Four of the five first-round QBs from 2021 have been traded, all for Day 3 draft picks
Today's trade of Zach Wilson to the Broncos serves as a stark reminder of how often players drafted to be their new teams' franchise quarterbacks fail to pan out.
In the 2021 NFL draft, five quarterbacks were selected in the first 15 picks. Four of those five have now been traded, and none fetched more than a third-day draft pick.
The Jets traded No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick to the Broncos for a sixth-round pick, and the Jets had to agree to pay half of Wilson's remaining salary just to get the Broncos to agree to that.
The 49ers traded No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick.
The Bears traded No. 11 overall pick Justin Fields to the Steelers for a sixth-round pick, which could become a fourth-round pick if Fields hits playing time incentives.
The Patriots traded No. 15 overall pick Mac Jones to the Jaguars for a sixth-round pick.
Of the five first-round quarterbacks, only No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence remains with the team that drafted him. Lawrence hasn't lived up to his lofty pre-draft expectations so far, but he's far and away the best quarterback from a 2021 quarterback class that features four first-round busts.
