who had just returned for his second stint, wanted a star running back to build his offense around. The trade made sense for both teams, except for Washington's inclusion of a premium draft pick.

Portis has remained around the now-Commanders for years. He has worked for the team's preseason broadcasting crew and has regularly attended games, supporting the franchise over the years. Bailey made peace with the organization after Snyder sold the team in 2023 and has been to games in each of the past two years.

It's difficult to name any player-for-player swap over the last 25 years that was this impactful across the league.

One trade not on this list that should have been: Washington's 2005 trade for wide receiver Santana Moss. The Redskins sent Laveranues Coles to the New York Jets for Moss. Washington clearly won that deal as Moss became a franchise fixture over the next 10 seasons.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington's 2004 trade is the best player swap this century